SPL: Timing is everything

Did your Cup overfloweth last week?

Not so much. Or if it did is was with lukewarm, overly milky tea rather than with an expensive Asti Spumante.

Back to the slog of the SPL today though. What joys await...

St Johnstone v Rangers

Poor timing.

That was Ally McCoist's verdict on his bid for St Johnstone's Francisco Sandaza on the eve of today's game.

Maybe the sense of timing developed while serving an apprenticeship with renowned Ibrox jokers and Fred McCaulay has deserted him.

Or maybe he'd mislaid his fixture list.

Or maybe such a bid is worse timing for the targetted club than it is for the targeter so he's not really that bothered but he's too nice a chap to say that in public.

Certainly Steve Lomas seems less than impressed with the way Rangers have handled the whole "Fran's our man" situation.

So one has to think that the latest bid would be about as welcome as one of those legendary "taking a crap off a stepladder" pranks in the Govan of old. (Alleged pranks, obviously.)

The last time these two met Lomas announced himself with a point at Ibrox, a point that eased Perth palpitations over the departure of Derek McInnes and served notice that Rangers stately voyage to the title had sprung a leak.

And Lomas got himself into bother for suggesting an official was a bit of a Fred Goodwin.

That was a fascinating draw. Will today be as Fran-scintating?

See what I've done there. Quality.

Anyhow, a wee trip to Perth is a day out Rangers might not relish.

I reckon they'll win it. Could be Fran-tic though.

Aberdeen v Kilmarnock

The unbreakable bond between father and son. Apparently Dean Shiels has taken something of a cash hit to stick with dad Kenny at Kilmarnock.

At least he can make appropriate budgetary concessions by letting Mrs S cook his tea.

Aberdeen have lost Ricky Foster but kept Scott Vernon and Andrew Considine.

They might also be welcoming back their own (prodigal) son in the shape of Russell Anderson.

It'll be like the heartwarming conclusion to an adaptation of a Catherine Cookson family saga starring Robson Green at Pittodrie.

With little confidence I'll say home win.

Celtic v Dundee Utd

Neil Lennon's bored of the transfer window. I know the feeling.

United's bank manager won't be though, West Brom's cash is enough to deprive the SPL of watching a developing young talent and to ease United's debt as Scott Allan heads for England.

Peter Houston has been looking lower down the league's for talent. Cutting the cloth accordingly. But also encouragingly. Big fan of unearthing gems from the SFL me.

Anyway. Today's game. Perfunctory Celtic win. Probably.

Dunfermline v Hibernian

The relegation crunch match between two of the worst teams you'll see in the SPL. Enjoy it. I'm getting the hell out of here.

Hard week for Pat Fenlon: identifying a target here, releasing a misfiring player there, consoling Sean O'Hanlon over his inexplicable absence from Fifa's team of the year.

A good bit of business from Dunfermline getting goalkeeper Iain Turner in from Preston.

This is a big game. Who wants to win it more? It will be tight, it will be ugly.

Draw.

Hearts v St Mirren

Hearts await an exodus but wages will be paid. That seems to be the latest.

Turmoil hasn't stopped them winning games like this the last few weeks.

St Mirren tried to get John Sutton in on loan from Hearts this week. That bid failed.

So will their bid to win today. Home win.

Motherwell v Inverness

Terry Butcher returns to his old gaff to clash with the current gaffer, his old mate Stuart McCall.

The interconnecting relationships of Scottish football are a heartwarmingly complex tapestry. Or boring.

Back-to-back defeats for Motherwell. They need to put a halt to that if they are to once again bewitch us with the consistency that left us all so befuddled betwixt August and December.

Big chance to do that today. Home win or I'll be bemused.

The Scottish Football Blog blogathon took place in November in aid of Alzheimer Scotland and the Homeless World Cup. You can sponsor the blogathon for these two great causes until 17th January.

SPL: Goodwillie Hunting

Another week of SPL fixtures with the sun still not set on July. An abbreviated card today and an abbreviated run through from me as babysitting duties call.

St Johnstone v Rangers

After the drama of this week's bout of Goodwillie hunting and the unfortunate reverse against Malmo Rangers get back to league business.

An odd transfer saga that played out as an homage to Rod Petrie's approach to the transfer market. As the vendor Dundee United's Stephen Thompson was determined to hold out for the best deal. As the customer Rangers seemed equally determined to blag their way under the asking price.

Immovable object met resistable force and Blackburn were free to nip in with £2 million quid and the promise of all the processed chicken products the Tannadice board can eat.

Rangers have lost out on a quality player. That much is both obvious and not the end of the world. But Goodwillie's arrival would have been a welcome boost for Ally McCoist and soothed some of the concerns over just how competitive Rangers are being in this summer transfer market.

It wasn't to be though. So good news will need to come on the pitch today.

One reading of today's game is that Rangers - held at home by Hearts and beaten at home by Malmo - are there for the taking, leaving St Johnstone free to fill their boots.

That's one reading. Mine is that Rangers will again underwhelm in patches but get the job done today. Away win.

Inverness v Hibs

Such joys Hibs have on their travels to the Highlands. This trips normally represents a graveyard to any hopes of a Hibs win.

There's many a considered Hibs fan at the moment and the thought of a trip up north won't be smoothing out furrowed brows.

For their part Inverness didn't look ready for last week's resumption of duty and neither club will consider their opening fixtures to have been the start they wanted.

But Hibs don't win in the Highlands. Or do they? Probably not. Draw.

Kilmarnock v Motherwell

I'm increasingly of the opinion that the Kenny Shiels revolution at Rugby Park is going to work out just fine.

Stern test today though against a Motherwell side who - dammit why not be hyperbolic - are absolutely chewing up this league at the moment.

Could be a good game this one. Away win but not predicted with any confidence.

St Mirren v Aberdeen

Heartened but not wholly satisfied might sum up how these two felt after draws last week.

Goals. That's what they want. And they want them now.

That being the case it would be nice if both clubs went goal crazy today. I suspect they won't though. This one's another draw for me.

In the bleak, midweek winter

I've only been keeping one eye on the fitba' this week because the weather's been much more interesting.

Clearly this is not the case if you're a fan of St Johnstone or Dundee United. If, like me, you were supposed to embark on your first camping trip of the spring yesterday, the sudden onslaught of snow, rain, wind and general crappiness has proved mildly diverting.

Thus I find myself updating you from the room of a rather pleasant bed and breakfast establishment overlooking the Solway Firth and protecting me from the howling wind. Actually this has turned out to be something of blessing as the comfort of being indoors is providing more succour to the badly poisoned foot blister I have somehow developed than sheltering under canvas.

This has not yet been the Easter getaway of my dreams.

Anyway, football carries on regardless.

Congratulations are due, of course, to St Johnstone, the SPL's midweek kings, for their splendid 4-1 win over Rangers. Obviously this will change the outcome of the SPL not one jot. It might just get St Johnstone on the run that will get them to the top six though.

And it will give the St Johnstone supporters something to laugh about for, ooh, the next sixty or so years.

Tonight Dundee United completed the second part of the "Battle for Third" double. With Motherwell beaten on Saturday, United finished the job with a 4-2 win at Easter Road.

They look certainties for third now. And who is to say, if Neil Lennon does not have the answers at Celtic Park, that United won't yet end up in a battle for second place?

That scenario is surely as heartening to the neutral as hearing that final score from Perth on Tuesday night.