As the supporters see it...
ABERDEENSO, WE enter the business end of the season and the manufactured excitement of the post-split battle royale. For Calderwood and Aberdeen, every remaining game is the proverbial six-pointer with European qualification esse
ntial for JC to calm the troubled waters he's had to navigate in recent weeks. Jimmy's record against our top-six opponents is a cause for concern, he's only won 12 points out of a potential 45 so far this season. He'll need performances from his big guns, especially those looking for lucrative new contracts. That's a mantra repeated time and again at this point in the season. It's all to play for and it's still possible for a disappointing season to be salvaged but as all Dons fans are so regularly reminded, it's the hope that kills you.
Joe Whimster
www.aberdeen-mad.co.uk
CELTICSCOTT Brown showed on Saturday why he will be sorely missed for the next couple of games. He was tenacious in the tackle and provided the driving force from a lacklustre midfield.
About the only thing that Dougie McDonald got right on Saturday was the Skippy incident. I thought he handled it well and Skippy did himself no favours with his Mahe-esque response to a bad tackle. The last thing we need is players suspended at this time of the season.
Still, it was a good win against a stuffy Aberdeen side. A repeat of this scoreline in two weeks would suit me. The league split really grinds my gears. I have never seen the point of it. Every year it leads to accusations of gerry-mandering and incompetence. Plus, revenue lost for some bottom six clubs due to missing two home games against Celtic and Rangers.
David Devine
DUNDEE UNITEDWITH Killie's fight for SPL safety and our aspirations for Europe, one might've been forgiven for expecting a fire and fury encounter at Tannadice but nothing could've been further from the reality. Not the kind of performance that will have Hearts sweating over their third spot.
The major cause of frustration at Tannadice this week is the SPL's fundamental stupidity in scheduling United's important home tie against Aberdeen on the same day as an immovable final game up the road on the 'dark side' of Tannadice Street. It just shows the scant regard they have for any clubs outwith their Old Firm cash cows. Respect to Stephen Thompson for speaking out and highlighting how the SPL's intransigence with accommodating United conflicts sharply with their eagerness to oblige others.
Hamish Mackintosh
www.dundeeunited-mad.co.uk
FALKIRKIT WAS hardly a classic, but Saturday's point against Hearts was welcome, and, with the post-split fixtures now out, we know the extent of the challenge ahead in our fight for SPL survival. Starting with Motherwell at home we have five games to overhaul a four-point deficit.
With 18 points already in the bag from games against fellow bottom six clubs, the Bairns are more than capable of getting the points necessary, but it's going to be tough. The ideal boost to everybody should be this week's Scottish Cup semi-final against Dunfermline. A second trip to Hampden in one season is a record for the club and I am backing the Bairns to make it a hat-trick. It could be a magical end to a tough season – a cup win, a first ever qualification for Europe and an SPL future clinched.
Brian Guthrie
www.bairnstrust.com
HAMILTON ACCIESACCIES came close to probable salvation on Saturday as we led through a great goal from James Gibson, but then Inverness's deflected equaliser took the shine off things, meaning we still have some work to do.
At first glance, the post-split fixtures were unkind, with most disappointed that we have to trek up the A9 yet again in just a few weeks' time. But the list is actually pretty good, and we should be able to take points from all our matches. With any luck, the most hazardous game, away to St Mirren, will be merely academic.
Finally, congratulations to Billy Reid for again making the shortlist for manager of the year. He would say that this is an honour for the whole club, but well done to Billy nonetheless. If Accies stay up, it will be an even bigger achievement than winning the league last year.
Gilbert Mowat
HEARTSINEVITABLY, the SPL fixture computer has provoked the usual post-split complaints. Celtic fans can rest assured that they are not the only ones feeling victimised at us having to visit Ibrox for the third time. The apparent disadvantage that we face highlights the fundamental flaw of the current system.
Then there is the matter of the Thursday night derby. Midweek games are nothing unusual, but it is rather galling to think that we have the inability of Old Firm fans to behave partly to thank for this one. Of course, the split may become a thing of the past if the latest reports of a move south by the Old Firm prove to be true. Until turkeys start voting for Christmas, it isn't going to happen. No doubt it's merely a coincidence that these reports have surfaced at a time when Setanta tries to renegotiate its SPL deal.
Sandy Leonard
HIBERNIANSUNDAY saw one of those rare moments when Hibs put in a shift worthy of some praise. No coincidence that this improvement came along with the reinstatement of Sol Bamba into a midfield which saw him win the MOTM award and deservedly so. The return of Bamba to the middle not only helped him but also Rankin and Rosa who played with a lot more freedom.
OK, so Hibs ultimately came up short in what was a fairly exciting game, but the effort and overall performance put in by the Hibees was something to be encouraged by and it's not often we have left ER saying that this season!
Last word on this game is spent on Kris Boyd. What a useless, moaning waste of space that is. How Rangers must be gutted that they couldn't offload him in January.
Eddie Henderson
www.hibs.net
INVERNESS CTTHIS is turning out to be the best SPL relegation battle ever and we are playing our part right to the end. Yet again the home fans were treated to another lacklustre performance full of poor passes, lack of ideas and very poor finishing.
The flow of the game against Hamilton wasn't helped by their continual time-wasting, but we should be professional enough to deal with this.
Their goal came from a free-kick straight from the training ground and they deservedly went in at half-time a goal up. The paint on the home dressing room walls must have peeled off during Terry Butcher's team talk but it only resulted in a slightly better performance in the second half.
It took us until the final few minutes to rescue a valuable point. We are going to struggle to remain in the top flight on this performance.
Dave 'Gringo' Wilson
www.caleythistleonline.com
KILMARNOCKWE DON'T like making it easy for ourselves at Kilmarnock, but sometimes that is out of our hands. Our hat-trick hero from last week, Kevin Kyle, already scheduled for a suspension for the first game after the split, was a late casualty and never started at Tannadice.
As expected, the goals did not come, but that is not to say we didn't put in a good performance and as well as coming away from a difficult venue with a point, we actually shaded it on the day and could well have taken all three… especially had Willie Collum gone to Specsavers.
As long as the players continue to show this kind of application we should steer clear of the drop, fingers crossed. The Killie Fans For Change open meeting is in the Grand Hall this Thursday night at 7:30pm. All fans welcome.
Barry Richmond
www.killiefc.com
MOTHERWELLAFTER weeks of hanging on, the agony of this season was finally ended with a dismal performance at home to St Mirren.
Of course for Motherwell it is harsh to say finishing seventh, or at least comfortably in mid-table, is a disappointment. Nonetheless we look at how poor everyone else is, especially from fourth down, and think what might have been. It is questionable how long the city clubs will continue to be within reach of our resources.
At least Mark McGhee will probably be here next season but sadly he is one of the reasons for our relative failure. All too often he has picked a one-off team for one-off games and it fails nearly every time. He may be friends with Sir Alex Ferguson but he needs to stop acting like him if we are to enjoy more success next term!
Derek Wilson
www.firparkcorner.com
RANGERSANOTHER tricky away fixture knocked over, courtesy of two out of three exceptional goals scored at Easter Road going to Rangers players. Steven Whittaker doesn't score routine goals and his early goal should have settled Rangers down. In the end, Gers were worthy winners and are now putting together a decent run at the perfect time.
The John Rankin screamer, good strike though it was, showed why having 11 men in our box to defend corners is at best unwise.
Putting quick players upfield to occupy two defenders is tried and tested pub league tactics we should revisit.
Finally, a Player of the Year shortlist not including Rangers central defender Madjid Bougherra is laughable.
Stephen Smith
www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.uk
ST MIRRENAFTER more than three months, we finally have our first league win of 2009. It couldn't have come at a better time – it's given us a much-needed boost ahead of the split and also means confidence is high ahead of Saturday's trip to Hampden in the Scottish Cup. Results elsewhere now give us a great chance of avoiding the drop.
We didn't look particularly great against Motherwell, but the result was all that mattered. Andy Dorman's goal was a thing of beauty and his current goalscoring form – in terms of quantity and quality – is unbelievable.
Hopefully he has another cracker up his sleeve for Saturday, although a goal off his backside from two yards will do if it turns out to be the winner.
Stuart Gillespie
www.saintmirren-mad.co.uk
The full article contains 1750 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
