Panda

This was 35 years ago today. In fact, with extra-time played, the penalties would have been starting just around now 35 years ago.

No, I'm not. I've been consistent with what I've said actually. You can't keep moving the goalposts. You were championing McInnes for having a UK and Irish core. Going by that, we started five players of that ilk at Ibrox (and it's usually six if Nisbet plays, and seven had Dorrington been fit), But because that didn't suit, now it's only Scottish players you say. In 16-17 under McInnes (his best season probably) we often played just four Scots. (Considine, Reynolds, Jack, Shinnie). McLean or Christie sometimes made it five. Even then, that's a team of mostly non-Scots, no? In his final season, our most used eleven players were Lewis, Logan, Taylor, Hoban, Considine, McCrorie, Ferguson, Hedges, McGinn, Hayes, Cosgrove (then Kamberi). That's just three Scots. We already tried for Lyall Cameron. But the reason why we haven't signed another Scott McKenna or Lewis Ferguson is probably because they're not standing out anywhere. Jack Milne, Fletcher Boyd and maybe even Finlay Marshall are maybe the next McKenna or Ferguson. Well that's my whole frigging point. Thelin had tried to have a balance. We have Scottish guys and foreigners, physical and creative, the experienced guys and the young players. As for Simon Murray, not a single poster on this forum (and I have just checked) suggested we sign him last summer. Now he's on a three-year contract so we'd need to pay a transfer fee to sign a 33-year-old.

Can you read the previous messages before replying to them, so I don't have to begin every reply by repeating myself. The comment I replied to was We had a team full of proper men under McInnes, now we have a team full of spineless foreign shite. It wasn't me who brought up physical players or foreign players. And yes, it is backdoor xenophobia. I don't know why you're so upset about it since the comment wasn't even in reply to you. No, it's an opinion of yours, it's not a fact. With respect, that's just a jumble of words making little sense. You keep saying Scottish players, then UK and Irish players, to "players that know the league. I don't even know where you stand or what your point even is. It's very clear it's part of our trading model. We're trying to find the next Miovski. Simon Murray isn't going to be sold for £6m to anyone. There was more chance - on paper at least - of Sokler or Duk or Gueye being sold for big money in future.

Because I was replying to a comment that said we've signed "spineless foreign shite", and you entered the discussion listing Scottish players. So that's the relevance, unless you're changing the subject. But we're not though, are we? We had seven UK & Irish based players involved today. We lost to a team who played only six. The champions will likely start the cup final with just two Scots in their team. Hibs, who will likely finish third, started only four Scots yesterday (one of which is an Australian international), they're hardly a team full of home-born players either. Six of our starting line-up today have played in Scotland before this season and should meet your 'knowledge of Scottish football' criteria. Three of the subs meet that too. We're also not in July, we're in May. Thelin and his back room team know all about Rangers having played them four times. So what's your point here, that Scottish or UK signings would be better? You've just cherry picked some names that may not be good enough, in order to make what point? I could list UK and Irish players who aren't good enough either. This is the guy you've been championing isn't it? That we absolutely had to sign? Dundee United signed him, and he's been extremely poor. Here's the views of Dundee United fans... Sigh. No-one is offended.

Their nationality was irrelevant. You've been pushing this "need more physical players" stuff for over a week now (bizarrely, after the St Mirren game which you said you hadn't watched.) Are you trying to claim Niall McGinn and Peter Pawlett were physical players? We've gone forwards from last season, have we not? We're season one into what is meant to be a three-season rebuild. That would be relevant had we ignored three Scottish players of the standard of Cooper, Simpson and Hewitt and signed foreigners instead. But that's not what has happened has it?

This bit is spot on.

The bit I quoted. Firstly, we took regular humpings off Rangers and Celtic under McInnes. Secondly, "spineless foreign shite". Even ignoring your backwards xenophobia, I'm not sure that's usually how Scandinavians are perceived, and I wouldn't say Mitov, Tobers or Knoester fall into that category either.

Our issue was we were too slow to close down and cut out passes. We needed someone energetic in there. Nilsen wouldn't have sold that problem and we've had plenty of games with him in midfield and teams have played around him (a notable example being the last time we were at Ibrox).

And to put it into another context, we got beaten by a team that won at Parkhead, were in the Europa League quarters, and who drew with Celtic last week. Not defending the goals we lost (just like our defence ) but let's not pretend we've just lost to a lower league side here.

Heads gone. Sober up and try again tomorrow.

We've missed five massive chances in this game (two from Keskinen, two from Gueye, one from Polvara). Any of them go in and this is a different game. Yet here we are 3-0 down. Just haven't pressed them enough in the right areas. All three goals conceded been too easy.

I hate to say it, but Barron is doing everything that no-one in our midfield is doing. Tracking every run. We've been too stationary in midfield and easy passes have got them in behind us.

Nisbet & Gueye on at half-time seems like we want more possession in Rangers half.

We're fine. We're actually missing Jensen pushing forward from right back. We can get in behind Rangers' high line if we put a few more quicker balls in, Devlin has actually slowed it down. But think Rangers have had one shot on target, and from long range.

Decent first half. Hopefully hold onto the lead this time.

Quite a few changes there. Dorrington not in the squad which suggests an injury, hopefully Tobers not rushed back too soon. Glad to see Polvara start. Dabbagh starting up front will be interesting.

Of course I'm serious. I have too much respect for the sanctity of Scottish football coverage to make jokes about it.

I reckon if McInnes goes to Hearts, then Peter Leven may be on the shortlist at Rugby Park.

It wasn't the big game of the day though, let's be honest here. Hardly anyone was at the game, hardly anyone would watch it on TV, and hardly anyone would listen to it on the radio. If you're claiming you turned on the radio as a neutral desperate to listen to it, I don't believe you. You wanted to know how Hibs were getting on in the battle for third, and the BBC provided you with that service.

It's an interesting appointment. Is it a good appointment, I don't know. You could argue he couldn't have timed his arrival at Aberdeen any better. Craig Brown had fixed a lot of the mess from the Mark McGhee era, Rangers, Hibs and Hearts all fell off, even Celtic weakened with Lennon then Deila. He struck gold with signings like Rooney, Logan and Shinnie, and his loans all filled the holes he needed to. He never really sorted the defence post- Russell Anderson's retirement, but midfield and attack were solid. The last three years were chronic though. Was it all his fault? Did he just get unlucky when before he had the luck? Did the lack of a head of recruitment hinder him? Did managers just figure out his tactics, with McInnes unable to have a plan B? It all begs the question, how good is Derek McInnes really? Did his last three seasons show us the truth, a man unable to turn around a club on a downward spiral, or was that unfair on account Glass and Goodwin didn't fair any better? I don't think his Kilmarnock stint answers it either. He got them fourth with a very decent squad, but has struggled this season. Although I'm sure he still has some affection for Aberdeen, he would be desperate to go and finish above Jimmy Thelin, not just once but consistently, win trophies with them, and show that in all our searching for new bosses we never found better than him. Hearts are the club that can give him that chance. I think if he goes there (and should be said, while he's on the shortlist, he's not the only name on it), it'll be fascinating.

Agreed. If I do buy a strip I fully expect to get years out of it. I don't think grown adults really need to have the latest strip every season. The last one I did buy was the Stephen Glass / Scott Brown era one and it's still in mint condition. However, kids want the latest strip and you don't want little Hans, Eoin and Hicham running about in the old gear while their mates are in the new one. (Says the boy with no kids. I'm just angry on others' behalf).

I don't really buy strips unless they're retro ones or I really, really like them. However, bit annoyed at how regularly we bring out strips in order to continuously milk the fans for money. If you're paying £70 for a shirt - whether for yourself or your kids - the least I expect is that team actually wear it. Am I right in thinking we had an away strip once that we never wore for a single game? Think it was the black & gold number in 2012-13. Likewise, I also expect it to have a lifespan of at least 12 months (it used to be two years, now we're not even getting one year). We brought out the 'wasp' strip in July so that's been replaced already, and the granite strip was September so if we release a third kit in summer that'll be less than a year too. I also wouldn't be surprised if we bring a cup final shirt out now before Hampden, despite the current one being a nod to the 1990 strip, so would make sense we wore it in the final.

I presume this means Texo are renewing their shirt sponsorship. Hadn't read anywhere them agreeing to extend it beyond this season. As for the strip itself, not for me, but at least the club are trying to do something different with their away top rather than a catalogue template.

Technically, my 100% record of always being right is still intact as we didn't sell 21,000, but I shouldn't have doubted our support, and I apologise to the 1,200 fans who could have missed out on a ticket if the board had done what they often do and read my posts before making important decisions.

Presumably means Scott Bain leaving Celtic. Could do a swap for him.