Boris

England don't want the Old Firm and their baggage. The Northern Atlantic Diddy League is pie in the sky ! The fact is Rangers and Celtic have had their own way in Scottish football and it has destroyed any competition. They are almost guarenteed a crack at the Champions League each year, enjoy blanket media coverage, the league structure is based around them and they even enjoy privelages in the rules denied to other clubs. Now they are reaping what they sowed as the English teams awash with Sky TV money do the same to them. The fact is Scottish Football as a product is awful and the only way that will change is when the powers at be start focusing on whats good for the game and not just the greedy demands of two clubs. Is a highlights programme at 11pm on Monday nights with a blink and you will miss it clip of the match really going to attract Kids to the game. What about the weekly ESPN broadcast of which ever Old Firm team is away from home, usualy in half empty stadiums in one sided contests....is this really the way to showcase the SPL. Then there's the ticket prices, the half empty stadiums etc etc. Like it or not Rangers and Celtic will have to adapt to their situation in the same way Hibs Aberdeen Hearts etc have....by bringing through the players they can no longer afford to buy. If Scottish Football wants to improve it must start sharing the spoils more evenly, have a larger league which allows non-old firm teams a chance to close the gap and a media which looks to promote the game and encourage people to get out and support their local club. The Old Firm are stuck in Scottish Football and it's high time they got around the table with the other clubs and looked at how they can improve the product and not just their own bank balances. The bottom line is they are not going anywhere !

It's a pointless debate because the Old Firm are not going anywhere, we are stuck with them. The North Atlantic Diddy League is pie in the sky and the EPL do not need them and do not want them. Rangers fans recent trip to Manchester and Celtic fans weekly chorus of songs paying homage to an organisation responsible for caranage in many of Englands citys may also count against them. The biggot sisters have squeezed every penny out of the rest of SPL and now complain about the lack of competition. It's now time for them to experience what that is like as the richer English clubs do the same to them.

Any team who want to survive needs a population big enough to support youth development. Without a progression of young players there really is no future competing in the A League. This is the problem both Unst and Yell face and it's not going to change. Personaly I can't see how football in the north isles can benefit by having their good young players playing for other teams. The south end could just as easily be facing the same problem but they have come together under Ness United and have a club that is making steady progress each year. The reserve league is exactly that and if teams start entering their first teams in the league how long before we end up with the same situation as a couple of years ago with five or six A teams. Also why would the team who finishes bottom of the A League want the humiliation of playing the winners of the B League. Players willing to step up to compete against the best in Shetland deserve encouragement.

Would entry in the Works League not mean that Unst would have to play all their games away from home. I may be wrong but the works league seems to be centered mainly around Lerwick.

They did that with the Manson Cup in 1999 when the Shetland Team was away at the Island Games. There was complaints that not having the County players involved devalued one of Shetlands most prestigeous trophys so it was never repeated.

I agree with Shoogler ! Golf tournament would be very popular, the boating club had one this year and it was a big success. I am sure pool and darts would also be a success. Saturday in the park should have plenty of family entertainment, the beer tent is the single worst thing ever to happen to the gala even though it is a money earner. The open air concert has had it's day, it would be far better to get a couple of decent bands in the Scalloway Hall. Make sure you get bands that appeal to most age groups and you will have a packed hall. I also think more effort should go into the procession. Why not contact the squads from the Fire Festival to see if they would enter a float, theres also the hockey team and football team etc. The more the Community get involved the better the gala will be !

Over reaction in my opinion, but I agree its in bad taste. Septemeber the 11th for me is the day that General Pinoche and his CIA backed takeover of Chile resulted in inocent people being hounded into football stadiums to be slaughtered. School Teachers, Union Members, Socilaists ,Communists, many many more than the equally inocent people slaughtered in New York.

Its not a referee's assistant it's a club linesman. The linesman is right to flag for offsides but it's up to the ref to make the decision. Kirsty has said three players were in offside positions, but if they are not active they are not offside. I didn't see the game but I have heard differing opinions on whether it was offside. All I can say is every team will have nights where things go for or against you.

I don't think many people have much respect for Boyd, Ferguson and Macgregor either. All three should never wear the jersey again ! Ferguson & Macgregors display at Hampden was unforgiveable. As for Boyd I don't think he is good enough for international football and his sissy fit at not getting picked was pathetic.

I would also recomend the Chiropractor at the Toll Clock, best I have been to by along way.

Peter is still there on merit........if his record as a player isn't good enough to be a "model shetland player" then who the hell is !

SIGA and Bob Kerr are correct to stamp down on any behaviour that puts the Shetland Team in a bad light. Any talk of bans however is laughable. Ok, a young player may have had a bit much to drink after a hard week of sport in hot conditions and fell asleep.....so what. The football team would have been itching to get out for drink and a laugh after a hard week, some get carried away......it happens. Slap on the wrist and a warning on future conduct is all that is required.

I think people should really think twice before downing young players who are getting their starts in Shetland squads. We all have opinions but taking young players to events like the Island Games is important for future squads. I can remember clearly the criticism Karl Williamson got when he returned to Shetland, mostly from people who judge football players by their goal scoring records. Hard to believe that one of the best p[ayer in the isles in recent years had to listen to that rubbish...if you ask Stuart Hay you can here similar storys, unfortunatley getting used to the odd bit of criticism is part of playing for Shetland. I would disagree that Eric Thompson is the best player in the squad, but I wouldn't take a bet on him being exactly that in a couple of years time. I didn't know he was in the Scottish Uni's team but if true thats a great achievement and not a suprise to me. The team will have a real challenge to get to a medal position...namely a poor seeding, an inexperienced squad, the loss of players such as Ross Jamieson & Stuart Hay and probably a tougher standard of opponents than made it to the Shetland games. But who knows, several times in the past Shetland missed out due to bad luck so perhaps the team might get that extra bit of luck that pushes them on to what would be a great achievement. Personaly I think Paul Grant was unlucky not to get picked, I wasn't so sure in previous years but the times I have seen him this season he was excellent. Hopefully he will take it on the chin and be determined to get back in the team next year. Scott Morrison was another who was unlucky and I have also been really impressed with Connel Gresham at Spurs.

My point is that due to inconsistancy as to how the SFA conduct reviews of incidents there is no bench mark as to what incidents merit review. It seems to be based on a) Which club is involved. How much the media focuson an incident. The SFA should have be creating a level plaing field and not reacting everytime the laptop loyal sharpen their poison pencils.

I am left scratching my head why the SFA is reviewing these tackles. I have seen much worse this season yet no word of SFA reviews. - What is the difference between Loovens tackle and Alan MacGregors karate kick on Callum Elliot last season. I don't have a problem with trial by TV, however it appears some clubs are exempt from such scrutiny. Levein criticises a shocking refereeing performance and gets fined and hauled before a commitee. Hearts question the impartiality of a particular ref and they get heavily fined. Walter Smith does the same with a linesman......suprise, suprise nothing from the SFA.

Pat Nevin went into the historical details of how the split concept came about on the radio last night, it was insisted on by the Old Firm. There was agreement from all the teams on a larger league but Rangers and Celtic got it thrown out because they felt the quantity of games would effect their european performances.

It wasn't a suprise to me that Hearts have to go to Ibrox again ! Out of the last 11 Hearts v Rangers league games, 7 have been at Ibrox. Celtic fans have every right to feel agrieved this season as Hearts are the third best side, but MIM's main point is correct the fixtures are arranged around TWO teams. Tynecastle is a tough ground to go to and the SPL have handed Rangers the upper hand. Historically the split idea was all about maintaining Old Firm dominance of the SPL so it's difficult to have sympathy when one team clearly gets shafted by the fixture makers.

Why a burning MAN ! I see this festival is going to be nae better than the toonie wan. I would suggest a burning transvestite, then nae body would be offended. Just thought the transvestities might be....ach, back tae the drawing board.

It's a sign of the times that the English Premiership is generating more interest on this thread than the SPL. Saying that the SPL is dull as dish water with Celtic the only team who seem to have any money at all. Perhaps this economic mess will help close the financial gap between the Old Firm and the rest and make the league interesting again, but it's unlikley. The Old Firm dominate the media, TV rights and are more or less guaranteed a European windfall each season. In my opinion the Champions League has had a detrimental effect throughout Europe with most Leagues now dominated by an eite group of teams. The rest struggle to keep up and with each passing season the gap in spending power grows.

Have to agree, I think the Jarl Squad deserve praise for supporting their Jarl and the Fire Festival Commitee likewise for making the right decision. Best of all it sounds like peerie Charlie is on the med although I am sure it will be a while afore him or his parents will be thinking about burning galleys. If there is any sense Pottsy will have his day next year when hopefully everyone in the community will be in the mood for a spree.

I don't know about the need for extensions. Most shetland schools are no where near capacity, the population has decreased in recent years and is predicted to continue to fall.

The fact is school closures are probably inevitable, we simply can not afford to keep spending so much on Education. We spend twice as much per pupil as most other Councils and it can't continue forever. We have the best maintained roads in Scotland, yet keep open a number of schools who are within a reasonable travel distance form bigger schools with capacity for more pupils. These are luxuries we have become used to, however in the near future we will not be able to continue funding.

Most would agree we need a new AHS....but can we justify spending twice as much as other Councils have done to provide a similar school. Clickiminn is funded through our Oil Funds, which is fine as long as we have oil funds. Mareel sounds like a great idea, unfortunatley I don't believe we can afford it particularly at the moment. It is a luxury service, not essential.

The leisure centers are funded from the charitable trust. Council services such as Education, Ferries, Care Homes have to be funded by the Council, and are not eligable for funds from the Charitable trust. The cost of providing the education service in Shetland is ludicrous when compared with other Councils and puts a strain across all Council services. What Gussie says is correct, the bottom line is the SIC must try to bring Education spending back in line with other Councils or cut essential services like ferries and care homes.

I know the top 3 - 4 teams in the East of Scotland League would comfortably cope with 3rd division football, the same probably goes for the Highland League. The top junior sides would compete in second division football. Only in Scotland would we have a scenario where a closed league means better teams are sxcluded form competing in league football. There is no doubt in my mind that a pyramid system would help improve Scottish football. Unfortunatley the SFA member clubs will always vote down such proposals, self preservation and central belt dominance will always win in a vote.