The SPL Latest Blogs

BACK TO NORMAL AS OF MONDAY OCTOBER 18

16/09/2010 16:27:07 by SPLBanter filed in SPL Banter Blogs.

To our readers,

Unforseen circumstances have meant that the SPL Banter site has not been updated for several weeks now, as many of you will have no doubt noticed.

First of all we would like to apologize for this, secondly we would like to announce that the site will be back to full capacity and working as normal as from this coming Monday, October 18, 2010.

Stay tuned for daily news updates on all SPL clubs, results, match reports and comments.

Also, get involved yourselves by leaving your own comments on the latest news stories or start a debate yourself in the Forum.

Once again apoloies for the inconvenience.

The Editor. 

SPL club's draw for the Europa League play-off round

06/08/2010 15:04:11 by SPLBanter filed in SPL Banter Blogs.

The draw for the Europa League play-off round

Celtic  v  FC Utrecht
Dundee Utd v AEK Athens
Motherwell  v  OB Odense

Motherwell on the cusp of the money spinning group stages for the first time face more Scandinavian opposition in the form of OB Odense who finished 2nd in the Danish Superliga last season.  

The runner up spot last season was their best ever finish and they include some familiar names amongst their number.  

They are marshalled at the back by Danish legend Thomas Helveg [now 39] who plied his trade in Italy with AC and Internazionale. Cameroon midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba who played in the EPL with Man Utd and Aston Villa, and Roy Carroll former Man Utd and Northern Ireland keeper is between the sticks.  

Odense reached the play-offs by beating HSK Zrinjski Mostar of Croatia. They drew the away leg in Mostar but won the home leg in a bizarre game which ended 5-3 to Odense.  

Considering they were seeded Celtic face a tricky tie against FC Utrecht of the Netherlands.  

The club was only founded in 1970 but has spent 41 unbroken years in the top flight Eredivisie, generally finishing in the top half.  

Utrecht have no well known names amongst their number but some Celtic fans may remember young Czech defender Jacob Lensky who spent a short time training with the club.

They also have one Barry Maguire -who you might expect to see in the Hoops with a moniker like that- but who is in fact Dutch.    

Marc-Antoine Fortuné could be able to help gaffer Neil Lennon with a bit of inside information having spent two seasons with the Dutch outfit between 2005 and 2007. 

They finished 7th in the Eredivisie last season and reached this stage by beating FC Luzern of Switzerland 4-1 on aggregate winning 1-0 at home and 3-1 away.  

Dundee United arguably have the toughest task in the shape of seasoned European campaigners AEK Athens who are no strangers to Champions League and Europa league football.  

Domestically they are multiple league and cup winners although the cupboard has been bare since their last success in 2002 which was the Greek FA Cup.  

AEK finished 3rd domestically last season in which is normally a four-way battle for the title which involves Panatinaikos, PAOK, Olympiacos and themselves. Panathinaikos are the current Greek Super League champions.  

AEK who play their home games in the 71,000 seater Olympics stadium have a squad comprised mainly of home-grown Greek players but also have a strong South American influence counting three Argentineans, two Brazilians and a Uruguayan amongst their number.

Perhaps the player best known to Terrors fans is the newly acquired Senegalese international Papa Bouba Diop who spent six seasons in England’s top flight with Fulham and Portsmouth.  

Both Celtic and Dundee Utd play their first legs at home whilst Motherwell will have the slight advantage of playing their home leg second.  

The first legs will be played on Thursday August 19 with the return legs a week later on August 26.

We're back for season 2010/11

02/08/2010 15:43:55 by SPLBanter filed in SPL Banter Blogs.

SPL Banter is back as from Tuesday, August 3rd bringing you all the latest news, results, rumours and gossip from the Scottish Premier League.

Congratulations and welcome back Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Motherwell v Hibernian fixture brought forward

21/04/2010 16:03:19 by SPLBanter filed in SPL Banter Blogs.

The SPL match between Motherwell and Hibernian on May 6 at Fir Park has been brought forward 24 hours to May 5, ko 19:45.

Motherwell had alerted the SPL that with May 6 being general election day and the school directly opposite the club being used as a polling station it could lead to added congestion and safety concerns in the immediate area of the stadium.

The SPL agreed and the game has now been resceduled.

A statement on Motherwell's official websire reads:

"Knowetop Primary, adjacent to Fir Park Stadium, is a key polling station in the Motherwell area.

"With the election vote taking place on the same evening, the club raised issues over safety, congestion, resources and the ability to vote - all of which were accepted by the SPL, Hibernian FC and our satellite broadcasting partner, Sky Sports."

Gordon Smith statement

20/04/2010 19:00:51 by SPLBanter filed in SPL Banter Blogs.

Further to Gordon Smith’s resignation from his position as SFA Chief Executive he has released the following statement:

"I have enjoyed my time with the Scottish FA immensely and feel privileged for having had the opportunity to play a leading role in one of the biggest and most high-profile organisations in the country.

"As has been reported in today's press, there are external factors that need my attention. Stepping down, though, is something I have considered for some time. The majority of people I have encountered during nearly three years in the job have been extremely warm, friendly and hospitable towards me. Inevitably, there has also been a minority who have been less than supportive.

"This has been a difficult enough time, dealing with my mother being admitted to hospital after a fall. To compound matters, she is the carer for my father, who is seriously ill. "It is not purely personal reasons, or the element of negativity I have experienced, that has made me leave the job. It is a combination of factors. Ultimately, I feel the timing is right.

"It has been an eventful period in my life but I leave with fond memories and optimism for the future of the game in this country. I am certain that Henry McLeish, in his Review of Scottish Football, will outline some significant recommendations and it is my wish that everybody works together to help take the game - both at club and international level - back to its rightful place.

"We have a top coach in place and a great staff throughout the organisation. We have a new, unprecedented broadcasting deal in place, a new kit deal and a renewed optimism for the Euro 2012 qualification campaign. We are a profitable business and will continue to be so.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges, the expectations and the pressures that come with being Chief Executive of the Scottish FA and I would like to thank the Board for accepting my resignation."

George Peat, Scottish FA President:

"On behalf of the Board and all staff at the Scottish FA, I would like to thank Gordon for his contribution and wish him the best of luck for the future.

"We understand and appreciate his reasons for leaving and will commence the process to recruit a replacement at the next scheduled board meeting."

Today several newspapers reported that Smith’s mother and father are both suffering from ill-health and cited that as a contributing factor, but it is thought that Smith’s leading roles in recruiting George Burley and the way in which ‘Boozegate’ was handled by the SFA didn’t exactly put him at the top of any popularity polls.

Recently he also controversially allowed himself to get far too involved in the case of Livingston’s Robbie Winters where it is alleged he pushed for Winters to be disciplined for diving in a match against East Fife, as part of his personal vendetta against diving within the game.

Winters was subsequently cleared by a disciplinary review panel and there was a furious backlash from Livi chairman Gordon McDougall who wrote a letter of complaint to SFA President George Peat when he discovered the extent to which Smith was involved.

Following the Winters 'affair' McDougall was quoted as saying that it left smith, "in an untenable position within the SFA".

And last night McDougall added: "This is Gordon's Jim Farry moment.

"I'm disappointed on a personal level that he's gone but someone at that level has to be careful about procedures."



Ed: Always seemed like a nice enough guy, but I can’t honestly say I’m sorry to see him go. What did he do for the benefit of our game in the time he was Chief Exec? George Burley was his man and he has to bear some of the responsibility for that disastrous campaign and the debacle that was ‘boozegate’. He also recently defended the ridiculous disciplinary appeals process before performing a u-turn following the disbelief and criticism of some within the game. I remember when he was appointed saying that I hoped the fact that he was a football man might mean proper changes for the benefit of our game, the reality was he did nothing positive worth noting.  

Gordon Smith resigns as SFA Chief Executive

19/04/2010 21:01:46 by SPLBanter filed in SPL Banter Blogs.

Scottish Football Association Chief Executive Gordon Smith has resigned from his post for personal reasons it has emerged.

Smith who had held the post since 2007 was thought to be largely responsible for the ill fated appointment of George Burley, and was of course in situ during the “boozegate” affair, after which the international careers of Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor were brought to an abrupt end following their subsequent behaviour on the substitute’s bench.

During his spell as Chief Exec Smith was also committed to fighting his pet peeve of diving within the game and made his feelings known to UEFA following the Eduardo incident, in which Celtic were the victims of a referee being conned into awarding a penalty in Arsenal’s favour.

It also made him unpopular at home when he became too involved in one particular incident involving Livingston’s Robbie Winters following an alleged dive [of which he was later cleared] in a game against East Stirling.

Smith who was at the game, it later emerged, asked for a DVD of the incident and shortly afterwards Winters found himself at the centre of an official complaint for diving from Shire’s chairman Spencer Fearne.  

This of course sparked fury from Livi chairman Gordon McDougall who only found out three days after Winters had been cleared at a disciplinary meeting, that Smith was apparently at the centre of the complaint.

He said: "I find it quite astonishing this information was kept from myself, Robbie and the disciplinary committee.

"It's either gross incompetence or an attempt to mislead folk.

"Either way, I feel Gordon Smith has overstepped his authority and that is why I'll be writing to George Peat."

The SFA said in a statement tonight: "The Scottish FA can confirm that Gordon Smith has resigned from his post as Chief Executive.

"A further statement will be issued tomorrow."