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#Post#: 7098--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: JCFC
Date: April 23, 2019, 3:55 am
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--- Quote from: Tweed link ---
>
>
> Due to other commitments I've not commented on here so much
lately ...
>
--- End Quote ---
Be assured that your contributions have been greatly missed!
Some sixty years ago, when I spent all my school holidays there,
Kilmarnock was a bustling place, somewhere to be proud of. A
combination of particularly crass sixties "development" and the
loss of major employers - Massey-Harris (Ferguson), BMK carpets,
Saxone shoes, Andrew Barclay locomotives (though it survives in
a lesser form), Shanks sanitary ware and finally Johnnie Walker,
Kilmarnock's own whisky blend - have created a depressed and
depressing town centre, with little to show but the odd
grotesque statue. At least when walking back from Rugby Park,
the station's floral clock is still visible all the way along
John Finnie Street. That apart, well, there's always the Dick
Institute! A few years ago it was classed as the worst place to
live in Scotland, though on the most recent visit, I noticed
signs proclaiming it "Scotland's most improved town." It has a
way to go yet - Microscopist should consider himself fortunate
to have Ayr as his local town centre.
Returning to Whistleblower's question - which I suspect was
hypothetical - Rugby Park is a decent enough ground, though
without particular character - and it is the home of the Killie
Pie. Depending on preferences, my suggestions would be:
A pleasant old-fashioned small ground in an agreeable park
setting: Dalbeattie Star.
For lovers of sea air (and breezes!): Arbroath
For an interesting, if partly run-down, example of how to
squeeze a ground into an unsuitable site: Raith Rovers
For midge enthusiasts: Darvel
For connoisseurs of primitive toilet arrangements: Cambuslang
Rangers - and a few others in the West!
In fact, almost anywhere might have something to offer, but with
apologies to Tweed and Steelman, Motherwell is best avoided by
anyone over 5 ft 6.
#Post#: 7100--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: nemesis
Date: April 23, 2019, 5:10 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: JCFC link ---
>
>
>
> For lovers of sea air (and breezes!): Arbroath
>
>
--- End Quote ---
I think they can be forgiven the odd bit of sea air and the
occasional breeze given that they are the closest "senior" club
to the sea in Europe !
#Post#: 7116--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: April 23, 2019, 8:34 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Thank you JCFC For some time now Mrs W and I have been saying
that we ought to take a trip to the Western Isles by way of
Glasgow; that great city with some marvellous architecture and
for some time I have wanted to visit the Burrell Collection. I
think this might have to be a post retirement jaunt ( not too
long to go now DV ) and so perhaps I might be able to take in a
match somewhere while Mrs W hits the emporia.
Many years ago now I saw a feature on Football Focus about
Clydebank FC and was impressed by its homely, family atmoshere
so I always looked out for their results. That Clydebank no
longer exists I believe but there is a Clydebank Football club
in the West Super League Premier Division so perhaps I should
hike there.
I have often wondered what it must be like to be at a match at
either Celtic or Rangers but it's probably no place for a soft
Southerner.
Dalbeattie Star sounds pleasant in Dumfries and Galloway (
shades of Five Red Herrings ). So many choices.
#Post#: 7117--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: JCFC
Date: April 23, 2019, 8:55 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Good to have your Wimseycal comment - for the full Red Herring
(as opposed to your previous Rederring) experience, you would
have to try St Cuthbert's Wanderers in the South of Scotland
league, though with an advertised capacity of 848, their ground
must be pretty basic.
I share your enthusiasm for the architecture of Glasgow, a city
that does not always receive the credit it deserves, though I
have never visited the Burrell collection - the Riverside
Museum, the People's Palace and Kelvingrove being as near as I
come to culture.
Clydebank, which suffered from a terrible attack during the
Blitz, was without an SFL CLub until East Stirlingshire were
moved there by their owners as ES Clydebank. They returned to
the Falkirk area and a Clydebank club joined the league. They
"folded" to allow a reformed Airdrie club to return to the
league after financial problems.
The Junior club then assumed the mantle, but, without a ground
of their own, shared at Yoker, and this season at Maryhill. They
hope to return to Clydebank eventually - though possibly not
before you retire!
Keep working on the Western Isles - it sounds a terrific idea.
#Post#: 7123--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: April 23, 2019, 11:17 am
---------------------------------------------------------
JCFC your knowledge of Scottish sporting geography and indeed
history is truly impressive and no-one should heed your advice
in vane. Perhaps there was a little unpleasantness at the
Clydebank Football Club, no doubt the documents of the case
might reveal some suspicious characters in bringing about its
unnatural death but I'm sure it is now the perfect place to go
and spend a gaudy night.
#Post#: 7125--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: JCFC
Date: April 23, 2019, 11:44 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Well, my recent (abandoned) match at Harriet Road was certainly
in Vane. (As well as in Kilmarnock!)
#Post#: 7165--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: Steelman
Date: April 24, 2019, 1:45 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: JCFC link ---
>
> [quote author=Tweed link=topic=486.msg7067#msg7067
date=1555932733]
>
> Due to other commitments I've not commented on here so much
lately ...
>
--- End Quote ---
Be assured that your contributions have been greatly missed!
Some sixty years ago, when I spent all my school holidays there,
Kilmarnock was a bustling place, somewhere to be proud of. A
combination of particularly crass sixties "development" and the
loss of major employers - Massey-Harris (Ferguson), BMK carpets,
Saxone shoes, Andrew Barclay locomotives (though it survives in
a lesser form), Shanks sanitary ware and finally Johnnie Walker,
Kilmarnock's own whisky blend - have created a depressed and
depressing town centre, with little to show but the odd
grotesque statue. At least when walking back from Rugby Park,
the station's floral clock is still visible all the way along
John Finnie Street. That apart, well, there's always the Dick
Institute! A few years ago it was classed as the worst place to
live in Scotland, though on the most recent visit, I noticed
signs proclaiming it "Scotland's most improved town." It has a
way to go yet - Microscopist should consider himself fortunate
to have Ayr as his local town centre.
Returning to Whistleblower's question - which I suspect was
hypothetical - Rugby Park is a decent enough ground, though
without particular character - and it is the home of the Killie
Pie. Depending on preferences, my suggestions would be:
A pleasant old-fashioned small ground in an agreeable park
setting: Dalbeattie Star.
For lovers of sea air (and breezes!): Arbroath
For an interesting, if partly run-down, example of how to
squeeze a ground into an unsuitable site: Raith Rovers
For midge enthusiasts: Darvel
For connoisseurs of primitive toilet arrangements: Cambuslang
Rangers - and a few others in the West!
In fact, almost anywhere might have something to offer, but with
apologies to Tweed and Steelman, Motherwell is best avoided by
anyone over 5 ft 6.
[/quote]
The Islecroft Stadium in Dalbeattie is delightful, as is the
whole town with its fabulous granite buildings. Used to go my
summer holidays to Dalbeattie back in the 1970's to stay with
family. Feeling old now!!
#Post#: 7238--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: Microscopist
Date: April 27, 2019, 11:06 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote ---
> Thank you JCFC For some time now Mrs W and I have been
saying that we ought to take a trip to the Western Isles by way
of Glasgow; that great city with some marvellous architecture
and for some time I have wanted to visit the Burrell Collection.
I think this might have to be a post retirement jaunt ( not too
long to go now DV ) and so perhaps I might be able to take in a
match somewhere while Mrs W hits the emporia.
--- End Quote ---
Unfortunately the Burrel Collection is closed until sometime in
2020
(
HTML https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/venues/the-burrell-collection),<br
/>it has been quite a long renovation. In Glasgow to appreciate
the architecture look upwards, there are not the cityscapes of
Edinburgh but some fine buildings if you look above street
level. Mrs W would no doubt enjoy the recently painstakingly
restored "Willow Tearooms" on the corner of Bath St & Hope St.
Whilst I couldn't wax lyrical about Kilmarnock or Ayr I could do
so about the Scottish Islands - both Western and Northern. For
the last 20 years or so my Bonnie Lass frae Girvan and I have
spent most of our holidays touring the islands (along with the
Isle of Man and an excursion to the islands off the West coast
of Ireland). Each island has its own character and even two
islands separated by no more than 1/2 mile of water, like Coll
and Tiree are completely different. Some Islands have given us
such magical memories - Fair Isle and partricularly the "sail"
on the Good Shepherd the 4th (don't think too much about the
fate of the other 3!) but with the sad fire at the bird
observatory accomodation is now rather scarce; St Kilda where
the history is almost tangible; Papa Stronsay with the monks and
the strange dog - Mot and most recently Mingulay (of Roberton's
Mingulay Boat Song fame). These islands we fear to go back to in
case the magic of the memories is lost on a second visit. Other
islands we enjoy returning to - Barra, where we recently took a
"day trip" with Loganair and landed on the beach, Mull, both for
itself and for access to Iona, Staffa and Ulva; and of course
the most beautiful Harris with its gorgeous beaches on one side
and its "moonscape" on the other. Arran and Skye are popular
but at times with rather too many visitors for the amenities.
So wherever you choose in the islands I'm sure you find it
interesting and restfuil (uinless of course you get stranded in
Stromness during a wet Saturday whist the St Magnus festival is
on and the weather has delayed your ferry so that you miss the
last ferry to Hoy). It helps if the weather is dry and
statistically April/May is driest and before the midges of the
Western Isles have fully woken up!
#Post#: 7244--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: Tweed
Date: April 27, 2019, 5:37 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Back to the fitba, been a long time since I've seen a game like
the one we had at Fir Park this afternoon.
After a fairly flat opening ten minutes Gboly Aribyi got into a
hell of a fankle as Dundee broke and he tried to haul someone
down as they tore into our box and as he fell he grabbed the
ball with his hand, not sure if Kevin Clancy gave the penalty
for the foul or the handball but either way, it seemed like a
good call. It was slotted home for 0-1.
Motherwell stormed back and teenage sensation David Turnbull
lashed a long range shot towards the Dundee goal and with a
hefty deflection it ended up in the top corner for 1-1, Dundee's
lead had lasted just over a minute.
Garbage defending from Motherwell allowed Robson to curl a
delicious shot in off the post passed Mark Gillespie. 1-2.
But from kick off Motherwell won a corner and from that Dundee's
defending would not have been out of place in a school
playground to allow James Scott to prod it home and 22 minutes
in it was 2-2.
Shortly afterwards Alex Gorrin was booked for a late tackle,
Clancy had allowed him a couple earlier in the game but his
patience snapped on the half hour. Relph of Dundee followed him
into the book for a cynical chop on Aribyi.
Second half and Gillespie tipped one onto the post before
Motherwell hit the front as a couple of efforts were blocked and
landed at Aribyi's foot who curled in a nice goal. 3-2.
But Motherwell were as inadequate at holding a lead as their
guests as Relph headed in from a corner to make it 3-3 just a
minute later. 52 minutes in, 3-3 and for 48 of the minutes it
had been level.
Parity on the scoreboard remained but not of players as Gorrin
foolishly and needlessly replicated his yellow card tackle just
before the hour, Clancy replicated the punishment and Gorrin was
in the shower.
McHugh was booked for leading with the arm when trying to win a
header to set up a winner then Clancy's bizarre moment came. A
low Motherwell cross was cut out by a Dundee hand on the deck
and Clancy, from three yards away, without hesitation pointed to
the spot. Turnbull's eyes were lit up but Jordan Stokoe
(assistant), from 35-40 yards away overruled Clancy and we
restarted with a goal kick. I was down the other end but it
didn't look even close to crossing the line - a replay will
hopefully clear it up.
Turnbull was booked for a petulant foul just afterwards and
amazingly in a game Dundee needed to win, they had someone
booked for timewasting when they were level against ten men.
Three minutes into injury time and Motherwell made an absolute
mess of a straightforward pass and Dundee were in but Miller's
pass was behind his strike partner and from there the
unthinkable happened, Motherwell charged down the other end.
The ball ended up with Turnbull who crashed his drive off the
bar but it came right back to his other foot and he lashed the
winner high into the net and Motherwell had won 4-3.
As if that wasn't bad enough for Dundee, their two rivals in the
relegation dogfight both equalised in injury time so instead of
gaining a point on both they lost one on each of them, surely
condemning the dark blues to a season down a level next season.
#Post#: 7248--------------------------------------------------
Re: Caledonia you're calling me
DIR By: Whistleblower
Date: April 28, 2019, 2:51 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Thank you Microscopist for this very helpful overview of the
Islands. I have for a long time wanted to visit Iona
particularly and so that would be a must. You mention the
midges. A previous trip to Scotland, many,many years ago now was
very much marred by these little blighters. I seemed to have an
especially severe reaction to them so it almost got to the stage
where I didn't want to go out. All preparations promising some
degree of repellent and protection seemed useless. So early
Spring may be the time to go and chance the weather. This year
it would have been quite glorious on occasions.
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