SCOTTISH FOOTBALL THREAD

Me brother is a hearts fan and I do have a healthy dislike for the 'big two' in scotland, so my loyalties should really lie with you jambo

This is very entertaining though

Don't you mean the" big one" in Scotland or the "big one and the  dead Hun" in Scotland ?

hearts and Rangers are no ComparisonTom English in The Scotsman "Hearts and Rangers are no comparison" 

Consortium propose moving Tynecastle to Murrayfield Who knew the Pink Bus Shelter was made of meccano, how handy! 

Malmo mia ,wid yi believe it !

Do any of you guys know what shows any SPL matches over here? Just arrived like! And any channels showing the England v Scotland friendly?? Cheers!! 

I remember watching England school boys V Scottish school boys play at Wembley in 1980 and rating as one of the best ever matches I have seen. England won 4-3, Paul Rideout hit a hattrick and a Scottish lad also hit a hattrick. Full house and spectacular goals.

Sorry, wrong thread but this got me thinking about that game.

Here's the Men's version from the same year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU_rnRvDVjw

Boom!  Jambos up to -12 points!  With yet another win over the Leef scum.  Back to ye scabby docks H*bs pish, and have a wash whilst yer at it!

 

 

Live on Sommet Sports...6.45am ko......football on this channel is not to bad

We Went to see hearts v st mirren yesterday. Cost £28 for me and £18 for the boy so I could get a season pass at ACFC for the both of us for that and in all honesty I think ACFC would have beaten either of them on the day - esp. Hearts. Hearts really struggled maintaining possession and tended to play long balls to nobody. Combined with some dodgy defending led to st mirren winning 2-0. On the plus side, the atmosphere was great - st mirren travelling support we're singing throuout. Jambos, on the other hand, were pretty quiet from about 20 mins into the game.

One ground i have been past but always wanted to watch a game at is Arboath's. On a Sunday day or even a snowy night, it looks cool.

Whats the quality of Scottish Football? I know the likes of Celtic don't go too well in Europe but is it better quality than the Champions League for instance? Or the A League? Unfortunately I've never seen a game so know next to nothing.

I'm in Edinburough for a few weeks (although only have one weekend free) and was wondering if it was better to watch the SPL or to rent a car and go to the UK (the only team remotely near the border that is playing at home that weekend is Man U so its a fair hike and probably a costly ticket). Kind of feel that it would be nice to try the local league, but not if as above it ASB Premier League quality.

Whats the most entertaining team in Scotland to watch?

Hi Ryan - depends what you're looking for in a game. For atmosphere the SPL is great with Aberdeen having probably the best fans. For quality of football probably Celtic. With the other teams I can only speak for hearts and st mirren but the standard was fairly grim. For good battles see hearts v hibs or Dundee utd v Aberdeen. Personally, I wouldn't bother travelling to England for an overpriced game but then again I'm Scottish.

Buffon - see, didn't mention ACFC... Oops!

Thanks Alireggae.

Yeah the thing about Man U is that it would cost a few hundred bucks for absolutely terrible seats. And its Man U, I'd feel... dirty.

I really wanted to go see Newcastle V Sunderland, local derby and all - however those tickets are impossible to get hold of.

The weekend that I have  available I can see:

Ross County v Inverness CT
Dundee United v St Mirren
Hibernian v Aberdeen
Kilmarnock v Hearts
Partick Thistle v Celtic
St Johnstone v Motherwell

If I cut work then I can go to Celtic v Ajax in the Champions League, however I can only find tickets from Scalpers and its a couple of hundred bucks.

Am I right in thinking that in the wake of Rangers the Patrick Thistle V Celtic game would be pretty good being the Glasgow derby?

 I'm thinking however that Patrick Thistle seem to have a small park so I'm guessing it will be hard to get tickets to a Derby V Celtic - Hibernian v Aberdeen might be a good game.

Might try and catch a couple it timing works out right.

Pick of the bunch for me would be hibs v Aberdeen - good fans. St Johnstone if you want the chance to see Rory Fallon 

 

It's PARTICK Thistle. It's even written on the fixtures list you posted. <facepalm>

Easy mistake.

Got tickets for Hibernian v Aberdeen (I thought Rory Fallon had moved on to another SPL team?)

I'm looking forward to it, apparently a few good pubs around the stadium.

Fallon was at Aberdeen last couple of seasons but not very popular, moved on to st Johnstone now. Good pubs all over Edinburgh - not sure which ones specifically round Easter rd are good.

I'll make sure to try a good selection.

Pubs around Easter Rd maybe only good on game day.

Go watch some real Scottish football - Brechin City or Arbroath or Berwick Rangers - ooops English side in Scotland!

My usual drinking hole whenever I'm back in Edinburgh and heading to Easter Road to see the Hibs is the Iona Bar on the cnr of Easter Road and Iona Street.

Most of the pubs on Easter Road you wouldnt go out of your way for on non match days.

There are some better boozers in the general vicinity in Leith Walk, ie  The Windsor near the top of Leith Walk being a persona fav of mine. Others include Robbies halfway down Leith Walk, Boda Bar, Joseph Pearces on the corner of Montgomery Street and Elm Row.

This is all my local haunt as I grew up between on a street between Leith Walk and Easter Road

Hibs v Celtic is on at the Wellington Irish Society on Fifeshire Ave at 12:30am this Sunday morning (20/10). Doors open 11pm ish on Sat night, $10 for non Wellington CSC members

If you're after some of the best Edinburgh has to offer boozer wise, then I'd be amiss by not recommending the following

Cafe Royal - West Register St

The Guildford - West Register St

The Bow Bar - Victoria Street

Bennets Bar - Leven St

Mathers Bar - Queensferry Street

Mathers Bar - Broughton Street

Cask and Barrel - Broughton Street 

Any other denizens of Edina care to comment?

Oh, and Sandy Bell's - Forrest Road if it's the folk music you're after.

A second vote for The Guildford.  If you like yer ale then this is top notch.  It's a right sausage party in there mind but it's match day so that's right oot of yer thinking.  Until after the match.

Getting along the way to Fester Road then a stop at J Pearces, as the ginger eedjit says, is good.  On a Friday evening it's a good crowd in.  Prolly the best clientele in the Leef end of toon.

Teuchters in the West End (the fairer side of toon).  Always good beer on tap and a cracking array of single malts.  If you swing and like the egg chasing then Teuchters is a cracking place fer that too.  I last lived around the corner frae the Cask and Barrel but would happily walk the 15 minutes across town to get to Teuchters.

If you really really have to be down the smelly green end of toon then I can recommend the Carriers Quarters.

I also lived around the corner from Hectors down in Stockbridge.  Some good tottie down there if you fancy a wee look.

Don't bother with the Royal Mile or Rose Street.  Generally horrible pubs with horrible people and horrible prices plonked right on top.

But if you're a real Edinburgh footie fan then you'll get yersell along to the Diggers Arms up Gorgie way... smiley face with a wink...

I was swithering on recommending the Diggers or not - but seeing you've mentioned it - I'll fall in behind!. Even as a Hibby! I happened to be back in Edinburgh whilst the last ever barrels of McEwans cask conditioned 80/- were on sale at the Diggers - made a beeline up there with a Jambo mate of mine to make sure we got a pint or two!

To be avoided as a Hibby whenever there's a game on at Tynecastle - but I've heard the manager is a Hibby himself, and a few of the green persuasion are known to drink there outside of match days.

Also a seconding of Teuchters in the West End, went for dinner there on one of my more recent sojourns back to the Athens of the North, first time I'd been there tbh - but well worth the visit - highly recommended

Stockbridge Bars - The Bailie or the St Vincent for me!

Was trying to place the Carriers Quarters - wasn't quite sure, so looked it up and twigged it straight away. I used to drink in there when it was The Merman, 96-97, when I had summer jobs as a security guard with the Scottish Office at the under construction/newly opened Victoria Quay.

My dad moved down from New St Andrews House to VQ, so would meet him for a pint at lunch time in there whenever I was back in Edinburgh

Aaah, Sin Vinnies!!  There's nothing quite like the smell of urinal cakes on a late Friday summer's afternoon!  Was a cracking pint in there - was working on lower Dundas St for a few years so went there most Fridays.  Hamiltons around the corner was pretty dire.

 

In the UK this coming Feb but unsure if I'll get back tae the 'Burgh.  Would definitely stop by Sin Vinnies for pint. 

Just got back from seeing the Hibbys play Aberdeen (turns out its not just us Kiwis that are called sheep shaggers) - Hibernian was woeful, really bad and that's even by last years Phoenix standards, Aberdeen had a bit of class to them.

Atmosphere was great - although I should of loaded up before hand as I figured you could have a beer on the concourse, but of course, you can't. Anyway Hibernian fans in full voice - and an impressive turnout for Aberdeen. The chanting back and forwards was awesome.

Had  beer at the pub afterwards - atmosphere was good, but was too hung over to be up for much. Plus I couldn't hold a conversation as the scots accent was particularly strong on that lot.

Makes me wish we had a dedicated stadium for the Phoenix. Was so close to the sideline, and it was a pretty good pitch. The whole thing was pretty small and wasn't much more than the four stands. No corporate boxes, no lights, pies and beef soup was pretty much all that was available from the tuck shop. Can't cost too much.

Anyway was a great time.

Great! I would have loved to have seen Aberdeen when I was in Scotland a few weeks ago but unfortunately had to settle for hearts as the dons were too far from Edinburgh that day. Hearts st mirren quality was dire - many asbp players could easily get a gig there - but the atmosphere was great. Would really love that sort of passion for the asbp one day.

Before I went to Edinburgh for a week's work a few years ago an artist friend (real, not piss) recommended the following:

The Doric + Hebredes, Market St.

The Phoenix, Broughton St.

The Fiddlers Arse, Grass Market

Sandy Bells, Forest Hill Rd.

Oxford Arms, Thistle St.

The Baily Bar & The St Vincent, Stockbridge

Clarks Bar, Dundas St. 

Crazy Larry's & Bannerman's, Cowgate

and finally, in the Furry Triangle - the Blue Coat Boy and the Jekyl & Hyde.

Went to them all, far as I remember. All good. Oh, and there was one on the road up from Leith that was full of suits rocking at 8 a.m on a weekday morning (Elm Bar?)

Ryan, I won't have you disparage my beloved Easter Road so! Yes, the new East Stand is shall we say 'spartan' of facilities. But there are corporate box and lounge facilities in the south and west stands. You have been able to buy booze at a football match in Scotland since the late 70s/early 80s, even on the concourse. Finally the floodlights at Easter Road hang from the gantries at the top of the stands, rather than on separate pylons. What pub did you end up in post match?

You have 'not' been able to buy booze... That should read.

Yeah I was exaggerating - I was in the east stand (that's the one without the break in the middle?) which was as you say spartan. Good enough though, take it over westpac any day - I was only metres away from the side line. The lack of facilities didn't dampen the atmosphere any, I really enjoyed easter road, it wasn't commercial or slick it was just fans sitting in the cold Scottish air chanting for their team. Apparently the Hibbys are going to be a trial club to sell booze on the concourse... and looking at the Celtic vs Ajax game the Scottish fans aren't really the problem any more.

They had some interesting things they have an automatic watering system that pops up before the game and during half time. Although you have to ask why they need to water a pitch so much in Scotland, especially as players were constantly slipping over...

I'm trying to remember what pub it was, I kind of just followed the crowd when we left east stand. Could have sworn it was only a couple of blocks from the stadium and on a corner but when I get to where I think it is on google street view its just a convenience store.

Might need to have a few Bovril's before I can find it.

Yeah, I think they managed to build the East Stand in about 7 months, steel structure, concrete walls and terracing and nothing else apart from on the concourse food/drink, toilets, bookies and maybe a first aid room. About a simple as a 6k (IIRC) capacity stand gets! But it does the job, as you say it's close to the pitch, bottom row is maybe 3m from the touch line. A steep rake so everyone feels close to the action and enclosed by the roof so there's plenty of noise.
Pubs on almost every corner down Easter Road, not surprised you can't remember!

Jerzy, I think the pub your talking about is probably the Boundary Bar on Leith Walk, quite common to be busy at 8am full of folk jaiked to the eyeballs doing karaoke, The Brunswick Lounge further up Leith Walk can be just as bad (had a pint or two with Andy Goram there once)

Yep, that was it. No karaoke that morning - as far as I saw through the fag smoke. Fukn miss that town I tell you. Auckland no comparison.