26th of foot

D'Art, wonderful. You should contact Waddingtons and ask if they have any plans to develop Sellik monopoly?

I know you know the information I am going to provide, but it provides perspective. The then Glasgow District Council sold Janefield Street, Kinloch Street, and Dalriada Street to ra Sellik for ONE PENNY. The cost in resettelement grants to 300 families living in those streets, demolition, and land clearance was borne by the local authority. Ra Sellik substantially increase their land bank and the community charge payer bears the estimated £2million bill, less a penny of course. Thus, nearly half a million for Lennoxtown is comparatively reasonable, in ra scheme of things Sellik.

Three streets for a penny returns to bite ra Sellik and the then GDC(now GCC) in the arse. Good. Reference McConnell and Haughey, the machinations of Scottish Enterprise(Glasgow) a decade past are most illuminating. Scottish Enterprise(Glasgow) was the dynamic that secured the Commonwealth Games for Glasgow. The Board of that quango included Wullie Haughey, Alex Mosson, Paul Cooney, Charlie Gordon, Stephen Purcell, ................. etc

I popped into the local supermarket this morning and as usual, on leaving I flipped over a few newspapers to view the fitba headlines. The Record's take on Bilel Mohsni's behaviour last evening was a standout. In two short, two sentence paragraphs, he was described as a 'hothead', 'mad', 'bonkers', and 'mental'. Demonisation? I attended the game last night and thought Mohsni unnecessarily took the bait and deserved to be cautioned. He was being escorted from the pitch by Faure and words were exchanged with both Gary Bollan and Kiegan Parker in turn. Gesticulations too, with the latter. I don't know what occurred in the tunnel, but again not surprised he was further cautioned. Thus, two yellows make a red; fair enough. Mad, bonkers, and hothead are descriptive words applicable to Gregor Stevens or Chopper Harris. I was listening to BBC Radio Scotland last Saturday and Parkers name cropped up, Bollan was being congratulated on securing his services. The usual suspects succumbed to the usual testimony, early talent, early promise, ....... not realised. Alan 'Biscuits' Preston announced he had played with him at St Johnstone in the late 90s and agreed with his undoubted talent line but decreed, "he was a fruitcake". Derek Ferguson cautioned the description, Preston replied with, "he was an absolute fruitcake". Hyperbole appears to be the name of the game, what can we expect when bonkers meets absolute fruitcake? A couple of cautions. Anyways, well done the Daily Record. On the day when the Co-op bank has demanded more security from ra Sellik on their soft loan, dust down the Gregor Stevens thesaurus.

I was 14 years of age I have contributed to such threads before, I continue to feel fortunate that my old man was a stickler for leaving every game five minutes early. We descended stairway 13 a couple of minutes before the Disaster. We heard the roars of both goals in both Harrison Drive and Ibroxholm Oval. What happened had nothing to do with suggestions of Bears attempting to ascend the stairway after Colin Stein's equaliser, truthfully it a disaster waiting to happen. The Stairway had a dogleg at the bottom to get through the red sliding door exit. Further, the sides of the stairway were supported by hundreds of stacked blackened railway sleepers. We walked to the border between Kinning Park/Tradeston, got in the car and drove back to Lanarkshire. It was a foggy evening and the car was reduced to a crawl on the Clydeside road. We stopped at the chippy in the next village to pick up grub for myself and elder cousin. My parents were attending a local party and were intent on a quick departure. Thus, it was surprising to see my mother was waiting with the family dog at the end of our short street. Nearly 2 hours after the game, we were ushered into the dining room to eat and my parents spoke in whispers in the kitchen. A Motherwell supporting mate arrived an hour later as my parents were leaving. He asked my mum to telephone his mum. A few minutes later, I was asked if I had seen a school pal on leaving the game. She returned to hall and answered, "no, but he did see Colin". A news bulletin on the TV stated there had been an incident at Ibrox and police had reported two dead, more injured, some seriously. My cousin, my friend, and I watched the numerous bulletins that evening, the last one interrupted the late night film, 'Masque of the Red Death'. The death toll had been rising on each interruption, it reported the death toll would exceed 80. It was a couple of days later that the toll settled at 66. My school pal perished, swept from his shoes and crushed. He had been on a local RSC bus and had not returned. The phone-calls were attempts to locate him. I remember a photograph in the Herald, it was large and depicted a lower section of the stairway with hundreds of shoes littering the steps. Haunting!

In the days when Andrew edited ra Sellik View, his moniker was, 'Andrew H Smith'. It would appear Andrew has dropped an 'H'.

Davy 'Provo' Provan has penned a very similar piece in today's Sunday Sun. It's all about the Rangers.

I am prepared to provide a match preview for the East Fife game on the 11th January'14.

Festive felicitations from deepest, darkest Lanarkshire, tis the season of goodwill, even in the Leather Bars of Larkhall.

As a schoolboy, I attended the Christmas day match at Easter Road. Colin Stein's late winner was mutely celebrated, it was freezing on that high old terracing and the constant snow flurries ensured a couple of inches of the white stuff gathered on every head and pair of shoulders. Cheers and shouts mostly, the hands stayed firmly in the pockets. In the early/mid seventies, Hibs/Rangers matches were hugely anticipated. We had a midfield of Alfie Conn, Alex McDonald, and Tommy McLean. Hibs had Pat Stanton, Alec Edwards, and the sublime Jimmy O'Rourke. Hibs played with a lot of width and pace. Sandy Jardine's reputation as the fastest player in British football was always under threat from Cropley and Duncan. Huge crowds turned up for the games, particularly at Easter Road, there was a Scottish Cup replay in early '73, where 45,000 jammed into the Edinburgh ground. We won 1-2.

George Galloway, Jum Spence, and Brian Stockbridge should form a self-help group.

The on going problem with both club and support is simple, it's leadership. Watching our new Chairman yesterday was cringingly embarrassing. Somers spent at least 50% of his 2 hours on that stage, leaning back to converse with a trio of craning legal advice. Even better, after receiving words of wisdom he ignored or immediately forgot the prompt. There were a couple of delicious moments. Referring to one of the Easdale bookends, Sandy; his elongated home-county vowels patronised, "his local knowledge is most helpful and much appreciated". I am sure Sandy and Rangers provide Somers with endlessly entertaining bon mots for his board colleagues on those 4 banks he continually references. The other piece of hilarity arrived when Malcolm Murray flashed his own PLC credentials, "I want to participate in clean PLC Board going forward; however, there are persons on that board not clean". Both Easdales, Brian Stockbridge, and Somers all turned their heads in choreographed unison to the legal support. The other three, Wallace, Crighton, and McCoist stared ahead, no doubt into a bleak and uncertain future. Somers struggled throughout, reaching forward for acceptance whilst leaning back for support. When he rubbed his hands and wondered aloud as to the fellow Director who advised he would not need an overcoat; a wag behind me suggested Sandy could provide a concrete overcoat. The obvious seasonal analogy is pantomime, it's most apt. I believe the norm for the numerous casts of pantomime is to head off somewhere quiet and warm at the conclusion of several weeks of intense activity. Perhaps they could persuade Somers and some our supporters' reps to join them?

Poor excuse, call yourself a Bear? He has had his three score and ten, congratulate him and get along to Ochilview.

I remember reading a report in one of the Sunday broadsheets in the immediate aftermath of Whyte's takeover. It contained a nugget omitted by all other outlets. Apparently, dearest Craig owns a beach property in Costa Rica. Why would anyone have a holiday home in an alligator and snake infested coast line? The UK has no extradition policy with Costa Rica.

Brian Stockbridge on an Audit Committee? King Herod and child minding springs to mind. Maybe, Brian thought it read Audi Committee?

You have to wonder at the mind set of Pretend Provo Padraig? He travels to Amsterdam to support his football club, takes a combat smock and hooped balaclava, and immediately strikes a pose on the distinctive blocking of the Damrak. A photo is taken for posterity and posted on his social media page. I suspect Padraig has many such photos from European cities, routine republican role play. Later on Padraig is arrested, charged, and convicted with assaulting the police. He is sentenced to 8 weeks jail; however, he maintains his innocence and is appealing. Now, we must wonder at ra Sellik mind set, he is rewarded last week with a stadium tour of ra Stydome. Of course, a photo is taken at the mouth of the tunnel and posted on his social media page. Posterity, don't you know but none of his preferred attire. Padraig is respectfully suited and booted, but said photo is quickly removed after ra Sellik point out the obvious stupidity of highlighting the reward.

If any Gersnetter is interested in an objective history of ra Sellik, then Pat Woods and Tom Campbell penned an unofficial centenary tome entitled, 'the Glory and the Dream'. It was published in 1987, Sellik's centenary because they were founded in St Mary's halls in November 1887. Pat Woods was a Librarian at the Mitchell Library, Campbell a lecturer in English Literature; thus well researched and written. You would think ra Sellik would have been happy to endorse the book? No, they commissioned Brian Wilson MP to author the official centenary, 'A Century with Honour'. Of course, the title is ironic, isn't it? Anyways, Brian has tens of thousands of said tome in his garage, should you wish to indulge?

I suspect Majoriebank's piece in the Daily Mail is quoting a war chest of £10million; certainly, that's the figure I remember His Chuckness stating. Leggo(surely that should be Blotto) has inflated it to £25million and Ewing Grahame has seized upon it to pen another 'ah pyoor luv ra Sellik' piece. Imagine Ewing not mentioning his beloved Sellik's £30million soft loan with the CIS bank. Maybe Blotto and Ewing are meeting regularly at a self-help group?

Have done so. It must be so difficult for ra Bhoy in Corduroy to remember amid his accurate reports on Bears singing, 'Klinsmanns a Klansman', Aberdeen fans singing, 'Nice one Jimmy', and those numerous references to Ibrox being akin to a Nuremberg Rally. He even gets his own mate, Bitter Martin the tin tack at Radio Snyde; broadcasting about voting intentions on the day of a General Election. Oh, and those appearances on TV(twice) fingering his organ and subjecting the audience to a medley of Elton John melodies. Yep, you've guessed it, 'Song for (Juan) Ghuy'. My favourite belter from Graham is his false memory reference attending an old firm game at Ibrox in 1975, replete in his Rangers scarf. He adds, I stood in my usual spot in the Celtic end and was encouraged by Celtic supporters as Rangers won three nil. Where does one start? Where does one end?

Frankie, I've checked my records from a decade past, the venue was changed too, it was St Andrews cathedral in Castle Street ie the COS building.

Being away for a dozen days, I have come late to this. Spiers, where does one start? Spiers(along with Kevin McCarra) received his start in mainstream journalism at Scotland on Sunday, courtesy of the then Sports Editor, Kevin McKenna. We are talking a period between 15-20 years past. Previously, McKenna had been Editor of ra Sellik View. He was allowed to resign after being recorded making a sectarian rant in the Vesuvius restaurant in Glasgow. A documentary team had invited a dozen or so of the main players in old firm media to the eatery to solicit views and a drunk Kevin obliged. He offered that the IRA bombing of the Eniskillen Remembrance Day service was a legitimate act of war and protestants bred like rabbits. He was invited to repeat these remarks and did so with gusto. When the story broke on the front page of the Sun, Sellik the club had no view. A week later, McKenna handed in his notice and joined the staff at the Scotsman. As Sports Editor of the newly published Scotland on Sunday, McKenna set out to cultivate a useful idiot. Step forward Spiers. He had a personal grudge with SDM, felt he was ignored and went public with the regular briefing sessions in Murray's restaurant in Jersey. Succulent lamb began it's preparation almost two decades ago, it landed on the plates of all Bears 18 months past. Spiers was encouraged and rewarded. McKenna's mate, Matt McGloan edited 'Once a Tim' the biggest sellik Sellik 'zine. He had an end of season readers' poll that included the category, 'Journalist most objective when dealing with matters Celtic'. Seriously, and Spiers won this poll three years on the trot. The fourth year, Spiers won too, but the very same category was part of Matt McGloan's column in ra Sellik View. Yep, Matt penned that column in the official organ for five years and Graham won every single year. Spiers very own '9 in a row'. McKenna moved to the Herald as Deputy Editor, he joined Joan McAlpine(now an MSP for the SNP) in the same designation. The Editor was Mark Douglas-Home. McKenna appointed another fgellow Sellik View Editor, Donal Cowey as Sports Editor and they brought Spiers on board as Chief Football Writer. The triumphalisTIC triumvirate of Douglas-Home, McAlpine, and McKenna took the Herald from a daily circulation of 115,000 to under 40,000 in five short years. Spiers was unleashed, he pleaded with Martin O'Neill to do lunch, lionised Lennon(the player), and never missed an opportunity to worship at the altar of ra Sellik support. He seethed when warbling about all things Rangers, Davie Cooper was a bigot, Jock Wallace too, and Ian Ferguson had all the charm of a child molester. The Herald was sold, the top trio jumped and Spiers was fired. He prefers leaving to pitch up at the Times, but he was binned due to the conclusions of an extensive readers' survey undertaken by the new owners. During his five year tenure at Herald Towers, Spiers was actively involved in the burgeoning anti-sectarianism groupings. Often, he was invited to speak; remember he was most objective when dealing with matters Sellik. The RST was forming and a couple of us were tasked to engage with Graham. He met us and was consistent in stating 'it was a matter of principle, both old firm teams had a problem and that Rangers particular problem was worse'. We had numerous discussions on the word, '******'. Spiers was determined it meant RC and not aggressive Irish republican. Simply, the strategy revolved around ownership of the word. You could not be up to your knees in ****** blood(please note you can be up to your knees in Hibee, Ayr Unted, and Arab blood); but George Galloway could refer to fellow MPs like Jimmy Wray as 'a bold ****** man'. Further, CSCs could continue to utilise the word in club titles eg New York's Unrepentant ****** Bastards CSC. We accepted Graham's argument and asked about the continual useage of the word, 'Hun'. Spiers thought it a gentle mocking term, used it in print himself, and would continue to do so. It was pointed out that his principle on ****** should apply. No RSC incorporated the term ie the Hamilton Huns RSC, it was not utilised in club/support songs, and Bears did not introduce themselves in the term. It is derisory, not a term of endearment. Graham desisted. We asked to attend an anti-sectarian meeting where Graham was speaking, he was surprised and told us he would get back with the appropriate information. It took over a week and we were informed the venue was St Andrews RC cathedral on a Wednesday evening. We agreed to be in attendance immediately and asked to contribute. MPs, MSPs, MEPs, Councillors, police, medical consultants, club officials, other invited media,......etc, all in attendance. Two days later, Graham contacted us and said there was a change in date and time, the venue remained the same. It was rescheduled for a Sunday afternoon, the same Sunday afternoon where Rangers were in Scottish Cup action and both start times were within 15 minutes of each other. We were expected to beg off and we complied; however, we sent two other members along on a watching brief. Spiers was the main speaker and he abandoned his dearly held principle of both clubs had a problem. He told the 200 in the audience, it was all Rangers fault, yep Rangers were the root cause of sectarianism in Scotland and he was cheered to the echo. Graham gave them what they wanted. We contacted him and asked for an explanation and he lied, said our watching and listening briefs had misheard. We told Graham that he was leading a debate, determined that those being blamed were to be given no participation in the debate. His retort was rubbish, we reminded him of timings changes and that his paper, the Herald had not published a single letter on the correspondences pages from a self-acknowledged Rangers supporter on the matter for three years. He promised to check with his Editor and get back. He never did. A decade on and Spiers principle of both sides have a problem but ours is worse is under pressure. The Green Brigade has pushed the envelope and Graham's mentor, Kevin McKenna has not told him how to respond. The one thing I want fellow Gersnetters to realise, Graham Spiers has NO principles, only naked ambition.

D'Art', most impressed. Jim McGovern can consider himself skewered.

I note Aberdeen's hardy annual, 'the new stadium' was being cultivated again earlier this week. Now, Peter Lawwell can offer sage advice in this regard, tell a dozen local councllors to sell a few streets at a peppercorn rate(lets say a penny), then use increased land bank s security for a soft loan from a bank heavily influenced by a few mates. Utilise realised funds to build another heap of dung. Further, Peter advises being on a proposed club tour of Japan when all decisions are being taken. Purchase Peter's new self help tome this coming Chrstmas, 'Integrity done Easy'.

Frankie, Sitting on a granite rock in the Med' and also unable to attend, thank you for a most objeive report/update. My take on events is remarkably similar, I suspect those of us mining this seam for a dozen years all tae a jaundiced vew?

You know, I have heard it oft said, 'you couldnae gie Craig Whyte a rid neck wae a blow torch'. I am willing to have a real go, do I have a witness?