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We seem to be talking about different things. I thought we were speaking about strikers. I don't disagree that we have been poor in our transitioning of youth to first team. Personally, I think the club should go with quotas, and make it public so that fans can't complain when a youngster who possibly isn't up to it is getting minutes.

Their manager has a history of blowing the chance to get into European group stages.

If Hearts somehow fluked their way into the Champions league group stage and made an enormous heap of money, that would be a calamity.

A lot of it was filmed at Boghead. Surely his career highlight

I was just reading an obituary for Bob Duvall and there was no mention of him starring alongside Ally McCoist in A Shot at Glory.

It's been delayed because of snow (ironically). It's expected to start after 8 pm.

95 though - that's a good old crack at it. "Some day this wars gonna end........." Love how he just left that hanging, then went for a surf

Robert Duvall

Could it be argued that players coming through the youth system have watched player after player get rejected by AFC or not get an honest opportunity to develop in the first team squad and as such when a team from down south comes calling then they jump at the chance? You only have to look at the amount of absolute dross that we have signed over the years, and lets be clear that there have been some truly horrific players that we've spent a lot of money on, but yet we are unwilling to give our own developing talent a fair chance to really assess whether they'll make it or not. It's not like we've been playing exceptionally well and have found it difficult to slot youth in to a winning side! Another way to look at things is McKenna, Ramsey, Lobban were so far out of the picture until injuries/suspensions happened and suddenly they were thrust into the starting 11 and lo and behold they stood out as being real players, players that the coaching staff basically ignored. Another example of a young player leaving us early would be Fletcher Boyd. He came in at the end of a season, played really well, scored a few goals and we all saw incredible potential but the very next season he was out of the picture, not getting any first team action and it was no wonder that he decided to go down south.

I was responding in context to Bavidge. When he signed his three year deal with us, Lewis Pirie (the striker with more potential) signed for Leeds. What happens when they go down there and languish on their B team bench, I guess is irrelevant. Again, we're specifically speaking about strikers, and there aren't many who came through the youth teams playing in the SPFL (our very own Bruce Anderson of course). If they show any potential in that position, they get snapped up. Even Wilson at Hearts, which is a strange one. Bowie went to Fulham from Raith. The Huns and Tims have both lost strikers in recent times. A bit like goalkeepers, it's a difficult position to break through in.

Are they though? We can't blame every problem with youth development on teams from England swooping in can we? How many forwards that we've developed have been snatched from us in the past 20 years? And of those, how many made an impact anywhere either at our level or above? If it was the case that any potential first team player that came through the ranks was poached then we'd never have a Ramsey or McKenna play for us ever again. If that really is the case then why operate a youth system at all as we never see the fruits of our labour. If Bavidge was a Caley player and he had the very same goals return then there'd be a clamour by the support to take a punt on him, we're crying out to sign up and coming Scots but when we already have them we decide to put them out on loan and turn our backs on them. Perhaps teams like Motherwell & Falkirk etc. are doing well is because they give their youth, or Scots in general, a real chance whereas we import players for vastly inflated fees/wages (Keskinen & Lazetic to name a couple) that are no better than what is available on our doorstep. And lets not cite the expectations being higher at a club like AFC compared to Well or Falkirk, our expectations over the years have been eroded so much that teams out with the ugly sisters all share the hope to make the top 6 and get a good cup run.

They're pretty thin on the ground in this country. Any young striker showing enough promise will now likely get snapped up down south. Pirie for example.

I’m still waiting on Andy Bagshaw to get us 40 a season

Shame about Bavidge but if the team have been watching him and decided that he won't make it in the premier league then we have to accept that. Not sure what else he could have done though with scoring as many goals as he did. Makes you wonder who the last forward that came through the system and made a real impact with us was? Bebo perhaps? And then there was Mackie but I would hardly say that either were prolific. We've done quite well with midfielders and defenders in recent seasons but for whatever reason we just can't seem to produce a top quality striker.

No surprise really. Never looked like he had the attributes to make it in the premier. Hopefully he'll go on to make a decent try of it elsewhere, as he seemed to have a decent attitude.

P&J reporting that Alfie Bavidge has been told his contract won't be renewed, at the end of the season.

I went to see Is This Thing On? at the talkies the other week. I thought it was pish. Two stars out of five.

I'm a big fan of the older films. No excessive gore, no over the top profanity and no full frontal nudity. I could quite probably watch Lawrence of Arabia on repeat until I eventually fall asleep.

Quality narration from Shady Mo. Tear to a glass eye. We're in Morgan Freeman voiceover in Shawshank's Redemption territory. Oh yes. What a day.

Just keep our grip on the cup a little bit longer lads. Make us dream again... screenrecording-02-16-2026-13-46-51-1_FjKCcAMa.mp4

Fiona with the Watkins family hour for me(Tinydesk) Led Zeppelin - Good times bad times

The Cure - Charlotte Sometimes

Better than Nirvana's version? Dunno. Different. Or better to just stick to Lead Belly? Anyway, back on track: Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar On me

Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar *Fiona Apple,theres a blast from the past..."in the Pines,in the piiiines"

ust watching the speed skating in case Steven Bradbury appears. If they always go the same way why haven't they got one big leg like Haggis?