The Candy Shop- St Roch's 2016-17

[bc57]

2 hours ago, Larky55 said:

The young lad has his hands on his hips.

He was the one doing the monkey gestures, no question. He was pointed out to the police by several spectators.

[bc57]

I thought it was a very poor game but did think Larkhall deserved their victory. Scored two very good goals but their keeper gave away a stupid penalty to let St Rochs back in the game. Thought that St Rochs posed very little threat throughout the match.

 

[Glenconner]

On 13 May 2017 at 21:32, IrvineVicsMan said:

Went today as a neutral and I thought it was a good game which was played at a good tempo.

Some tasty battles going on in the middle of the pitch as well, as much as both sets of fans let themselves down at times with certain songs or gestures I actually think the disappointment of the day for me was the 2 centre mids for St Rochs. No8 was more interested in kicking everything that moved and making 5-1 gestures with his hands and blessing himself to larkhall support than playing football. The head butt was a clear red card also. John Sweeney is a disgrace anyway, I'm not surprised with him anymore, there's a reason he's fell down to this level and everybody knows it. What's the 67 on the back of his shirt all about? That's just asking for bother as well.

Thought the No9&2 for Larkhall were the 2 best players on the pitch. St Rochs second half (after the goal) were excellent, pinned Larkhall back for most of the half but Larkhall done well to hold out though and deserved their win over the piece.

Thoroughly enjoyed the match and congratulations to Larkhall on their promotion. Unfortunately for St Rochs it's not to be this year, decent side and if they keep hold of most of their squad and make a couple of additions are in good stead for next season.

Calls himself IrvineVicMan but blanks the Shettleston v Irvine Vics game to go to Larkhall Thistle v St Roch's.

hee hee

[Glenconner]

Some of the "neutrals" posts on here are comical.

[bc57]

2 minutes ago, Glenconner said:

Some of the "neutrals" posts on here are comical.

Because they/we don't agree with your view of things presumably.

Trust me, I wanted St Rochs to at least equalise to shut those mindless morons up, at least temporarily.

[Hong Kong Phooey]

9 minutes ago, bc57 said:

Because they/we don't agree with your view of things presumably.

Trust me, I wanted St Rochs to at least equalise to shut those mindless morons up, at least temporarily.

Totally agree. Embarrassing and not needed at any level. Some of the songs were disgusting and nothing to do with Larkhall or football. 

[Glenconner]

On 13 May 2017 at 23:23, bc57 said:

Because they/we don't agree with your view of things presumably.

Trust me, I wanted St Rochs to at least equalise to shut those mindless morons up, at least temporarily.

Trust you?

I wouldn't trust certain folks representing the SJFA today at Larkhall never mind somebody on the net.

[.Stuart.]

I take it we can expect 300 travelling fans from larkhall next season then? Or is it only when they play clubs with links to celtic?

[davied85]

Larkhall were at home

[.Stuart.]

Larkhall were at home

I know they were but most junior fans go home and away.

[davied85]

Doubt that.most times I have been to the gasworks ,it half full of older folk ,who am sure wouldn't travel to away games

[king Henrik7]

There most definitely were from the minute the lad stepped on to the park.  The lad in the light blue hoodie was pointed out to the police and I saw them going in to where he was standing but had moved towards the exit so didn't see if he had been lifted. An absolute brainless moron, as if all the pathetic singing hadn't been bad enough.
 

Well I couldn't comment on the idiot making they monkey gestures as I was standing over at his side of the ground but other end of where he was so impossible for me to see him. The photo that hampden Hardon put up didn't show anything other than his hands at his side Hence why I said you couldn't call it from seeing that. The photo I put up was a wee bit more conclusive and I said he was out of order n should be banned.

[Hampden85]

9 hours ago, .Stuart. said:

I take it we can expect 300 travelling fans from larkhall next season then? Or is it only when they play clubs with links to celtic?

Lol..no chance..lucky if they've ever brought more than 20 to us...

[Hampden85]

16 hours ago, king Henrik7 said:

 

Quote

 

 

Well I couldn't comment on the idiot making they monkey gestures as I was standing over at his side of the ground but other end of where he was so impossible for me to see him. The photo that hampden Hardon put up didn't show anything other than his hands at his side Hence why I said you couldn't call it from seeing that. The photo I put up was a wee bit more conclusive and I said he was out of order n should be banned.

Think this is a cop out.. there was bigotry as expected from both sets of supports but no monkey gestures.

 

 

You did comment. You said it didn't happen. See above.

 

 

[Swedgehead]

The fact of the matter is both teams have issues with bigotry when it comes to games like this. It wasn't too long ago st rochs fans were draping the tricolour over the thistle dug out to chants of dirty orange b*****ds. I hope they have worked over the years to sort this out but reading reports from the media about the Kilwinning rangers game it's obvious that it's something they still struggle. 

What needs to be done is finding a way to stop it. In my opinion games like these should be open to season ticket holders only. If that was the case there would certainly have been no sectarian chanting. 

As for the monkey chants I didn't hear it but that's not to say I don't believe it. I have never seen as much idiots at a thistle game in my life. 

 

[IrvineVicsMan]

Number 8 ( daw , if you had bothered to buy a programme ) was excellent today and very rarely lost any of his own personal battles as for sweeney why his shirt number bothers you does not surprise me as I have only ever heard this complaint once before and it also came from someone from Ayrshire maybe they don't like personal tributes to the greatest British side ever in that neck of the woods

I did buy a programme actually, just easier to write number 8 than looking for his name lol. Just my opinion on the guy, nothing personal, just saying it as I see it. As for Sweeneys shirt number it doesn't bother me in the slightest I wasn't even alive when that team was around. I just think it's irrelevant to junior football and having watched and listened to him for a fair few years I know his reasons for doing it and it's certainly not to "pay tribute to the greatest British side ever".

Anyway, all the best for next season. I think yous played really well second half yesterday and were unlucky not to get the draw that yous needed.

[Shanner]

Not sure what sort of police presence was there yesterday but seeing as that would have been among the largest Junior crowds in the country then it's reasonable to expect some of the gate money to go towards having an appropriate level of policing, and the police to actually be feeling some collars for sectarianism and racism. 

 

[Hampden85]

34 minutes ago, Swedgehead said:

The fact of the matter is both teams have issues with bigotry when it comes to games like this. It wasn't too long ago st rochs fans were draping the tricolour over the thistle dug out to chants of dirty orange b*****ds. I hope they have worked over the years to sort this out but reading reports from the media about the Kilwinning rangers game it's obvious that it's something they still struggle. 

What needs to be done is finding a way to stop it. In my opinion games like these should be open to season ticket holders only. If that was the case there would certainly have been no sectarian chanting. 

As for the monkey chants I didn't hear it but that's not to say I don't believe it. I have never seen as much idiots at a thistle game in my life. 

 

'Whataboutery' doesn't quiete cut it, my friend.

 

Larkhall came to us earlier in the season with about 20 fans and we had around 600 and there wasn't a single incident or chant to report. There was also no segregation and full use of the social room was provided. They recieved the best of hospitality.

[Swedgehead]

23 minutes ago, Hampden85 said:

'Whataboutery' doesn't quiete cut it, my friend.

 

Larkhall came to us earlier in the season with about 20 fans and we had around 600 and there wasn't a single incident or chant to report. There was also no segregation and full use of the social room was provided. They recieved the best of hospitality.

You're right, it was a different game with more at stake yesterday, tensions were always going to be running high. 

How would you like to see Larkhall deal with this in the future? What action have st rochs taken since that incident against Kilwinning that we can take on board?  

[Kinky Afro]

I remember playing in a local derby Scottish Cup last 16 game years ago and losing. I had been hyper for the whole week before and awoke with butterflies and confidence and just couldn't wait for the game to start. We struggled during the game and didn't settle at all, dragging ourselves back to parity from an early setback only to lose 2 late goals and exit the tournament tamely. On the quiet and pensive drive home the Radio Clyde Junior round up gave the result the other way round and said we had won 3-1. For a split second I paused but the fact that they got it wrong only served to deepen my dejection. I felt flat and tired and quiet and pining for another chance. Whilst nothing stays the same forever, some things never change.....

It started well enough yesterday although the early morning pitter patter raindrops pittered and patterred and rhythmically matched my heart beat as everything was still and quiet. Up early for the big game, I know when my eyes opened that would be it. Coffee and Sky News and it's just after 7am. I knew what was coming so I didn't mind giving up the usual Saturday long lie. Sometimes in life, when you know what is coming and how you are going to feel, it just isn't a fight you are going to win. You have 2 choices.. the futility of battling the inevitable or rationalising your response and accepting that just because you don't fight it that it still isn't a ball ache. Sometimes there are fights not worth fighting and sometimes you need to fight with your head and mind. This was a game and a day where both the head and the mind would play there part all around this ground and not just on the pitch. The sat nav negotiated the journey seamlessly and I arrived at a deserted Larky ground at about 1230... plenty of signs directing away fans away from the main entrance and if you followed the wee signs (like the ones at the side of roads advertising removals, DVD to CD transfers, Wasp Clearing *more on the buzzing we annoying bstds later, etc) you arrived down at the bottom of the ground with a wee sign pointing up a path beside a house. The front garden adorned with a trampoline and a gazebo... not the best day to have a front garden party I thought. The pitter patter the only noise as I parked in the lay by opposite and sat in the quiet getting myself ready for what was to come. I saw the Candy Squad appear from the lane (where did they park?) and head in... they looked smart and together and I fancied us to perform... I like things done properly. I waited for a half hour and decided to head in through the overgrown and neglected side entrance onto a grassy knol beside the dug outs. We bought raffle tickets 1-10, spoke to some of the police, the ref and linesmen warming up and then watched as the lads warmed up themselves on a daisy covered pitch, a stranger to a lawn mower. A traditional junior ground with a large shed opposite and the crumbling, broken and moss covered terrace slabs providing a tricky foothold. I don't think we ever felt comfortable......

I spoke to a committee man and got a strong hint as to the starting line up. Many of the good performers from Wednesday's Glencairn match retaining their starting position. I can see why that happens. If players come in and do well and are then dropped, how can you motivate them when they are not starting?? It was a brave call and a couple of fans favourites and regular starters were starting the biggest game of the season so far on the bench. It was evident early on that it wasn't just the shaky underfoot watching terrace based fans who were struggling to find their feet. We didn't settle and my hopes that we would get out the traps early didn't materialise. On the contrary, we never strung 3 passes together and seemed nervous and on edge. They were first to the dropping ball and we found ourselves chasing and fouling as we just couldn't get on the ball. Passes went long, people had bad touches, people panicked and people fouled. When you are nervous you tend to act this way. What was needed was calm heads and they had more of them than us. The big 9 had already shown some good touches when after another foul given away we looked disorganised at the back with several Larky players free and in space in the box. If you don't defend properly you lose goals. Ball into the box breaks to their most dangerous forward who is in space (why?) he left foot curls it into the far corner and they get the goal our start deserved. We lack organisation at times and the nasty bstd defender who never shuts up and bosses his teammates around and into position and keeps them on their toes just hasn't been there this season. We were sloppy and it cost us, just as it did again on 46 mins when we missed a bouncing ball and got dribbled past and allowed a shot away into the far corner for 2 zip and the road back looked a long one, especially as we had rarely threatened in the first half, a snap shot from Logie and a ran under the ball header over the bar from John Sweeney being our only attempts. We really were second best and could and perhaps should have been 2 down as Starkie fabulously saved a sure fire second as they broke through our hung out and disjointed defence. It was painful to watch at times and it had the feel of an old car trying to start on this desperate and damp deciding day and it just needed a bit of choke as we were choking. Half time was welcomed as at a fortunate 1 goal defecit I hoped we could regroup and calm down and pass the way we can. Their early goal put paid to that but even at 2-0 the target is just one goal to give yourself a chance. They sat back and were defending well as we made a few changes and became more passing and moving and offensive. Talking of offensive and going back to the irritation of the wee buzzing bstds mentioned earlier, some of the shouts yesterday were saddening. I stood with a number of fans who distanced themselves from it, some vocally barracking our own fans who were exchanging abuse with a group on the other side of the ground. It has been mentioned already on this forum and I know that the clubs are trying to deal with it. I know that I don't condone any of it from any side. "Ah well, whit aboot whit they say'd?" Naw.... behave yourself. Joining in with the shite is a choice you make as an individual. Zero tolerance from me. Anyway, this is an argument you know you are not going to win with some but those people are the problem and I fully expect as time goes on it will fade away. Even arse holes grow up eventually. A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything and I know exactly what happened yesterday and what was sung and what gestures were made. I am not commenting second hand or off the back of a still photo.... I don't buy any of that shite and am leaving it now.

As we pushed forward we began to link up and Big Steph ran onto a through ball and you just knew the keeper was going to wipe him out. 25 to go and a chance to get back into it and the dream of an escapologist act to keep us in the hunt surface. Keiron Daw sidefootes home and it's SOS..25 mins to Save Our Season. We have a half chance as Logie cuts inside but it is blocked and we never really threatened after that bar a big B shimmy to the sideline saved by the keeper. A sad shrill of a referees whistle for us is the sweet soaring siren of satisfaction and celeberation for Larky who join Cambuslang in the promised land. In truth it was well deserved yesterday as they handled the game and themselves better. They had some good players playing well (number 9 was excellent) whereas we had some good players who struggled to play. Over the season the league doesn't lie and coming up short in the promotion race mirrors how we have been during some games this season. Consistency and goals get you promotion and we have missed out because of this. Our season wasn't lost yesterday and I don't want to come over as harsh as I am not being critical of anyone. When you look at football with fans eyes you can sometimes soften the rough edges of reality and miss things. I think the gaffer and his staff will know what is required and where we fell short and I hope they can address it for next season. As it stands currently we still have a cup quarter final on Wednesday and I know we have it in us to progress. I hope that we can get back up for it as a third place finish and a potential cup win would be our best season for years. It just feels a little flat as I write this though and the thought of next season's travelling and starting again seems like a long way off and a difficult challenge. I know I'll not feel like this forever as I know only too well that when you love football you better be prepared for heartache at times. There are better times ahead....

When you follow your team and give them everything all you really want back is some effort and recognition of the struggles you share. The Heiraechy of Needs doesn't demand promotion or trophies for me and at the peak of my triangle is a selfish outcome which floods my spirit and protects and has saved me. Everybody hurts at some time and mine is now. It is a football hurt and nothing else and it is worse because I know that others are hurting too. It doesn't last forever though and I know it is always darkest just before it starts to get light again. It's onto Wednesday and by then I'm sure I'll be convinced we can turn over Yoker and march into a Candy semi final. The love will be back again because when you have loved your team, not just watched them, but when you have loved everything it gives you Ina saturday, it draws you back to it with a promise that somewhere, sometime, hopefully soon, you will be safe again.

"O never give the heart outright,
For they, for all smooth lips can say,
Have given their hearts up to the play.
And who could play it well enough
If deaf and dumb and blind with love?
He that made this knows all the cost,
For he gave all his heart and lost."

Congratulations to Camby and Larky, good luck in the big league but we will see you both there hopefully the season after next. I feel a bit better getting that off my chest. Did I tell you we're gonna win the cup...??

Mon the Candy!
MTC! [emoji172][emoji460]️[emoji106]