aaid

25 years ago I lived in Dublin for a while. I always remember a friend of mine - a keen student of history - tell me that "Every single club or association down in Ireland to a knitting circle is destined to split over the 'National Question'". I've never forgotten that.

Spot on, I suspect if he tried to give that presentation to audience more au faith with the campaign he'd be laughed off the stage. He keeps going on about one of the two planks of the campaign being "and more powers" but the "more powers" angle only started to take shape in the last few weeks of the campaign once they started to get desperate. It certainly wasn't their starting point, remember how Cameron refused point blank to have Devo Max on the ballot paper. I'd recommend reading Project Fear for an insight into how a Better Together was run.

A good piece here from James Kelly on this poll. Essentially his interpretation is that what's left of the Labour vote in Scotland is predominantly Unionist and to the right hence the support for Davidson amongst Labour voters as most left leaning former Labour voters have switched to the SNP, which also explains the support for Corbyn there. http://scotgoespop.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/three-simple-reasons-why-labour.html

Not a difficult one at all. He shouldn't be anywhere near it. He's a dick. He was a dick when he was at the SFA before he went to Better Together and he's still a dick.

Not really. He's a proven goal scorer in that division but a complete unknown quantity at the higher level and therefore represents more of a risk. Given that he's 30 in a couple of weeks, he's not one for the future either. Therefore you'd be taking a chance on a player unproven in that division who would have no resale value.

Stayed in the Ramada on the way to Warsawa couple years ago. Decent hotel in a good location. The big Hofbrauhaus next door is excellent.

Quite a few people who are now embarrassed about how far up his arse they were when he was at the SFA and if they're not, they should be.

When ever there is a "live" fast moving news siory, the best thing to do is assume that 90% of information, from either social or news media is either inaccurate, speculative or both and not to jump to any sort of conclusions until such time as you start to get independently verifiable facts.

I think UK labour is destined to split but in Scotland, I think you can see a potential three way split. 1. The PLP supporters who are dyed in the wool Unionists as well, as typified by the likes of Ian Murray. 2. Left wing Corbynistas like Neil Findlay who are antipathetic towards Independence. 3. More "pragmatic" people like Henry McLeish who perhaps aren't ideologically opposed to Independence and can see the direction of travel. I'm not sure which category Kezia is really in. She portrays herself as being in category 1 but occasionally lets slip that she ultimately is in category 3.

I'd imagine all these players came through the academy while McClair was in charge. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-utd-pogba-euro-2016-11418290 Most successful academy in England apparantly. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester-united-academy-most-prolific-10772834

20/21 is young, 24 is not. The main reason why Colin Hendry wasn't capped until he was 27 is that there were several better players than him who were still playing.

I've no real issue with Hanley, clearly he's no world beater but he gets a lot of unfair stick, IMHO. However, can we get rid of this "He's only young" nonsense. 24 is not young for a professional footballer.

FFS, Joe Jordan. I wouldn't have him within a million miles of the team. Apart from anything, the guy is an Assistant, not a manager. He hasn't been a full time manager for twenty years.

As always happens with England when one manager fails, they go for someone who is the complete opposite so on that basis it's completely predictable. They always take the view that manager X didn't work so we'll go for someone completely different, whereas perhaps what is needed is someone slightly different. Allardyce is a manager who's teams aren't really known for playing expansive attractive football, really he's a guy whose reputation is that he won't get you relegated. Added to the fact that he's got next to no - might even be none whatsoever - experience of European football makes it a really bizarre appointment. He'll most likely get them through qualification but this really is Mike Bassett territory.

Owen Smith before he was an MP.

And all his previous moves?

You've got to admire his consistency. Why Angela Eagle is exactly what Labour needs

Seriously though, what is it with this guy, is he capable of actually going to a club, keeping his head down, working hard and getting on with people? Regardless of ability - and I think that's debatable - there must be serious concerns about him being a disruptive influence. I just checked to see if Charlton had changed their manager from the previous one that Watt fell out with. They have, unfortunately for Watt, they replaced him with the Cardiff manager which was where he was on loan at the start of last season before they binned him as well.

Is he going for some sort of record?

To be honest, I'd agree pretty much with all of that. One thing though is that it's not Anti-English, at least not in a xenophobic or McGlashanesque manner, it has/had - I hope - a bit of humour. The subtext is a bit of "we're so shite it's unbelievable" self deprecating in that we don't have any players ourselves worthy of the "award".

Didn't realise there was a tour, will need to take a look at that.

There is a self deprecatory subtlety in it that most people miss.

Nothing strange about it at all. Most clubs run the U21 team completely separately from the first team. Also Brighton were pushing for promotion all season - only lost out on an automatic spot on the last day. That means two things, first of all the team was playing well, so no real need to drop anyone and more importantly, no "meaningless" games where you could bring in a couple of young players to get some experience with a view for the future.

Did ye, aye.

You're a very bad man