Premiership Fanzone
ABERDEEN
FOR the last several weeks it was more a matter of when rather than if Aberdeen would secure second place in the Premiership table, but the actually clinching of it was still welcome on its arrival.
After the disappointment of last season, the minimum expectation for the league this year was second.
That attitude is a pleasing one as it suggests that despite the lead held by Celtic, this is a Dons side which is determined to make Celtic earn the title rather than have it handed to them.
It has been four years since the destination of the league title was not decided until into May, but that will be the case this year once again and everyone except perhaps Celtic must welcome that situation.
HAMILTON ACADEMICAL
ACCIES finally got back in the groove on Friday with a highly enjoyable win against our “friends” from across the Clyde. To see experienced guys like Lasley and Pearson being dominated by our youngsters was fantastic and Jason and Ali scored beauties too.
Motherwell had a few great chances of their own, but crumbled pretty badly as the game wore on. We had the joy of watching an impressive away support drift off home long before the end.
Now we make the short trip to play Killie, who have lost five consecutive games and we’ll be quietly confident. Our games against them have been pretty poor, with only one goal scored in 270 minutes, so don’t expect a goalfest. We still have plenty to play for, with the target of seventh place. Not outstanding, but pretty good for our first season back in the top flight.
KILMARNOCK
I PROBABLY won’t be the only fan mentioning “squeaky bum time” this week, but I would still rather be in our position that Motherwell’s despite the fact we couldn’t buy a win at the moment.
Five defeats on the bounce is only one bad game away from our worst run ever, so I’m told.
Now is not the time for finger pointing though. We are all in this together and whether you wanted the appointment of Gary Locke as manager or not, we have to get behind the team for the remaining games and make sure that we retain our top division status. Lockie will be hurting as well and he has to prove now that he has what it takes to be in that dugout representing the mighty Killie. It’s time to kick some butt Gary, and I would also start thinking about building a team around Eremenko as he is by far the best footballer at the Theatre of Pies.
Barry Richmond
PARTICK THISTLE
Steve Wilson
HC ADESPITE the loud cheers, the most noticeable sound, for the second successive game, was that of bubbles bursting as the Jags brought an end to the momentum of first Motherwell and now Ross County.
If anything, the Dingwall win was even better, since it came in a match dominated by Thistle whose composure and shape did not change even after County opened the scoring against the run of play. Frans’ hammer from distance was simply stunning, while O’donnell’s winner was equally venomous, but there should have been more. What could have been, but fortunately wasn’t, a key moment came when Lawless was clearly impeded in the box. I am, as you read this, penning my letter of complaint to the authorities who will doubtless immediately take retrospective action against the culprit. Aye, right!
CCJAG
CELTIC
WHAT a relief to end the week on such a positive note after seeing Leigh Griffiths score his second hat-trick of the month to secure a 3-0 victory at Tannadice and take another step towards winning the league title. The first half was poor, but the team stepped up the pace after the break, and Griffiths’ clinical finishing, which has yielded a personal total of 14 goals in his last 17 appearances, makes me wonder how much sooner we might have become champions had he been a regular starter during the first half of the season. Surely he must be a first pick for Scotland now.
Thankfully, the Josh Meekings saga is now behind us. As I wrote in last week’s Fanzone, the call for a retrospective red card was bad sportsmanship, and I am glad he was cleared and can now play in the Scottish Cup final. Now let’s move on.
ROSS COUNTY
WELL, our fantastic nine-match unbeaten run (including eight wins) had to come to an end sometime and, frustratingly, it came at a time when we were almost over the line in terms of securing our Premiership survival.
Realistically, I can’t believe that Motherwell will catch us now anyway, but after losing at Firhill on Saturday, we still have work to do to make sure. Despite Michael Gardyne giving us the lead against Partick Thistle to provide some false hope, it was a tired-looking performance by our players and Thistle deserved their victory over the course of the 90 minutes.
There has been much debate among County fans over which players, among the many who are out of contract this summer, who should be offered new deals. While much will depend on the relegation outcome, top of my list would be Gardyne, who has been impressive in our recent good run.
Northern Soul
ST JOHNSTONE
SAINTS’ second-half performance was an improvement on the first. Once Saints scored it looked like Dundee had accepted defeat. The sending-off and the second goal sent hundreds of home fans towards the exits. The Dundee manager said post match it was Dundee’s worst performance of the season. Saints simply bossed Dundee and did not allow them to play. How the big Saints support enjoyed their afternoon in the sunshine, wind, snow and hail!
I suspect the remaining fixtures will be harder. Being in the hunt for fourth place in the league gives the next four Saints fixtures added significance. Some Saints supporters who want another European experience are now daring to say that third place should be the aim. Achieving fourth, whether Caley Thistle win the Scottish Cup or not, would be recognised by most Saints supporters as another great season. They still hope for more.
SJ
MOTHERWELL
AFTER two bitterly disappointing displays away to Partick Thistle and Hamilton, the Motherwell play-off wagon returns to Fir Park for the latest – and quite possibly last – of our run of “must win” games. No matter what happens, at least the fans, so badly let down in the previous matches, have the comfort of a short journey home or to their favourite watering hole afterwards!
Only the most optimistic of Motherwell fans can predict a win when we need it most. Ross County’s recent form is comparable to that of Celtic. For us, the reverse is true. A narrow win at Killie and the convincing victories over Hamilton and St Mirren are now long forgotten. We don’t score enough goals, have a non-existent midfield, leaky defence and a goalkeeper who is hardly worthy of the name.
But if, somehow, if we can fluke a win on Saturday, none of that will stop the belief in the miracle flowing back!
ST MIRREN
Derek Wilson THE bitter will say that the players have brought shame on the jersey. I say this season’s jersey brought shame on the jersey. Whoever chose it must have seen this dreadful season coming. Last time we had such an eyestraining home top (1987-88), we plummeted from being cup holders along with all the swagger and sense of entitlement that goes with that, to being fully-established members of the annual relegation dogfighting club.
The strip is like an optical illusion awaiting an explanation. Perhaps this is it: a pal recalled how a similarly distracting “bar code” shirt assisted his club merely in keeping track of the rush of desperate substitutions, as players were swiped on and swiped off in futile pursuit of another lost cause. As for our second choice, the anaemic yellow, it narrowly edged out a pink option. Good riddance to both.
John Campbell