Just Sir Alex Ferguson and Falkirk striker Farid El Alagui sharing a moment outside what appears to be an air-raid shelter…

Pies says: “Sir Alex’s smile begins to fade as a fifteenth consecutive game of ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ ends in a draw”

You say?

                          

By Chris Wright

Ex-Premier League referee and Rangers supporter Jeff Winter has had his personal website suspended after several of his blogs (posted during a Christmas trip to Australia and New Zealand) containing incredibly offensive anti-Catholic jibes were circulated by journalists including Gab Marcotti on Twitter yesterday…

The blogs, some of which date back a few weeks, contain repeated references to Catholic priests sexually abusing altar boys, the Pope and a fair few excerpts from a particularly insidious Rangers chant about former Celtic manager Jock Stein.

The theory is that the site has been hacked and the offending material inserted by inflammatory morons with nothing more constructive to offer – though there are reports that Winter may have previous. Indeed, a collection of bigoted material supposedly attributed to Winter is being collated here – though we can’t vouch for it’s validity.

There is an investigation pending and, for Winter’s sake, we pray that turns out to be the case vis-a-vis hacking. If not, may we suggest that he takes time out for a long, in-depth appraisal of the way he chooses to conduct himself.

Let’s wait for an official verdict to come in before all the unavoidable victimisation, hate-slinging, mud-raking and/or name-calling starts but it’s safe to say that, whoever’s responsible for this hate mongering, it’s all just so depressingly idiotic. So depressingly needless.

[Image: OTP]

                          

By Alan Duffy

That’s it, keep it on the ground son, you’re rubbish in the air

Scottish football is often criticised for its lack of technical quality and while this view is often unfair, Aberdeen’s Robert Milsom did little to silence the critics on Monday in the Dons’ 2-1 win against Dundee United.

The English midfielder, once of Fulham, had the goal at his mercy when a ball was floated over perfectly for the midfielder to head home. However, instead of nodding the ball into the empty net, the Redhill-born 24-year-old somehow managed to head the ball in the opposite direction of the goal, which, to be fair, is a skill all of its own.

Click here to watch the horrendous miss. It’s on at around 3mins 57 secs.

                          

By Alan Duffy

Yes it’s a goal from practically the half-way line and yes it demonstrates impressive vision and technique from the goal-scorer. However, in this case, Ryan Jack’s long-range goal for Abderdeen in their 2-1 win against St Johnstone is a rather tame affair, all things considered. The ball bounces three times before finding the back of the net, while goalkeeper Peter Enckelman, once of Aston Villa, looks on when he arguably could’ve dived on the ball.

Still, it’s well worth another look!

                          

By Chris Wright

Celtic spanked St Mirren 5-0 at Parkhead in the SPL yesterday, with 18-year old Dylan McGeouch wrapping up proceedings with his first ever goal for the Bhoys (on his second appearance) despite having only been on the pitch for eight minutes - charging 80-yards up-field before sliding a neat shot inside the post from the edge of the box…

Not bad lad, not bad.

                          

By Alan Duffy

Current Partick Thistle manager and former Celtic star Jackie McNamara has used his experiences in and around the ‘funny old game’ to pen a pilot for a new sitcom.

‘The Therapy Room’ concerns itself with the players at a Premier League side who use a video booth at the club to get things off their chests. McNamara wrote the pilot with actor Francis Gilhooley and managed to get Billy Elliot star Gary Lewis to play the part of the manager.

The producers say that the sitcom is “not for the faint-hearted” (whatever that means) and like “‘Shameless meets Gary Tank Commander”. For the uninitiated, the latter is a well-received BBC Scotland comedy show (thanks Wikipedia). They are now looking for broadcasters to commission a series.

Fair dues to McNamara for trying his hand at something different, but is it any good? Cast a beady eye over the trailer and judge for yourself…

The Therapy Room – Trailer from Mark Scott on Vimeo.

                          

It is all too easy to get snobby and sneer at footballers about their (usual) lack of a high-level education. And too often that sneeriness is borne out of nothing but jealousy at the fact they get paid shed-loads of money for simply playing football. Still, in the case of poor old Darren Mackie of Aberdeen, it’s hard not to giggle.

The 29-year-old, with his heart undoubtedly in the right place, volunteered to be a local school’s reading champion. Except he doesn’t read books himself, only “magazines about cars, health and general interest”.

“My favourite book is Lord of the Rings although I haven’t read the book I have watched the films, ” he says.

Jesus wept! Couldn’t he just have lied??

                          

By Chris Wright

Kris Commons pulled a fast one on the photographers gathered outside the club’s training ground, turning up in a neck brace and bandages after rumours spread on Twitter recently of a nasty, but sadly non-existent, bust-up in the Celtic ranks.

Commons hobbled onto the pitch, hamming it up for the cameras after twittle-tattle circulated that he’d been given the old ‘Glasgow Kiss’ by manager Neil Lennon during a furious altercation on the training ground last week.

Good work Sir, good work.

Via Daily Record.

                          

By Alan Duffy

Taxing times: Rangers’ owner Craig Whyte

75 points is a fairly hefty points deduction, but according the the Daily Record, that’s the kind of points haul that Rangers could be docked if they don’t manage to sort out their financial mess.

The Glasgow giants face a massive £49million tax bill which is seriously damaging the club. Currently involved in two different disputes with HM Revenue and Customs, Rangers have not yet paid a tax bill of almost £3million which relates to staff payments made between 1999 and 2003.

The Daily Record believes that Rangers have no way of paying the overall £49million tax bill, leaving the club with little option but to re-enter the SPL under a new guise, something which would carry with it a massive penalty.

The newpaper then adds up all the potential point deductions (for three consecutive seasons) which could potentially hit 75 points.

Neil Lennon and co. will no doubt be wishing their Glasgow neighbours the best of luck in the coming months.

                          

By Chris Wright

Chances are you weren’t keeping track of the second round of the William Hill Scottish Cup yesterday, but Auchinleck Talbot thrashed Threave Rovers 8-1 – a pasting that was so comprehensive even Talbot’s goalkeeper Andy Leishman got his name on the scoresheet, from all of 90 yards…

Video via @he6rt6gr6m