IT WAS great fun being an Aberdeen fan on Saturday morning. All we had to do was beat Queen of the South (who?) to virtually guarantee another European campaign as well as giving ourselves a real chance at cup glory. What could possibly go wrong?
I mean, they even had John Stewart in their squad, one of the worst strikers to wear the Dons shirt in living memory.
While this season has seen us reach two cup semi-finals, have a run in Europe past Christmas for the first time in over 20 years, and secure a top-six finish for the fourth time in a row, Saturday's result was devastating.
The news that there will be further departures in the close season (which has become a worrying trend over the last year, with several top players leaving and not being suitably replaced) has hardly brightened the mood.
It's a big summer for Jimmy Calderwood, who will have money to spend for the first time in three years. He must spend wisely if he is to appease the fans, many of whom have lost faith in him already.
• Colin Brown
www.aberdeen-mad.co.ukCELTICIT HAS been said that Brazilian players learn their trade playing on the Copacabana beach. Their sand must be very different from the Fir Park variety.
No way is this conducive to good football. Despite the pitch the Bhoys rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in. I actually thought we played better against Motherwell last week, but the difference was we got a break in front of goal. Previously, players have let their heads go down and lacked composure. Hartley and Robson, however, were tenacious in midfield and Naka had his best game in a long time. Aiden McGeady must relish a return to Celtic Park. JVoH and Skippy have scored a total of 45 so far this season. If they receive quality service there's no reason not to add to that tonight. I would be tempted to bring Bobo in to stand up to McCulloch's 'enthusiastic' challenges but suspect GS wouldn't agree with me. We need to stand up and be counted and can't afford to be bullied or mugged this time. If we're better, now's the time to prove it.
• Tommy Dornan
www.celticsupporterassoc.co.ukDUNDEE UNITEDA STRANGE kind of limbo at the weekend. With United having no game, it was a case of watching to see if Motherwell could gain any ground on us in the hunt for third spot. I didn't really enjoy hoping for a Celtic victory (I've got a lot of respect for Motherwell and their fans after what they've been through this season) but, needs must, and it was all good for United that Motherwell failed to secure another three points.
It's a great feeling actually having something to play for this late in the season and Sunday's home game against Hibs is massive if our Euro aspirations are to transpire.
Games against Hibs are normally tense affairs and this joust will be no exception with the added incentive of both clubs looking to use their passports next season.
One last thought is to congratulate Willo Flood on winning the SPL Goal of the Season for his belter against St Mirren. Fingers firmly crossed he stays around at Tannadice to provide us with a few more like it.
• Hamish Macintosh
www.dundeeunited-mad.co.ukFALKIRKSO WITH five games to go the Bairns must get over the disappointment of being pipped for a top six finish. For those who feel the games are meaningless let me say we still have plenty targets, not least consolidating seventh spot above Hearts as well as beating last season's points total, number of wins and total goals scored and lets not forget the hard cash bonus for finishing above our rivals.
Looking further ahead, now is the time to open up the debate on how to improve the game as a whole in Scotland. Yes, most of you will know that the poor standard of refereeing has been a major complaint of mine and moves should be made to improve things in the future.
I firmly support the reintroduction of a 16 or 18 team league and why not also bring back the League Cup sections at the start of the season. Let's end these meaningless pre-season games that strip the fans of cash and have games that actually get a side up to speed for the league campaign.
• Brian Guthrie
www.bairnstrust.comGRETNAMICK Wadsworth's young and patched-up team put a run of defeats behind them with a 0-0 draw against St Mirren last midweek at Fir Park, in a game which was keenly contested, despite neither side having an awful lot to play for.
Off-the-field, things are no clearer. Irish consortium the McMullen Group have agreed a deal to buy a sizeable stake in Livingston, having previously expressed interest in taking over at both Gretna and English club Rotherham United.
The Californian-based businessmen that were alleged to have made an offer of £800,000 last week, haven't been mentioned since and it is unsure whether this deal fell through or if a formal offer was ever made.
The club does look like continuing until the end of the season, but, after that, who knows? The silence is deafening from club officials and administrator David Elliott – a little bit of communication wouldn't cost them, would it?
• Scott Leslie
www.gretna-mad.co.ukHEARTSHEARTS start the final fixtures with a game against St Mirren on Saturday and the biggest hope for supporters will be to see some entertaining football. There will be no real pressure on either team so the fear factor that was evident in some games this season should have disappeared.
Many hope that Hearts will give some of the youngsters a chance over the next few weeks and this could be good time to look to the future. Over the weekend I was involved in a discussion on young players who had either come through the Tynecastle youth system or were signed from a lower division at an early age like Craig Levein.
Some players made an instant impact such as John Robertson who seemed to score goals from day-one, while others took a lot longer to find their feet, but went on to play a significant number of games for Hearts and occasionally Scotland. Hopefully we will get an opportunity to see some younger players in the next few weeks.
• Derek Watson
www.homst.comHIBERNIANNO MATCH last weekend for Hibs, but still plenty to digest as we head into the final stretch of the season.
The announcement of a consultation process by the club signalled the beginning of the end for the old East Terracing. Just how much input the fans' views will actually count for remains to be seen, but the club have to be applauded for how they have dealt with the impending removal of the last part of the 'old' stadium. And, unlike the dreamland our neighbours inhabit, this stand looks like it will happen.
Rumours abound over the possible return of Derek Riordan. It's unlikely, but it would be such a boost to have one of the best finishers in the game back where he belongs.
Hibs travel to Tannadice for the third time on Sunday. United will prove to be a tough match, but if either team wants to make a case for third spot, a win will go a long way to putting them in pole position. Here's hoping we can kill off Harry Potter's dreams of European football this time around.
• Eddie Henderson
www.hibs.netINVERNESS CTRUMOURS amongst the fans of problems behind the scenes at the club came to the fore last week with the announcement of chairman Alan Savage's resignation, citing 'business reasons'.
Whilst we thank Alan for his services to the club during his short spell, many can't help thinking that the issues go deeper than that. It would seem that we are in for a turbulent close season both on and off the pitch, with the expectation of quite a few comings and goings.
What a game of football that was at the weekend between Queen of the South and Aberdeen. The season of the underdog both north and south of the Border has certainly made this season's competition a breath of fresh air, although the sponsors might not think so. Congratulations to Queen's on a job well done.
We are back in SPL action this weekend when Kilmarnock come calling. With nothing on the line, it could turn out to be a training exercise for younger players in the squad. We'll see.
• Dave 'Gringo' Wilson
www.caleythistleonline.comKILMARNOCKNOT much happening this week on Planet Killie with a one-week break when the league split, just to give the poor wee Old Firm players time to catch up with a few games. All this mumping and moaning about the amount of games they have to play and how tired they must be – and these are meant to be professional athletes.
They are obviously well deserving of the thousands of pounds they pocket at the expense of the fans, most of whom would be glad to put in two 90-minute shifts a week!
On a more positive note (I can't be angry all the time) it was good to see Killie getting a mention in the end of season awards. I must be getting old, I remember when they used to be at the end of the season. It is a funny old game, after all, so nothing should be taken for granted.
Congratulations also to Scott Anson as the big striker picked up the Under-19 player of the year award. He has bags of potential and those two goals he scored this season must have been screamers!
• Barry Richmond
www.killiefc.comMOTHERWELLSUNDAY'S thrashing by Celtic is better off forgotten by all concerned, but the one memorable moment might be the introduction of our new sponsor and strips for next season.
While having 'Jaxx' across your chest doesn't quite compare with Crystal Palace's legendary 'Virgin' it is safe to assume a few folk will be having a laugh at our expense in the coming months.
Jaxx may be a German betting firm, but with zero brand recognition in Scotland it is safe to assume word association will link us to toilet cleaner before gambling.
The new sponsor does have a more serious side to be discussed, though, as the necessity of a new strip means we have changed our shirts in each of the last three seasons.
Fans might also be advised to put off new purchases until we finish this season, as it would be a shame to buy a home shirt before seeing the look of our European strip for next year!
• Derek Wilson
www.firparkcorner.comRANGERSTHE facts speak for themselves: Rangers are in a European semi-final with a domestic clean-sweep distinctly possible. The performance in Lisbon was exceptional, with ball retention and composed football of the highest quality. Getting an away goal at a critical time showed genuine character and if Steven Whittaker was Brazilian we'd still be raving about his slalom run through the Sporting defence. Having beaten three excellent sides to progress, Rangers now face Fiorentina as equals.
In the Scottish Cup, the business was taken care of with two first half strikes. Credit to Thistle, but not their supporters, who need to learn that sectarian abuse of both the Pope and the Queen is unacceptable. Anything other than defeat at Celtic Park should see Rangers as Champions, but with Celtic failing to score or secure a point in the last four OF fixtures, a major implosion is possible. Let's hope the home crowd's May 1999 behaviour isn't repeated.
• Stephen Smith
www.theRST.co.ukST MIRRENWITH the end of the season approaching and nothing to play for, it seems as if some of our players have gone on holiday a month or so early.
Last week's draw with Gretna was an embarrassment, especially as a number of our players were playing for their futures. Maybe they already know they are getting the boot, as most of them should be out the door after that disgrace.
They've had a number of chances over the past few years to show everyone what they can do, but, aside from the rare occasion, very few have them have proved what they have got to make it in the SPL. A mass clear-out is needed over the summer to allow us to progress. It's our last season at Love Street and we cannot allow things to be as poor as they have been this season.
It's frustrating seeing Falkirk and Caley Thistle doing reasonably well when they've only been in the SPL a few years more than us. Hopefully we will rebuild over the summer and begin to challenge them next season.
• Stuart Gillespie
www.stmirren-mad.co.ukThe full article contains 2196 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
