First and foremost; no I wasn't at Firhill last Saturday. Instead of bracing the sub-zero conditions in the poverty-stricken streets of Maryhill I was sat watching Jeff and the boys do their usual class Saturday-afternoon job. What caused this? Apathy? No fuckin chance! A simple lack of wonga, nothing more. Ahead of this week's pre-crimbo pay - a pay which I can guarantee will be majorly fucked come the first week in January by the way!! - I was completely and utterly skint. My bank balance had been swallowed up by all the '3 for £20 DVDs', Boots perfume sets and cheap(ish) whisky it could take ahead of this oh-so-glorious time of year. Add on top of that dosh for a work's 'secret santa' present for some cunt I couldn't give two flying fucks about, money for countless bevvy sessions and the small matter of the 'other half' to buy for then you begin to get the picture that my wallet will be very fuckin 'lonely this christmas' as Mud once put it. So, in short, I wasn't there on Saturday to witness the blasphemic actions of Burchill and Simmons, the disgraceful antics which should see them hung up by the goolies from the lamppost outside Next in the toon centre, in fact, the actions which should see them sacked, jailed and fuckin tortured! Outrageous behaviour! Shocking, scandalous, scummy!
One thing though…get a fuckin grip!!! And I mean that to both sides, players and supporters. Aye, I agree, Burchill and Simmons shouldn't have gestured to the fans but this campaign by certain keyboard warriors to get the two sacked for 'indiscipline' or whatever is an absolutely pathetic state of affairs - and, dare I say it, indicative of the small number of the 'tartan blanket' brigade amongst our support who seem to have placed themselves up on a pedestal and declared themselves as the 'voice' of the Pars support. Fuck off!! The way some have reacted you'd think that the two had stripped naked in front of the Pars support and pished on a picture of Norrie McCathie for fucks sake. All they did was make a 'zip-it' gesture to the fans. It was stupid, they shouldn't have done it, but christ's sake move on! In no way am I condoning it but come on man, with the abuse the players have taken this season can you honestly blame them for reacting and snapping back for a split-second? Especially Simmons. I'm by far the guy's biggest fan - in fact I honestly think he's total gash! - but this is a bloke that has frequently been booed ON to the park this season! If I was him I'd be giving a lot more than a 'zip-it' gesture that's for sure! Yes, we as the fans, pay good money to watch the side week in week out and have a right to voice our opinions, especially after the shite we've been exposed to this season. But for all the pish we've seen this year - and believe me there's been enough pish to keep the Titanic afloat - there is still an absolutely moronic element of our support, highlighted none more so than at the Clyde game when Scott Thomson was not only booed onto the park, but booed whenever he touched the ball or when his name was announced. Fuckin fannies to a man! That's right, believe a few stupid rumours on a message board and disregard the fact that the guy has given ten years of service to the club - albeit with the last few blighted by injury-upon-injury. Pathetic! Yes, Burchill acted like a dick, Simmons acted like a dick, several of our fans act like dicks on umpteen occasions - myself included by the way! - but an internal investigation into this matter?! Jesus man, it's happened, its over, it's done with. Theres far more important things to deal with at the club. Stop the bloody pettiness and move on!
And by 'more important things to deal with' I am of course referring to the ongoing - and, frankly, tedious as fuck - race to see who will be the next unlucky victim in the Pars hotseat. The list of names linked with the job, despite apparantely being filtered down to a select three or four, continues to grow on a daily basis. The Daily Ranger continues to trot out ex-old firm players; Pressley, McNamara, Durie (?!!!), The Sun continues to spout shite; Moravcik, Donachie etc, and daft rumours fly continue to fly around with, thankfully, all the contempt they deserve; the latest names to be linked with the post, I think, included Stuart Baxter, Curly Watts and yon slinky dog from fuckin Toy Story! Honestly, it's getting ridiculous and with the latest party line emanating from the secret bunkers at East End being that McIntyre - still 'definitely' a candidate - will remain in charge for this Saturdays home match against Queen Of The South it looks almost nailed-on that we won't have a new manager/management team in place until, at the very earliest, the game at Almondvale on the 2nd of January. Fair play to the board for not rushing and wading straight into a knee-jerk appointment but come on to fuck!?! The Americans could elect a bloody president quicker than this! Surely, at such a crucial time in the club's season - and history - every effort should have been made immediately after Kenny's departure, if not from the moment they knew of their decision, to whittle down what would inevitably be a lengthy list of candidates and enable them to interview and scrutinise a select two or three potential managers. This should have been carried out in the few days in and around the
And so where does that leave us? If most stories/rumours/pish is to be believed then the board are working like blue-arsed bees to decide between one of four candidates; Jim McIntyre, John Robertson, Ian Ferguson and John McGlynn. Is this true? Christ knows. To be honest none of the four inspire me with amazing confidence about what they could do or where they could take the Pars in future months/years. I certainly wouldn't be unhappy with any of the choices, the job isn't exactly attracting wandering eyes from the likes of Wenger or Mourinho after all. But to be honest I'll take any fucker just now if it would provide us with stability and a platform to move forward. We're stuck in limbo and it shows. As the week progresses this Saturday's game quite honestly fills me with no excitement whatsoever. I'll still go, that's for sure, but to be honest unless there's dramatic improvements then this week's game will provide nothing more than an opportunity to shake off whatever monstrous kind of hangover I'll have acquired after Black Friday's exertions! Appoint a new manager in the next few days and that could all change. Optimism would return, a renewed sense of purpose, some excitement at least! But with the current hierarchy at the club I'd say there's more chance of the town centre being quiet and peaceful this Friday night, with no drunkenness on show, than of anyone being appointed before Saturday's contest.
The season of goodwill eh? Not at this club it's fuckin not! Merry Christmas lads and lassies!!