The Ghost of B A R P

Talk.

Green dot for making me laugh. How did Morton B get on today?

Anyway... glad we haven’t signed McGeever, but the suggestion we offered him a deal is horrific... As for Hopkin, it’s fair to point out that the budget has been cut and that his job isn’t easy... but that doesn’t mean it isn’t his job; needs to pull something out the bag here, loans or otherwise. A keeper and at least three defenders to come and the majority need to be better than what we already have.

Have to agree with our Viking brother on this... It doesn't matter how good a manager you think Hopkin is (I think he's about as good as we could have hoped for), but it's fair to point out that approaching the first competitive game with one fit goalkeeper who's a complete unknown quantity and one signed centre-half with a question mark over his fitness is worrying... Doesn't matter how well the rest of the team fits together if we're weak at GK and CB; that's a recipe for inconsistency and being too close to the relegation places. I can see us signing McLean as a squad option if he proves his fitness (i.e. that he can train full-on and consistently) and would probably be OK with that; but somebody will need to explain to me how McGeever's quality has been lurking unnoticed at the heart of Brechin's defence for the last couple of seasons. If and when that happens, you'd have to conclude that we're desperate...

You f**k up, cat boy... Agreed.

^^^^^^ Lazy rubbish.

Yeah, I know, but thanks anyway. You're still having trouble with comprehension in the second bit, though: deteriorating artificial surfaces contribute to some injuries in some players... And the earth is probably round. Any view on the scandalous opinion that they're shite for football?

Who are you again, missus?

Not my area of specialisation, mate. Lots of research has failed to establish what? Everybody knows some things as fact, even QoS supporters.

You are familiar, I know, with the concept of 'reading for comprehension'... so you should also know that I have not at any point said that a type of surface 'causes more injuries'. I have no way of knowing that. If I was interested in quantity, I might look at the 'scientific studies' you posted. I'm not. This whole conversation started from the observation that players with the injury history of Kilday and Tidser might not be best advised to sign for teams playing on deteriorating artificial surfaces. Perfectly legitimate concern, no implication about generality or 'quantity'. That is all.

Clearly contribute to some injuries in some players... hardly implying scientific standards of proof and I know this to be fact...

^^^^^^ Touchy, touchy wee man... No nonsense, just opinion. Nothing to concede or 'back away' from. Whereas you appear to have exactly _nothing_ to say. As I said, see you on 14 September... and best of luck for the forthcoming season.

Ah well, big opportunity for the brothers Trialist tomorrow and Tuesday night...

Sorry, I didn't realise the only way to encounter shite artificial surfaces was as a professional footballer in the SPFL... I'll bear that in mind. Also didn't realise that was some kind of qualification for commenting on a message board; this place needs a bit of a clear-out. I should have realised, though, that any implied criticism of your club and/or your best player would be met with touchy-touchy-touchiness... glad to hear Sir Stephen's calves are in good shape and delighted that he definitely didn't have a poor late season... Apart from that, your pitch is shite and you're deluding yourself that it doesn't affect the quality of the football on show... same as it does at Alloa, Grangemouth, Kilmarnock, Hamilton. There are very good reasons why they're not used for top-level football all across Northern Europe (with the exception of places with extreme winter climates, like Russia, where guaranteeing European fixtures can go ahead is the main driver). And there is one very good reason why Scotland is an exception: in this, as in so many other things, we are tin-pot as f**k... See you on 14 September, brother.