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Blame accepted. Just as well Jack is sitting this one out, he was embarrassing the rest of our midfield.

Tav is one of those players some won't realise how good he actually is and how much he contributes until he is no longer playing for us.

Cap'n Cook Endeavours. Today, BBC Scotland announced their successor to Sarah Smith as Scotland Editor. Sarah has decided to cast off for the calmer waters of the USA. Of course, her Father was former Labour Leader, John Smith and her six years at PQ have been largely ignored by the Gang Hut. She is very much the old establishment and her designation is in reality the liaison link to BBC UK. Further, she has criticised Nicola for using the Covid pandemic as a means of control, lots of air time handed over for daily briefings. Most importantly to the Gang Hut, she appears not to have hated Rangers and Rangers supporters. Her successor has very real Rangers hating credentials, his determined approach in this regard is probably only trumped by James Cook's naked ambition. You may remember Ally McCoist's tenure as Rangers manager? It was turbulent and in those days the club continued to converse with PQ. Dairmid O'Hara(brother of SNP MP Brendan) was News Editor and he was responsible for showing stock footage of the Rangers support singing, with a bouncing ball along the bottom of the screen highlighting the lyrics. He sent James to interview McCoist at Ibrox. BBC Scotland broadcast a three-four minute piece that showed Ally laughing off tough questions on supposed sectarianism. It also showed Ally looking off camera and raising his eyebrows(not taking the question seriously) after James Cook had pleaded for the issue to be addressed. McCoist's reaction to the broadcast was genuine anger, he disagreed with both content and presentation. He and the Club submitted a complaint. It took a few weeks but James Cook and his Producer both apologised. They admitted they had Edited the footage to make it look like McCoist did not take sectarianism seriously. They had cut the film and inserted clips of McCoist laughing before the interview began, as reactions to questions. James Cook was promoted for giving his Editor what he wanted, he headed off the States as BBC's USA Correspondent. BBC Scotland followed by broadcasting opening credits to a live Rangers match, heavily influenced by the Mad Men series. It was a graphic depicting Ally McCoist throwing himself through the second storey Ibrox window. PQ apologised for that too as they have had to do on a dozen occasions since. I am told James Cook supports Dundee United, he has navigated and satisfied his burning ambition upon the troubled waters of Rangers hate. He should be reminded at every opportunity.

My report on today's game https://rfcyouths.wordpress.com/2022/02/08/colts-lose-to-sevilla/

We await outrage from Falkirk's MSP, BIG BIG Sellik man, Michael Matheson? I suspect as long as Leigh does not do the Hokey-Cokey(remember Michael wanted the hokey-cokey banned because he deemed it anti-catholic), he will be alright. Sexpesting on Twitter and Facebook a 15 year old Edinburgh girl and a 14 year old girl from Fife is okay though, Leigh was only asking for naked pictures. How about Falkirk's MP, John McNally is he outraged? Given both elected representatives are SNP; perhaps it's better if a party donor was to be outraged, or maybe a Stirlingshire based crime fiction writer who is the First Minister's Bestie could express outrage? How about Val's Gals refusing to play Falkirk Ladies?

Sevilla diving little bastards though.

Bad news regarding Ryan Jack, hopefully it is just a knock and he'll not miss to many games.

I've been watching us for years mate I'm used to it. People always complain. Even when Smith was winning everything ahead of him. We need to be realistic about where we are now and what we need to do to compete. A big part of that will be playing a lot of players who are rough around the edges in the hope they improve and we sell them for profit. Bassey a prime example.

No, you are not alone. The only thing of any importance is to win the league this season. It doesn't matter what Celtic do in Europe as fixtures will be moved to help them.

The number 10 Alvarez for Sevilla looks a bit special. Lowry our stand out - clear to see why he has already had a first team chance. Looking forward to seeing how he develops. Also thought Weston looked really good when he came on.

This is just awful from Sturgeon.

Also worth noting how good the referee has been. Let tackles go and let game flow.

Keeper looks impressive and has been any time I've seen him.

And life for free on UEFA TV https://www.uefa.tv

cant afford any slip ups get out there win the game and get the points , no excuses.

we dropped points in 3 games out of 4 in 15 days.

That was Atletico Madrid two years ago, we lost 4-0

Trippier signed for Newcastle for 12m aged 31, before that Madrid for 20m aged 29. IMO Tav is every bit the player that he is.

This is his most productive season ever

if tav was Patterson's age he would be going for 30 million.

I think Fashion Sakala is easily justifying his transfer

Not so sure that losing in Europe helps us in the league. In fact, on the contrary, two games a week keeps us sharp and focused, especially with quality opposition to keep us on our game. So long as we keep injuries at bay. I recall that we do not do well playing once a week, we do not do well with winter breaks, we enjoy momentum and continuity.

Good to see an outbreak of sanity on this thread. At times last Wednesday you would have thought we had just lost the league. Folk wanting GVB sacked, heavens above. We've every chance of clawing back that one point deficit.

The Patterson example is fine, he is not close to being as good as Tav. Agree 100%. But only one of those was sold for a big fee. So perhaps not only fan perception at play there.

Without ever watching or listening to BBC Scotland, I could write what they say at any given time and it would be essentially accurate. That said, I do enjoy this thread, if only for the entertainment of 26th's fine wordsmithery.

John Souttar has signed a pre-contract agreement to join Rangers next season. Of course, he could join Rangers as early as this month, depending whether both Hearts and Rangers can achieve a mutually acceptable transfer fee? I have waited until today's announcement to comment upon BBC Scotland's Tom Anguish's take on the probability of Souttar joining Rangers. Last Sunday, Tom spent thirty minutes talking Scottish transfers this January window. Souttar's proposed leaving of Hearts took up 15-20 minutes of the chat. He talked of three English Championship sides that had expressed interest; Stoke City had the advantage of his Brother playing there, Sheffield United had recent experienced Premiership status for three years and, Blackburn Rovers are on the cusp of promotion. According to Tom, the remuneration on offer at all three English clubs would be excellent. Tom thought English Premiership clubs should be involved too, he lionised Souttar as a player, "he's young, will only get better and, he could could be sold on again to a top side in two, three years for serious money". He was reminded by Host, Kenny Macintyre that Rangers were also vying for his signature? Tom was annoyed, he waffled again about Souttar's serious potential then, "it's reported Rangers are showing an interest, why isn't it two Scottish clubs"? Kenny intervened, "are you talking about involvement from Celtic"? Tom gave vent to his anguish and frustration, "of course, Souttar suits their model, buy cheap, sell later for a higher fee. The player will benefit from regular European football and be in constant domestic competition for honours, ------- (silence for a couple of seconds, then the afterthought) ----- and of course Rangers can offer that too". The very thought of Rangers involvement had Tom fulminating, now he has signed; I suspect Souttar's potential will be quickly dialed down? Tom has got to get a grip of his anguish. John Souttar has become another player you will NOT be interviewing, simply because he has signed for Rangers.

There's a Buzz about the Place? Sunday's Off the Ball was a Godsend, literarily. The guest again(and again ......) was Big Issue Editor, Paul McNamee. The opening and show running topic was Religion and Football. The stimulus for this was the lesson the previous Sunday conducted by the parish Priest, Father Jim Lawlor of the Immaculate Conception church in Maryhill. An Oxford graduate, Fr Jim took Sellik's recent signings of three Japanese players and framed them as, 'the Three Wise Men from the East'. The gift they bore was an excuse for Sellik to post season tour Japan for the next five years. It's no surprise that the exercise in resurrecting Fr Jim's image has been taken up by PQ. A couple of decades past, Fr Jim was parish priest of Our Lady of Fatima church in Dalmarnock. He told a sorry tale of regularly setting out from his sectarian daubed Presbytery to walk the five hundred yards of Springfield Road to Sellik Park to watch his green'n'grey hooped favourites. He could not negotiate this distance without the threat of assault. The then Chief Reporter of the Daily Record, Anna Smith was looking for a Priest on such a journey, Sellik needed him more. Glasgow City Council in conjunction with the club had submitted plans for redevelopment of the entire area surrounding Sellik Park. A non denominational school was demolished, three streets next to the ground were demolished, another dozen streets south of London Road were demolished, a pylon line relocated, a couple of factories demolished, an entire duel carriageway road was constructed, ........ etc. The Commonwealth Games spin off was planned to enable Sellik and an embattled Priest was a good bit of necessary leverage. Fr Jim went from the front page of the Record to Sellik View columnist. As an aside, Anna Smith now lives in the same spit in the wind coastal village as Phil McFournames. Anyways, as part of the Commonwealth Games Village plan and a declining congregation, Fr Jim's church in Springfield Road became a casualty and was similarly demolished. Fr Jim continued his journey, he was transferred to Penilee and his new charge was the parish of Our Lady and St George. Fr Jim became a lost soul and this time he was the focus of the front page of the Scottish Sun. It was Sunday evening and two elderly female parishioners were entering the church with intent to clean the interior. They were shocked by the scene confronting them, running into Sandwood Road screaming. Fr Jim was atop the altar, naked from the waist down, bouncing up and down upon a vibrating dildo. He was surrounded by an array of other sex toys. The Police arrived to find Jim continuing to enjoy the buzz, he was charged with Indecency and Lewd Behaviour. Fr Jim resigned his position from both church and Sellik View. He took to a Retreat for several months to re-find his faith through prayer. The Procurator Fiscal quietly dropped the charges and a reinvigorated Fr Jim took over at St Simon's in the west end, served on the Chaplaincy team at Barlinnie, followed by promotion to the Immaculate Conception, Maryhill. Fr Jim returned to literary ways, he penned a tome entitled, 'Cardinal Sin - Power, Abuse and, Truth in the Catholic Church'. A contribution very well received by the independence website, 'Bella Caledonia'. I was informed by a Publisher that Cardinal O'Brien was in a state of high dungeon on hearing of Fr Jim's intent on writing a book. Of course, the proffered titles including, 'A Second Coming', 'the Risen Lord' and, 'My Special Devotion to St Bilbo of the Blessed Dildo' did not help. Let's hope Fr Jim's resurrection achieves continued success.

RABid Pomposity. Increasingly, in Scotland we are becoming used to an application of Laws and rules that are applicable to the majority. However, there exists a growing elite of those connected to the raft of 130 Scottish Government Quangos that have other avenues open to them. Friends and family enjoy the benefits. Even information is something rationed to those and such as those, if it suits the authorities that be. We were told before Christmas that bringing forward the winter break was, "an application of common sense" by everyone clutching the provided script. At the end of the first week of the new year we have all viewed English football playing on as normal, attracting huge festive crowds. We might want to be comparative? Information is needed and the constant service provided by Prof' Jason Leitch in this regard throughout the first two lockdowns, would have been most welcome on the national broadcaster, BBC Scotland. Leitch did NOT appear and we were NOT told if he had even been invited. Has Humza withdrawn Leitch again? We don't know and we won't be told. We learned from Off the Ball that Tam and family celebrated New Year on the Isle of Arran and RAB Cosgrove was hospitalised. Arran has become PQ's Martha's Vineyard, lots of holiday homes but no one appears to be affected by the 13 CalMac cancelations of Ferry sailings from the island after Ne'erday. Maybe another service is available to those in the know? Similarly, games being played behind closed doors does not impinge upon members of the PQ Gang Hut. They don't even have to pay for live streams, they hit the canteen then sit down and view their teams courtesy of Beeb Engineers. PQ even altered their schedule, shortening RAB's show by an hour to allow him to attend St Johnstone's League Cup final victory. RAB utilised his National column during November to break a GMB strike, pointing out a national Union's funds included English, Welsh and, Irish monies. Clearly, he put his nationalism before his socialism, he is one of those and such as those; was his hospitalisation private? RAB lionised the healing powers of Amoxicillin on Saturday and then proved that such a collection of anti-bacterial drugs does NOT improve cerebral performance. Cowan was relating Lulu's testimony of her departed co-star in the 1967 film, 'To Sir with Love'. RAB barges in, "Aye, ah've seen loads of stuff written about Harry Belafonte". Cowan interrupts, "do you mean Sydney Pottier"? There are loud guffaws, anything to mask the fact that a broadcaster in his seventieth year has made a cnut of himself. Cowan then evokes Only Fools and Horses where Grandad and Rodney have an argument over the pronunciation of Pottier. RAB then gets the Grandad and Uncle Albert characters mixed up. Time to bring on the guest. It's John Barnes, late of the PQ parish. Currently, he is Killie TV's commentator. He is from Ayrshire and was the recipient of Jim McLean's right hook back in the day. RAB and Tam do the tired and lazy Rangers supporting accusations, then move on. Barnes is telling a story about working for BBC Scotland in Teblisi, Georgia nearly 20 years back. He tells of a frightening place, a nationalist Government out of control. He had left the press box at half time and could not re-enter because of, "one of Shevardnadze armed goons". RAB flashed his 70th year credentials again, "who was Shevardnadze playing with at the time"? Barnes explains he is talking about Georgia's then President, Eduard Shevardnadze. Increasing embarrassment is a no no for such a pompous prig, quickly he brought the show on to much more comfortable ground. He reminds us he was an Executive for Channel 4 and regales us with tales of ...................... heard it all a dozen times and, more. RAB was quite important. 'Walter - A Life in Football' came up and RAB clearly angered he was not involved wondered aloud about the reaction of the documentary's Director, Martin Conaghan when first told he had the gig, "Ah prefer to do Henrik". The Walter piece is decent although the lack of attention to Walter's second tenure at Rangers probably equates to BBC Scotland's determined start to queer relations with club and fans. The biggest advantage is Cosgrove's non involvement, see what he brought to the Mark Walters film? RAB is our Tony Blair, a property portfolio wielding, sense of entitlement holding, frequent story telling lazy bore. Arise Sir Stuart of Pacific Quay.