Ajja

I've tried my damnest to by-pass that puerile and Neanderthal debate to be honest so you might be right.

I only get out of bed when there is a semi on the go

Having only seen the Dons twice this season, both times we won, I haven't really any idea what formations we are playing at present. Does Hartley occupy a kind of sweeper role like he did at Celtic in his latter period there (I think) or does he just play a deep midfield role ? If we are going to play a 5 man back line would Hartley be better in there as the composed head ? Just a thought, Severin seemed to take to that role quite well and I'm sure Roy Keane played there in his later years.

I suspect it's the amount of money we might get that is being debated as the loss here.

Possibly struggling to sell hospitality packages on the 1st and only just getting feedback that the date is a problem ? Arranging games on the 1st is not ideal but in past years they were traditionally very well attended as fans were keen to get out the house, same went for boxing day games. Possibly cultural shifts have now put an end to that and the SPL are still playing catch up. Sofalising for me that day too. For the record, I think we will give them a thumping that day. Just a sense I have.

Re: Foster. When you are 19 you have a shot at riding 19 year old girls. When you are 55, you don't, unless you've got deep fucking pockets.

Wasn't my intention to suggest that mate, I always respect your view. I actually agree with you and find it equally as frustrating that business always trumps football.

I'm sure there are many things that can be done to improve the product on the field. Likewise there are many incentives that can be used off field to attract customers to purchase the product. Again they would all have to be looked at in the context of costs versus income but your suggestions make a lot of sense. I can never understand why we don't just give tickets away to kids on a regular basis, the seats are empty otherwise. Easyjet built a successful model around the premise that you might as well sell the seat for 1p if its going to leave empty. At least then it gets people used to the idea that flying is the norm. Now they can charge £30 and people have become used to using their product so they pay it. The season ticket one is interesting, did the club not make a real mess of the student concession or did I pick that up wrongly. It would potentially attract interest but not sure it would drive significant numbers. Season tickets in general are a difficult issue for clubs as they are committed income which is very valuable but they also make it very difficult for the club to run any promotions without upsetting those who have made that up front commitment. One thing for sure is that Aberdeen FC are going to have to get very innovative in the coming seasons. They can't rely on the authorities to deliver a more viable product on the field through restructuring as it will serve a different agenda. As I've said already, the quality of the football is not the key decision making criteria. Its just about business survival.

For the record, in footballing terms I am in favour of a 16 team league not a 10 team league. The problem here is that clubs have to balance up the risks associated with any decision. The risk you have highlighted that the product becomes more stagnant and therefor less desirable is a significant one. That said, it's a risk that may not come to fruition, it's speculative and however likely it might be its not guaranteed. However, to take a decision that effectively writes off the income for 2 full home games, as well as 2 home game against the OF has an immediate and guaranteed impact on revenue. This, in a climate of austerity and already reducing income streams is just too difficult a decision to make for any business. Personally, I would rather see the game invest in a more compelling and balanced product. To 'take the pain' as Bobo suggests for the benefit of the future. I would love to see a fundamental reshape of Scottish football so that those two disgusting and vile organisations that drag the game through the mire while bleeding it dry of all resource are forced to play on a level playing field. Unfortunately, it just isn't going to happen as long as the people who are trying to make economic sense of a business model are the decision makers. It just doesn't work I'm afraid.

Its quite simple and Milne is correct in his position. Your heart is ruling your head if you think otherwise. I'm afraid what you, or any other fan, 'want' is not going to hold any store. We cannot vote to reduce our revenues. End of story.

Hopefully just means he wants to keep a lid on it. Poo poos can often be a good thing, if you get me.

Someone quoting prices on Abmad. Looked quite reasonable, £24, £20 and £15 as far as I remember, not sure where for though.

If by 'had to win' you mean in order to progress to the next round of the tournament then maybe we should qualify that statement using other related terms such as 'Queens Park', 'Queen of the South' and maybe 'Dunfermline'.

It's a wonderful idea but the key problem here is that if you don't make the right commercial decisions then the football suffers, if not perishes completely. As fans we can bemoan the idea that business men are making the decision that are destroying our game but its impractical to do it any other way. As much as I hate it, the club have to run a business to survive. They have to protect income at all costs and this means not giving up any home game revenue and particularly not revenue that comes in from 4-5,000 OF fans paying into the ground. Scottish football clubs are living on the bread line these days and it would just be unbelievably damaging, if not business critical, to vote away this revenue. So a 16 team league will never happen.

I don't believe we will go down. There are too many teams with small squads who will have poor periods in the second half of the campaign and will struggle to pick up points. We will get harder to beat and then start to pick up points and drag ourselves out of the bottom few places. Agree with MBT, about 8th or 9th might be our final placing. Can't see any of Hamilton, St Mirren or St Johnstone finishing above us, I also think UTD might get dragged down the league along with Hibs and Killie will lose momentum at some point.

This is the fundamental flaw in the whole argument. Everyone is asking for a 16 team league and it is clearly the sensible choice for football in terms of less repetitive fixtures, less threat of relegation so arguably more competitive football etc etc. Yet, the recommendations are for a 10 team league. Why ? Because its the commercial people who make these recommendations and the commercial people who will ultimately decide the outcome. Regardless of how many fans or pundits want to see an expanded league, the commercial reality is that no club will vote to give up revenue. Especially in the current economic climate. Its a moot point. 10 teams it will be. Fucked if I know how they plan to split the pot with another 10 in the SPL2 though, that one baffles me.

SPL guy on radio today said that if teams can't come to an agreement then they often go with the home teams position as it has bigger commercial implications for them. Not guaranteed though.

Amen brother. A trip with much of the good and bad in life all rolled up. The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

If both teams don't agree it won't happen. United are apparently contesting it, as TF said.

Madrid was like the 60s. If you remember any of it you weren't there.

Even though we will lose a good few thousand off the gate receipts with it now moving to midweek.

More likely he would stumble a few times, looking back to see if he still had his shoes on.

Did he not turn the United cup game (3-2) upside down with some blistering runs up the wing from full back or was I just really fucking rinsed that day with a bruised skull from bouncing across rows of seats in the shed ? (Ahhhhh..the memories)

Not enough fuel to circle Aberdeen airport for 50 minutes but enough to fly back to Birmingham from Aberdeen. Mmmmm.

WTF is that ? Did JC leave his sun lamp.