-matthEw-

I agree with Hugh Jazz and others.

Foster may have been touted to Rangers for 7 figures, but is there no way they were ever going to pay anything like that and it would have been absolutely crazy of them if they did. Rangers made enquiries in the Summer to get him peranently but they bawked at our asking price and stayed well clear thereafter. Granted, our asking price in the Summer would've been higher than £250k, probably closer to £500k. This is after McCoist having seen him up close and personal whilst he was getting his Champs league appearances and league winners medal. Instead, they went and spent £1.2m on Lee Wallace.

European experience and length of contract can go some ways to boosting a players value, but the main factor is and always will be ability. And although I'm a Foster fan, he has little ability. Getting £250k for him is a great deal so long as we've got a replacement. Foster's main strength in our team was that he was a pacey full-back, not that he was a good pacey full-back.

As with the last time we shipped Foster out, I'm happy with the deal. But we need to replace him with a full-back. They really don't have to be particularly good, but they need to either know the position well or have enough pace to make up for their poor positioning (Foster). Loaning him to Ibrox turned out to be the worst deal of that particular season, but only because it left us with no full-backs. We can't let the same thing happen again.

Heard conflicting reports about Reynolds ability to play full-back. Some say he's good going forward and others say he looks every bit like a centre back played out of position.

Coming down with a horrendous cold the very same day that your holidays from work start.

My girlfriend once got deported. It was ace though, I was already planning on breaking up with her.

I told him that Soda Jerk doesn't rate Danny Welbeck and he just shook his head.

Getting into a lift to find Sir Alex Ferguson in the same lift. ACE-IC.

As per everyone else, I'm definitely in if something can be booked.

Very small part of a very disjointed scene. Glad it's all going well but none of that is of the least bit of interest to me musically and i'm a member of the scene too.

To be fair, anyone and everyone who contributes to music in this city is part of the scene in my mind. It may have little interest to you, but from what I've seen lately, the non-guitar-based (for want a better all-encompassing phrase) stuff represents the majority of the current scene. Also, I'd be willing to bet, those that attend and play these gigs and contibute tracks and put on the nights, probably have the type of comradery that the OP feels is missing.

The whole "The Rangers" thing is fairly common amongst football teams. The real weegie Celtic fans call Celtic "The Celtic" or as it sounds "Rasellic", Arsenal fans call them "The Arsenal", and so on - I'm sure there are many others, but can't be arsed to think of any more examples.

It does make sense, for teams with those sort of names anyway. I just don't like it, especially with Rangers

Bringing it back to Australian sport, they often pre-fix their football names with The, but only if it's the name of a place/city/suburb. ie. The Essendon Football Club, The Collingwood Football Club.

Sounds so pompous.

A lot of Scottish Rangers fans call them The Rangers. That's another pet-hate.

Bizarre use of the same example at the same time. Pinky promise.

You two used the same example at the same time, but to back-up opposing points... I think.

Personally, I'd say "McDondald's are bringing out a new range of health foods", but I guess if that sounds jarring to others it just goes to prove that we'll hate whatever one we're nae used to.

The way Australians, and I believe Americans, apply grammar to sport teams. The following sentence has me in a wee ragey:

Carlton is downplaying the severity of Chris Judd's shoulder injury and expects the captain to require only a minor surgical procedure

Are! Carlton are!

I've heard that both the 'is' and 'are' in these situations are technically correct, but it just sounds so jarring it surely should be wrong.

I think he's having a dig at Aberdonians' work-ethic. Apologies if he's not. I've heard it before from central-belters, particularly weegies, but it's an argument that never stands up to scrutiny.

Not too much as it will end in flame throwing, but it is in my eyes a very fair opinion.

Ask any non Aberdonian that comes in with a fresh pair of eyes what they think of the team spirit and work ethic in Aberdeen.

There is a sizeable group of us from the central belt working at different companies and all of us are left with the same opinion. What we see in Aberdeen is what we see in the team and the attitude towards the team.

What an unbelievable heap of shite.

Don't even know where to start with it, but crikey.

I did a spot of growing up and recently resided for a year in the most liveable city in the world, and Aberdeen doesn't hold up too badly in comparison. We've got a lot to proud of in this city and some fantastic spots.

The grey depresses a lot of folk this time of year, but I think it's fantastic - moody and brooding and unique to Aberdeen really. It's got its downsides of course, but living elsewhere in the UK doesn't appeal to me at all.

I genuinely forgot how cold Strikers can be. Ice-cold conditioned air in unhealthy lungs is a recipe for disaster.

Does anybody want to have a go at booking Strikers for Monday 28th then? Saturday afternoons at the ASV would suit me also (providing we finished in time to get showered and head to Pittodrie), but Monday is the most popular on the poll so probably best to try a Monday eve @ Goals.

Update on the above...

Just off the phone to ASV, they are booked solid on Mondays for the foreseeable. The only weekday evening slot still available was a Friday half 5 to half 6 but I'm guessing that's too late for most of us.

The lass on the phone said the only day that is consistently freeish is Saturday. Half 12 to half 5 is completely free for Saturday the 26th if a time in there is any good for folk?

If nothing doing, might give Strikers a phone (fuck playing at Goals this time of year).

The Aussie Italians, or Wogs as they are affectionately (hmm, I think) known do go absolutely bat-shit mental about their coffee. You can get darn good coffee over there, but avoid discussion on it like the plague.

When I get home tonight I'll look into booking it for Monday the 28th. That way we can leave it for a few days to see how many Ab-musicers are interested and should we be short of numbers by this time next week, we can get round to inviting friends and colleagues to make up the numbers.

Moving back onto coffee-snobbery as a pet hate... In a Melbourne coffee shop I actually witnessed a customer who asked for a latte be handed just a cup of milk. When he complained, naturally, the animated Italian behind the counter pointed to a sign in his shop that read along the lines of "Latte translates as milk. DO NOT ASK FOR A LATTE"

Italians and their coffee.

The place did have some good quirks too mind. When it got too full they let you sit and have your lunch and coffee in the kitchen.

Anyone keen for getting this back on the go (properly) over the Winter months?

I'm now a member at the ASV which should, in theory, make booking easier. I also now have a job, so I could be the one who takes the plunge and pays up front.

Arkham City is the bee's knees.

I'm excited to hear the new stuff, but mixed feelings about the prospect of going to any gigs. Should they come up to this neck of the woods I'd probably go along, but can't be fucked with the ticket prices for the Manchester gigs.

Can you change the 'posts per page' settings on the new board?

I used to have 50 posts per page and it feels so puny only having 15 these days

Anyone want a few FIFA 12 games tonight on Xbox? Gamertag - oleary87.

Feared the worst when I seen the thread title.

I seen him twice at the Lemon Tree and he was fantastic both times.

RIP