tom_widdows

George Romero - 77

The ultras thing works if every single person is 'on-board' with it. I personally do not fall into that camp which is why after a few occasions I tended to avoid being in the same stand as the displays if possible. That way I had no bearing on them and reduced the chance of any conflict etc. I still think the all seater stadium is the main atmosphere killer as the most atmospheric Dons games I've been to have been when everyone has stood the entire match. Raith Rovers in the cup back in the Dingus era sticks in my mind for the sheer anger that rippled through the stand. In my experience the only true 'Standing' Stands in the league are 'the Shed, Parkhead Away End, and the Roseburn (unless the full stand has been allocated). Everywhere else either has over zealous stewards/ cops or you find the person behind you insists on sitting resulting in arguments. The latter happens all too often at Pittodrie and stupidly it happens in the South Stand which actually requires you to stand up if you want to see most of the pitch. (Typical of a cheap conversion of a former terrace). I recall a fight almost breaking out in a sparsely occupied RDU when an elderly gentleman started on a couple of teenagers who were stood up infront of him. There were hundreds of empty seats around but neither party was prepared to move and the stewards/ cops ended up having to get involved. At the QOTS Hampden semi, the Glasgow Reds got into an argument with the Families sat behind us because we did a short 'flag surf' for the teams coming out. The argument continued when the entire North stand remained standing and 2 of the mothers demanded we sit down because they & their kids couldn't see, completely oblivious to the fact that even if we did sit down the row in front would also block their view. As I recall the argument only stopped when QOTS scored their 2nd and the atmosphere in the stand began turning ugly (I think one of us may have said something not very gentlemanly). A 'family' atmosphere is not a 'football' atmosphere and personally I think those families should have had more sense than to buy tickets in the North Stand. If you have small kids and there is a family section then that's where you should go etc etc. Sitting down is for relaxing, quiet contemplation, or for all too many people, working. Standing tends to mean you are alert (takes longer to develop frostbite/ hypothermia), more open to interaction/ conversation and/or a bit of a sing song. Standing also allows you to move to get a better view or away from 'undesirables' Same for concerts. If I find out a gig is all seated it has to be someone quite special to me to buy tickets.

My reference to the pic coming back to haunt him is I expect it to be hijacked and then photoshopped because of the Buckfast bottle. This is footage of the incident though https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiT1xOnFxt0

Killie turned over by Ayr. Very enjoyable looking watching McCulloch's angry coupon And some team from Glasgow's east end beat some bunch of muppets from Belfast whilst being showered with various 'projectiles'. Seemingly the Thumb got booked for complaining to the ref about it Edit: This pic may come back to haunt him

Now being shown on RED TV in the UK.

2-0!!!! :ultras: :ultras: :ultras: :ultras:

BOOOM! Luxembourg equaliser!!! :ultras:

and?

3 guys in a yellow mini by any chance? Be interested to see how they deal with sneaking off the North Island given the 'Boat train' stopped a long while ago

And he's not getting a contract http://www.afc.co.uk/news/9755.php#.WVlYNoQrLIU

Could be wrong but I'm thinking the use of the Video Ref stopped a potential 'Lafferty' moment in the second half between Vidal (I think) and the German Keeper. They squared up nose to nose (actual heads connected) after the ball went out for a goal kick but neither of them went down as if they had been shot. Just old fashioned pushing anf shoving til their mates and the ref waded in. Not entirely convinced about the Video Ref Malarky but if it starts catching out the Laffertys, Rivaldos etc then I may come round to it.

I See that Mexico played two games today - One in Seattle and the other in Moscow. I know clubs send can send out various teams in pre-season but don't recall ever seeing a National team do the same thing, especially 5000 miles apart.....unless they finished in Seattle and then immediately jumped on a plane

So has Maloney actually signed up as the Scotsman's Match report from yesterday's game suggests he hasn't?

Club said the crowd was 1939 Dons support was 1075

I'm holding back from any gloating given the Fola Esch debacle this time last year

Starting to wonder if Mcinnes & Doc have been studying Brian Clough's tactics (Skip to 2:35)

Champions league started tonight TNS (Wales) 1-2 Europa (Gibraltar). Also in other news England U21 carried on the rich Traditional of losing in Semi-Finals to the Germans

Interesting words. I take from this the Council allowed work on their own building to start without building standards approval. That's an offence and Legal action can be taken against you by the local authority.........oh wait! Also given it is an offence to start without a warrant, as soon as a contractor knocked the first hole in a wall, any building's insurance could effectively be declared null & void. Ergo no compensation, no money to fund re-building etc. Civil war may be breaking out in K&C council as if their Building Control Department is anything like a some I've worked with in Scotland, they treat work on their own Council's buildings the same way they would an individual's private house IE there is no favourable treatment or fast tracking. Seeing a copy of this alleged completion certificate and the signature's on it will be interesting.

FC Ordabasy have never made it past the 2nd qualifying round. They have also to date, not won a home Europa League match - two 0-0 draws, one 3-3 draw, one 2-1 defeat. Away record read: W1-0, D2-2, L2-1, L3-0 NK Široki Brijeg have also never made it past the 2nd qualifying round (europa League) and were put out of the Champions league by Hearts back in 2006 (3-0 on Aggregate). Europa league record is P22 W6, D5, L11. Going on past form I think its a coin toss to see which one gets through.

Fucks sake another potential Kazakhstan trip

Lindsay just rejected Oxford United. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40316140

If gas is not used in any tower blocks in Aberdeen I think you will find it will be for the following reasons 1) When the block was constructed central heating was still a relatively new concept and was not cheap to install so the good old Electric 3 bar fire and perhaps the classic portable gas heater (about the size of a washing machine with a huge gas canister inside) were dealt out. 2) If a new block the developer reduced costs and went with electric boilers or the god awful white meter heating/ storage heater combination. Retro fitting gas supplies to existing buildings is quite common because it is still cheaper, more efficient and easier to control than electric heating and when you have a high rise with small or non existent service risers the logical place is to put it within the stairwells. The pipes as with all services (electricity, water, data, sprinkler pipes etc) are supposed to be boxed for the following reasons. 1) Protect them from accidental damage or vandalism 2) Seal off the openings in separating walls and floors so any fires cannot spread through or up the service riser into fire protected areas. As far as I am aware the gas supply did not play any part in the fire. If it had i think you wouldn't have a burned out shell of a building, you would have a crater and a blast zone. I am a bit cynical at some of the figures being banded about for the savings/ cut backs in the refurbishment as they just don't add up to me (£5,000 for the cladding etc) but I will not be surprised if the contractor who carried out the works essentially 'bought' the job IE they priced at a loss making figure to themselves with the hope being they would become a preferred contractor for the council and then pick up regular work. Of course as soon as a contractor 'buys' the job they have to ensure they don't make a loss which then brings in seemingly endless 'can we use this/ can we do it this way, instead?' Its a risky ploy and a fair few contractors have 'gone under' while trying it but for many of them it can be the only way they can trading. There is a John Ruskin quote hanging in my office which I feel it particularly apt for this tragedy 'There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey.'

Some muppet on Sportsound this afternoon stated Sevco have spent approx £10million on transfers to far. I believe the same muppet kept going on about how any player who leaves the likes of Aberdeen Hibs, Hearts etc for Rangers has to up their game 10 fold or they will never get a game.