It was? Well that rules out most countries I guess.
I thought it was about population.
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[Football] Scottish football
- Thread starter The Grockle
- Start date
It was? Well that rules out most countries I guess.
I thought it was about population.
GREASED WEASEL
New member
- Dec 10, 2017
- 2,893
should go back to two divisions
The Grockle
Formally Croydon Seagull
- Thread starter
- #23
I probably didn't explain my thinking very well but it was more a comment on the perception of Scottish football being so bad amongst English fans and how it's often compared to English football. It's an unfair comparison when taking into account the relative populations.
atfc village
Well-known member
Rooney joined salford in July 2018 they were non league till they went up in 2019.
Sandaza played 14 times for Rangers in SPFL Third Division (Tier 4). He got 2 goals. Also played a couple of cup games but no goals.
albionalex
Well-known member
I am sure it will become more relevant as English clubs buy more players from there following the post-Brexit transfer rules.
On some outlets you could make the same point about the WSL too!
Scored pretty freely for St.Johnston in a higher division.Sandaza played 14 times for Rangers in SPFL Third Division (Tier 4). He got 2 goals. Also played a couple of cup games but no goals.
SeagullinExile
Well-known member
I actually had James Wilson in mind. But the article at the time could well of been about Rooney, a year earlier than I thought.
kevo
Well-known member
- Mar 8, 2008
- 9,769
Caught a few games at smaller clubs north of the border and thoroughly enjoyed the experience - Queen of the South, Clyde, Albion Rovers, Stenhousemuir, Partick Thistle, Falkirk. Used to always joke you were guaranteed a spectacular goal and a comedy sending off. Great entertainment, despite the standard being pretty poor.
Cliftonhill stadium in Coatbridge (home of Albion Rovers) is the bleakest ground I've ever been to, in a very bleak town, but had the amazing experience of meeting Tommy Gemmell, one of the Lisbon Lions, in the pub across the road before the game. He was going to the match as a scout. The PA announcer there was hilarious, keeping everyone entertained with his dark humour. At Clyde, we took our seats in the stand, and the bloke sitting behind us warned us against using any bad language "because there are ladies present". Straight from the kick-off, he then launched into a foul-mouthed tirade of abuse at the ref and most of the Clyde players that went on throughout the entire match. We struggled to find a pre-match pub in Stenhousemuir, but ended up at the ground where, when it was discovered we'd travelled up from England, we were invited into the official 'club house'. Just a room with peeling newspaper cuttings of famous past victories on the wall. I leant back against a shelf and almost knocked over a small 'Scottish Division Three Manager of the Month' trophy from 1984, or something similar. I told my mate we should nick it! The 'bar' was a counter behind which a bloke was selling cans of Tennants out of a cardboard box. One entire side of their stadium didn't have any stands or terracing, just a fence, behind which was a public open space. When we were there, there was a fairground. Spent half the game watching the neds going round the big wheel rather than watching the match...
Highly recommended as a fun day out if you ever find yourself in the land of the Jocks with an afternoon to spare.
Cliftonhill stadium in Coatbridge (home of Albion Rovers) is the bleakest ground I've ever been to, in a very bleak town, but had the amazing experience of meeting Tommy Gemmell, one of the Lisbon Lions, in the pub across the road before the game. He was going to the match as a scout. The PA announcer there was hilarious, keeping everyone entertained with his dark humour. At Clyde, we took our seats in the stand, and the bloke sitting behind us warned us against using any bad language "because there are ladies present". Straight from the kick-off, he then launched into a foul-mouthed tirade of abuse at the ref and most of the Clyde players that went on throughout the entire match. We struggled to find a pre-match pub in Stenhousemuir, but ended up at the ground where, when it was discovered we'd travelled up from England, we were invited into the official 'club house'. Just a room with peeling newspaper cuttings of famous past victories on the wall. I leant back against a shelf and almost knocked over a small 'Scottish Division Three Manager of the Month' trophy from 1984, or something similar. I told my mate we should nick it! The 'bar' was a counter behind which a bloke was selling cans of Tennants out of a cardboard box. One entire side of their stadium didn't have any stands or terracing, just a fence, behind which was a public open space. When we were there, there was a fairground. Spent half the game watching the neds going round the big wheel rather than watching the match...
Highly recommended as a fun day out if you ever find yourself in the land of the Jocks with an afternoon to spare.
... and it has to be said he did get a brace at Ibrox, in 2008 or 2009, when he played for Dundee United.
Knocky's Nose
Mon nez est retiré.
What about combining the SMTL with the WSL?
If nothing else, it's so cold up there you'd definitely get some chapel-hat-peg action. (or fighter pilot's thumbs, or scammel wheel nuts etc etc)
Mr Banana
Tedious chump
Aye. Probably what I've missed most apart from EFL. Been to Arbroath and Alloa, loved both. Amazing grounds, good entertainment. The whole culture around it is good too, from the train in to getting given spare tickets, talking shite, going round pubs after. Daniel Grey, of WSC, is very good on all this.
Sirnormangall
Well-known member
- Sep 21, 2017
- 3,150
I enjoy Scottish football and have seen a few games north of the border. However I’m not sure that they are punching above their weight based on population - Denmark, Croatia, Iceland have similar or smaller populations and arguably have a better standard of football, particularly at national level.
Doonhamer7
Well-known member
- Jun 17, 2016
- 1,448
Only half the teams in Scotland are full time, in the premier league average player is on £1000-1200/week compare this to L1 at £4.4K and L2 at £2k. So with the exception of the big 2 with their 40+k match attendance and associated wages as no mega-sky money it’s no surprise where we are at. The lad who went from Aberdeen to Salford was offered something like £5-6k a week so a game changer in his financial life. Pre-sky/premiership I’d say the top Scottish clubs would have been low D1 top D2 (I mean Rangers was the England team 1988-90) now outside the old firm they are at very best bottom championship/L1 and the Scottish championship teams areprobably National League at best ( I expect a lad playing for Horsham earns as much as a QoS player).
What I’m disappointed is we’re not even producing many top players in the last 30 years (apart from the current oddity of two of the world’s best left backs at the same time!!). Compare to the likes of Law, Dalglish, Bremner, Souness, Hansen or even the mercurial Cooper, Johnstone, Baxter to what we have now which is hardworking lower premier league / championship players (mctominay (may become a great?) Ritchie, McGinn, McBurnie).
What I’m disappointed is we’re not even producing many top players in the last 30 years (apart from the current oddity of two of the world’s best left backs at the same time!!). Compare to the likes of Law, Dalglish, Bremner, Souness, Hansen or even the mercurial Cooper, Johnstone, Baxter to what we have now which is hardworking lower premier league / championship players (mctominay (may become a great?) Ritchie, McGinn, McBurnie).
stewart12
Well-known member
- Jan 16, 2019
- 1,899
Scottish football hasn't been gentrified in the same way that English has. There's very little external investment or big time TV deals so I don't know what people expect from a country of 5 million?
Think if it was more of an even playing field it would be more respected but unfortunately you have two clubs who are disproportionately huge- don't think many countries that size have clubs the size of Celtic and Rangers?
Wonder if ONE of the other 'larger' clubs- Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Dundee United etc would be prime for a rich benefactor to come in and spunk a tonne of money on them....in that setting I don't think it would take much to split the Old Firm. Hearts did it one season where they had a bit of financial backing before it went to shit
Think if it was more of an even playing field it would be more respected but unfortunately you have two clubs who are disproportionately huge- don't think many countries that size have clubs the size of Celtic and Rangers?
Wonder if ONE of the other 'larger' clubs- Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Dundee United etc would be prime for a rich benefactor to come in and spunk a tonne of money on them....in that setting I don't think it would take much to split the Old Firm. Hearts did it one season where they had a bit of financial backing before it went to shit
AmexRuislip
Retired Spy 🕵️♂️
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At least the sweaties know how to celebrate a win.....St Johnstone style
At least the sweaties know how to celebrate a win.....St Johnstone style
AmexRuislip
Retired Spy 🕵️♂️
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Good old Charlie Adams
Good old Charlie Adams