RDU_64

Mr Stewart said: "It was obvious from the CCTV and the police that some of the Aberdeen supporters were in an agitated state. Some of them were shouting and waving their hands."

Aye, that's a boost. Has impressed me since he broke into the team. Hopefully he will be a first team regular for years to come.

Shocker. Diamond in chip on the shoulder exclusive. What a bell-end. He has found his level. He was booed because he was a prick, he was shit and he displayed exactly the same attitude as what is coming out of that article.

Watched the first half of Man U and Liverpool on me dinner break. Holy fuck, Liverpool were atrocious in the first half. Link has stopped working but sounding as if they have improved as soon as Sturridge came on.

Premier League clubs are expected to consider a range of proposals, including a radical suggestion that all 20 offer free coach travel to away supporters for every match, against a backdrop of growing outrage from fans over the price of away tickets.

 

A central attendance and ticketing working group was established by the Premier League in May to consider all issues around the topic and is drawing up proposals that are likely to be discussed at the next full shareholders' meeting in February and could be voted on in the summer.

 

But the ongoing discussions are unlikely to be enough to placate increasingly angry supporters' groups who feel the issue is reaching a tipping point and plan to work together to campaign for action.

 

The talks have covered not only the vexed issue of pricing for away fans, which has snowballed in the wake of Manchester City returning almost a third of their allocation of 3,000 tickets priced at £62 for their trip to the Emirateson Sunday, but the overall matchday experience and transport.

 

At a recent meeting of all 20 Premier League clubs, Stoke City suggested offering free coach travel to all away fans in the Premier League to cut down on costs for travelling fans. The Stoke chief executive, Tony Scholes, also put forward an alternative suggestion: that away ticket prices should never be more expensive than the cheapest home ticket. While the Premier League continues to believe that pricing is essentially a matter for individual clubs and that it will be hard to come up with proposals that would satisfy the two-thirds majority required to pass new rules, there is also a recognition that the atmosphere created by away fans is central to a product that will bring in more than £5.5bn in TV revenues over the next three seasons.

 

Just as the bumper TV deal has accelerated discussions around a form of financial fair play for Premier League clubs, so it is believed to have focused minds on growing fan unrest about the complex issue of away ticket prices and the matchday experience.

 

Rival supporters' groups, including those from Liverpool and Manchester United, this week revealed they planned to work together to campaign on the issue and the Football Supporters' Federation has called for a cap of between £25 and £30 on tickets for away fans.

 

In a document drawn up last year in response to government calls for changes in the way football is governed, the Football Association said ticket pricing and strategy was a matter for the Premier League and Football League. But many fans would like to see co-ordinated action on the issue, driven from the centre, rather than it being left to individual clubs.

 

Ahead of the City match, the Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, has said the situation around ticket prices is "delicate". His club charge home fans up to £162 and have been criticised for charging the away fans of some clubs almost double the amount paid by fans of other teams due to the way matches are categorised.

 

Wenger said Arsenal were more reliant on ticketing revenue than other clubs such as City and Chelsea, who are able to rely on benefactor funding, and he was more concerned about his own fans than visitors.

 

"I am really worried they are high for our supporters. For the visitors, it only happens once a year, so that is less of a concern," he said. "We sell out our games, but ideally you want ticket prices to be affordable to everybody. It is a very delicate subject."

 

Roberto Mancini, the Manchester City manager, said it was a shame that fans were unable to follow their team to London because they felt it was too expensive: "We are disappointed for this because we need our fans away. We have fantastic fans, fantastic support. We are sorry for this."

Have to applaud the clubs for looking at this. We all know that the pricing of football has gone crazy and I actually applaud Man City's fans for refusing to pay £62 to watch a game of football. Absolutely insane price to charge fans. Should Scottish clubs be looking to go down this route or is this a non-starter without the ridiculous amounts of money thrown at the EPL? I doubt this would work in Scotland though as clubs need all the money they can get.

I highly recommend Gangster Squad to anyone. Thought it was a brilliant film!

Meh. I'm downn in London this weekend anyway!

Is it really Griffiths that's the problem? There seems to be a recurring behavioural problem at Fester Road over the past few years. If its not drug possession, its being kicked out of nightclubs, or nicking cars, or racist slurs. Been happening for years at that club

Bit of both IMO. To a certain extent, Hibs maybe haven't cracked down on this sort of behaviour in recent years. However, lets not forget that we have had the same problem (Diamond and Paton) but that seems to have been an isolated case. As you say, it seems to be a recurring theme at Easter Road. However, I think the main problem doon Leith way is the fact that they have signed utter fuck-wits who have shit for brains (O'Connor, Riordan, Griffiths etc).

Gan to see Gangster Squad tonight. Looking forward to it!

Lothian and Borders Police say they are to look into claims that on-loan Hibernian striker Leigh Griffiths sent a racist tweet.

Tynecastle has really tricky stairs to be fair but the over elaborate dive over the gate makes it look like simulation to me.

I feel sorry for him, I slipped on my arse twice when going doon the stairs in December! Although how much that was to do with the stairs and not the fact that I was pished, I don't know!

Randolph would be a great signing. I really hope we are making attempts to sign him on a pre-contract. As a believer that Langfield isn't good enough, even being linked with keepers is an encouraging sign.

What's a'bodys plans for Mad Friday? I'm on nightshift until 6am, home then for a sleep and then I'll be spending the day getting me bags packed for my return to Orkney for the festivities! Due to the nature of my shift system at work, it makes it very tricky to have a works night out so I don't think we're bothering. Instead, I'll make do with a weekend on the slosh in God's Country (Orkney)! 

Nightshift again so watched Argo (thought it was alright) and Looper (again, alright. Enjoyed it more than what I thought I would).

Surprised that wasn't overturned. How could they possibly think that was a red car offence? So now we are stuck with Brown in goals against St Johnstone? Fantastic.

Would rather see Rogers given an opportunity between the sticks than that bellend Brown.

Aye, getting Reynolds on a permanent deal would be a great boost. Has always impressed me and has been rock solid this season. Have to say though, the defence is looking like the best part of our team! Anderson, Considine (who has improved magnificently), Reynolds, Naysmith, Jack, Robertson and Shaugnessy (sp) who both look excellent prospects.

Excellent result, certainly one which I hadn't expected after the Hearts result. Glad to hear the team played well and deserved the win.

No seen the highlights. It was shite the first time I seen the game. Terrible game. Never really got going and never threatened really until it was too late. Hearts were shit but we were worse. I ken the midfield was lightweight as fuck but as bloo_toon_red says, having 5 first team midfielders out is something every team in the country would struggle to cope with.

We really have some utter idiots in our support. At the end of the first half, I heard a very loud shout of 'BROON, GET OOT'. Just generally too, that was one of the poorer away supports I've seen. Usually, we're really good at getting behind the team. Maybe it was just the particular section I was in but it seemed some were particularly quick to turn. Then when we were on the platform at Haymarket, me and my mates got involved in an argument with another Don who said we weren't real fans because we hadn't been in Gothenburg despite the fact none of us was born in 1983. What a fucking plunger, I really could have hit him. Absolute tool.

Working until 11pm tonight, home, sleep, try not to get pissed off when the woman comes home pissed from her Christmas doo, up at the crack of dawn, train at 07:52am, tins for brekkie, the Roseburn, footie, train back up again, more tins, oot if I make it.

I doubt I'll be up to much on Sunday somehow....

I just can't believe that he believes he's ready to play at a higher level given that he played 2 full matches! I think it's a combination of actually thinking that and his head has been turned by his agent/clubs/money/all. We've all been here before, we've seen it happen with McNaughton, Maguire, Fyvie, Grimmer etc and with the exception of McNaughton, I'm struggling to think what any of the other three have actually done since leaving AFC. If that doesn't motivate you to sign another contract, learn the game a bit more and then move on a better player, then I don't know what will. At the minute, he is choosing to rot in the reserves rather than first team football. Not a chance does he have the fitness or the stamina to make it in a tougher league yet and we'll see all this pish 'Give me 6 months', 'Ryan is an outstanding prospect and one that we will look to play in the next 12 months' blah blah blah. Utter shite. Gary Naysmith should be a cracking example of what you can do if you just learn the trade a bit and then move on, he carved out a good career for himself down in England.

I wish the loon all the best but I just can't help feel that he's been talking a good talk for a while now but had no intention of signing a new contract. I understand that AFC signed him to the maximum they could for an 18 year old so I don't really blame the club for this latest contract debacle (for once). This is just the way that the game and players have gone unfortunately. For us to receive a big sum, we would need someone in the mould of Russell Anderson who stayed for a number of years, signed contracts with little fuss, performed brilliantly week in, week out and then took his chance when it came to him. More often than not, we're met with this. Players who have played a handful of first team games (Maguire 131 according to Wiki, how many of which would you say that he played well in? Fyvie - 58 games, Grimmer - 4 appearances and Fraser - 2 full games/16 appearances), their ego is inflated and big money moves spoken about. Rarely is the grass greener on the other side.

There seems be an assumption he's going to England . . . .

Aberdeen youngster Ryan Fraser has turned down the contract offer made to him by the Pittodrie Club.

Manager Craig Brown commented. "The Club made the player what was the best offer they possibly could and it's very disappointing that he has chosen to see his future elsewhere. It was indicated to the club that Ryan believes he is ready to play at a higher level than the SPL and I have to say I think that is the wrong decision. He would be far better to continue to learn his trade here with Aberdeen and I only want players here who are 100per cent committed to Aberdeen Football Club."

The 18 year old, who made his debut as a substitute against Hearts under Mark McGhee, has played two full competitive games for the club, having started 13 times this season with three appearances from the bench.

Very depressing but fucking stupid by the boy. He has only played two full games FFS! If he moves on, then have a good career playing for shite English clubs in shite English towns.

 

You thinking as a back up for Langfield? In watching him this year (albeit sparingly as I am on the wrong side of the atlantic) he seems to be doing well in goals.

 

RB ... well you can never have too much defending.

 

Still think more fire power up front is the need. Derosario from DC United would be my target.

Langfield is doing well at the minute but don't let that fool you, he still isn't good enough. We need to be looking for someone that will rival Langfield and possibly become No. 1, not just as cover for Clangers.

I don't know also if you're debating as to whether we actually need a RB but I think most would agree that it's a position we need to fill. Okay, Jack coming back will be a massive boost but Magennis is not the answer and a centre back playing as a right back always looks akward and not the answer either.

Signing players on pre-contracts would be a boost but the chances of players signing up early rather than waiting for an offer in the summer is virtually zero IMO.

I would suspect there will need to be departures before there is any chance of anybody coming in.

Agreed. I think it will be a very quiet January transfer window at Pittodrie. Would like to see a RB and another striker arrive but very much doubt it will happen. Perhaps a couple of loan deals with the parent club picking up the wage is more realistic? If we have a chance to move a few on then we should take the chance.

Maybe 2 loan deals is what I'm hearing, 1 being a GK, other possibly midfield depending on the injury situation. Expect to see Brown(GK) leaving

Good. Don't let the door hit you on your way oot Brown, you erse.