Notts Bankie

Don't have a tattoo myself, but it couldn't ever be an issue for me - somebody isn't wearing a tattoo for the sole purpose of it maybe being visible 6 days a year at a Scotland game! Unless the tattoo is on someone's arm and says "Burn all Catholics/Protestants" or similar.....! Clothing is totally different. It's a conscious choice to wear a top that someone takes when they get out of bed that morning.

One simple rule for me; in my book, folk can wear anything they like, as long as it isn't anything to do with club football. If someone wants to wear a Band Aid t-shirt from 1985, or a "I love NY" or a t-shirt with a Highland cow on it, or a maxi dress; cool. At the end of the day, we do live in a democracy, and people can do what they wish - I just think it's a particularly unnecessarily and parochial act for someone to potentially alienate anyone at a Scotland game to bring the tribal elements of club football along. When we're trying to unite behind a greater community of Scotland at these games - not Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, Rangers, Celtic etc. It's rather straight-forward to me.

Talking about club football is what grown up mature people do - and something we should do. Hell, I was even talking to an Airdrie fan at the airport - and as my name suggests I and others like me aren't exactly fond of them, but what he was wearing was a Scotland top. We're Scotland fans who also support clubs at these games, but we're not there supporting our clubs. We aren't there to support our clubs, we're there to support Scotland. And if someone can't live for a day or two without wearing their club shirt, then that's weird in my book. The Wallace flag thing by the way - if that did happen - is an unmitigated disgrace.

Well said aaid. I'd rather someone who has followed Scotland through thin and thin wears his suit and takes his bear, than somebody taking a club top that could cause a bloody rammy. If folk are going to watch Scotland, if people are wanting to kind of show that they are there supporting Scotland then some some kind of Scotland related garment is surely common sense. To be honest, if you can afford to go to Malta then surely taking half a dozen shirts/t-shirts/tops that don't show your home club allegiances is something everyone can do. If you don't own 6 non-club tops, then you're a bit of a clatty . Even that abysmal new pink monstrosity is acceptable, anything - I'm not saying take just Scotland tops. I think club tops are a bad idea, and brings a potential divide when we should all be behind the team. Banter is one thing, banter when half cut between people from rival clubs is another that can cause an issue. The baggage of our domestic games is bad enough at times, and to be honest, Scotland games are a welcome break for many from someone slating their club. Whether it be Rangers, Celtic, Dukla Pumperston, Airdrie, even Maidenhead (sorry aaid) :-)

No, I said that I wouldn't have him near the full team last season, and have him into the U21s. Not that he was incapable - rather that he hadn't even played 15 games of senior football at that stage.

I was right about the "a lot of clubs looking in on him", but pretty sure the "let's not get carried away" hasn't happened.........

Just seen this - glad you had a good time mate :-)

In Gdynia - there is a stretch of promenade down by the beach which has about half a dozen very nice beach bars and restaurants; some of these will be showing football on big TVs (by & just along from the new Browiar brewhouse at Port Gdynia). Don't go to U Szkota in Gdansk - it masquerades as Scottish bar, & is about 40 years old, but it's not Scottish!! It's one of these twee faux British pubs which charges a bomb for a pint of Guinness; about 14 zl, and you may want to think how long that the beer has been in the tap. It's dark and dingy as well. Plenty more nice places in Gdansk especially near the dock side where the old pirate ships are;from there, head back towards the main church where there are a few nice basement bars (There is an Irish one near Szkota which is far better). Republika is, as MacWomble says, nice. In Sopot I would suggest that almost half/all the bars/restaurants/cafes on Monte Cassino will show the Poland game - they will all be mobbed, so I suggest that you make friends with one bar, book in advance, and set up shop; if you're going to spend a few Zloty, you will be looked after. I would always go downhill from the Hotel Rezydent heading towards the pier and inbetween there will be all the pubs you'd need. There was an English themed pub called Sherlock near the train station which was always frequented by Jakeys, which I would avoid but they always did have wall-to-wall sport. Between any of the towns in the Tri City area - you won't pay a huge amount getting taxis between any of the three; see what suits you lads and take it from there.

Really sorry to hear this - a giant of a man, you never forgot meeting him, and a nice guy. A true footsoldier in every sense of the word. Thoughts with his nearest and dearest - I know you were good pals with him Pete, and I hope all can take great memories of him. RIP

The entrance into Heysel for the last Belgium game genuinely put the fear of god into me for the first time in years. Worse than Lithuania. Narrow street into the ground, only a few turnstiles open, it was dark and loads of stupid random multiple checks by the Belgian Police done at very strange places such as at the top of a set of steps - where people were beginning to get squeezed unnecessarily.

San Siro was abysmal. Worse than Kaunas. San Siro tarmac around the ground looked as if the Sea of Tranquillity had been resurfaced by David Blunkett & Norman Wisdom on a bad day. The walls and staircases had moss and running water leaking down them, and were badly lit, with wifies and weans slipping as they tried to leave. For a stadium less than 15 years old when we went there - it was in abysmal condition. It was a complete dump of a ground. In terms of "how overrated?" - the San Siro wins by a country mile. But Kaunas is pretty atrocious.

Ah, yes BD has previously displayed tremendous third person reference skills on numerous occasions. He - like Kanye West - talks of himself in almost ethereal and conceptual terms as if he is of a different plane. He will also - if crossed - ban more people from the football club than you can imagine. If he takes on Killie - it could make golden showers look like mere gnats pish in terms of gossip.

Divisive, paranoid, toxic, IMO he breeds a terrible culture at a club. He doesn't care about investing in the future, any community activities or any engagement with the 1st team by non-1st team staff or players. Doesn't like reserve teams for example. He will create an unbelievable siege mentality in the dressing room, he will make Killie hard to beat and I think if they take him on, he will keep Kilmarnock up and get United relegated. But for more than say 6 months at a club, the players eventually become exhausted and weary as there is only so much good you can do convincing people that everyone is against you. Players then become sapped by the negativity of his approach. And his substitutions and approach to player selection is often baffling - too much rotation if players don't score every week for example, or bringing all his subs on when the game is lost with 10 minutes to go. But the players will be really well prepared and his dossiers and pre-match work is second to none; try and find an interview with BBC East Midlands Today where Natalie Jackson goes to interview him in Glasgow (his house has an unbelievable media editing suite where he would analyse games for days on end post-match and pre-next game). I hope I am wrong and he has taken the time out the game to mellow and be less nippy sweetie but I suspect he has still several life grudges from his time at Forest. God help anyone if his cousin gets involved at the club...........as he was at Forest. Billy Davies is just a very very strange wee guy. And wasn't anywhere near the player his brother John was.

Believe it or not, how does 8 outfield players sound? Hazard, Kums, Defour, de Bruyne, Carrasco, Nainggolan, Batshuayi, Cavanda in the last squad they chose are all under 6ft. What they do have is a spine of big lads - Witsel, Kompany, Courtois, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Benteke, Fellaini. They have a mix. Hazard and de Bruyne are arguably the two first players on the teamsheet - but are also under 6ft! Here's a name to mention now - this boy is apparently the bees knees - Youri Tielemens who is their most promising player is also under 6ft. Size is not everything; it can be an advantage but not essential for most positions - obviously a team of pygmies could play...... We never have had the biggest lads except the old tradition of a big boy at the back or a big boy up top. Impact footballers aren't just big any more - Technique, Awareness, Vision, Workrate, and an understanding of who goes where, who does what, and some idea of a system (the simpler the better in international football as you don't have the time to make them all into Iniesta over night. ) We can only make a silk purse out of a sow's ear at the moment - let's be honest, but the team isn't the worse it has been in the last 20 years but it hasn't been the best by a mile. With time, a cohesive approach with both Westminster and Holyrood governments, the domestic league, schools, and investment in infrastructure, ease of access (financially and proximity of facilities) to play football and probably summer football - will we see a likely upturn in our fortunes. Otherwise we will continue to be a once proud footballing nation which has one foot in the past and one foot clomping wildly & missing, while trying to step into the new era. We might even do well to invest in even more mental & lifestyle coaching in our lads at an early age at club and international level.

I think he would be the last of the "He seems ok in Scotland, he should be ok in England" punts that a decent English club will take on a Scottish player (Look at the Crystal Palace chairman talking about Scottish strikers recently). He wasn't bad at United first time round; telling that they didn't want him after his second trip. I still can't believe he got allowed to take that penalty in Alicante. And the greedy swine should have squared it as well in the last 10 minutes which would have made it 3-2....

Never done TITP - but Reading and Glastonbury and numerous others; never seen anything. Mainly because, a bit of dry ice aside on stage - you wouldn't be able to see the gig. Why pay £150 to go to see your favourite band headline and you can;t see them because some twat has been to an Army and Navy surplus store? Not saying what I say because it sounds good at all. Saying it because I believe that in certain cases it could cause an issue - in a venue that is not policed/stewarded well or it's very busy, or there are also strobe lighting and it's disorientating. There were deaths in Spain about 2 years ago when some kids died at a venue when a flare was set off and they stampeded for the only exit. Poor H&S in place made it worse, but people do panic. By your tone, are you suggesting pyros in the crowd at a football or concert are a good thing? Just asking.

Er.................. Goodwillie was rotten in England and was found out for what he was. Since he went down south he did nothing at Blackburn, Palace and Blackpool. He then went back to Tannadice and showed he was not what he was for whatever reason. Saying that Liverpool and Man United's game on Sunday is somehow the sole measure of English football is bunkum. Some of the best players in the world are in that League, the entire England team plays in that league, and we have a handful playing in that standard. English football is miles ahead of ours; their Championship across the piece is better than the Scottish Premiership. The fact that so many of our internationals and better players from the SPFL can't go beyond that level speaks volumes. The number of players who can step up and play English Premiership from the Scottish Premiership is now negligible. Fact. Our Premiership is littered with Third & Fourth tier English journeymen who can't make it down south but who eke a career out playing in Scotland. Let's not somehow confuse the fact that "how entertaining a game is" somehow the measure of a League's strength and standing. Our European teams' fortunes in recent years suggests that our league is increasingly poor in comparison to other countries.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/10490064/Campaign-starts-to-warn-of-dangers-of-fans-using-flares-and-smoke-bombs-in-grounds.html I think the arguments for adding atmosphere, are utter rubbish because how can it add atmosphere when you can't see the thing you're meant to be there to look at - the bloody pitch?! It's an indiscriminate device - it dries the throat, stings the eyes and affects everyone in a stand or terrace; older or young supporters won't want to be amongst that. Also, some flares or bombs generate terrific heat and can burn furiously - from a health perspective alone, while minor, shouldn't be tolerated. It disorientates as well - and in a packed and less than spacious ground, could potentially cause panic. On a short steep terrace - it could cause accidents, and I would argue in some seated grounds that are steep with small legroom (Amsterdam Arena) it could be just as dangerous. Do you have them going off at festivals or concerts? No - you'd have stampedes and chaos. This is isn't Health and Safety gone mad. It's bloody common sense. Imagine if smoke bombs had gone off at the old Hampden with 120,000? Scores would have died. We never had flares or smoke bombs in our football previously - if you want that to be part of your football culture, perhaps you should go and live in Greece. Atmosphere would be better encouraged by having more people in the grounds, encouraging kids and making ticket prices lower so more 'working people' can be there; some of whom may go for a few beers before and have a sing song and make a racket. Too many prawn sandwich punters. Smoking at Hampden - is absolutely appalling and somehow tolerated. There should be a steward in each toilet immediately ejecting anyone from the ground who lights up. For people to even justify this on here is comical - it's illegal to smoke in public places in this country - if you can't hold out for 2 hours, then you should be going to see a GP.

No way. He's 18. He hasn't played half a dozen Championship games - but I will say this; he's strong as an ox, he's tall (over 6ft), and his frame and arms are massive. He looks like a boxer - for a winger he's big, powerful and he is very quick. Watch his goal v Bolton - that's a winger coming in and scoring a really good goal. Strachan and Gemmil are tracking him closely - WGS has been at the City Ground a few times this season - but the lad has shown with every game the improving potential that he has. But he's very raw. I'd skip the U19s and get him in the U21s, nowhere near the full team. I think next season he will have a lot of clubs looking in on him. But let's not get carried away.

Said it for years Craig - he really doesn't fancy Fletcher - it must be something he sees in training. I don't think you can play Brown alongside him - and if I was honest, Brown had been better for Scotland than Fletcher in recent years (understandably) but Brown is increasingly not the player he was. I don't think Brown did enough for us last campaign. Still say Fletcher's finest hour wasn't the Lithuania or Holland games at Hampden in 2003 but the Czech 2-2 at home in 2011. Considering how poorly he had been in the lead up, and following that game, his goal and overall performance were absolutely stunning.

If your complaint is with other TA who will go and enjoy a few beers and maybe a free shirt - I say good luck and I hope they enjoy their Sunday night. Why begrudge them? If I was going there is nothing that could convince me that we desperately need to do something about the huge problems in our game (that our custodians have not addressed - seemingly more bothered in internal power games over the last 20 years). If I had the chance to speak to WGS, I would challenge WGS' view post-Georgia about non-football people's views on how we played. If we'd have won that, we'd have got into the play offs etc - the tone would be massively different, and everything would be rosy. Yet, Euro 2016 would have been a sticking plaster on a broken leg. The shindig is a PR exercise with minimum impact and exposure - which the SFA don't really need to do. I don't support a sackcloth and ashes approach - don't get me wrong, I'd pay towards getting shot of Doncaster, Regan, Ogilvie at the drop of a hat. But this event will not impact upon the inevitable storm of protests that it faces, and the undoubted price increase that they will levy for the Membership at Xmas. Wait for that one. Then it'll kick off - allied to the shitty infrastructure and facilities in place across Scotland and our not qualifying AGAIN when every other British Isles nation does..... I wonder - will the SFA try to retain memberships by saying "Your Membership money goes towards Youth Football", when the original remit of the club was to pay for its upkeep? That is something that appals me - we apparently paying through the nose and the justification will be, more than ever, that we are doing our bit to try and fund the development of young Scottish players? Bullshit we should. That's the SFA's role - not the Travel Club Members.

I would hardly have thought that this gesture for 50-odd punters will make up for the pain felt by 5 million people, seeing half of Europe in the Euros, while us and Andorra sit on our bahookies in the summer.

Look, you're taking some opinions on the TAMB as somehow being representative of how a lot of people are. I personally can't abide either McGeady and McCarthy; that said, the Irish supporters that I met were simply magnificent in terms of their craic and hospitality. For the tournament's sakes, the Irish support will make a huge difference, and I hope that the boys who I met in both Glasgow and Dublin have a great time if they qualify. You also get a lot of keyboard warriors on here who also, I daresay, wouldn't express their opinions like that with a pint in their hand face-to-face with you. On the contrary, while some may think that (and i genuinely think that McCarthy and McGeady are the main factors in this), they wouldn't be so vociferous. That you are saying Scotland is "full of (sad bigoted arseholes)", sadly may be the case but I would hope not and have never seen significant numbers of said people openly display any anti-ROI sentiment this when supporting the national team, or at least not these days. Keep the Old Firm thing separate, but in terms of the National team, I think some of us are probably a bit sore/envious that Ireland are in the Play Offs and we aren't. I genuinely don't think this is a good Irish team, and man for man, I'd take most of our starting XI ahead of ROI's. But the 4 points you took from Germany - well, we didn't, and you took 6 points off Georgia. Good luck to you on doing that; if we'd have beaten a very mediocre Georgia team then we'd have been playing Bosnia tonight and you wouldn't. C'est la vie. That's football. Life's a bit short to be crabbit and soor - and I would be more interested in a competition with ROI in it rather than Bosnia HZ. Good luck tonight and hopefully enjoy your tournament.

Not so - he did drop a clanger in the Denmark friendly in 2011 when he came about 5 yards from where he needed to stay for a free kick which he then completely missed and which then went over him into the net. Totally misread it and was at fault. Ok, only a friendly, but he seems to have this issue with crosses or high balls - his decision making or his concentration are occasionally wanting, reflected in that goal yesterday as he was obviously thinking about throwing the ball straight away once he'd caught it. His reflexes have shown him to be absolutely superb - remember the saved penalty against Northern Ireland which was as good a penalty save as you will see. Shot stopping can be very good. That said, he hasn't looked the keeper we know him to be when I have seen him in the EPL for Hull, and he has made numerous errors. Pal of mine is a Tigers man, and he thinks he is simply sloppy who doesn't concentrate enough - (Lokeren away in the UEFA Cup was a real hummer) and was dropped for a number of games last season. In any case, he's a back-up for David Marshall and Craig Gordon - and the former is in the box seat. However, you just hope he can up his game back up to the level we know he can perform at - for both his own and Scotland's sakes.

This is symptomatic of the increasingly political shenanigans of the SFA. They have clearly tried to look as if they are playing hardball, and are seen to be responding to the criticism of people like me (and the President of the FAI) who think that an Ireland match at Parkhead is not a great idea. Instead of doing things reasonably, and ensuring security risks are negated - they are flying dangerously into the wind, by forcing Irish fans to buy tickets in the home end, as we have done at similarly popular away games for however many years. Paris, Amsterdam, Dortmund, Wembley, Prague, Cardiff, Alicante etc. Nobody wins in this situation - the FAI will get the hump, and so give us a minimum allocation in Dublin. The SFA will potentially have a significant overspill of Irish fans in the Scotland end. From a security perspective, this is a ludicrous move - and I hope and believe it wont do, because the majority of both our fanbases are good-natured and enjoyed the craic whenever I've been to Scotland v Ireland games, but there could be issues in the ground. And it is negligent to believe that there will not be, as in managing 60,000 people at any event you should mitigate risk, and the SFA in doing so, have NOT mitigated risk. I hope that the SFA will see sense, and provide the Irish fans with more last minute tickets - they should have been given 5,000, with a hope that we get a similar number in Dublin. Reciprocal arrangement etc - as we have done in other games. But we won't, and this now means it will be a bloody nightmare for many STC supporters in Dublin (What are we paying our membership for, eh boys & girls......?). Mark my words, when the SFA start complaining or moaning that they have tried to get more tickets for us - a bit of me will always believe that you reap as you will sow, and so think, "Hell mend us".