Stenhousemuir 2 -v- Dumbarton 2

My match report first appeared on the official DFC website. 

Another goalmouth scramble

In a game of sharply contrasting highs and lows, Sons claimed a point from a 2-2 draw away against Stenhousemuir, when only 20 minutes from the end it had seemed they were on course for a comfortable victory after leading by two clear goals.

Dumbarton showed most of the initial purpose, coming out of the starting blocks with real pace, and pushing the home team firmly onto the defensive.

Sons' best early chance came when Pat Walker burst through on 8 minutes and steamed a shot past Ally Brown in the Stenhousemuir goal, only for the ball to ricochet off the far corner and upright.

By then Craig McLeish and Jon McShane had already threatened with a wide strike and looping header respectively, as the eager visitors milled around the opposition area, trying to find a way past a packed defence.

It was around the quarter hour before Stenny started to come back. There was a minor scare for Dumbarton when a seemingly harmless ball almost caught Stephen Grindlay off balance, but the big 'keeper stretched his arm out and recovered well.

As the half progressed, Sons started to give the ball away needlessly, despite gaining more of the possession, and Stenhousemuir grew in confidence visibly.

On 24 minutes Pat Walker broke again, but his probing pass across the face of the area could not find another Sons player far enough forward, with McLeish just beyond range.

A slightly scrappy period of play ensued, with neither side able to maintain shape in the middle of the park. Sons had a let-off when Scott Dalziel hit the bar with Grindlay stranded.

For Dumbarton, Ryan McStay struck another effort wide of the post on 37 minutes. But Stenhousemuir, though often pinned back, continually denied Sons the space they required.

The home side came out fired-up for the second half and began to create all kinds of problems for an uncertain looking Sons back line. It was almost a reverse mirror of the opening of the game, when the visitors had looked dangerous.

Then suddenly Dumbarton turned a corner. A fine run and through ball from Mark Gilhaney found Jon McShane in a good position to slice a curving shot past the Stenhousemuir 'keeper to put Sons one up on 50 minutes.

More home pressure followed, however. Dumbarton conceding two perilous free kicks on the edge of either side of the area, but both of them came to nothing.

On 68 minutes, with nerves jangling among the away support, McShane again asserted himself in front of goal with a thunderous strike to give Dumbarton a 2-0 lead.

Two minutes later the pendulum seemed to swing further in Sons' favour when Stenhousemuir went down to ten men after a straight red card for a late challenge as the ball went out of play by Ian Thompson.

Only a miraculous one-handed save from Ally Brown prevented Dumbarton from going three up, as they began to use the space to search for further advantage.

But in the space of less than four minutes disaster struck. First, a challenge from Andy Geggan conceded a penalty that enabled Eric Paton to pull a goal back from the spot for the home side. 2-1 on 80 minutes.

Then Stenhousemuir caught the Dumbarton defence flat when run at with pace from the wing, and Mike Hunter charged in to head decisively past Stephen Grindlay to equalise on 83.

Sons tried hard to regain the lead against Stenny's ten men, with two opportunities going wide and the men from Larbert pushing back to find unexpected space with which to torment Dumbarton's back line.

The score stayed 2-2 in the final minutes. With other results going the right way the damage was not as bad as it could have been, but it still leaves Sons in need of good performances and results in successive home games against fellow-strugglers Alloa and Peterhead.
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Late Stenny guns silence the Sons

This short summary appears as Draw for Sons at Stenhousemuir on the official DFC site. 

Vying for possession

What should have been a comfortable win turned into a deflating 2-2 draw for Sons at Larbert this evening, as Stehousemuir came back from two behind to claim a point in the foot-of-the-table scrap.

Two very well taken goals from Jon McShane on 50 and 68 minutes looked to have sealed victory for Dumbarton, especially after the home side went down to ten men a couple of minutes later, following a late challenge by Ian Thompson.

But then disaster struck on 80 and 83 minutes. A weakly conceded penalty enabled Eric Paton to pull a goal back from the spot. Then Mike Hunter levelled with a close range header after the Sons defence was outpaced on the wing.

The result leaves Dumbarton needing points and goals for safety from successive home games against Alloa Athletic and Peterhead. [SB]
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Time for some Larbert fizz

Off to Stenhousemuir tonight, nursing the remainders of a nasty cold -- but this is a crucial match, and hopefully Dumbarton can shine an advance light into my 53rd birthday celebrations tomorrow by pulling off a vital win. Last Saturday was a bit of a disaster, plummeting 0-6 to Brechin. But that just has to be forgotten by the men in the white and gold jerseys. In every way. It's all about now. In football cliche-speak, this evening's game at Larbert is a 'six pointer'. We can pick up three ourselves, and deny fellow relegation candidates the same. Or vice versa. Or somewhere in between. By all means legal and necessary, my Sons!
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A reminder of cheerier days

Ah well, Scotland lost 2-0 to Brazil the other day, and weren't really in the same league. But at least this clip reminds us that there have been times when a small nation has shone at the highest level within the beautiful game...

All aboard the Brazilia-Caledonia express

No flagging, lads...

I would have loved to have made the journey to the Emirates Stadium in north London (once again) to see Scotland take on Brazil - the first meeting of the two teams in 17 years, and only the tenth ever. Unfortunately, I have already used my 'work credits' on three London trips in the past month - and besides, as it happens, I'm nursing a stinking cold.

Even so, it's a ringside seat with a comforting cuppa in front of the television to watch the match, courtesy of STV. Much better than the lamentable ITV, but you still have to put up with the irritating advertisement breaks.

The large crowd seems to be creating a really special atmosphere, which you can readily pick up even through the ether.  Scotland, who have secured a couple of historic draws against football's first nation (apart from us) and frequent World Champions, have made a bright start.

We have never beaten the samba boys, and you wouldn't put your money on it happening this afternoon (bright, but windy).  Logic dictates that Brazil, even without a number of their top names, should win by about as many goals as they choose to score. But the Scots can and will raise their game.

This may only be a 'friendly', but it matters in terms of pride, FIFA rankings (barmy though they are), and the opportunity to see just how the up-and-coming generation of Scottish internationals can do against one of the world's great sides.

Let's hope it's a fantastic game. Things look good do far.  And I'm also keeping an eye out for numerous Dumbarton friends in the seething crowd. Some have travelled down overnight by bus. Bleary, but happy. Mind you, a really good day out is needed to put the wounds of yesterday's crushing of the Sons by Brechin City behind us.

The team need to do that, too. Bring on Stenousemuir on Tuesday 29 march - the day before my birthday.
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A heavy defeat for Dumbarton

This match report also appears on the official DFC website.

Sons pressed on goal

Any notion that an under strength Brechin City might be easy pickings after midweek Scottish Cup exertions against SPL St Johnstone were soon dispelled at Glebe Park on a chilly afternoon - as Dumbarton sunk to a crushing 6-0 defeat.

Both sides started with physical determination on a battered playing surface. But the home side were quickest on the offensive, and on 7 minutes a goalmouth scramble in Dumbarton's area led to Brechin striker David McKenna placing a dipping header over Stephen Grindlay - who did well to get a hand to the ball, but could not quite keep it out. 1-0 to the Hedgemen.

Sons had a good chance to equalise minutes later. However, big Jon McShane's effort brought out a fine save from Craig Nelson in the Brechin goal. The football traffic then flowed mostly in favour of the home side up to the half hour.

Near to half time, Sons' Mark Gilhaney struck over the bar following a good move through the centre and a series of free kicks. But although they were pushing back solidly, Dumbarton could not find the necessary bite in the final third.

Minutes before the break a defensive slip up almost put Brechin through for a second goal, but the Sons back line and 'keeper recovered well.

The second period started in the worst possible way for Dumbarton, with Jamie Redman putting Brechin 2-0 up. His low, driving shot past Grindlay came just half a minute after the restart, as Sons reeled from a speedy attack.

The prolific Rory McAllister then increased the visitors' misery by making it three for the home side on 52 minutes, with another polished strike.

Andy Geggan could have pulled one back for Sons on the hour, after Jon McShane caught Brechin 'keeper Nelson off his line on the edge of the area and squared back a good, angled ball that the number 8 snatched at and ratcheted over the bar with two defenders on the goal line to beat.

But as the match drew to a close things only got worse for Dumbarton. On 79 minutes, McKenna added a fourth with his second goal of the match. The fifth Brechin goal came from Mitchel Megginson (83 minutes) after a corner, before McKenna completed his hat-trick for the sixth two minutes later.

Sons had a couple of attempts at claiming at least one goal back, but there was to be no consolation on a cheerless afternoon.
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Bad day at the office

This summary appears as Sons crushed at Brechin on the official DFC website.

McNiff tries to lunch Sons forward

Dumbarton endured a torrid time at Glebe Park this afternoon, losing 6-0 to an under-strength but determined and well-organised Brechin City side.

Goals early in both halves, from David McKenna on 7 minutes and Jamie Redman on 46 minutes (just 30 seconds after the restart), effectively sealed Sons' fate. The surface was ill-suited to a passing game and the home side dominated possession for much of the match.

The prolific Rory McAllister added to the visitors' misery with a solid strike to make it 3-0 for Brechin approaching the hour. Then on 79 minutes, McKenna added a fourth with his second goal of the match.

The fifth came from Mitchel Megginson (83 minutes) after a corner, before McKenna completed his hat-trick for the sixth, two minutes later.

Dumbarton now head into a crucial midweek away match against Stenhousemuir on Tuesday 29 March, looking for a revival of fortunes and more points to help secure safety in the Second Division.
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Taking it on the chin

JR cogitates...

East Fife manager and Hearts legend John Robertson stopped over for a quick chat with the Edinburgh Sons' supporters' car on the way out of Strathclyde Homes Stadium today. And very good hearted he was, too, seeing that his side had just been beaten 4-2 by Dumbarton - something of a dent to their play-off aspirations. Sons' striker Jon McShane, who scored two superb goals, had played a fantastic game, Robbo willingly conceded. His own front-man Craig Johnstone had hit a really polished equaliser midway through the second half, it should be added. Indeed, all the goals will be well worth watching via the SonsTV highlights early next week. The only pity is that, as a result of SFL rules (which really don't seem to benefit anyone at the moment), DFC are only allowed to show five minutes of the match. Even though we pay to film it. Football is a mad industry, sometimes.
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Dumbarton 4 -v- East Fife 2

This article appears as the match report on the official DFC website.

Sons tussle with the Fifers

In a match which began scrappily, but turned into an end-to-end encounter in the second half, Dumbarton beat East Fife 4-2 at SHS, re-establishing their strong recent form.

It took both teams a while to settle in and find their pace. On 7 minutes it looked as if Pat Walker had found Jon McShane in space inside the East Fife box, only for the big number 9 to lose his footing just as the ball came in.

Moments later Sons' Stephen Grindlay pulled off a polished, diving save from a dangerous and low incoming cross at the other end.

Mark Gilhaney, Pat Walker and Jon McShane all looked threatening up front for Dumbarton, but the home team's long balls and occasional uncertainty in midfield conceded possession too often.

Sons gradually began to impose themselves on the game, despite a couple of stoppages, but could not find a breakthrough.

Then on 27 minutes a slip in the area by defender Iain Chisolm allowed the Fifers' Bobby Lynn to twist, turn and slot the ball efficiently past Grindlay. 1-0 to the visitors.

A quick switch of wings over to Gilhaney, a cut inside and a sharply-angled shot from the busy number 7 almost pulled Sons level, but Michael Brown in the East Fife goal was equal to the task - as the home side began to rediscover their fluency.

Two corners followed and Dumbarton continued to pile on the pressure. Ryan McStay came close again. Then on 41 minutes Andy Geggan equalised for Sons with a beautifully flighted header, lobbing the East Fife keeper from an acute angle on the edge of the penalty box.

In the second half, Dumbarton began with determination, but East Fife pushed back. Then on 51 minutes Jon McShane let lose a superb, driving shot from 20 yards. It flew past Brown's despairing hands and into the far corner of the net to put Sons 2-1 in front.

Another fine passing move from midfield ten minutes later put Martin McNiff through. He manfully fought off his marker, but could not quite steady himself before the shot, which fizzled wide on the right.

Then just as Dumbarton began to look well in control, East Fife broke forward, and finding himself with plenty of space, Craig Johnstone struck a commanding volley past Grindlay to make it 2-2.

Sons did not give up, however. On 68 minutes Pat Walker burst through after a lucky break. He looked set to shoot, but seeing Brown advancing fast chose instead to sweep the ball out to Mark Gilhaney, who steamed it into the bottom corner of the Fifers' goal to restore Dumbarton's lead at 3-2.

It got better for Sons on 77 minutes, as Jon McShane latched on to another sharp Sons attacking move, placing a swinging ball past the visitors' keeper. 4-2 to Dumbarton, and a deserved second goal for the industrious striker - who was named sponsor's man of the match.

The victory gives Sons renewed impetus and confidence for the vital remaining eight games of the season.
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Sons claim another three points

This brief summary also appears as Dumbarton back to winning ways on the official DFC website. 

Sons push forward

In a match which started slowly but later turned into a pulsating encounter, Dumbarton beat East Fife 4-2 at Strathclyde Homes Stadium, re-establishing their strong recent form.

The visitors went in front on 27 minutes after a scrappy start, but Andy Geggan equalised on 41 minutes with a fine looping header.

In the second half Sons put themselves 2-1 up through a piledriving Jon McShane shot six minutes after the restart. Then defensive uncertainty allowed East Fife to draw level again.

But two fabulous goals from Mark Gilhaney and McShane again, on 68 and 77 minutes respectively, put the game beyond all doubt and gave Dumbarton another morale-boosting victory.
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Not just weather, but a series of 'ifs'

First published in Sons View, 29 January 2011, Dumbarton -v- East Fife.

Ah, the good old Scottish weather, eh? Having spent a good deal of February negotiating a welter of games, including re-arrangements brought about by the earlier ‘cold snap’ (more prosaically known as ‘winter’), Dumbarton found themselves twiddling their thumbs rather than thumping in the shots and crosses last Saturday.

Despite the synthetic pitch at Larbert, the game against fellow-strugglers Stenhousemuir was called off due to the sudden burst of bad weather in the central belt. Snow and freezing waterlogged conditions are not unprecedented in mid-March, or even later.

I remember a midweek postponement against Forfar in Dumbarton’s 2007-8 Third Division campaign… on 2 April. That was a bit of a personal blow, given that I’d travelled up from Exeter, where I was living at the time. Thankfully, the game against Stranraer the previous Saturday, which I’d sponsored jointly with the Sonstrust to mark my 50th birthday, went ahead – just. Even if we did lose 1-0.That morning, the pitchforks had been out in force at SHS to assist the drainage, and it was a close call.

So nothing is entirely predictable in the latter part of the season, and that includes this afternoon’s important clash against East Fife at the Rock. A few weeks ago the Fifers were below a resurgent Dumbarton, but with games in hand. They’ve taken good advantage of those catch-up matches, and now sit just on the edge of the play-off zone in the Second Division – their precise points tally depending on the outcome of a midweek visit to Brechin on Tuesday night.

That is both a challenge and a spur to the Sons today. We’ve been a little unfortunate to come away with only one point from the last three games. The performances have certainly merited more than that, but we’ve also been up against a series of determined promotion contenders.

The loss at Forfar on 26 February came against the run of play in the 78th minute. On 5 March, the boys looked tired against polished League leaders Livingston. And in between there was a titanic struggle leading to a 3-3 draw in the mud against Brechin City, on a cold night at Glebe Park. Both teams deserved three points for sheer effort and skill-against-the-odds alone. But fitba doesn’t quite work like that.

Talking of Brechin, we hope that they will take points off Alloa Athletic this afternoon, in order to boost Sons’ position further. If Ayr United had defeated the Wasps by two goals rather than one on 12 March, Dumbarton would now be sitting in seventh rather than eighth position in the League table, on account of respective goal differences. This is the time of year when it isn’t just the weather we have to watch, but a series of ‘ifs’.

Better still, Sons need to take destiny back into their own hands by continuing the good form, attacking prowess and defensive strengthening we have seen in the impressive run that started with a solid 2-1 win away at Airdrie United on 1 February. It can be done. By my calculation, based on form in the past five or six seasons, we need another 11 or 12 points from the remaining 9 games to be safe in the Second Division for next term.

All these matches will be important, but perhaps it is the ones against today’s opponents, Stenhousemuir away (to be re-arranged) and Alloa (home) where there will be greatest expectation of goals and results in our favour. That’s because the infamous football cliché about ‘six pointers’ comes into play when taking on the sides immediately around us.

This does not mean, however, that the Sons squad is unable, in principle, to pick up points against the high-flyers. At our best we’ve been up with them in performances, if not always in results. No-one should be given a free ride on the basis that we are looking down the table rather than up.

Meanwhile, before we turn our full attention to this afternoon’s clash on the park at the Rock, it’s appropriate to send out a hearty word of congratulation to Brechin City for their impressive Scottish Cup quarter-final performance against SPL visitors St Johnstone last Saturday.

The 2-2 draw was a tremendous result, and a credit to the Second Division as well as to the Hedgemen. It reminds onlookers that there is so much more to the game in Scotland than the Old Firm soap opera and the top flight.  It also shows what sheer determination and hard work from a smaller side can achieve.

We certainly need that kind of gutsy spirit from the chosen of Dumbarton at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium come 3 o’clock today.
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In addition to the Romans...

The business end

So it's just nine games to go for Dumbarton, starting with the match this afternoon against East Fife. If the Sons play with anything like the commitment and creativity they've been showing over the last eight, they should survive for another season in the Second Division. But nothing is guaranteed, and points on the board as soon as possible are needed. Manager Alan Adamson tells Alan Findlay for the official DFC site: "Having last week's game cancelled was a bit of a blow given the importance of it. We are now at the business end of the season and tomorrow's game is crucial for us. A win would take us to within a point of East Fife, albeit they do have a game in hand...  We have the upper hand against them, so far this season having won two of the three previous matches, but we know it's going to be a hard game and as ever we'll need to be alert and focussed."
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Dumbarton fans vote to keep football national

First published in Sons View, 19 March 2011, Dumbarton -v- East Fife. An edited version of this article also appears on the Sonstrust website as Fans vote for Dumbarton's future.

Dumbarton supporters have voted overwhelmingly against ‘regionalising’ the lower divisions in Scottish football. More than 95% of the 250+ supporters who took part in the match day ballot on 5 March, and in the equivalent online polls, want to maintain a national, professional league below the SPL.

There was also very strong opposition to SPL ‘colt’ teams being admitted to the lower leagues – something which the Scottish Premier League has also put forward as part of its outline proposals for restructuring the game in Scotland.

In response to the third and final question, almost all Sons fans said they believed that supporters should be properly represented on the governing bodies that run Scottish football.

Dumbarton is the first SFL club to directly ask its supporters what they think of some of the major issues raised by the much-publicised SPL proposals, and the similar ideas produced by former first minister Henry McLeish in his report for the SFA on the future of the game.

The poll took place at the match against Livingston last Saturday, as well as on the Sonstrust website (where the full results will be published) and on the three Facebook groups associated with the club.

The Sonstrust Board will be following up the vote by writing to DFC, Supporters Direct and the Scottish Football League over the issues.

The Scottish Premier League has announced that it will unveil and vote on its full plans for SPL1 & 2 “within a few weeks”. But its draft ideas also included proposals – including ‘regionalisation’ and colt-teams in the lower leagues – which would have a dramatic impact on smaller clubs.

At a meeting of 34 Supporters’ Trusts six weeks ago, there was a strong feeling that what has been put forward so far does not offer a sustainable future for the game in Scotland, and a desire that fans should be consulted and involved. The Sonstrust has taken a lead in this regard.
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Sons supporters speak out

First published in Sons View, 19 March 2011, Dumbarton -v- East Fife. An edited version also appears on the Supporters Direct website as Dumbarton Trust gives fans a voice.

The Supporters Trust at Dumbarton FC (called ‘Sonstrust’ after the club’s historic nickname – ‘the Sons of the Rock’) has held an online and stadium ballot to give fans a voice in the current debate over the future of Scottish football.

Full results will be announced next week, but hundreds have taken part and the interim findings suggest overwhelming opposition to the ‘regionalisation’ of the lower leagues and to SPL ‘colt’ teams playing in them – two of the proposals put forward by the SPL and the McLeish report.

Dumbarton supporters also back fan representation on the governing body of Scottish football, and the Sonstrust board is keen to work with others in Supporters Direct to ensure that the voice of fans – including the verdict of the SD survey – resonates at the highest levels within the game.

Sonstrust campaign coordinator Simon Barrow commented: “Football fans are used to being ignored, but at Dumbarton we’ve had a huge response to our online and stadium exercise in ‘direct democracy’. People have also been joining the Trust in record numbers, and are keen for a body like SD to be a really effective vehicle for grassroots-driven change in the game.”

Since the meeting of Scottish Trust representatives at Falkirk a month ago, the Sonstrust, which has over 300 members, has announced the results of a £1000 community bursary scheme (which has given three youth-oriented local projects a boost in funds), and is also holding a major recruitment drive running through to 19 March.

“Given that we already have half our regular home gate in the Sonstrust, we thought we might have ‘peaked’ – but we’ve already picked up a further 5%, said Barrow. “There’s a real appetite for supporter involvement in running clubs and shaping the future of the game. Our message to other Trusts is, ‘get out there, recruit, and get people involved’.”
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Who's the wally with the scarf?

"The hedge at Glebe Park last night was more impressive..."

Here's my dignity-free moment at the Emirates Stadium on 2 March - showing 50,000 Arsenal fans, and around 9,000 Leyton Orient ones, what a real football team's knitwear looks like. O's supporter Mark Smith balked somewhat, but was gracious enough to snap it for me. I was in north London to watch the East-enders try to repeat their moment of glory at Brisbane Road, when they earned the prestigious, money-spinning FA Cup Fifth Round replay with a fine 1-1 draw.

This evening, things would turn out a little differently. Arsenal's pitch is like a billiard table, well suited to a flowing, passing game. Orient, to their great credit, took on the Gunners in this department and displayed not a little technical ability. The standards of lower league football in England have increased exponentially since I first saw (old) Fourth Division Brentford in 1967. However, whatever the Os could do, Arsenal could do better. They clinched the game 5-0, going in at half time 3-0 up. It could have been more.

But Orient had a couple of good chances too, and did not disgrace themselves, in spite of the end result and only having 35% of possession. It was a clear, freezing cold evening, though, and not one on which it was ever going to be possible for the comparative minnows to hassle the Champions League wannabes off the ball. At one point, the away support chanted, along with "2-1 to the Birmingham!" (a reference to the previous week's Carling Cup final), "You're going to win f*ck all!" towards the Arsenal end. Cruel but possibly not unfair - as the Gunners' ejection from the top table of European competition to Barcelona and subsequent FA Cup exit to Manchester United indicated. I'd really love Arsene Wenger's men to win the EPL - on pure footballing grounds. But I still doubt that it will happen.

Meanwhile, Orient's supporters, including the contingent I was with (thank-you, Kevin Scully, for my early Christmas present, including the special scarf and programme) had a wonderful time, defeat notwithstanding. "You're so loud, you sound like Aldershot!" they cried to the relatively silent home fans. And, when the third goal went in, "We're going to win 4-3!"  Marvellous stuff. This was also my first visit to the Emirates. Wonderful architecture, pitch and scale. Mind you, the concourse at the away end was a bit spartan, given all the oil money behind it. And did I mention how cold it was?  You'd think they could afford central heating. Not even any free snoods, before FIFA bans them.
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Rangers down and out

Diouf is briefed by Smith

It's Europa League night again. The multi-millionaires of Manchester City have just been dumped out of the second-string European competition by Dynamo Kiev, Liverpool have a careless goal deficit to overcome against FC Braga (Who made monkeys of Celtic) and - in the match I'm watching - Rangers are trying to dig themselves out of the hole they've got themselves in against PSV Eindhoven.

Controversy will follow this one, as a clear Dutch handball on the line by Atiba Hutchinson (a cast-iron penalty and sending off) is missed by all five officials. UEFA will have some questions to answer. However the Glasgow Blues only have themselves to blame for the situation they're in. As for much of the 0-0 first leg in the Netherlands (a good result for Walter Smith's men), the 'Gers chased the game for the first 50 minutes - outplayed, out-positioned and out-paced. This is not the SPL, fellas.

In the latter part of the second half, Rangers - behind to a well-taken Jeremain Lens goal, provided by slack marking on the break - are showing some purpose and have gone 4-4-2. They'd get killed trying that on Barcelona. But PSV are a different proposition. Greg Wylde is having a good game for the Scots. They are now looking to Steven Naismith and El Hadji Diouf to work some magic.

I can't see it happening. They should be be level by rights, but even then they'd be out on away goals. I want Rangers to pull it back for ex-Dumbarton man Walter Smith's sake (his last season in charge), and because they represent Scotland. Normally I wouldn't give them the time of day, being Old Firm. And the mourning period will be very brief if they exit tonight. Funny old (emotional) game.

Update:  Rangers, Manchester City and Liverpool all out. OK, back to real life.
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