These items have appeared on the TRF homepage and we wouldn't want to deprive you of anything that we have posted,
so browse away.
| |
25th November - Enjoy a new nostalgia entry in the TRF Archives where the Big Yin comes to Aberdeen after the 1976 League Cip victory. (499k) |
25th November - Standing terraces at football
grounds hasn't exactly been a hot topic in Scotland in recent years, but there is a gathering movement in England
to reintroduce it in stadia there. The Red Army has become well accustomed to sitting at matches because Pittodrie
was the first all seater stadium in the UK but there can be no argument that a standing crowd can generate a lot
more atmosphere than a seated one. It's also a lot easier to go to a match with a group of pals if you can maneuver
yourselves into a group together - something very difficult in all seater grounds.
Of course there are safety issues here and I can personally testify to the dangers having come close to being trampled
under foot on the Love Street terraces during a League game in 1991 when Jim Bett scored. We all know about Hillsborough,
but that tragedy could have been averted if the stadium was designed properly and if the police had been competent.
Also, most matches are all-ticket and if standing was reintroduced it would have to be a rule that tickets were
always issued for that part of the terrace so the maximum number of fans for that area could be regulated.
TRF doesn't really have a view on this but feels that it is a topic worthy of debate so we invite you to discuss
it in out Forum and to Vote on the
desirability in our Poll. We'll pass
on the results to Pittodrie so they get a feel for supporters' views on this. |
24th November - A
TRF reader in Italy is asking to hear from anyone who has highlights of Dons v Tims matches since the start of
the Premier League right up to date. If you can help, his snail mail address is:
Mr. Alessandro Boretti, - Via Santuario Della Salute, 33 - 37062 Madonna Di
Dossobuono - Verona - Italy
|
|
Presenting: The TRF Lexicon of Football Part One
|
18th November - relieved at not having to pick bits of granite fleece
from his teeth after Colin Hendry proved too expensive for the Dandies, the TRF webmaster is now ecstatic at the
result at Easter Road. Now we need to see some real return from our more experienced players because we are heading
for a heavy run of aways (5 of the following 7) after we take on Motherwell at Pittodrie next week. Dundee United
continue to cover our arses by managing to be truly crap this season (nice one Smiffy) but we need to think ahead
and start getting more people through the Pittodrie turnstiles and chipping away at those massive financial losses
that Stewart Milne has dragged us into. |
| 17th November - In all the other post-match excitement of Sunday's
match, TRF nearly overlooked the smug crowing by Aaadvoocaaattt about the huns deserving to win. How he figured
that one is anybody's guess but it was probably partly relief that he'd stay in his job for another few days. On
top of that, he claimed that it wasn't a penalty when Stavrum was chopped in the box - blinkered or what? Still,
it is widely alleged that he is accustomed to Glasgow referees doing what they can to smooth the path for his team
- makes life so much easier than in other countries. This guy is one unpleasant individual and well suited to managing
the huns, he must have gotten lessons from the Prince of Darkness himself when it comes to bitchiness. Let's hope
his hair weave drops out soon and he has to slink back to Holland for some care and attention. he can take all
his second rate Dutch imports with him btw. |
|
|
| 16th November - Colin Hendry? Don't think so. Grampian Region's only evening paper runs a story telling us AFC
are keen to sign Scotland's centre half and suddenly there are kids all over the Northeast deluding themselves
that he might just join us. Hendry adds fuel by saying he's keen to consider the possibility. Magic. But wait,
he earns £20k at Coventry City and the Dandies are reeling from massive losses that suggest they should be
ditching some of their higher paid players - does this compute? Don't think so. If big Colin pulls on a Dons' strip
and starts playing captain courageous at Todders then nobody will be happier than OBE, but if it happens OBE will
eat a Granite Sheep with mustard. |
14th November - The Dons are absolutely correct to protest to the SFA about McCurry's diabolical bias from Sunday's match. Trouble is, the SFA
will do sweet FA about it. Of course the hypocrites will get stuck into Skovdahl and Stavrum for telling the truth
about the referee's failings, but that will have no bearing on McCurry. The fact that half the nation saw the game
live on TV or at Pittodrie and are witnesses to McCurry's bias will also have no bearing because the SFA will turn
a blind eye. They always turn a blind eye rather than risk upsetting the huns and they always will. Aberdeen's
job in life is to get past all that and get back to playing so well that refereeing decisions won't be enough to
help the huns against us and rats like McCurry will become utterly insignificant. |
13th November - Even in the cold dark of the following evening, it
is hard to swallow the reality that the Dandies lost to the huns yesterday. The fact that the match was handed
to them on a plate by referee Mike McCurry (Glasgow - nowhere near Glasgow) makes it all the worse because we know
that he will get away with what at worst was incompetence and more likely unfettered bias. This guy has the track
record of a man who is hell bent on helping the huns. If that means not booking them for violent play, that's what
he won't do. If it means not awarding penalties against them or sending off their offending players that is what
he won't do. And he'll get away with it.
The SFA sits by and tells us that their referees are neutral and have the gall to claim that they are amongst the
best in Europe. Bollocks! How often do you get a decent refereeing performance in any match, let alone in one against
Glasgow's pair of cheats? If the referees are afraid to make correct decisions against these two then let us have
real neutrals from England or even the Continent.
It's little wonder that the huns can't get anywhere in Europe when they are incapable of playing domestic matches
without the help of officialdom. Long may they struggle if they want to carry on with the cheating, which they
will, and let's hope they get turfed out even earlier next season (whatever tournament they wangle their way into). |
12th November - After all these years of keeping his heid rugged, the
public expectation of the Wigster's dome might reasonably have been that it's be somewhat less hairy than it turned
out to be. Now with the reinvention of his image, free of waistcoat and syrup, but still with pen in hand, the
Chairman (non-executive) turns out to be relatively an hairy man. The big question hanging in the air is whether
it is really all his own or if the transplant surgeon has been working his mystical ways - over in New York perhaps?
The public should be told. |
|
|
|
|
OBITUARY
Wednesday November 7th 2000
Very suddenly, at Patrice's hair salon (Curl up 'n' dye, Benachie) beloved black wig of Stewart
Milne and a great source of amusement to TRF. Service at the skip outside Pittodrie. All fans respectfully invited.
No flowers please. Donations to hair transplant research.
|
|
|
|
|
|
4th November - Flood Alert
- Flood Alert - Flood Alert - Flood Alert - Flood Alert - Flood Alert - Flood Alert The SPL have drawn up an emergency plan to cash
in on cope with possible flooding of SPL stadia. A spokesman announced: In the event that one or more of our stadiums is flooded to a depth exceeding
15 centimeters and not exceeding 2 meters, special matches will be played. The ball will be specially adapted to
provide increased flotation by inflation with an air/helium mix in equal proportions [replica balls and gas cylinders
available from SPL HQ and all member's shops - Price £50]. Players will wear the new SPL
Aquatic Line TM kit [available at all member's shops - Price £55]. Play will take place
within the confines of the boundary wall and, as usual, match officials will make up the rules as they go along.
Outpool players will be permitted to endeavour to place the ball in their opponent's net by kicking, heading or
throwing the ball. The ball may be carried only under water and if the player is swimming - crawling along the
bottom is not permitted. Breathing apparatus will not be permitted in the pool of play. Three points will be awarded
to the winners and count in the SPL League competition. Penalties may, as usual, be awarded to Glasgow Rangers.
Spectators will be admitted to AqualeagueTM matches at a fixed fee of £20 [season tickets not valid] except where the seats are under water,
in which case a discount of £1 will be allowed. Special waterproof souvenir programmes will be on sale, price
£5. The usual catering arrangements will continue as most food supplies are already soggy and are unlikely
to be made worse by the deluge. |
| 3rd November - Common sense suggests that
the Dandies are in for a defeat tomorrow with the Jambos bouncing back from their recent run of defeats to nick
all the points. Well the hell with common sense, TRF will stick its neck out and opt for a narrow victory for the
Redz with one of the Young brothers doing the needful in front of goal. The only tart that bothers us is Cameron
who has done us a fair bit of damage in recent times. Not this time though, he's a good player heading for a quiet
match. Yet again, the Red Army will pack their paltry bit of Tynecattle and outsing the unimaginative home support
but get no credit from the press for it. What they hey - soldier on fans, we know how good you are. |
1st November - Notice how pathetic the
crowds were in the CIS last night? The same applied on Saturday at most grounds. How are these lot managing to
get by with such small gates? The Dandies, even in their lowly position, are managing to average well over 13,000
every home match and you can be sure that if we'd hosted Hibees in the CIS yesterday we'd have enjoyed at least
double what Kilmarnock pulled in. So how come so many of these clubs are doing better than us? What exactly are
we doing wrong? Bad signings have been part of the equation but there must be more to it than that. Or are we just
taking a while longer to get back in contention than any of us would like? A couple of new signings might make
the difference, or an injury free spell for the first team squad. Either that or we need to start fielding the
under-21 team as out top lot - they seem to have found the winning formula. |