Northboy

It's what I imagine a migraine looks like. Or one of those pictures you have to stare at for ages to try and see a herd of elephants or such like. I never could see anything in those.

Can't wait for the outcome of that!

His goalscoring record was rubbish but his general forward and link-up play was often immense. He was a very underrated player, a guy that was hugely appreciated by fellow players and managers if less so by fans. Alex Ferguson would have had him cloned if he could. In terms of trophies won McClair was probably the most successful Scottish player of his era.

I've spent a fair time in factory environments too and the salaried vs hourly paid always generates a good debate about who has the better deal.

You're getting a bit ahead of things there. Kenny Dalglish would be the most obvious candidate. I can't find the figures anywhere but I'm sure he hadn't played that many times for Celtic before he was capped for Scotland (almost certainly more that 7 though). No one else jumps to mind as a possibility. Maybe an obscure name from the early days of international football.

I don't remember John Wark being as tall as he appears in this photo.

I think that's true, particularly in sports and entertainment journalism .

These nonsense questions annoy the hell out of me too. The other side of the argument is that journalists seem actively discouraged to ask a challenging or controversial question at the risk of being banned. The world of football journalism is a farce really.

I'm sure I heard that Graig Gordon's family have connections to Shetland and he has visited on several occasions.

There's been a few players from Orkney and Shetland featured in Highland League teams through the years, usually when they were studying in Aberdeen or elsewhere I think. With a combined population pushing 50,000 there must be some good enough to play professionally but can't see many leaving or travelling to/from Orkney or Shetland to play part time football, it would have to be on a full time basis where the standard is higher.

That's what the P&J were saying this morning but you can never know what the true figure is.

I suspect it might be contractual protocol. Given the nature of football there is probably some sort of get out clause for both parties in the contract. If the player wants to leave it seems reasonable that he should formally notify the club. Same if the club wants to sell the player.

'Odds and ends?'

It was always messages when I was growing up. Groceries is far worse Same here, 'messages' or occasionally 'errands' were used when I was younger but I'd say 'shopping' is the general term these days. Never, never is it 'groceries'.

I'm sure I've posted this a while ago but as this is a new thread it's worth repeating (I think). Some years ago a mate and I took in Peterhead v Morton game at Balmoor. It was just after the EU had announced their annual fishing quotas which that year involved some pretty serious reductions. Morton fans struck up with 'you're not fishing any more ...' Pretty cruel in the circumstances but an impressive awareness of EU fishing policy.

Is bereavement leave for close relative a legal entitlement? I ask because a mate, working for a small engineering company, was told he had to take holidays when his dad died. He tried checking out the legal position and decided that it probably wasn't a legal entitlement. Admittedly these checks were on line searches so maybe not conclusive. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge? No surprise that he no longer works for the company. Lack or bereavement leave was just one thing in a very long list of archaic working practices.

Morgan might also have been in the 1974 squad. Makes you wonder what the occasion was as the squad seems short of some obvious names from that time.

Lou Macari to Willie Morgan "What do you call a Scotsman in the knockout stages of the World Cup? "A referee" Macari has just noticed Morgan picking out a bogey. It's an interesting squad. Of the 22 players pictured I reckon only 9/10 were in the World Cup squad the following year (and none of the 3 goalkeepers pictured).

Correct. This nonsense was still a thing in cricket until the 1960s... Along similar lines amateur jockeys were always referred to as Mr So and So (this may still be the case).

Late 60s. (Which, coincidentally, is my age now.) Fair enough, you're doing well if you can still read a bit of French after so many years.

That might be the flaw in my argument... There does look to be some level of ranking system - regular players get surname only, 'gentlemen' of Corinthians FC get initials but SFA president gets full first name and surname,

I'd like to break that man's neck and slowly drown the c**t. But was it Innis or Gunn?

I've no idea when your day might have been (or will be) but I did O grades in the mid 1980s and they were graded then.

Maybe they were amateurs? Probably something along those lines although Lambie from Queen's Park is only listed by surname. Were QP amateur in those days?

Interesting that the two Corinthians players for England are the only players listed with their initials.