Panda

Hearts' tickets went on sale at 10am and they've already announced they've sold 10,000 tickets. Had a wee spy at our sales and we're not actually doing too bad, probably around what I'd expect at this stage. Taking into account the areas not on sale yet, I think we've sold around 6,500. We'll likely sell the same again before the 19th which is our usual semi-final crowd.

Our region would also need to take our turn hosting the World Cup. Might get that new stadium after all.

The Masters will return to Aberdeen this autumn, same teams again - the reigning champions Aberdeen, Dundee United, Celtic, Rangers. Captains and teams to be announced at a later date. Also live on the BBC.

Did things go to shit again on my night off? Until they clone me, things like this will happen. As for the game: Gilmour the best player, bizarre to sub him off (unless injured). I thought we should have gone back to five at the back because Greece had so many crosses into the box on Thursday. Could have started Tierney and pushed the wing backs up a bit. Was such a big gap between Adams and the midfield, we rarely offered a threat after 10 minutes against a side who looked suspect defensively. All I can hope is my next trip to Hampden is better than that, but that Craig Gordon's is just as bad.

Tickets on sale Monday. Hearts are, bizarrely, charging £48 for their official buses to the semi-final (£78 in total for the ticket as well). Hearts fans rightly asking how they've come up with that price for a short trip from Edinburgh, while Aberdeen are charging £25. Hearts fans are considerably more fortunate for travel options elsewhere though. £16.80 for a return train from Waverley on semi-final day, £66.40 from Aberdeen. Also only five trains from Aberdeen make it in time compared to 19 from Edinburgh. On Sale Process Phase 1: On sale to those with 250+ points (Online only) from 5pm on Monday 24th March. Phase 2: On sale to those with 100+ points (Online only) from 11am on Tuesday 25th March. Phase 3: On sale to those with 40+ points (Online only) from 2pm on Tuesday 25th March. Phase 4: General Sale from 5pm on Tuesday 25th March. General Sale – Ticket sales will then be available over phone & in person at the Pittodrie Ticket Office from 9:30am on Wednesday 26th March.

Aye it was, but had to can it when news came through Tierney wasn't starting

Tierney more versatile though, ie he can slip into defence and make it a five, while McLean can't. Tierney also has more of an engine on him going forward than McLean. Arteta has actually been using Tierney on the left of a front three in their European games. Might make a video about it and fire it up on social media in an hour or so...

The lack of goalkeepers is frightening. Tierney to move back into defence when needed, but push ahead to join midfield when in possession. The Nisbet-Ferguson combo to take us all the way to

Thanks @manc_don - it now feels like a proper semi-final.

Is that why you're still displaying the wrong date in the thread title, in order to send half the Aberdeen support down on the Sunday?

The game just appears to pass him by all too often. I do wonder if we should play him off the right (not particularly as a starter, more for when Morris gets hauled off), and keep Keskinen on the left. I think Polvara or Palaversa would have done that central role better than Gueye. Keskinen, despite his miss (wasn't really a miss, more he waited too long to get his shot off) I thought looked decent today and is continuing to improve. By next season I think we'll be hailing him as our best player.

There is currently live radio commentary of the game on Sportsound. It's actually a good Dons man doing the commentary, who usually would be freed up to do a football commentary.

The argument isn't do the old firm get more coverage then the rest, because of course they do. Likewise, Aberdeen get more coverage than most of the others too. The argument you're making is that had Celtic or Rangers been at home today, the BBC would have provided live commentary. I'm saying they couldn't and therefore wouldn't have. It's actually hypothetical as there isn't a comparable example. It's in Paris. It's an absolute disgrace they haven't sent me in all honesty. I bet if Celtic were playing in Paris they'd have sent me.

Well I'd need to find a time when there was a European game on the Thursday, a live championship game on the Friday, a six nations game on the Saturday then two derbies on the Sunday. I'm guessing I'll struggle to find an example. Not that I don't believe you, but what was the context of that? Especially on the famously pro-old firm Off the Ball?

Come on now, you very much did expect the Aberdeen game. Not necessarily, no. We're talking about five live commentaries and two Sportscene programmes in four days. Let's say Celtic were playing at home today; they MAY have been able to send a commentator and have him back at the office to record Sportscene (but I disagree they definitely would have). They can't if he was in Perth, Edinburgh, and probably not Rugby Park either (bear in mind Sportscene is on air at 7:15pm).

So if they had the resources (and that's the major point, today they don't) what game should be the live commentary? Biggest crowd is at Tynecastle? Highest placed team playing is Hibs? So why would Aberdeen be picked? As it goes, there's a commentary team covering the rugby, another commentary team that had a game last night & another one tomorrow, and a third commentary team that only returned from Istanbul yesterday and have a game tomorrow.

Nilsen out with an eye issue. As exclusively reported by Tyrone Smith in one of the many pre-match interviews brought to you by Sportsound from across Scotland.

Live Championship football on the TV on Friday night. Live radio commentary from the Six Nations on Saturday. Two live radio commentaries on Sunday. Saturday Sportscene highlights Sunday Sportscene highlights Open all Mics programme across the country on Saturday. Both home and away Scotland games live on TV. And to think people don't pay their licence fee because they don't think they get their money's worth..

All the tickets for this are to be digital. You've to download the Hampden Park app to get your ticket. It's how it works for Scotland games and is relatively straightforward once you get the hang of it, but I can see large queues at the turnstiles while folk who don't like technology wave their phone about confused.

Lunchtime kick-off confirmed. Both clubs, SFA and police wanted 3pm on Saturday without any TV coverage, but on behalf of @goldie03 we fought hard for a lunchtime KO. Have also convinced ScotRail not to put on any extra trains, and transport Scotland have agreed to begin roadworks that weekend.

Well Mackenzie was injured for most of January, but since then... He's been fine, and he's our only natural left back.

I wasn't, it's the last semi-final I missed, been at every one since.

Bookmarked for when the first comment is posted on here that Shinnie doesn't have the legs or the engine to get up and down the wing and he's slowing down our attack. That said... I think a home game when we dominate possession, then left back probably suits him as we'll play a high line anyway and pass it about and be patient, so Shinnie would sit high anyway and doesn't have to cover as much ground. However, in an away game where often you're looking for pace to break quickly, I think Mackenzie and even Jensen would cause their full-back more issues. It's nice though that we have good options in midfield so can argue over who starts there.

Actually just the twice. The 86 final and the 96 semi. We did meet in a League Cup semi in 1947 where Aberdeen handed them a 6-2 shellacking, but that was at Easter Road.