8. DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC
East End Park might not be the most obvious of settings for entertainment, but a trip to see a Dunfermline Athletic is quite likely to make you either smile or cringe, dependant upon what you consider to be humorous.
If the prospect of the club returning to the SPL for the first time in four years isn't enough to whet the appetite, the Pars possess one of the most controversial mascots in (world) football in Sammy The Tammy.
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| Sammy takes a tumble in a sledging 'accident'. (STV) |
The furry bear received more than his fair share of criticism last season after sledging down one of the stands in tribute to Amy Williams' gold medal-winning performance at the Winter Olympics, and also pointing a mock machine gun at Raith Rovers fans during an end-of-season title decider.
Even if Sammy does choose to behave himself (highly unlikely), then there is always the chance you may hear the infamous 'Come along to East End Park' song, which has to be one of the most embarrassing club anthems ever to be released.
7. THE RAMSDENS CUP
When many people think about Scottish Football and who wins silverware, they think of the old firm dominance. They are right too of course. After all, Rangers have probably won more trophies than any other club in the world, and Celtic have had more than their fair share of silverware too. But one trophy that neither club has managed to get their hands on is the Ramsdens Cup.
Similar to the Johnstone's Paint Trophy in England, the competition allows the SFL member clubs the chance to get their hands on some silverware. So, sometime in the spring when the final is usually played, if you see the likes of Annan Athletic, Cowdenbeath or Stenhousemuir are in a cup final, then do not adjust you're set-top box or think that whichever person updates teletext has been on the cooking sherry, because it will actually be true.
The final of the competition is played at St Johnstone's McDairmid Park and also screened live by the broadcaster BBC Alba, where the commentary is likely to be as entertaining as the football itself.
When many people think about Scottish Football and who wins silverware, they think of the old firm dominance. They are right too of course. After all, Rangers have probably won more trophies than any other club in the world, and Celtic have had more than their fair share of silverware too. But one trophy that neither club has managed to get their hands on is the Ramsdens Cup.
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| Elgin City's Borough Briggs - The Theatre of Dreams. |
Similar to the Johnstone's Paint Trophy in England, the competition allows the SFL member clubs the chance to get their hands on some silverware. So, sometime in the spring when the final is usually played, if you see the likes of Annan Athletic, Cowdenbeath or Stenhousemuir are in a cup final, then do not adjust you're set-top box or think that whichever person updates teletext has been on the cooking sherry, because it will actually be true.
The final of the competition is played at St Johnstone's McDairmid Park and also screened live by the broadcaster BBC Alba, where the commentary is likely to be as entertaining as the football itself.
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| The Ramsdens Cup offers the chance for Elgin City to win silverware. (SFA) |
6. THOSE BROWN SHOES...
As a player with Hearts, Steven Pressley earned a somewhat ferocious reputation as a tough and uncompromising centre half, which led to him being capped a number of times by Scotland.
However, as manager of First Division side Falkirk, Pressley's reputation has taken something of a battering due to a pair of hideous brown shoes, which has left many fans dumbstruck as to whether the Bairns boss is actually trying to be a fashion icon or a football manager. Who knows, maybe given his suave looks and the black overcoat that sometimes gets worn, the 37-year-old is actually trying to be the sixth member of Take That.
But regardless of what happens on the pitch, if Pressley chooses to wear those terrible shoes once again this season, opposition fans from across all four divisions will be quick to tell the former defender that it is probably time to open the dustbin lid and get rid of them once and for all.
As a player with Hearts, Steven Pressley earned a somewhat ferocious reputation as a tough and uncompromising centre half, which led to him being capped a number of times by Scotland.
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| Steven Pressley's shoes are much talked about in Scottish football. (Sky Sports) |
However, as manager of First Division side Falkirk, Pressley's reputation has taken something of a battering due to a pair of hideous brown shoes, which has left many fans dumbstruck as to whether the Bairns boss is actually trying to be a fashion icon or a football manager. Who knows, maybe given his suave looks and the black overcoat that sometimes gets worn, the 37-year-old is actually trying to be the sixth member of Take That.
But regardless of what happens on the pitch, if Pressley chooses to wear those terrible shoes once again this season, opposition fans from across all four divisions will be quick to tell the former defender that it is probably time to open the dustbin lid and get rid of them once and for all.
5. THE ARTIFICIAL PITCH
Forest Green Rovers have spread manure (not the horrible team from Manchester, unfortunately) across their pitch during the summer in an attempt to protect their pitch, but up here in Scotland, clubs use a far simpler approach that is less likely to cause a stink.
Plastic pitches can be found at Stenhousemuir, Airdrie United, Montrose and Alloa Athletic, amongst other places. Despite not being to everyone's liking, it has been proved in the past that they serve their purpose. On one particular weekend last season, Alloa Athletic's game against Peterhead was the only game that managed to escape falling victim to the wintry weather; and the result, a scrappy draw, but one what was witnessed by a bumper crowd desperate for a football fix.
Even the Scottish Premier League have acknowledged that plastic pitches can improve the chances of games being played over the winter months and talks are at an early stage over the whether they could make a more widespread return to grounds across the country.
Forest Green Rovers have spread manure (not the horrible team from Manchester, unfortunately) across their pitch during the summer in an attempt to protect their pitch, but up here in Scotland, clubs use a far simpler approach that is less likely to cause a stink.
Plastic pitches can be found at Stenhousemuir, Airdrie United, Montrose and Alloa Athletic, amongst other places. Despite not being to everyone's liking, it has been proved in the past that they serve their purpose. On one particular weekend last season, Alloa Athletic's game against Peterhead was the only game that managed to escape falling victim to the wintry weather; and the result, a scrappy draw, but one what was witnessed by a bumper crowd desperate for a football fix.
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| Recreation Park; a winter wonderland for some. (Alloa Athletic) |
Even the Scottish Premier League have acknowledged that plastic pitches can improve the chances of games being played over the winter months and talks are at an early stage over the whether they could make a more widespread return to grounds across the country.
4. STIRLING ALBION
First there was the suggestion that 'Stirling Albion' could become the 'Stirling Albion Meerkats' as part of a sponsorship deal. Then their was the subsequent fan takeover of the club by the Supporters Trust, which was ultimately followed by a dreadful First Division campaign last season, which ended in relegation.
Now, the latest initiative in a long line of money making attempts by the Stirlingshire club, was to charge players up to £200 for a trial during the summer. The reward for being successful in the reality competition for any of the 39 potential hopefuls that enrolled on the scheme was the chance of being offered a full-time professional contract with the second division club.
The trials, labelled 'So you think you're good enough?' began in June and concluded just a couple of weeks ago when goalkeeper Sam Filler and defender John Crawley won contracts with Jocky Scott's 'Meerkats'.
So if you pop down to the Forthbank Stadium this season and think you are better than some of the players on the pitch, the chance is you will probably get the chance to prove it at some point in the future.
First there was the suggestion that 'Stirling Albion' could become the 'Stirling Albion Meerkats' as part of a sponsorship deal. Then their was the subsequent fan takeover of the club by the Supporters Trust, which was ultimately followed by a dreadful First Division campaign last season, which ended in relegation.
Now, the latest initiative in a long line of money making attempts by the Stirlingshire club, was to charge players up to £200 for a trial during the summer. The reward for being successful in the reality competition for any of the 39 potential hopefuls that enrolled on the scheme was the chance of being offered a full-time professional contract with the second division club.
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| Stirling Albion do cheap deals on football trials. |
The trials, labelled 'So you think you're good enough?' began in June and concluded just a couple of weeks ago when goalkeeper Sam Filler and defender John Crawley won contracts with Jocky Scott's 'Meerkats'.
So if you pop down to the Forthbank Stadium this season and think you are better than some of the players on the pitch, the chance is you will probably get the chance to prove it at some point in the future.
3. SCOTLAND'S GOT TALENT
Forget what you see south of the border, in Scotland you are actually quite likely to see a number of good players in action.
Players such as Ross McCormack, Steven Fletcher, Charlie Adam, Kevin McNaughton and Graham Dorrans have all played in the SPL in recent years and this summer a number of stars who performed well last season have moved south of the border, including mercurial former Dundee United play-maker Prince Buaben and super-talented David Goodwillie.
However, with players like Paul Heffernan, Gary Teale, Sean O'Hanlon and Ivan Sproule moving to SPL clubs during the summer, the league will remain as competitive as ever in 2011/12.
Forget what you see south of the border, in Scotland you are actually quite likely to see a number of good players in action.
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| David Goodwillie was a star for the Tangerines last season. (Guardian) |
Players such as Ross McCormack, Steven Fletcher, Charlie Adam, Kevin McNaughton and Graham Dorrans have all played in the SPL in recent years and this summer a number of stars who performed well last season have moved south of the border, including mercurial former Dundee United play-maker Prince Buaben and super-talented David Goodwillie.
2. THE FIRST DIVISION PROMOTION RACE
With the SPL being such a lucrative attraction for First Division chairmen across the country, this season's battle for the solitary promotion to join Scotland's elite could be one of the most closely fought contests in years?
Licking their wounds from last seasons near miss are Raith Rovers, who are looking to end a 16 year absence from the top flight. The Kirkcaldy based outfit finished as runners-up last season and are expected to be strong once again this season.
Fans of Steven Pressley's Falkirk, along with the side relegated from the SPL last season in the shape of Hamilton Academical, will also expect their teams to perform well and be in the promotion hunt.
Dundee, who themselves believe they were treated unjustly after being handed a 25-point penalty upon coming out of administration last season, will also be quick to stake their claim as promotion candidates, as will Livingston, who arrive in the First Division in great expectation after successive promotions.
Throw in the likes of Queen of the South or Partick Thistle as potential dark horses too, and that is seven teams in with a realistic chance of promotion this season from a division of just ten teams. That's definitely plenty of excitement for the neutrals.
With the SPL being such a lucrative attraction for First Division chairmen across the country, this season's battle for the solitary promotion to join Scotland's elite could be one of the most closely fought contests in years?
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| Raith will be hoping to win the promotion battle this season? (DAFC) |
Licking their wounds from last seasons near miss are Raith Rovers, who are looking to end a 16 year absence from the top flight. The Kirkcaldy based outfit finished as runners-up last season and are expected to be strong once again this season.
Fans of Steven Pressley's Falkirk, along with the side relegated from the SPL last season in the shape of Hamilton Academical, will also expect their teams to perform well and be in the promotion hunt.
Dundee, who themselves believe they were treated unjustly after being handed a 25-point penalty upon coming out of administration last season, will also be quick to stake their claim as promotion candidates, as will Livingston, who arrive in the First Division in great expectation after successive promotions.
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| Can the Livi Lions make it three promotions in a row? (Daily Record) |
Throw in the likes of Queen of the South or Partick Thistle as potential dark horses too, and that is seven teams in with a realistic chance of promotion this season from a division of just ten teams. That's definitely plenty of excitement for the neutrals.
1. VLADIMIR ROMANOV
If you haven't already been persuaded to watch Scottish football, then Heart of Midlothian's slightly off-the-wall chairman is certainly to keep you interested in Scottish football at least.
The Russian-born Lithuanian has slightly unorthodox methods to say the least. No fewer than eight managers have already fallen victim to the sack under the Romanov regime and even 'Brown Shoes' a few miles down the M9 at Falkirk has few good words to say about the Hearts owner, having fallen out with him six years ago during the infamous episode which saw George Burley sacked.
According to Romanov, the media are "monkeys with pre-planned squeals" and the Scottish Football Association are "The Mafia". In recent weeks, Romanov has also claimed that dark forces and outside influences have a negative effect on the club.
Perhaps one of those dark forces could be the Loch Ness monster, as the 63-year-old businessman has admitted to swimming in Scotland's most haunted waters before, in one of his many rambling rant's on the Hearts club website.
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The Russian-born Lithuanian has slightly unorthodox methods to say the least. No fewer than eight managers have already fallen victim to the sack under the Romanov regime and even 'Brown Shoes' a few miles down the M9 at Falkirk has few good words to say about the Hearts owner, having fallen out with him six years ago during the infamous episode which saw George Burley sacked.
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| Vladimir Romanov's words always cause a stir. (Daily Mirror) |
According to Romanov, the media are "monkeys with pre-planned squeals" and the Scottish Football Association are "The Mafia". In recent weeks, Romanov has also claimed that dark forces and outside influences have a negative effect on the club.
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