The Mantis

Let’s face it, the team that won div 3 in 96-97 with Charlie, Herchie, Stewarty, Noble etc would beat this lot.

That’s absolute lazy bollocks from Tony that we’re a defensive team that puts 10 men behind the ball. We’re just fucking hopeless. Oh aye, we don’t concede many, but we have a midfield that can’t create, relying on a 35 year old striker.

The Clyde fans arriving a day early. Boom boom!

Went along to Neilston 0 Kilwinning 2 in the WOSFL Div 1, courtesy of Scotrail £17 offer. A couple of pints in the Horseshoe and the Drum and Monkey in between trains. The second week in a row watching the Buffs and this week, led by veteran striker Bryan Boylan, they were comfortable against the bottom club. Goalless at ht but a quick goal and a late clincher, both by no 7 Mark Lamont, settled it on a day when everybody was frozen stiff. A few phone pics below plus a crappy old Kodachrome taken at my last visit in 1996 where the Farmer's Boys were flattered by the 4-0 scoreline as they knocked Bonnyrigg Rose out of the SJC. Th

Wasting your time reasoning with such a prejudiced individual. Assured me months ago that he had been to plenty LL games but never provided any examples. Doubt he’s ever been east of Harthill Services. If everything he says is true then he wouldn’t have been back after his first one Also waiting to hear why Gala and Gretna are “plastic clubs”. Obviously never been to either, or even Edinburgh Uni which is actually a decent experience although their hard core support is probably only about 30. Gala appear to have a better core support than Darvel and have a proud history in the EOSL.

And a win at last yesterday, although it was the League Cup? Do you know who got the goals?

…and a win fir the Vale

Tranent 3 Kilwinning Rangers 0 (ht 2-0). South Challenge Cup Q-Final at Foresters Park. A comfortable win for the Belters who progress to a home semi-final against EK. First half goals from Cammy Ross (I think) and Scott Gray plus a third from Ross. The Buffs no 15 McCalman has one of the longest throws in the universe. Foresters is always a good place for a visit but there seems to be a dearth of decent boozers in Tranent and none near the ground.

Visit to "probably the best away day in the SPFL" last Saturday. Steak and Black Pudding pie, Tutties, 2 ginormous smokies to take home. Mixed feelings about it as we don't really want to be there next season...

Here's the No 1 away day as seen last Saturday. Will it be our last for a while? Mixed feelings

Aye, also decent. I’ve actually got P7, W3, D3, L1 at Ibrox. Wish I hadn’t bothered the last time on Xmas Eve 2016. Lost 1-0 with Foran’s team and got relegated that season, never to return, so far.

ICT fans have been right royally spoiled for the past 30 years. And we’re paying for it now… The only grounds in the entire SPFL where I have seen ICT fail to win are East Fife, Stranraer and Ainslie. Still to see ICT play at Bonnyrigg, Elgin, Peterheid, Annan and Dumbarton. I’ve also seen them at I’ve also got 3 wins at Ibrox and 1 at Parkheid.

We’re going up on Friday for a week. The football will probably start in mid April although it can be Baltic with postponements due to waterlogged pitches. A place like Fivepenny where Ness play can be amazing on the long summer nights. Even had the good luck to see Steve Paterson’s ICT play a friendly there after they won div 3. @sweeneyness was manager last year but they dispensed with his services. I think he was spreading himself rather thinly.

Not just that, but Kenny Miller says we’re doing quite well this season…

Nah, it’s a bit sad that you must be upset/seething/raging if you disagree with anybody on p&b, I’m too much of an auld c**t to care anyway... I’m not from Inverness originally and I don’t care much who likes the place. I was simply, gently, pointing out the irony, which seems to have escaped you, that if “the journey there and back puts you off” then it must be as bad for anybody making the reverse trip…

Well cheers for saying the ground isn't bad when most of us think it's shite. But if I was going by your logic I would have to put Dunfermline in 9th place Shirley? It's a bit like the St Mirren fan who said we had a cheek charging for the car park after all the distance they had to come...

I went along too as I live nearby. Just curious- was it your first visit and you mean the slope? Or do you mean it was bumpy? The surface looked reasonable to me - guys standing next to me said it was much better than Saturday, when it cut up badly after all the rain.

I imagine you already know that Tinto is in the first shot, but here's another anyway...

WOSL Div 3 and a well-contested derby in difficult conditions at Moor Park. Lanark Utd 1 Lesmahagow 2. My first visit since 1999 (see top photo). Lanark made most of the running with Gow always dangerous on the break, and so it proved on the half hour when Marchant's cross from the left was turned into his own net by Meikle to send the home side in at half time a goal behind. The Yowes finally got their equaliser courtesy of Bulloch with 15 remaining, and at that point a winner for Lanark looked a fair bet. However they paid the price with about 3 minutes to go, when Duddy made his way in from the left, before squaring it to Clarke, who cheekily took his time at the back post, before converting to send the away crowd bananas. Pub report today - The Wallace Cave in Lanark pre-match followed by a favourite haunt, the Crown at Biggar on the way home.

Didn’t go but can’t see much to cheer about in those highlights, just a typical home performance. I’m sure we’ll not disgrace ourselves next week in the Cup but home and away form is like night and day. We never had the quality to break teams down if they sit in, but losing the likes of Welsh and Wotherspoon just throws it into even sharper perspective. I thought Anderson was a real star for us earlier in the season but he seems to have faded right out.

Other way round for me. Missed the first one with some kind of flu bug. What a day out the other one was. When Tansey’s goal hit the rigging I thought we would skelp them about 3-0. Jamie Hamill’s spot kick was another highlight, somehow we knew he would miss it after us holding out with 9 men, and him being a right wee c**t, then Draper stroked in the winner. We all went back to the Iona and my mate got Dean Brill’s glove

Gala especially. Still matters to a couple of hundred folk by last season’s attendance figures. A good history in the Scottish Cup over the years, but hey, ‘throwing money at something that has no real meaning to anyone’, oh wait… When did I say that then? I gave you a list of 9 (plus the clubs that have moved on up) and this is your best shot? Some of these will be gone shortly anyway, up or down, makes no difference. Bankies or Broxburn will only strengthen the league next year, pity it couldn’t be both. As you say though, it’s a graveyard

I wasn’t sticking up for Drumchapel or plastic in case you never noticed. Just stating facts. You could be looking at 9 out of 16 playing on the plastic very soon. Interesting point about the Netherlands although I think 3G pitches are a one way street. The Faroe Islands are nearly 100% plastic and they have kids games on all day, their participation levels put us to shame even though the weather is probably worse than here. Same with Norway. The league has more history than the WOS prem but I’m assuming you mean the clubs. So teams like Tranent, Lithgae, Strollers, Albion Rovers, Cowden, Shire, Bo’ness, Berwick, Gala, have no history? Plus the four that have gone up? Awright then. No passion? Prejudiced bollocks, how would you even tell? Zero crowds? Well to be honest most of the fake clubs are the most westerly so you’ve sort of got a point if you live over there. But we’ve got some right good supported clubs in the East. Btw ask Bonnyrigg, Spartans and Kelty if it’s a graveyard

Kudos to Kilwinning for moving to a new setup and keeping it on grass. A good match day experience for somebody like me from the East who likes a wee jaunt to the WOSL a few times a season. I wouldnae get too smug about the plastic pitches, 6/16 in the WOSL prem atm. You could lose grass pitches next season to be replaced by Peasy and Drumchapel. Not to mention the Rabs when they move back. Your comments are as prejudiced as Isa Goudie’s (where did he go to anyway??). The LL has its faults but I’m betting you’ve never seen a game there.

Aye although it’s a bit far from the ground Tam. Stark’s Bar is long gone Badly miss their double malts of the month or whatever, 2x35 ml they were and well priced. The ICT mob tend to meet in The Exchequer which has ales, then along to the Penny Farthing which doesn’t but it’s a friendly boozer. Got a good one lined up this week, weather permitting. I'll tell you but that Nilpferd guy will just have to guess.