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Random Matches You Are Going To...


Haitch

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2 hours ago, Rab B Nesbit said:

Most of the ground hopping fraternity wouldn’t be happy and insist that it needs to be the whole game. Some have other rules like they need to walk round the whole pitch, see a goal and have a pish in the bogs before, at half and after.

I’d say make your own rules up though Gordon :)

You forgot some have to touch the ball and some have to buy a programme. All of them are off their heid though...

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5 minutes ago, dumpweed said:

Got two tickets to the uefa super cup final between Real and Atletico.

 

Wee trip to Tallinn on the cards.

Could you pop into Troika in the main square and ask if they’ve got my denim jacket and wife’s camera (Panasonic) which I left there circa 2008.

Thanks.

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1 minute ago, Melanius Mullarkey said:

Could you pop into Troika in the main square and ask if they’ve got my denim jacket and wife’s camera (Panasonic) which I left there circa 2008.

Thanks.

Am I allowed to look at the pictures on the camera?

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Cove Rangers v Hearts last night - this is mostly going to be pretty negative, so I'll start with the positives.

I was fairly impressed with the home side, a higher level of technique than you'd normally find in the Highland League. They had success early on down the right, but Hearts adjusted to that and were rarely seriously troubled after. Cove had to ride their luck but they stuck at it and never faded from the game. This was admirable, because Hearts were up for it right from the start. They played with good intensity and but for some bad luck and poor finishing, they would comfortably have had four or five goals.

The ground is the worst located I've been to, stuck at the back of an industrial estate in the middle of nowhere. The walk is unpleasant as you're crossing wide, fast entrances busy with lorries. There's only one bus every half hour after the game, and if you're not headed for the middle of Aberdeen you're stuffed. Apart from maybe Formartine, I wonder if this ground has the smallest number of locals who can walk to it within 15 minutes in Scotland. Which is pretty bad considering it's in a city. A pub? Forget it.

I'd got my ticket at Tynecastle as I wanted to be sure before travelling up on Tuesday morning. The game was segregated, which I really, really hate outside of the top couple of divisions. There was no seating for away supporters unless they were getting hospitality. Apart from one tiny covered terrace, there was no cover and no elevated viewpoints, so those not early enough to get to the rail were watching the game through gaps, dodging about as the ball moved around. In my mind if there's no terracing, the capacity shouldn't be more than one line of spectators around the pitch.

The main stand looks impressive, but really, the roof is too high and few seats will stay dry in any sort of wind. It's just a slab perched well above the seats, lifting up and away from them. The stand starts at pitch level and  a few yards back from the pitch, and though the dug-outs are at either side they must obstruct the view of large areas near the corners for many of the seats. 

The food was excellent but bloody expensive. I'd held off dinner and fancied a pie, perchance two. Nope. It was catered by a company called 'So...', glad it didn't rain as they had no cover. £5 for a burger, £2 for chips and £1.50 for a drink, and nothing else. The chicken burger was really good, a nice chargrilled breast but I wouldn't be spending that every week.

The pitch is the joint-worst artificial surface I've seen in senior or junior football. It might not be coincidence that the other candidate is just down the hill at Banks O'Dee. There's literally more area covered by black rubber pellets than covered by green blades. Every kick, every footstep on the run, every bounce of the ball throws up an 18 inch-high cloud. When a ball is moving over grass is skids low; here, the ball takes a couple of skids and then 'catches', giving a higher bounce. It was much less likely to settle on the ground. I think this led to more players taking a controlling touch when receiving, rather than trying to play first time. I genuinely couldn't decide if it was worse than Shettleston's African-village-square pitch of the end of last season.

I've been among Hearts fans before and I've never found it enjoyable. This was no better. Slagging their "diddy" opponents, slagging the Highland League, indulging in really shite banter, trying to wind up the linesman with the worst patter ever, slagging the size of the ground, laughing when the ball went out of the ground... I was among Hibs fans at Linlithgow Rose a few weeks ago and the contrast is pretty stark. They generate a great atmosphere at Tynecastle but it seems to me it's driven by bitterness, entitlement and a lack of humour.

Speaking generally, obviously.

Beggars can't be choosers, Cove's ground is better than no ground, and it's probably good enough for their needs in the Highland League. I imagine they didn't have many choices when it came to location, land in Aberdeen is pretty pricey, so I don't blame them for settling for what they got. I just find it a shame when a new ground is built that opportunities are wasted.

 

Keith tonight, insh'scotrail. 

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1 hour ago, GordonS said:

 

 

Keith tonight, insh'scotrail. 

keiths one of my favourite grounds though it,and the centre,are about a mile uphill from the station.

the plough and the commercial are fine watering holes and theres a decent chippy between them

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28 minutes ago, highlandcowden said:

keiths one of my favourite grounds though it,and the centre,are about a mile uphill from the station.

the plough and the commercial are fine watering holes and theres a decent chippy between them

Thanks v much. The train gets in just before 7 and yesterday they pulled kick-off forward to 7.30, so I think it's the forced march for me. The return train is at 10.33pm so I might squeeze something in on the way back. 

I was at Kynoch Park last year, they were supposed to be playing someone but when we got there it was deserted. Nothing about it on Twitter. We could hear the sounds of football and following the noise uphill behind Tesco we stumbled across Islavale v Huntly Amateurs, so we watched that instead. I later found out the Keith match was moved at fairly short notice to Montrose for some reason. Grr. Fingers crossed I get them tonight.

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1 hour ago, GordonS said:

Thanks v much. The train gets in just before 7 and yesterday they pulled kick-off forward to 7.30, so I think it's the forced march for me. The return train is at 10.33pm so I might squeeze something in on the way back. 

I was at Kynoch Park last year, they were supposed to be playing someone but when we got there it was deserted. Nothing about it on Twitter. We could hear the sounds of football and following the noise uphill behind Tesco we stumbled across Islavale v Huntly Amateurs, so we watched that instead. I later found out the Keith match was moved at fairly short notice to Montrose for some reason. Grr. Fingers crossed I get them tonight.

I assume that was a preseason friendly you tried to attend last year

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I assume that was a preseason friendly you tried to attend last year
Yeah, can't remember who it was supposed to be against now.

Highlight so far is the 10 minute wait outside while they tried to find the right key to let in the dozen-or-so of us standing outside, before giving up and bringing us in a different gate.

No food, unwelcome but not entirely surprising when there's about 60 people here. I'll need to visit that chippy on the way back.IMG_20180719_191959542.jpg
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1 minute ago, GordonS said:

Yeah, can't remember who it was supposed to be against now.

Highlight so far is the 10 minute wait outside while they tried to find the right key to let in the dozen-or-so of us standing outside, before giving up and bringing us in a different gate.

No food, unwelcome but not entirely surprising when there's about 60 people here. I'll need to visit that chippy on the way back.IMG_20180719_191959542.jpg

fair play to you for going,half thought of it but couldn't be arsed with trip to and from

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19 minutes ago, GordonS said:

Yeah, can't remember who it was supposed to be against now.

Highlight so far is the 10 minute wait outside while they tried to find the right key to let in the dozen-or-so of us standing outside, before giving up and bringing us in a different gate.

No food, unwelcome but not entirely surprising when there's about 60 people here. I'll need to visit that chippy on the way back.IMG_20180719_191959542.jpg

60, are you counting the shadows?

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fair play to you for going,half thought of it but couldn't be arsed with trip to and from
I completed the 42 league grounds earlier this year and now I'm trying to get to the LL, HL and the West Region Junior Superleague. I was doing the East too but not so much now everyone's left. I'm having a wee football trip, I was at Inverurie on Tuesday, Cove last night and tonight takes me to halfway through the HL.
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Just now, GordonS said:

I counted 54 but you always miss some so I rounded up.

Yes, I'm that sad.

I've  been at worse.

Went to Ilkeston v Notts County at Basford United's ground on Tuesday. Finished 2-2. A brilliant game between two young teams.

Ilkeston had a couple that would give David Haye a fight.

Probably about 200 at it. Beer on sale.

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