buster.

I think Tom Boyd is still on the Celtic payroll in recent times and this type of rhetoric is used and placed for a simple reason, to place pressure on match officals and on the whole I think it tends to have an effect.

Murphy will be 29 in August so it'd be another player with next to no re-sale value and we'd be the club yet again, that pays the last transfer fee for a player and takes the heightened risk regards age/fitness. How many times do we need to go down this route and lose out before we make an effort to change the policy or get a better balance weighed toward younger signings?

Celebrations in Fife

Sounds like there has been a mega square-go in Cowdenbeath. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Cowdenbeath stay in the Senior League as it all goes Pete Tong for the Highlanders. Injury time saw 2 yellows cards and THREE reds for Cove Rangers.................

The Lesser spotted Ciftci has just scored his second senior goal in two years to put Motherwell in front against the Accies. At this rate, Rodgers will be calling him back.

The Blue Brazil have turned on the after burners and are now 3-2 in front, 15 minutes to go. County or Thistle, toss a coin. I think Livingston will fancy their chances against either.

Cowdenbeath v Cove Rangers in second leg of play-off for a Senior League berth seems to have been eventful. First leg was a goalless draw but it was 1-1 after 9 minutes today. Less than 10 minutes into the second half and it's now 2-2, the Blue Brazil just equalised. edit Ross County have just taken the lead at St.Johnstone and currently move up into the play-off spot with Thistle bottom. Long way to go.

I see Windass put on his twitter account that he trained yesterday.

The only number that really matters is the total points at the end of the column. A manager needs to gather as many points as possible in the way he deems best for the players he has to work with or can put together. As far as a league is concerned, it's consistency that is important and the most reliable way of going about that is making a priority of being solid at the back. You can also carry a threat middle to front if you have some quality and cohesion. Best example I can think of is the way Atletico Madrid go about their business under Diego Simeone. ------------------ With one game left here are the total points compared with those at the end of last season Killie 56 (41) +15 Hearts 49 (46) +3 Rangers 69 (67) +2 Aberdeen 70 (76) -6 Celtic 82 (106) -24 Points are the most important number but to win games of football you need to score goals and you'll find that Aberdeen and Celtic have conceded a similar amount of goals as last season but scored a lot less (Celtic are 33 down on last season and although they often score a barrelload against the sheep, they are still going to fall well short)....Aberdeen are 19 goals down/ we are 15 goals up.

Almost as comical as the proposed transfer exclusive regards Rangers after McGinn is the Daily Record pundit video analysing the story with a double act that look like a modern day 'Laurel & Hardy'. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/rangers-snatching-john-mcginn-see-12519968 You have to see them (Liam Bryce and Jonny McFarlane) sat together to appreciate it

I wouldn't know if I've not been able to successfully not portray the point I wanted to make I think I've probably got the flu.

Another positive from the Gerrard factor is that it gives the youngest generation (who have become fans in recent years) a sense of actual high profile opposed to just hearing stories about past times.

I believe the fashionable phrase is 'developing story' So he's fine but didn't think to tell anyone at the club he had flu, was expected at the press conference but left the club in limbo in front of the press #SmellaRat

Given we won't be bringing in world beaters from Barcelona or Brechin, just as important as the recruitment is putting in place a footballing operation that can actually improve players quickly.

From Frankie's twitter feed Interesting............. Do Hibs train in the afternoon ?

For various reasons we can forget about Hibs for the time being but there is no reason why we shouldn't look to build better ties with a couple of the provincial clubs with a decent record in bringing through youngsters, eg. Hamilton Accies. Primarily we need to create an enviroment where we can improve our own players that includes the 'pathway' for the exceptional talent. In the past we have paid a premium (transfer fee) to other Scottish clubs for bringing through youngsters/providing them with substantial number of first team football at young age. We should be looking to bring through our own youngsters who are good enough to get gametime for top tier provincial sides (providing pathway to our first team) and thus try to eliminate the transfer fee and maximise our own youth.

I think he was trying to big up his own player in public rather than not recognising that McGinn can play. The business side of their player trading operations will see McGinn as a potential pound sign. One positive for us is that Rodgers hasn't been that good in the transfer market.

Maybe it's relative, the Fulham skipper is only 5' 10" and we have a teamful of Iniesta's.

There is just no way he's coming to Rangers. Hibs and Celtic have a mutual interest that in part is to prevent us getting stronger. From Liam Henderson in the Championship to how Scott Allan was signed by Celtic and has ended up back at Hibs, helping to take points from Rangers (+assist for Dundee winner against us). Celtic could offer Hibs 500K plus a 6 month loanback of the same player. They could involve Scott Allan in a deal. They have a chance of getting a very good prospect on the cheap and when the push comes to shove, they'll be sniffing around holding most of the cards.

Yes, and some 'divisions' run so deep that objectivity becomes impossible. I'll be surprised if McGinn doesn't end up at Celtic. It's a no-brainer of a signing for them.

Behind or ahead of curves are subjective or semi-objective judgements that don't actually mean much. We are where we are and given the amount of change wrt personel both on and off the pitch that is about to be triggered, it's difficult to know where we'll be in a few months and the timescales involved regards performance. For AJ, he needs to ensure that the club is run properly and there is no more institutional failure at any level. You'd imagine Sundays game will be difficult but it's not that easy to read. A week ago, I'd have said we weren't getting anything from the fixture but now after Hibs scoring one penalty in 180 minutes (away from home), the Lennon tirade against his players, their chance of second place gone, Boyle unlikely to play, our resilience at Aberdeen, Bates back in defence and one penalty goal conceded in 180 minutes........ I'd say we have a chance of taking something.....BUT.....we need to start the game well and not let them swarm all over us and get an early goal. It's up to Jimmy Nicholl to get the message accross before the game (not at HT) that we have to react professionally to any adversity or losing an early goal. Frankie makes a very relevant point about the amout of players that will probably be featuring in their last match for Rangers, the same goes for Hibs and possibly both dug-outs. How that will effect the game, we'll have to wait and see. Can't say I'm not glad the season isn't finishing.

Agreed, he's been off the rails for years and isn't going to come back to Glasgow and find his way again. Given his history of the last few years, I think he's burnt his bridges and no serious football club will touch him. Unfortunately, we've been caught with a contract to honour and is another cost from what AJ called "institutional failure".

I'm old fashioned in that I think you have to build a team initially prioritising a solid defence and strong core all the way down the middle of the park. .

Craig Levein on Neil Lennon's claim that Hearts are irrelevant to Hibs: "We've put them out the Scottish Cup and stopped them finishing second. That's pretty relevant, to me." https://mobile.twitter.com/anthonyabrown/status/994339330800877569