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#Post#: 6696--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: JCFC
Date: April 9, 2019, 4:18 am
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Although my trip to Cappielow proved fruitless, I should be
grateful that I was more fortunate than Gerry Ferrara, the
author of a book mentioned by Microscopist some years ago, since
his experience of Cappielow ended with an undeserved visit to
the police cells.
#Post#: 6699--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: Microscopist
Date: April 9, 2019, 4:55 am
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Well I'm pleased about that. Gerry wrote a second book
following Ayr United for a year, if I recall correctly, but it
didn't really interest me as much as his first book.
As an afterthought I hold ratetheref partly responsible for the
demise of Ayr centre. In the olden days - when the much missed
Crispy was very active - ratetheref contributors used to gather
en masse to referee a spring youth football competition in Ayr.
Since they stopped coming I think the town has just lost heart.
[emoji56].
#Post#: 6733--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: JCFC
Date: April 10, 2019, 3:08 am
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Plans for the final day of this latest Scottish trip had changed
over the weeks: Dunfermline's Reserve team match at Kelty was
moved to Wednesday, the next idea being a Lowland League match
at Forthbank. There then appeared a more accessible alternative
in the form of
Tuesday 9th April 2019
East of Scotland League Cup 1st Round
Newtongrange Star 2 v. 2. Bo'ness United
Craig Wilson (Denny?); David Dickson, Niamh Westwood.
An odd time for the first round - it was the knockout stage
after a qualifying group phase in August.
Mr Wilson sported a beard that was better than scruffy, but fell
just short of impressive. Mr Dickson had bowed to the inevitable
and shaved his head. Miss Westwood had hair aplenty, her overall
look possibly owing more to Lee than to Vivienne.
On 7 minutes a Nitten shot gave the Bo'ness keeper a comfortable
catch. He released his attackers and from thirty yards the ball
was lifted over the goalkeeper and into the net to give the
visitors the lead. Nitten were soon penalised for a dive and
Bo'ness added a second on 17 minutes as home fans grew restive.
A penalty for Nitten was not disputed and brought the score to
1-2. On 40 minutes a Nitten defender under pressure could only
make a prod at the ball and the keeper had to handle it to
prevent a goal. Mr Wilson waited a second and blew for a back
pass. It was a brave decision (spot the euphemism!) and he was
promptly harried by a large Nitten posse, with a yellow being
shown eventually. A good charge by the keeper blocked the shot
and the danger passed.
Nitten looked a different side in the second half as they
launched attack after attack. The Bo'ness keeper failed to catch
one effort, but the ball looped over the bar. A minute later a
defender recovered just in time to prevent an own goal, but on
58 minutes Nitten got a deserved equaliser. The visiting keeper
was kept busy, but the best save was a point blank block by the
home goalie, who was left feeling rather sorry for himself as a
defender effected a second block. Nitten continued to press,
while Bo'ness netted from an offside position.
Once again there was extra time, with a Bo'ness header tipped
over the bar in the first half, and a flag from Mr Dickson late
on that led to a speech to the technical areas, but no further
score. The game, then, went to penalties, JCFC to the bus stop.
Twitter tells us that Bo'ness came out on top, 8-7, and will
visit Tranent in the quarter final...
Mr Wilson has a strong whistle,moves well and is confident in
his manner. His decisions did not always find unanimous favour
as he let one or two things pass, but he showed that he has a
strongly independent mind. JCFC made it six yellows, four to
Nitten and two to Bo'ness. Overall a decent enough performance
in a strongly contested game.
#Post#: 6734--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: nemesis
Date: April 10, 2019, 3:27 am
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--- Quote from: JCFC link ---
>
> Plans for the final day of this latest Scottish trip had
changed over the weeks: Dunfermline's Reserve team match at
Kelty was moved to Wednesday, the next idea being a Lowland
League match at Forthbank. There then appeared a more accessible
alternative in the form of
>
> Tuesday 9th April 2019
> East of Scotland League Cup 1st Round
> Newtongrange Star 2 v. 2. Bo'ness United
> Craig Wilson (Denny?); David Dickson, Niamh Westwood.
>
>
--- End Quote ---
Wow, Newtongrange Star is the only Scottish non-league ground
I've been to. Have they still got the picture of ex-player Dave
Mackay up in the clubhouse ?
#Post#: 6740--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: JCFC
Date: April 10, 2019, 5:38 am
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You will probably therefore have a higher opinion of such
grounds than they deserve. Newtongrange has one of the best I
have been to there - far better than many of the crumbling ruins
in the West.
I cannot answer the Dave Mackay question, having bypassed the
clubhouse and headed straight up the steps to the pitch.
#Post#: 6743--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: nemesis
Date: April 10, 2019, 6:07 am
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--- Quote from: JCFC link ---
>
> You will probably therefore have a higher opinion of such
grounds than they deserve. Newtongrange has one of the best I
have been to there - far better than many of the crumbling ruins
in the West.
>
> I cannot answer the Dave Mackay question, having bypassed
the clubhouse and headed straight up the steps to the pitch.
>
--- End Quote ---
Thank you. Although, for me, a disappointing response.
Something didn't quite ring true with your commendation so a
little research was done. My visit pre-dated (just) the building
of their new ground. The old one is now a housing estate after a
brief period of hosting speedway and stock car racing. So,
sadly, there is not a single non-league ground in Scotland that
I can claim to have visited.
#Post#: 6790--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: April 12, 2019, 12:51 pm
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Match you and raise you one m'learned friend as there is not a
single Scottish ground, either league or non-league, extant or
extinct that I have ever visited.
I have often thought I should have this Caledonian experience
but not much takes me north of the Border apart from weddings
and a single visit to Murrayfield.
I wonder which club I should visit? A dear late friend's late
father used to play for Kilmarnock before the war and so perhaps
that should be my choice.
#Post#: 7023--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: Microscopist
Date: April 20, 2019, 12:55 pm
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--- Quote from: Whistleblower link ---
>
> Match you and raise you one m'learned friend as there is not a
single Scottish ground, either league or non-league, extant or
extinct that I have ever visited.
>
> I have often thought I should have this Caledonian experience
but not much takes me north of the Border apart from weddings
and a single visit to Murrayfield.
>
> I wonder which club I should visit? A dear late friend's late
father used to play for Kilmarnock before the war and so perhaps
that should be my choice.
>
--- End Quote ---
Had you chosen to go today it could have been an interesting
report - 3 Kilmarnock players dismissed and the Kilmarnock
manager calling it the worst refereeing performance he had ever
seen in his career.
You might also want to avoid planning a Kilmarnock - Rangers
fixture if a recent headline in "The Scotsman" is to be
believed; "‘Rangers might say they won’t play at Kilmarnock any
more’ - Ex-SFA chief says Gers could boycott Rugby Park".
HTML https://www.scotsman.com/rangers-2-17785/in-full/rangers-might-say-they-won-t-play-at-kilmarnock-any-more-ex-sfa-chief-says-gers-could-boycott-rugby-park-1-4908865
Other than that Rugby Park is not a bad ground, I'd guess about
25-30 years old. The Park Conference Centre and Hotel in the
car park of the ground is quite reasonable with good food in the
"Blues" restaurant. Kilmarnock town centre has, like Ayr, not a
great deal to commend it - though there are good places to visit
in Ayrshire - Prince Charles favourite Dumfries House near
Cumnock (You could also try out your Parliamo Auchinleck at
Beechwood Park), Culzean Castle (a favourite of President
Eisenhower) and Burns Cottage and the Auld Kirk Alloway of Tam O
Shanter fame are all worth visiting.
#Post#: 7024--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: April 20, 2019, 1:01 pm
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Thank you microscopist. Yes today would have been an eventful
day to visit Rugby Park. I am grateful for the suggestions of
places to see should I plan a trip. I have a vague notion of
visiting Culzean Castle as a young boy on holiday with my
parents. Not quite during the Presidency of Ike but not that
much later !
#Post#: 7067--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: Tweed
Date: April 22, 2019, 6:32 am
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The Kilmarnock v Aberdeen game will be getting talked about for
weeks. Steven McLean, who I generally rate, did not have his
finest day. The first red card was incredibly harsh, the
Kilmarnock player had to challenge the 'keeper, it was a 40/60
and it was neither excessive in force or overly high. A yellow
card would have been an OK decision but I think a foul would
have been suffice. The two yellows for Findlay wasn't great
either, I think the second one was a good tackle and i don't
think it came through the man or was overly hard to merit a
yellow or a foul being conceded despite the ball being played
first. And the final one was a little petulant kick out but
based on what has been deemed as violent throughout the season
in Scotland, it was clearly in the yellow category. To be fair
to Steven McLean, he wasn't looking at this one and acted on
advice from a colleague, whether it was assistant or fourth
official it remains unclear.
In amongst all this both Sam Cosgrove of Aberdeen and Kris Boyd
were fortunate not to receive a second yellow and Aberdeen's
Devlin was fortunate to receive a yellow for a late tackle that
was on the cusp of DOGSO, however on balance whilst I think red
could be argued, yellow was not wrong but on another day he
could have walked too.
As my good friends previously alluded, Kilmarnock is a bit of a
toilet in itself though has a couple of excellent boozers
between station and ground in Fanny by Gaslight and The Horse
and Granite. Many a pint been had in there whilst heading to
Rugby Park over the years. Rugby Park is one of a few grounds
in Scotland that was built in the early to mid 1990s which is
far too big for the club who is in there meaning it remains more
than 60% empty at most games but if they could fill it would be
a damn fine ground and it offers a great view down on the pitch
in the away end. Certainly in the top half of favoured away
grounds in the current top flight for this travelling 'Well fan.
Due to other commitments I've not commented on here so much
lately but Don Robertson was superb in our game on Saturday.
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