So on the final day of the season, St Johnstone secured 4th place in the Premiership with a gutsy win at Pittodrie. With that win, the reigning Scottish Cup holders will also now have a vested interest in next weekend's Scottish Cup final - with a chance of European football, they will now be firmly in the ICT camp.
Chris Kane's goal gave St Johnstone the win - it was literally his first involvement after coming off the bench, beating the offside trap to run onto a James McFadden through ball and slot past Scott Brown. The Perth Saints probably haven't got the credit they've deserved, but Tommy Wright's side have have had a fine season. While I'm not sure exactly how many Saints fans came up for the game, it looked (and sounded) like every one of them were in the away section. Fair play to them, and well done to their team.
For Dons fans, the result was irrelevant. This day was all about one man, Aberdeen captain and legend Russell Anderson. It was an emotional day for Russell as he played his final game for the club, as it was for the supporters who turned out to show their appreciation, and social media continues to explode with tributes.
When Russell returned to Aberdeen for his second spell with the club, he said that he still had unfinished business at Pittodrie. He's now finished up as a Cup-winning captain, and leaves the 1st team in its healthiest league finish for a generation. Russell will now be taking up a full time role behind the scenes at Aberdeen, but with regard to his retirement I would simply add my own 'thank you' for all that he has given to the Dons during his playing career. Hopefully, we will all enjoy the bright future ahead...MI
United are in danger of falling behind their rivals
It may have been too little too late to save Dundee Utd’s European dreams, but victory in Saturday’s derby certainly went to the team who needed it most. The second half of the season has been nothing short of calamitous for United as they slid from an exciting tussle with Aberdeen and Inverness to a fifth place finish behind St. Johnstone. As has been noted many times on this blog and elsewhere, selling your two best players to a rival will do that to you.
Dundee on the other hand will be relatively pleased with their first season back in the Premiership (what a stupid name for a football league). A top six finish, achieved playing some relatively decent football is as much as you can expect from a newly promoted side. Rangers would bite your hand off if you offered them a similar scenario come next May.
Each team is taking a very different approach to the summer. Dundee have already signed up five players for next season and will once again be prioritizing avoiding relegation in a strengthened league. Dundee United on the other hand no doubt need to strengthen, but the biggest question they have to answer in the off season is what to do with Nadir Ciftci. A couple of weeks ago I named him “the poor man’s Diego Costa.” Clearly he sees himself as more of a Luis Suarez. The Costa comparison is pertinent however; he’s a strong, imposing centre forward with an eye for goal and a penchant for winding up the opposition. It seems likely that Celtic will come in with an offer for the Turk, and assuming it’s not derisory, they will more than likely cash in on a player who is looking more trouble than he's worth.
That would leave a gaping hole for Jackie McNamara in the position where it’s most difficult to find value for money. Should they lose Ciftci, and considering the other needs this team has, it would not be the biggest shock in the world to see Dundee finish next season ahead of their cross-street rival.
But for now The Arabs can bask in the glory of their derby day win, enjoy those fabled 'bragging rights,' and look forward to their club unearthing the next Robertson, Gauld, Armstrong, or MackaySteven. Good luck with that. IM
Brittain departs as a County legend
The term 'legend' is thrown at football players far too often; for example, a Kilmarnock fan on my timeline last night bemoaned such a description being given to Alexei Eremenko. A good player, sure, and one who has done more than a few spectacular things in the club's colours, but a legend? Nae chance.
On the other hand, the tag probably does suit Richard Brittain, whose seven year love affair with the Black Isle came to an end with a short appearance as a substitute at Rugby Park. For most of that period, he has been club captain, and he led out the side in the 2010 Scottish Cup final, and lifted the 2011-12 Scottish First Division trophy as well. Whilst his on-field personality didn't necessarily endear him to opposing fans, he has a reputation as one of football's good guys, and he has publicly demonstrated his affection for Ross County and their fans on several occasions.
It's a marker of how much esteem Jim McIntyre is held in now that there was barely a murmur of complaint from the support at the decision to release him. Brittain may look back with regret on his decision to play for several months at the start of the season with a hip injury, when the club were in dire straits, as he never got to demonstrate what he can do. But he probably does lack the mobility to play in the high-energy, busy midfield that his manager wants - which is why the far less gifted Martin Woods is seen as a better option.
What next for him? He's thirty-two in September, but there's no reason to believe that his excellent footballing brain, or his delicious right foot, cannot do a job for a little longer if he is back to full fitness. He'd certainly be a fine signing for any Championship club. And it wouldn't be all that surprising to see him back in Dingwall next season, playing for an opponent - perhaps even Kilmarnock? LS
Could Archibald's good work be undone this summer?
This match was a bit of a damp squib; Motherwell passed up the chance to build up some morale and momentum ahead of the Rangers double-header, instead choosing to rest several players. Partick, in contrast, were already thinking of next term, choosing to blood a few youths and give some fringe players a game.
Alan Archibald, after a few hiccups around the winter-time, can feel pleased with the job he's done at Firhill this season; they have taken another wee step forward this year, even if they still seem a bit away from the top six. Ideally, 2015-16 will be a campaign where the threat of relegation never rears it's ugly head.
Unfortunately, that may not be so straightforward. The manager admitted at the end of the game that he's not confident that Scott Fox, Conrad Balatoni or Kallum Higginbotham will sign on for another campaign. Given that Stephen O'Donnell's departure seems inevitable, that's a lot of holes to fill - goalkeeper, right-back, centre-back and attacking midfield. It's unclear if striker Lyle Taylor will stay at the club after his loan deal expires. The manager will surely have irons in the fire, but it may be hard enough for Partick Thistle to tread water, let alone move up a level. LS
Best. 5-0 defeat. Ever.
With a cup final next weekend, it's fair to say that Caley Thistle fans - and probably the players - didn't give a toss about this game. I wasn't surprised (in fact I was delighted) that Graeme Shinnie, Josh Meekings, David Raven, Ross Draper, Greg Tansey, Marley Watkins and Eddie Ofere saw absolutely zero action; in fact, John Hughes was so keen to avoid injuries that he even subbed goalkeeper Ryan Esson midway through the second half.
After seeing a teamsheet which included Lewis Horner, Liam Polworth and Tarmo Kink - each making their first league start of the season - I'd have taken a 5-0 pounding, especially given that, after Celtic raced into a two goal lead, I worried it could end up a cricket score.
So, everyone was happy in the end; Celtic got an impressive, emphatic win to ignite their title party, as well as some measure of revenge for the cup semi-final, while ICT have no new injuries ahead of their trip to Hampden. LS
We may not see St. Mirren in the Premiership again for a while
The appointment of Ian Murray this week as St. Mirren's manager looks pretty astute. Murray has done a wonderful job for the last two and a half years at Dumbarton, so he knows what the Scottish Championship is all about and at just thirty-four years old he seems to be a man with a bright future.
But it's going to be hard for him, because St. Mirren are going to require a lot of rebuilding, even if they hold onto their talented teenagers John McGinn and Stevie Mallan. Even now, there are only 11 players over the age of twenty-one at the club - and that includes outgoing player-boss Gary Teale and loanee James Dayton, as well as the ancient Steven Thompson who must be seriously considering retirement.
Teale himself seems to have had one eye on the future with recent team selections, giving the likes of Jack Baird and Lewis Morgan the chance to impress as well. These lads have done enough to suggest that Murray can rely on them next season. But he's going to have to bring in a lot of new faces if his squad is to have a shout at a quick return to the top flight. And with the board still desperate to sell the club, he may not get the financial backing that he probably needs. LS
Martin Ingram (MI) is our Aberdeen Correspondent. Legend has it that he is the tallest man in the Red Army. He writes regularly for Aberdeen fanzine The Red Final.
Iain Meredith (IM) is technically a Rangers fan, but these days he tends to support them ironically. He only agreed to help with this blog because now he can tell his wife that he's "only watching the game to help a friend out".
Lawrie Spence (LS) has ranted and spouted his ill-informed opinions on Narey's Toepoker since September 2007. He has a life outside this blog. Honestly.
Andrew Sutherland (AS) occasionally writes for When Saturday Comes. He would never miss an ICT match unless he was offered a date with the lead singer of CHVRCHES...who he would then take to said ICT match.
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