Lest We Regret

Of all the clubs it could happen to it had to be Airdrie United

The club, notorious for its “Section B” group of fans, had attempted to tie in the remembrance weekend with a new sponsorship deal with Network Rail (already perhaps tiptoeing into dubious taste territory) by depicting some good old Tommys on a train on the cover of the match programme. Fresh faced young men off to do their bit for the Empire and maybe the nurse was wishing her sweetheart a fond farewell.

Section B logo

 

So far all well and good.

Unfortunately for the Broomfield club, no-one had noticed that the picture, bearing the legend “Supporting our Heroes” was in fact of German troops on a German train.

Not even the fact that Hitler’s main domestic success was making the trains run on time, could salve the embarrassment of United chairman Jim Ballantyne who has issued a fulsome apology on the club’s website.

Jim Ballantyne and the Ardrie United board discuss the matter at Drumgelloch station.

This was the second time in a week that a club had been embarrassed by remembrance and associated matters.

This series of banners displayed at Celtic Park last week by the supporters group “Green Brigade” declared “YOUR DEEDS WOULD SHAME ALL THE DEVILS IN HELL IRELAND IRAQ AFGHANISTAN NO BLOOSTAINED POPPY ON OUR HOOPS”

The Celtic board were obviously shocked by the complete lack of punctuation and exclusive use of upper case lettering. They acted quickly by issuing a vague promise to ban the culprits.

As an atheist I’m not well up on these things but isn’t there only one Auld Nick? and I thought he was in hell only. I didn’t realise he had franchises in three countries.

And “BLOOSTAINED”?

"Wait till yez see the banner we've got fur next week!"

Much fun is being had on the fitba’ chat site Pie and Bovril over the disquiet surrounding the two incidents.

One poster, a Partick Thistle fan who rejoices in the name Archie Guevara came up with the following bon-mot to succinctly summarise and synergise the stushies:

“I have every sympathy with the Airdrie back room staff since it’s sometimes difficult to tell who your enemies are. Celtic fans have it easy since their enemies are everywhere.”

Keep It Up

Busy day yesterday meant no postings but I can’t let the Sons victory v Ayr United on Saturday go unremarked upon.

In the three games since Jim Chapman’s departure as team boss, Dumbarton have achieved two more points than they had in their previous ten.

Interim boss Alan Adamson has gambled with fielding a side composed largely of young boys and it has so far paid off.

If he carries on like this Alan is in danger of his interim status becoming temporary (my little joke, as the average tenure of “permanent” bosses at DFC is less than two years)