SPL Weekend Review

On Thursday I asked if the SPL would continue with the draw and close games that had so far been played. Turns out the answer was no. Over the weekend four of the matches were won by two or more goals, and a total of 18 goals were scored. Here is a look back at the best of the action. Saturday Fixtures: Inverness 0 - 2 Rangers Inverness vs. Rangers BBC Video Rangers picked up their second away win of the season under fortuitous circumstances in Inverness. Rangers got their first with a penalty from Nikica Jelavic, however, the decision to award the penalty was very dodgy, with Ross Tokely looking to win the ball from Steven Naismith who went down under the challenge. Inverness has further room for complaint as the big defender was also sent off for the tackle. Rangers doubled their...

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SPL Weekend Preview

The fourth week of fixtures in the Scottish Premier League will see all sides compete in the same weekend for the only the second time this season. Both the Glasgow sides will compete on the Saturday, with Kilmarnock and Hibs playing in the Sunday game on ESPN. With the SPL now in full swing are we now going to see a change in results or will the league continue to be as tight as it has started out as? Starting with the Saturday fixtures here is a run down of this weeks SPL previews. Saturday Fixtures: Inverness vs. Rangers - 12:45 Rangers make the tricky trip to the North to take on Inverness in what should be a close contest. Inverness...

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Is The SPL Destined For Its Tightest League Ever?

The SPL season will have its first full schedule of games this weekend, however, if the first few weeks are to be considered then it is very likely that draws may be the order of the day. Seven of the first 15 matches played in the Scottish Premier League this season have ended in draws, while another five have been one by the odd goal and only four of the matches have seen a team score more than one goal. So what is resulting in the increase in draws between clubs? The Full Ten Yards argues that an increase in the quality of the so called ‘bottom six’ , plus the continued closing gap between the ‘other’ ten and the Old Firm is causing games to be tighter and the inevitable increase in draws is due to the ten teams outside of the big two slowly becoming on level par with each other. Last...

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SPL Weekend Review

Saturday Fixtures: Dunfermline 3 - 3 Inverness Dunfermline vs. Inverness BBC Video Inverness picked up their first point of the season in a thrilling draw with Dunfermline at East End Park. Andy Kirk gave the hosts the opener with a good right footed finish before a deflected shot from Greg Tansey looped over Paul Gallacher in the Pars goal to equalise. A second goal from Andy Kirk put Dunfermline back into the lead, his powerful header beating Ryan Esson. Johnny Hayes brought the scores back level at 2-2, after Paul Gallacher couldn’t deal with a Jones shot. Inverness then took the lead for the first time in the match with a few minutes remaining, Tansey appearing at the back post to head home from yards out. However, there was a final twist to come as Martin Hardie curled home a...

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SPL Weekend Preview

While the English lower leagues are just starting and the English Premiership is still a week away, the SPL reaches its third week, and with friendly matches still being played by certain clubs, the fixture list composes of only four matches. Starting with the Saturday fixtures here is a run down of this weeks SPL previews. Saturday Fixtures: Dundee United vs. St. Mirren - 15:00 Dundee United begin life without David Goodwillie with a tricky looking home tie against St. Mirren. The Buddies have been labelled ‘this years Kilmarnock’ with the way they have played during their first two fixtures, which have netted them a joint top position...

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Dundee United Look For New ‘Goodie’ As Goodwillie Departs

David Goodwillie finally left Scottish Football yesterday as he completed his prolonged transfer to Blackburn Rovers from Dundee United in a bid said to be worth 2.8 million. The transfer was delayed due to some problems in completing a medical at the Lancashire side, and also for the seven bids that Rangers made for the striker. All seven bids by Rangers were deemed to be lower than what Dundee United chairman Steven Thompson valued Goodwillie, and eventually the young Scotsman completed his move to the English Premiership. While Dundee United have picked up a very handsome amount for a home grown player, they have been left with the tricky...

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Renfrewshire Rivalry Reignited As Buddies Draw The ‘Ton In League Cup Second Round

St. Mirren and Morton will meet in a Renfrewshire derby in the Second Round of the Scottish Communities League Cup. Both teams share a fierce rivalry which has been kept separated in recent years competitively due to St. Mirren’s stay in the SPL, while Morton continue to be a mid table side in the first division. However, league form will go out the window, as the SPL side descend upon Cappielow for the game. Both sides fans forums have been filled with posts in anticipation of the game with the rivalry rekindled and both sets of supporters looking forward to the match. The match will surely bring a big gate to Morton, with the Tuesday/Wednesday...

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The Good, The Vlad and The Ugly - Jefferies Sacked As Hearts Boss

Heart of Midlothian today sensationally announced that manager Jim Jefferies and assistant Billy Brown had been sacked from the club, with current first team coach Gary Locke being put in temporary charge. The details concerning the sackings are still being kept very quiet, however, many are suggesting it is a combination of the Craig Thompson saga and the feeling that Vladimir Romanov wants to place a manager in charge who has European experience for their crunch game on Thursday against Paksi. Jefferies and Brown are no strangers to altercations with chairmen, having been involved in a high profile feud with Killie chairman, Michael Johnston,...

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SPL Weekend Review

Week two of the SPL season seen ten teams compete in five matches, with four games played on Saturday and one of the Sunday. TheFullTenYards will now take a look back at the fixtures played and report on what occurred in each match. For those wondering, the Hearts - Dundee United game will be looked at in more detail tomorrow. St. Johnstone 0 - 2 Rangers Ally McCoist managed to pick up his first competitive win as Rangers boss at the third attempt, defeating a lacklustre Saints side in Perth. However, it was the Saints who had the opening chance, Callum Davidson forcing a good save from Allan McGregor after a decent long range effort. And his namesake Murray Davidson had the next chance for St. Johnstone, his effort just flashing past the far post. However, then Rangers started to get...

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SPL Weekend Preview

The second set of fixtures in the SPL season are set to be played, however, with Celtic on friendly duty their match against Dunfermline has been postponed, while Hearts’ fixture against Dundee United is being played on the Sunday due to the Jambos European exploits in midweek. Saturday Fixtures: St. Johnstone vs. Rangers - 12:00 Stupid time for a kick-off, with even the half twelve kick off being at a better time than this. Both teams will be looking for wins to really get them started in the league, after both could only gain a point in their first fixtures. Gers boss Ally McCoist will be looking to ease the tension within the Ibrox support...

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The Next Generation Of Young SPL Stars

With David Goodwillie looking like he may be on the move from Dundee United, with a 2million pound price being talked about, another top talent looks set to leave the SPL, or at the very least join one of the Old Firm.  This is an all too common scenario with the ten SPL clubs outside of the SPL, and this is how business works in the Scottish game.  Youngsters are brought through the ranks to be sold at a later date.  So, in this editorial, TheFullTenYards will look at 5 other youngsters that are coming through at clubs throughout Scotland, that are likely to join Goodwillie in making a big money move very soon. 1:  Jamie Murphy (Striker) - Motherwell - 21 Years Old - 147 Games (27 Goals) A product of the fabled Motherwell youth system, famous for bringing through players...

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SFA's New Cash For Kids Incentive Hits A Dull Note

David Goodwillie of Dundee United a young Scottish player brought up through the ranks at UnitedThe governing body of Scottish football recently announced a new cash incentive for Premier League clubs to play Scottish players who are under the age of 21, offering a cash sum of £750 a game for any team featuring two Scottish player who meet the required age limit in their first eleven, while offering a maximum £1000 if a team featured three or more players who meet the criteria. Sounds a simple plan to help aid the development of young talent in Scotland, offer the cash strapped teams money to play Scottish youngsters in their first team....

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Dull Affair As Pars Return To Top Flight

Dunfermline 0 - 0 St. MirrenDunfermline unfurled the first division champions flag in front of just over five thousand fans in a lacklustre game against a St. Mirren side looking to put their newly signed players to use. Nigel Hasselbaink and Gary Teale provided the early opportunities for an opener, with the former going close after being put through by Jerome Tesselaar. St. Mirren continued to have most of the game and the Pars looked very overwhelmed by the occasion. A curling Martin Hardie free kick being the closest the Pars fans got to seeing a home goal on the night. Things began to heat up near the end of the first half, when ex Buddies captain John Potter was penalised for what looked like a soft push on new signing Steven Thompson, but the new recruit from Burnley could only...

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Weekend Review

With the Scottish season now up and running, with only one game left to be played in the opening set of fixtures (Dunfermline vs. St. Mirren) which shall be looked at tomorrow, it is now time to review the opening set of games in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, starting with the Saturday fixtures.Rangers 1 - 1 HeartsAlly’s McCoist’s first game in charge of the Glasgow giants ended in disappointment as they could only salvage a draw against a good Hearts side. Ryan McGowan’s pressure and good ball skills led to a corner being conceded by new Rangers signing Juanma. The resultant corner was floated in by Hearts new signing Danny Grainger and was powered home by the leaping David Obua for an unlikely lead for the team from Gorgie. Two claims for penalties were then turned down, as first...

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First Game Fixtures

The SPL season starts off with a bang with a new season which is sure to promise to be as exciting as previous seasons, with many teams strengthening, many preparing for the earliest start to a league season in many years, while Rangers and Celtic will fight it out for the title, the remaining ten will fight it out for the rest of the places and the honour of being the best of the rest or have the disaster of being relegated. This weekend a full set of fixtures kicks us off with a 12.30 Saturday start for Hearts and champions Rangers. Without further ado, here is my look at this weekend’s fixtures:Saturday fixturesRangers vs. Hearts - 12.30Rangers...

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Pre Season Predictions

The Scottish Football Season kicks off in a few hours, much to the disgust of many Scottish football figures including Inverness manager Terry Butcher, who declared it a farce, and I have to agree with him. Being three weeks early of the English Premiership starting, and allowing for pre season friendly’s to occur after the season has started is taking the biscuit quite clearly. The Scottish football season put bluntly should start at the same time as its English counterparts, be it either the Championship or the Premiership.However, with it starting tomorrow, it is time for the annual pre season predictions, which is a reason to look back in ten months time and laugh at how hopelessly I get it wrong. So here goes:1st - Rangers: Should make it four in a row in a tightly contested competition...

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Kick Off

Welcome to the blog that discusses Scottish Football outside the Old Firm and its majority of supporters. I apologise to any Rangers or Celtic fans who have arrived at this site thinking they were going to get an in depth look at the top two in Scottish football, because, well they aren’t. However, if you are a fan of any of the ten SPL clubs outside of the two Glasgow giants, or any of the thirty clubs in the Scottish Football League then I am trying to aim this blog at you lot. The fans of the clubs not on the backpages, the fans of the clubs not mentioned when talking about Scottish football to a foreigner and the fans of the clubs who are continually asked, “no really, who do you support, Rangers or Celtic?”!Scottish football is currently in a decline, long gone are the days of television...

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