Voice of Reason: 17 December 2008

Dec 19 2008

WILL lessons be learned from this shambles at Lochee?

One doubts it. There’s been much debate over the past few weeks about the rights and wrongs of letting a junior team compete in the Scottish Cup.

What started as ‘romance’ has become the utter farce that was sadly inevitable when you throw open the doors to a club who simply can’t cope.

The weather might be uncontrollable, but is it any coincidence that the last outstanding tie has been Lochee’s?

Yet, again by pure coincidence, they managed to play their junior cup tie against Arthurlie on Saturday at the first attempt.

Time for the SFA to look again at the whole Scottish Cup set-up.

WE’RE coming into a glorious season for lookalikes. Over the coming weeks, you will see some of the greatest mirror images that ever graced this column.

First up is the man who puts no into no-nonsense. It can only be Neil McGowan.

As solid a left back as they come. Until he throws on the manager’s jacket at the Reebok Stadium and becomes Bolton boss Gary Megson.

To call this uncanny would merely be scratching the surface. These two are one in the same person, my friends.

And the pictorial evidence simply confirms the damning nature of this situation.

WE stand on the verge of the year’s most exciting fortnight. The World Darts Championship kicks off this Friday and there’s massive money to be made in the betting ring.

I’ll keep it simple – anyone who’s read this column before knows the name of Graeme Miller when it comes to the arrows.

He takes Darin Young (7/4) and Andy Jenkins (6/5) as hot first round tips, while watch out for Carlos Rodriguez to beat Roland Scholten.

You’ll only get 4/11 but it’s “buying money,” confirms Miller. “Scholten is injured and is just turning up to collect a £5000 cheque for competing.”

You’ll be foolish not to follow ignore.

TO Ayr United’s Christmas Fayre. A huge event that threatened to overshadow the X Factor final.

And while Irish wonderkid Eoghan Quigg was robbed in the reality TV showdown, the world was put right 24 hours later at our festive fun day.

Gifts, juicy mince pies – and a hearty dose of Christmas spirit from all at the club.

Top selling item was the AUFC Santa hat, of which the VoR is now a proud owner, and I even captured board member Al Murray sporting one.

The petrol emporium chief looked more dashing than one of Santa’s reindeer.

CLASS now telling in the betting challenge. VoR leads 13-12 after I nailed Saturday’s prediction by taking Ayr to beat Alloa 3-0.

This week Dougie Morton tries to come from behind for the first time by taking Dunfermline 2, Clyde 0.

VoR will remain in front by going with Bolton 2, Portsmouth 1.