2000 - Buddie Bonanza or Bloody Nightmare ?

The coming season represents one of the most important in the clubs history.  The door to the premiership lies ajar with
the possibility of three clubs from the first division making it up to the top flight and it is vital that Saints are one of them.

Add to the equation the fact that over half of the teams starting the campaign can't be promoted regardless of their finishing
position and it becomes clear that our chances will seldom be better.

Stir into the mix the fact that the club is on a firmer financial footing than it has been for the last five years, that we finally have
an ambitious board with a go-ahead chairman in control of the club and that we have a very promising young manager at the 
helm of a team bristling with young talent and you'd be forgiven for looking forward to Sky TV, day trips to Aberdeen and the
eight helpings a season of religious nonsense against the Old Firm.

We thought we'd take a look at our rivals for the crown and predict the finishing places of all ten teams next season. We'll
live or die by this at the end of the season - especially when we don't know what signings lie ahead over the next two
months - but what the hell - here we go........ 

The sizzling saints super duper sweep thingy.....

We've now put together a groovy scores page - so you can keep tabs on your progress throughout the season - check it out !

We asked you to mail in your predictions and thoughts for the coming season and the response has been sensational !

As a result we've decided to turn this into a wee footy sweep. All you have to do to enter is mail us in with your top ten placing predictions for
the first division in season 1999/2000. We will publish EVERY one we receive before the start of the season on this page - and at the end of the
season we'll review them based on a clever points system to see who IS the sizzling saints superstar soccer brain of the millennium.

Feel free to add your thoughts and explanations, hopes and dreams, along with your entry if you can be arsed. It all seems to make for a more
interesting page.........

Points scoring will work like this - you choose the ten places where you think the teams will finish. At the end of the season we'll take the final
placings and compare them to yours. You will score "points" for the difference between where a team finished and where you predicted they
would finish. 

For example if you predict Morton to come third, and they actually come last you will score seven points - the difference between
third and tenth. The same will be true if you predict a team will finish lower than they actually do - you will again score the difference in placings
as points. if a team finishes where you predict - you score zero points for that team.

Thus the "maximum" points you can score for one team is 9 - if you predict they come last and they win it, or if you predict they will win it but they
hit trapdoor rank rotten last !

The winner is the person closest to zero when all points are totted up !

In the vent of a tie we will look at who was closest to predicting the sizzling saints final position !

There will be a mystery prize for the winner. Fans of any team are eligble to enter. You may enter by mailing us at predictions@stmirren.net !

Good luck and keep the faith !

The scores page ! Check your points total each week !

We've now put together a groovy scores page - so you can keep tabs on your progress throughout the season - check it out !



The list of entries received so far and listed below are as follows:

div ,  ken mccombe , stuart dickson (aka law stud) , wabit , renfew buddie (Jim Reid) , Bannockburn Bud, Jersey Saint , Davy provan , Ronnie Wright ,
tony the black & white tiger , sunny foxbar saint , fraz mitchell , dongaton , tagz , the arran bud , tom williamson , alan the bridge of weir saint, 
samuel gordon , keith the cambridge saint , ally , st hector , gordon parker , andy mcintosh , gerry creaney , paisley panda , bill lees , dave holmes ,
kenny morrison , kenny w , charlie k , dave scott , harpo , millport saint , brian dunbar, jimbo , john jamieson , richard williams , roddy morrison ,
geoff hamilton , the realist , dubby aka heid , colin wood , fraz the par , roving ross

 
Div, the man with his fingers on the keys......

Airdrie

This is a side in decline - big time. The bubble has well and truly burst for Airdrie and the new management team experienced a dismal run of form
since the chock departure of Alex MacDonald. With a spanking new stadium behind them the diamonds should have been banging on the door of
the SPL - but instead they'll have to settle for a back seat next season as an ageing team, a poor youth infrastructure and a dreadful home record
costs them dearly.

On the plus side - they have a superb stadium and an excellent pitch - the only problem is that this seems to inspire the visiting team more than it
does the home side ! Sizzling saints predicts a blunt time for the diamonds.

Sizzling Prediction        7th


Ayr United

Ayr surprised many last season with their strong challenge for promotion. Manager Gordon Dalziel revelled in the luxury
of spending a few bob on players as and when he needed - bankrolled by Barr Construction who were busy coining
in the dosh by building everyone elses stadiums !

Glynn Hurst was an inspired signing and it remains to be seen if he remains with United into the coming season. The addition
already of Dave Rodgers from Dundee indicates that the cheque book is out again and we think Ayr could mount a serious
challenge again next season.

Sizzling Prediction        2nd 

Caley Thistle 

Caley have done extremely well within a short space of time to climb this far up the Scottish football ladder in the face of a fairly hostile
merger and investing heavily in a new stadium. The club seems to be ambitious and carry a big vocal home support who will make 
Inverness a tricky proposition for visiting clubs. Again a club with some cash to spend, albeit limited, Caley will be looking to consolidate
their position in the coming season before mounting a serious challenge in the next couple of years.

I think the Highland spirit will carry them to a good start - Saints will find it very difficult to win there in the coca-cola cup if the boys from
the North beat Stenhousmuir - but we fear the same fate befalling Caley as hit Stranraer next season.

Sizzling Prediction        10th

Clydebank 

Clydebank fans know it, the rest of the division knew it and the media knew it. Clydebank were certainties for the drop last 
season - but they survived somehow - in the face of incredible adversity  - and it was mostly down to manager Ian McCall
and a never say die team spirit.

I'm not sure they can achieve it again - moving to Gala will probably, uniquely, increase their support - but I think the club will
lose it's identity and possibly it's spirit - and almost certainly sooner or later their manager. I know saints fans have terrible
memories of games against the bankies - but you do have to feel sorry for the few who loyally stand by the club.

With no players on the way in and David Nicholls already out it is hard to see the Bankies improving on last seasons efforts.

Sizzling Prediction        9th

Dunfermline 

Doubtless to be most peoples favourites - but the workmanlike nature of the current squad , coupled with a suspect management
team and a fickle support that are unlikely to travel in great numbers sheds doubt on their ability to win what will be a fraught
and untidy contest where a solid home record must be matched by the ability to take points on the road.

This side was repeatedly turned over in a very average looking premier league last season and could find it difficult to bounce back
up automatically at the first time of asking.

On the plus side the playing squad is large and experienced and the new board are promising cash to back a quick return. The stadium
has finally been revamped and is by all accounts fairly tidy. Premier experience never does any harm in the lower reaches, and with
cash to spend it's a good bet that this lot will finish top.

Sizzling Prediction        1st - champions

Falkirk

Falkirk have yet again pulled the rabbit out of the hat by strengthening their squad yet further whilst Brokeville crumbles around them. The local
council seem determined to put the brakes on their ambitions - but it seems that liquidation and bankruptcy haven't quelled the boards desire to
sign new players. Kevin McCallister can't carry this team forever and Marino Keith looks set to quit. This coupled with a dodgy goalkeeper and a
lacklustre defence which will miss the aerial power of Kevin James suggests a dour season ahead for the bairns.

On the plus side Alex Totten is a talented manager who always seems to bring out the best in average looking sides and we won't see Falkirk
fighting off relegation. We can't really see them challenging for honours though so it's a mid table slot for the bairns.

Sizzling Prediction        6th

Livingston

Livvy have the capacity and potential to be next seasons shock troops. There is money to spend at Almondvale and this could amount to
a serious brandishing of the cheque book as the summer rolls on. Already packed with players who have experienced this level, and higher
before, Livvy will test many teams in the division both home and away.

On the minus side manager Ray Stewart still has the jury out, and it will be difficult to see back to back promotion - but we predict a high finish
for Livingston.

Sizzling Prediction        4th

Morton

Our most hated rivals had a fair run in the tail end of last season and might be optimistic about their chances for the coming season. Kevin Twaddle
has gone, but Andy Millen comes in and Kevin Thomas and Ally Maxwell have extended their contracts. Manager Billy Stark may be unsettled by
the nonsense going on in the background - but with the reserve league championship won last season the scum will be hoping to blood some of
their youngsters in the first team next season.

Although Morton look like a side that could score a few goals next season they also look short of creativity in midfield and this could cost them dearly.

A defence boasting Paul Fenwick and the experienced Millen and Maxwell may prove to be a staunch rearguard but the club will rely heavily on
unearthing some gems from the youth team. Slightly better than last season - but not enough.

Sizzling Prediction        5th

Raith Rovers

Another club in deep crisis - and the departure of Jimmy Nicholl won't exactly help the cause next season as they have jumped firmly into the fire with
the appointment of Peter Heatherston and John McVeigh. Another tidy stadium destined for another season in the lower reaches of the table, with no
cash to bring in new players it's hard to see how this, quite frankly awful team, can improve on last seasons finish.

Marvin Andrews and Craig Dargo stand out in a very ordinary looking team which is very much looking for consolidation before making any real progress.

Sizzling Prediction        8th

St Mirren

It's easy to be accused of bias - and it's probably valid - but looking ahead it's difficult not to be optimistic about the prospects for next season.

Saints will of course  find it very difficult to replace the departed Burton O'Brien and David McNamee, but the fans have faith in the new 
management team and indeed, for the first time in many years, in the board and chairman - who seem to have already, courtesy of Jack 
Walker, secured the clubs mid to long term future.

The feel good factor is returning to Love Street - and with a good run of results we all know that the fans will come back. it's not unreasonable
to expect a home gate of six or seven thousand if the club is performing well - and the away support remains consistently large for the division.

The black and white army will be looking to youngsters like Colin Drew, Chris Kerr, Ludovic Roy, Stephen McGarry and even the likes of Ryan
Robinson to push the club back towards the SPL. The new manager brings with him the knowledge of the lower leagues that we will need to
pluck good quality players out for little or no cost. He also brings discipline to the club which has been missing for the last few seasons and
has cost us dear. We'll rely too on the chairman to provide some funds for Hendrie to spend - the midfield area giving cause for  particular concern.

With a home record of only two defeats since taking over in December '98, the manager has certainly made Love Street a more testing proposition
for visiting teams - if we can improve our away form we won't be far away at the top !!

We won't win it - but we'll push hard and we believe that a top three finish isn't beyond us by any means.

Sizzling Prediction       3rd
  


So there you have it - we've been as unbiased as we could be - it's Dunfermline as champions with Ayr and Saints for the play-offs with the bankies
and Caley heading down to the third. Of course if Ayr haven't pulled a stadium out the bag then it will be fourth placed Livvy heading for the playoff
and if they haven't upgraded it will be 5th placed Morton - nope - so it will then be sixth placed Falkirk - no chance - so it will then be Airdrie - seventh
place - and in the playoffs ?

Surely not ?

sizzling saints superstar soccer brain of the millennium

Under McCombe's Microscope


Here's what Ken McCombe predicts for the coming season :

1)   Dunfermline
2)   Ayr                  (6)
3)   Livingston      (4)
4)   Falkirk             (5)
5)   St Mirren        (3)
6)   Morton            (1)
7)   Inverness       (1)
8)   Airdrie             (2)
9)   Raith Rovers   (8)
10)  ClydeBank     (18)

Figures in the brackets are estimated points behind the team above.

The Law according to Stuart Dickson

The infamous "Law Stud" has posted his own feelings on the coming season - read all about it ! 

Like the man says - we've published in full !

Renfrew Buddie JR is ewing well......(sorry)


Jim Reid is a well known voice of reason on the black and white world wide web - here's what he had to say :

1. Dunfermline. Much as I hate to say it, the Fifers will win the league.
Not because they are the best, but as has been proved over the last 3 seasons
you CAN buy the first division title.

2. St Mirren. The boys are a year older and are showing some maturity now.
In Tom Hendrie we have the best manager in the division by a mile. And two
excellent signings with more to follow.

3. Ayr United. Loads of signings again, but watch this collection of mercenaries
fall away when they realise there is no pot of gold at the end of the
rainbow.

4. Falkirk. This collection of has-beens and never was's will once again
rise above themselves, but their over-dependence on the ageing Kevin
McAllister will let them down.

5. Morton. A top-half finish is the best they can hope for. The off-field
fiasco over where they will play must be getting through to the players.
They will struggle again.

6. Livingston. Totally over-hyped. They will struggle in the first division.
Watch out for loads of stupid poems from balloon-in-chief, Jim Leishman, on
Friday Sportscene. They will be happy just to consolidate.

7. Airdrie. Their problems will come home to roost big-time. They have the
worst manager in the division, a poor fan-base who find it difficult to
leave their home-town and a stadium that inspires their opponents more
than them.

8. Inverness Caley Thistle. They will be happy just to survive. They will
take a few shock points along the way, but like Livingston will struggle
in the higher division.

9. Raith Rovers. A team in turmoil. They have a decent stadium, but a couple
of seasons in the Premier League has given them ideas above their station.
They have sacked the man who led them to relative success and replaced him
with a non-entity.

10. Clydebank. They were lucky to survive last season. This season they
have no team, no ground and no fans. The "pub team" spirit won't get them
anywhere this season.

I reckon St Mirren and Dunfermline will go up without a play-off. The SPL
have said they won't look further down the league for a suitable 3rd team
with the result that whoever finishes bottom of the SPL probably won't be
relegated.

Wabits wittering - the smokie and wine man fae Arbroath

1. Dunfermline
2. Livingston
3. Raith Rovers
4. Ayr       
5. Falkirk   
6. St Mirren 
7. Inverness 
8. Morton    
9. Airdrie   
10. Clydebank


Banockburn Buddie - freeeeedddooommm !!


Bannockburn buddie on the case.................

OK - it may sound optimistic but I'm in William Hills tomorrow :-

1) St. Mirren
2) Falkirk
3) Ayr
4) Livingston
5) Dunfermline
6) Airdrie
7) Raith Rovers
8) Inverness
9) Morton
10) Clydebank


Provan Predicts..................

By Davy P....... Founder Member of The N Yorks Boom Boom Supporters Club

(1)   Dunfermline........The parachute payment from the SPL will be enough to
help keep their high earners at the club. With a half decent support and a
reasonable stadium, Dunfermline at home will be a tough nut to crack.

(2)   Falkirk......Some thing about the sponny gypsies makes me think they
will be up there again, although they will fall flat on their face when they
try to re-morgage that skip they call Brockville.

(3)    Ayr United.... Their manager used a pool of almost 50 players last
year.....and now with some consistency in the team Ayr could be the
proverbial thorn in the 1st Divisions side. Need a new stadium or they can
kiss all the hard work good bye.

(4)    St.Mirren... A good start by the Buddies is whats needed to get the
Paisley faithful back behind them. But as in the last few seasons we will
shoot our selves in the foot around March/April with some silly defensive
errors and crap results. With SG & CETCO online we could well make the SPL
deadline for stadium criteria. ( Please TH prove me wrong)

(5)   Morton...As much as I hate to say it...Billy Stark is putting a half
decent team together, although all the problems off the park will affect the
team and they will drop out of the promotion race by March.

(6)     Livingston....The setup at Almondvale is impressive and with plans
for another stand to take them beyond the 10,000 mark this club is going
places financially. Even with demon striker John Jambo Robertson on their
books I don't think they will last the season in the top half of the
league......will probably drop away by New Year.

(7)    Airdrie....Nice stadium and little else. Old timers might have enough
legs & experience to keep them up. Will pay the price for investing in a new
stadium rather than players.

(8)   Inverness Caley Thistle....Will make a good start but will fade away
when the weather affects their fixture schedule due to their remote location
near the North Pole. Their Shearer will be the man to watch to see if he is
worth the £15 price tag.

(9)   Raith Rovers....Sad time for the Fife club with a lot of in fighting at
Starks Park. The exodus of players will continue. They will pull off acouple
of flukey results but not enough to survive.

(10)  Clydebank.....A few injuries early on and the Bankies will ba asking
for the re-instatement of the Tennants Sixes. With no home and no players the
season looks very bleak for the folk from Galashiels/Greenock or where ever a
council has a pitch free on a Saturday.

Davy Provan


Bergerac on the case - it's Jersey Saint......


here's my humble prediction's div for all there worth,

1. Dunfermline, i think we will run them close this season, but they will just be too strong for the rest of the league at the end of the day..

2. st mirren, yes i think we will finish this high, despite losing the 2 young lads to blackburn, the manager appears to have made a couple of good signing's, there is no doubt that we have the ability, if we can get a good start the fans will start coming back, and combine that with a good managment team i cant see us fail, the most vital thing for us next season is our away form, we have got to start winning at places like falkirk, raith, ayr etc, this is something we have not been able to do consistently in the past few years.

3. Ayr utd, A big danger to us this season, the first game against them will be vital, they have some good professionals in their rank's, but i'm confident we can overcome them.

4. Falkirk. many peoples tip for the league this season but not mine, their ground is even worse than crappilow, no way into the SPL for them unless the goalposts are changed again [to allow them to groundshare], but i cant see that.

5. Morton.Our pals from the arse of the bank are too inconsistent, saw them destroy us last season then the following week lose heavily to ayr at home, same situation as falkirk, and with a chairman like their's i wouldn't be going into the season with much optimism if i was one of them, but 5th will be a good league position for them.

6. Airdrie. got the nice stadium to get them into the top flight, but no chance of going up automatically, will have to rely on their stadium getting them there.

7. livingston. loads of media hype about them, even read about them in the local rag over here, but i think they are about to find out that this aint the second division and there are a lot of good players and club's in this division with a bit of history behind them, they will soon come back down to earth with a bump.

8. Raith. it wasn't that long ago raith were giving bayern munich a run for their money in europe and winning the league cup, but those days have dissapeared rapidly and will struggle to stay in the division.

9. Inverness. having lived and worked in the town before moving here to the sunny isle, i hope they have a good season, but i think they will struggle, avoiding relegation will be a great achievement for them, for any saints fans who haven't been there before i recomend it, some great pub's and friendly folk, i will certainly be coming back for those games.

10. clydebank. i can see no hope for the bankies this season, saint's must be looking to take 12 point's from them if we are to achieve our ambitions this season, bankies are a relegation certainty.


[jersey saint].


Ronnie.........Wright Wright Wright........

Ronnie Wright - new to the site - he's allright...........(sorry !)........

Tony the black and white tiger............grrrrrrreeeeeeaaaattttttt

Has Tony been out in the sun too long - what's this Morton above saints !  only time will tell.........thankfully I'm now not the only one who doesn't have
the Bankies finishing rock bottom. God alone knows why........

One of the Mitchell brothers........Fraz on the case


Fraz Mitchell on the case here :

The first Morton fan to enter - the infamous "Dongaton" !

GET IT RIGHT UP YE! Greenock Morton to finish top. Finished strongly last
season with a rapidly improving team getting to know each other better every
game. Twaddle is a big loss, but Stark appears to have made a couple of
decent signings.

THE REST: Who cares...............I would actually have St.Mirren higher. I
like the signings that Tom Hendrie has made, but hey, I can't be arsed
changing it. Here goes:


1.    Greenock Morton
2.    Dunfermline Athletic
3.    Ayr United
4.    Livingston
5.    St.Mirren
6.    Falkirk
7.    Airdrieonians
8.    Raith Rovers
9.    Inverness Caledonian Thistle
10.  Clydebank

I've actually swapped Falkirk and St.Mirren on a whim, so forget all that
cack about having you lot higher........fifth is the highest you'll smell
all season!
Good luck though Buddies!

DongaTon.


Tagz tells it like it is - John Taggart reporting........

Excellent website, here's my prediction:

1.      St Mirren
2.      Falkirk
3.      Ayr
4.      Livingston
5.      Dunfermline
6.      Inverness
7.      Airdrie
8.      Morton
9.      Raith
10.    Clydebank

Arran bud in the know.......

1.     Dunfermline- More money, more experience.
2.     Falkirk- Always there or thereabouts, have strengthened with a couple of
        good signings.
3.     St Mirren- Improving, but some concern about squad depth in midfield and
        up front.
4.     Ayr Utd.- Feel they may have peaked last season.
5.     Livingston- Loads of money, but need to consolidate at this level.
6.     Morton- Improving, would expect younger players to break through.
7.     Airdrie- Seem to have slipped back a bit in recent seasons.
8.     Inverness CT- May struggle at this level, will do better at home.
9.     Raith Rovers- Were lucky to escape last season, still seem to have
        problems.
10.   Clydebank- Feel sorry for the supporters, but will struggle to survive.

Not an easy league to predict, there will be a few shocks along the way
and it's sure to be really close. It would be much better if the SPL opted
for a 16 club league.

Tom Williamson pops over from Saints Online........

Here are my predictions for the forthcoming season for entry to your
supersweep compy.

1.    Falkirk
2.    St Mirren
3.    Dunfermline
4.    Livingston
5.    Ayr
6.    Morton
7.    Raith
8.    Airdrie
9.    Inverness
10.  Clydebank

Alan from the bridge of weir

First Division League table as at 5pm on 6/5/2000.

1. Dunfermline Pathetic - solely due to their large squad (both in number and height). Hopefully they'll struggle though. Isn't Dick Campbell an a***hole?
2. Falkirk - Kevin McAllister to carry them again. Helped by the fact everyone hates going to Brockville. I despise Totten.
3. St Mirren - Squad looks a little thin if injuries/suspensions strike. If we sign a midfielder and a goalscorer and field the same team consistently then who's better than us? Apparently not Rangers or Kilmarnock anyway.
4. Ayr Utd - Goalkeeper/Defence look weak point.
5. Livingston - Hopefully they'll get relegated to shove it right up Leishman and their Board who are just Parkhead wannabees.
6. Morton - Lack of quality in midfield. Sold their best player, Twaddle thus giving no supply to their forwards. Shame, really.
7. Airdrie - Jim Dick and Stuart Taylor in central midfield? Will surely both be suspended for huge chunks of the season.
8. Clydebank - Shock finish for Bankies. They'll probably stay up after taking about 10 points off the Budds.
9. Raith Rovers - Signed a collection of misfits and rejects. Going nowhere, except down hopefully.
10. Inverness C.T. - Doubt if they have the quality to sustain the whole season. Will be difficult to beat up there, however, should be 6 points for most teams at home.

I look forward to seeing how that selection does over the season. If there's any justice the teams in 1st and 3rd will be reversed.

Keep up the good work on the website.

Sammy Gordon - he's mad for it

1    St Mirren
2    Ayr United
3    Dunfermline
4    Greeenock M
5    Falkirk
6    Livingston
7    Inverness
8    Raith Rovers
9    Clydebank
10  Airdrie


Keith from Cambridge gives the boat race a miss and has a pop at footy predicting

1.     Dunfermline
2.     Livingston
3.     St.Mirren
4.     Falkirk
5.     Ayr Utd
6.     Morton
7.     Raith Rovers
8.     Inverness C
9.     Airdrie
10.   Clydebank


Super ally, super ally.........all the way, all the way, all the way

1.     Dunfermline
2.     St Mirren
3.     Falkirk
4.     Ayr United
5.     Airdrie
6.     Livingston
7.     Morton
8.     Inverness Caley Thistle
9.     Raith Rovers
10.   Clydebank


St Hector the predictor.......

Hi Div...... St. Hector here....( Remember me ??????)....anyway,.....
It seems this is the only way I can get on the site as the guest book is
refusing to accept any of my witty anicdotes!

Here's my predictions for the forthcoming feast of footie;

1)     Dunfermline ....Because they're capable of doing a "Hibs"
2)     Falkirk ....Because they're jammy
3)     St.Mirren ....Because we're good enough
4)     Ayr Utd. ....Because they're a good outfit and find winning a habit
5)     Livingston ....Because they're not respected enough by other clubs
6)     Airdrie ....Because they're not good enough in a tougher league
7)     Morton ....Because they're ground will be carved up by 2 clubs
8)     Inverness Caley ..Because they're better than the other two
9)     Raith Rovers ....Because they're worse than ever and wiil soon be closed
10)   Clydebank ....Because they're ....er....shite

Gordon Parker...........hey - wasn't that spiderman's real name ?

1     Dunfermline (Squad will be far stronger than everyone else but they'll need to get a good start)
2     Ayr United (Spent well this year pick up some frees aswell Goalkeeper could cost them though)
3     Greenock Morton ( Picked up 3 good players may struggle in the middle of park )
4     St Mirren (Picked up Ian Ross from Motherwell who will do well for them not good a goalscorer though)
5     Livingston (Picked up a number of good players but will take time to adjust to higher standard of football)
6     Falkirk ( Squad too old will probably go burst with the wages their paying)
7     Airdrie ( Gary McKay hasn't got a clue what he's doing)
8     Inverness Caley ( Will be dangerous at home but but squad is too small)
9     Clydebank (Too many problems on and off field )
10   Raith Rovers ( Last season they struggled they'll be worse now McVeigh is in charge)


Andy mcintosh.........is this the infamous "toshy" come online ?!!!

1.    Dunfermline
2.    Falkirk
3.    St.Mirren
4.    Ayr Utd.
5.    Livingston
6.    Morton
7.    Airdrie
8.    Raith
9.    Inverness Caley
10.  Clydebank

submitted by baldy Buddy

PS Crackin' site Div. Keep up the good work

Gerry Creaney - he ate all the pies, and now he's trying to win the sweep !

Hello Paisley this is the results of the Jock-strap jury..

Dunfermline
St. Mirren
Airdrie
Morton
Ayr United
Inverness Caley Thistle
Livingston
Falkirk
Raith Rovers
Clydebank


Dave Holmes - I think he played for Raith last season ?!!

1.     Dunfermline
2.     Falkirk
3.     Ayr
4.     Paisley Brazilians
5.     Morton
6.     Livingston
7.     Airdrie
8.     Raith Rovers
9.     Inverness CT
10.   Clydebank


Kenny Morrison - heart rules head in Morton relegation shocker !!

1.)     Dunfermline Ath. Even if they are supposed to be a tad in debt.
2.)     St.Mirren. Scotsport has returned to it's old theme tune, so it must be our season. Yardley is looking slimmer and better this season and hopefully it will be Junior's year.
3.)     Ayr Utd. Although the players may give up slightly if the ground issue isn't solved.
4.)     Livingston. Ray Stewart may be caught out tactics wise, but his players will make up for it. Still don't see them higher than 4th.
5.)     Airdrie. Nothing much to say about Airdrie really.
6.)     Falkirk. Even with McAllister as a coach I don't see much happening.
7.)     Raith Rovers. They may finish lower, depends on their early season form etc.
8.)     Inverness. Not really expecting too much of them, teams have walked promotion and fallen flat before.
9.)     Morton. Just to see the bloody look on Fiona Turner's ugly puss. Their pre-season results haven't been impressive either. I expect they may even suffer from having             Clydebank share with them.
10.)   Clydebank. You'd have to be insane to predict anything else. Relegation followed by oblivion, the Third Lanark of the new millennium.


Super Paisley Panda knows the score........!

1.     Falkirk
2.     Dunfermline
3.     St. Mirren
4.     Ayr Utd.
5.     Morton
6.     Livingston
7.     Airdrie
8.     Clydebank
9.     Raith Rovers
10.   Inverness CT

from Paisley Panda
SMELL THE PAW !


Bill Lees - he's a brummie buddie.............

The mists are clearing.......... Yes, a vision is beginning to take shape...... I see eleven blokes in black & white striped shirts........ but, bugger it, it's ......

1st : Dunfermline - Yep, I'm not going to depart from the accepted wisdom here. A reasonable side, with the resources to mount an effective campaign for promotion and an obvious appetite to get back up there. They'll definitely be near the top if not champions, but won't do it by a Hibs-like margin. I actually think the title could be a very close-run thing this year - we may even be up for it.

2nd : St Mirren Natural optimism, I know, but pre-season we've been impressive. We'll have to strengthen the squad in midfield and possibly with another striker, but Tom Hendrie will not miss out on the opportunity to mastermind a serious tilt at the title, doing it his way in his first full season as the Saints mastermind - the motivation, at least, will be there, and a good start to the season will give us the momentum to really go for it - crowds approaching 10,000 could return to Love Street if we get it right.

3rd : Ayr United One of our bogey teams last season, and a strong side. I reckon they'll definitely be contenders.

4th: Falkirk Bastards........

5th : Livingston Robin Cook supports them - so I don't think a club followed by a ginger pixie will do much. I think they will give a good account of themselves, but I also think their prospects have been over-hyped. The "Phantom Menace" of the division.

6th : Morton The groundshare with Clydebank could prove to be a serious handicap to the hopeless and soapless, both in terms of damage to the playing surface and fixture congestion. Billy Stark has shown signs of being able to put together a reasonable footballing side, but he's undermined by the lying wee con-man of a chairman that Morton are saddled with. They may just make a top half finish, but I doubt it.

7th : Inverness C.T. I really hope they do well (except against us), as it's nice to see a highland side in the division. Reckon they'll avoid the drop, and put the frighteners on more than a couple of sides.

8th : Clydebank I have this feeling that the Bankies, backs to the wall, will confound the odds and probably just pull themselves clear.

9th : Airdrie The Nazis are going down - and nobody deserves it more.

10th : Raith Rovers Very lucky to survive last year - they won't this year.


Another Kenny - Ken it's Kenny W !

1st     Livingston
2nd    St Mirren
3rd     Falkirk
4th     Dunfermline
5th     Airdrie
6th     Inverness C T
7th     Ayr Utd
8th     Greenock Morton (jammy bastards)
9th     Raith Rovers
10th   Clydebank

ok perhaps a bit dodgy at parts but my belief is that these are nearish what
they will be

Charlie K - the lad scores goals -  now he predicts............!

1. Dunfermline: It pains me to say it, but the chances are that Dunfermline will win the League. They are not a particularly classy side, but they are big and industrious. They won't run away with the league the same way as Hibs did last season but they have a strong enough squad. Will be interesting to see however when Dick Campbell is replaced by Jimmy Nicholl.

2. St Mirren. For the first time in 15 years saints have a good manager. It is unfortunate however that we don't have a great deal of money. Tom Hendrie is a particularly diligent and hard working individual who plays to his teams strengths and has made Love Street a particularly hard place to come and win points. The lack of depth in the squad should be rectified as the season progresses since he appears to be actively looking to strengthen the squad. This should be facilitated by the early promise of O'Brien and MacNamee at Blackburn, which should see some cash rolling into Love Street sooner rather than Later.

3. Ayr United. Ayr have probably the best pool of players in the division, and one of the most exciting players in Glynn Hurst. They have enough professionals to be challenging. It will be interesting to see what happens when the planning permission is refused for the new stadium and whether the mercenaries move on or not and the league form falters.

4. Falkirk. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride - not this year. The financial problems tht plagues their recent past do not appear to have inhibited their signing policy. However the loss of Marino Keith and the question marks hanging over Kevin McAllisters ability to carry the side should see their promotion challenge falter this year.

5. Morton. Finished last season strongly, and have also added to their squad. They will be plagued however by the fact that they are ground-sharing with Clydebank. A fixture pile up over the new year should effectively finish their challenge. Should be interesting to see what happens when the Reg Brealey effect kicks in.

6. Livingston. If they had a better manager they would probably finish higher. The fact that they are bankrolled by Celtic wannabes should ensure that they aren't in any real trouble. They will probably struggle to come to terms with the higher level of football, but Ray Stewart won't finish the season in charge.

7. Airdrie. It pains me to think that Airdrie will finish the season and still be in the first division. The decision to bag McDonald in favour of someone with no track record, along with freeing their better players smacks of a club with no money. They also have an old squad and players who looked poor in a bad Saints side. Chances are that MacKay will also be sacked midway through the season.

8. Inverness. The major problem Inverness will face will be the ability to attract better players to the club due to the geographic location. The chances are that they will pick up enough points at home to remain in the first division, but wo't pick up many on the road.

9. Raith Rovers. Were possibly the poorest team in the first division last year and again have freed their better players. In the appointment of John McVeigh they have a serial failure who will do to Raith what he managed at Thistle.

10. Clydebank. No money, no players no fans - no Chance. As if Ground-sharing at Cappielow wasn't enough but they will also be relegated too. Iain McCall won't be around to see this however, leaving for pastures new in the not too distant future.


Dave Scott - hopefully not son of Hugh.......

1: falkirk
2: st. mirren ( OPTIMISM RULES)
3: morton (so does injustice)
4: dunfermline
5: livingstone (ooh, surprise package methinks)
6: ayr (quite right, too)
7: raith rovers
8: inverness caley th.
9:airdrie
10: clydebank (sorry lads, nice knowing you)

Harpo shotos from the hip.......

Here is the predictions from the Harpo jury

1. Dumfermline. The strip and the squad should be up for a quick return.

2. Ayr United. I think the have the engine to push this season.

3. Saint Mirren. I would have put the boys higher but I think we are two or three short for a bigger push.

4. Falkirk. Strong team?

5. Livingston. Look to be ready for the first.

6. Gr**nock M*rt*n. might finish higher but I work there so they get nothing from me.

7. Airdrie. Looked poor last game of the season so I think they will rebuild this year.

8. Clydebank. Very under rated last season one to watch.

9.Raith Rovers. Too much going on off the park.

10. Cally Thistle. Will try but fail.

Millport Saint takes a break from cycling round the island to enter the sweep

St.Mirren
Dunfermline
Ayr
Livingston
Morton
Falkirk
Raith Rovers
Inverness
Airdrie
Clydebank

Brian Dunbar - he's my boss !!

Falkirk
Dunfermline
Livingstone
Airdire
St Mirren
Ayr Utd
Raith Rovers
Greenock Morton
Inverness Caley
Clydebank

The realist - he must be - he's a soapdodger who has the buds finishing ahead of Morton !

Alright here goes from The Realist (A ton fan).

1..Dunfermline,
2. Falkirk 
3..Dont be shocked St.Mirren 
4..Morton 
5. Ayr Utd 
6..Raith 
7..Livingston 
8..Airdrie 
9..Inverness 
10..Clydebank  probably won't complete their fixtures.

Another bold prediction Saint's to get revenge on last years 5-1 by winning 5-0 sometime (her'es hoping ! - ed)

Roddy Morrison - he's bonkers - he only entered nine teams !!

Here are the results of the Luxembourg jury:

Dunfermiline
Falkirk
Ayr Utd
St Mirren
Morton
Caley Thistle
Raith Rovers
Livingstone
Clydebank
Airdrie - we've added them in for Roddy !!

Chims - he's a fellow owl and he ridicules the heid !

After extensive research,(ie. reading everybody else's predictions) and
taking into account the various dogma fed to me by Saints, Ayr and Airdrie
fans at our Tuesday night 5 a side games (which incidentally Heid opted out
of for 6 weeks with a sprained ankle - the poof) herewith Div 1, 1-10.

1.Dunfermline - Just about enough know-how and cash to bounce back for a season
2.Falkirk - If they've saved enough cash for a decent lawyer they could be back up where they don't belong in 9 months time
3.Livingston - Playoffs I presume.
4.Ayr - Dalziel's boys to narrowly miss out on the playoff fun
5.Saints - Pessimistic or realistic?
6.Airdrie - Murray an Airdrie fan who I play 5 a side with is a decent
bloke, on that basis they deserve to be above the Scum.
7.Morton - No hoop dreams come true this year
8.Raith - Bayern Munich won't be back in a hurry
9.Caley Thistle - If the crowd support is as noisy as the music on their
nearly official website, they could be higher.
10.Clydebank - 29 people can't be wrong

Chims of the South London Massive Heid Buddies fan club.

JJ - he supports the soapdodgers and I need to work beside him.......

My predictions are:

1. Dunfermline
2. Falkirk
3. Livingston
4. Ayr
5. Morton
6. Airdrie
7. St Mirren
8. Inverness
9. Raith Rovers
10. Clydebank

Jimbo Jim flys the flag.......

My predictions are

1) Dunfermline
2) St Mirren ( my heart says 1st, my head says 2nd)
3) Falkirk
4) Ayr Utd
5) Morton
6) Airdrie
7) Livingston
8) Inverness Caledonian Thislte
9) Raith Rovers
10) Clydebank ( who will not exist at xmas)

Geoff Hamilton - he knows what's what.......

Here's my team for the competition,

Falkirk
Dunfermline
St.Mirren
Morton
Ayr United
Livingston
Inverness CT
Airdrie
Raith Rovers
Clydebank

Dubby - some size of napper - full of football knowledge

The First Division will finish as follows:

1. Dunfermline
2. Falkirk
3. Ayr
4. St Mirren
5. Airdrie
6. Livingston
7. Filth
8. Raith
9. ICT
10. Clydebank

Colin Wood............like to predict the league......

Heres my entry for the Super Sweep 2000

1 Dunfermline
2 Falkirk
3 St.Mirren
4 Ayr United
5 Airdrie
6 Inverness Caley
7 Greenock Morton
8 Raith Rovers
9 Livingston
10 Clydebank

Fraz Clark - he's a pars fan and apparently they're going to win the league......

Are SuperPars fans allowed to enter???

1) Dunfermline (I'll agree with the majority here!! And you're all right
Dick Campbell is a tosser!! - keep preparing for the long ball though and
our short, ground passes will dazzle you when you're not even expecting them
- as long as Coyle is dropped in favour of Davie Graham that is)

2) Ayr Utd (have some great young players and a decent young manager,
although could struggle to keep them for the whole season. Hope they do
finish high enough to kick up a stink with those EssPeeEll twats)

3) Livingston (definitely going somewhere although might need an extra year
or two to manage it. Jim Leishman is a god)

4) Falkirk (I really want to predict they'll finish bottom but I'd better
play properly. Going on thier pre-season form against English no-hopers and
the fact that they've lost all their best players and not yet replaced them
it suggests a bad season for them but this is Falkirk and there will be
roits when we beat them four times.)

5) St Mirren (always in with a chance but just dont seem to have that final
push - maybe they should follow in Livvy's footsteps and sign some ex-pars
players to aid their campaign.)

6) Inverness Caledonian Thistle (will surprise many and will win lots of
games up in Inverness but will struggle away from home and will hit a bad
patch at one point due to injuries and suspensions of their important
players. Need a wee bit more talent and experience)

7) Morton (will only finish this high up because the other teams are just as
dire as them)

8) Airdrie (getting worse as the years go on - when will they finally go
down, and when will their team of 89 hang up their boots and give others a
go. Jimmy Sandison - HANDBALL!!!)

9) Raith Rovers (Oh Rovers fans dont you know...that its gonna be 8 in a
row...yes you all know the score...coz its already been 4...and now its
gonna be 8 in a row!) (wins for the pars)

10) Clydebank (cant see them surviving as a club let alone the whole season
without finishing bottom)

Roving Ross at last extracts the digit and gets his predictions in..........

Now that, what seems to be every online Saints fan has entered the sweep(along with the odd supporter of Greenock’s second team....) I reckon it’s time I gave it a go and, as Sizzling Saints very own Roving Reporter, I think it’s only fair that I add a few words to go along with my predictions.

1.St.Mirren - What the hell! I can’t exactly admit that anyone is better than us-can I?Seriously though,this is without doubt our best chance of promotion since the evil one- Davie “666” Hay- took us down in 1992.

Ok we’ve lost two massive talents,in Burton O’Brien and David McNamee, and we’ll be missing “Silky”-McQuilter until Christmas but Tom Hendrie looks to have made sure these factors don’t affect us. O’Brien has been replaced with the brilliant ,and versatile,Ian Ross,Scott Walker has been brought in for McQuilter and Iain Nicolson looks to have found his best position in McNamee’s old right midfield berth.

Under Tom Hendrie’s leadership,Saints also seem to have got rid of the disciplinary problem which has dogged the club for so many years. Hendrie’s arrival has also resulted in not only Mark Yardley but also Steven McGarry,Tom Brown and Junior Mendes capturing their best form.

Add to this the best goalkeeper,defence and fittest squad in the division and I’m, sure you’ll agree,we’ve got a wonderful chance of making a mockery of William Hill’s 20/1 odds of the title coming to Paisley.

2.Ayr United -Not too many clubs have impressed me with their signings this season but with the additions of Danny Lennon,Dave Rogers and Marvyn Wilson I can see Ayr mounting a serious promotion challenge this season.

Thomas Gill could,at last,be the answer to their goalkeeping problem but even if he is they still won’t win the title for one reason-ALEX BONE!!

3.Dunfermline -I hate Dunfermline,let’s get that clear from the start, and it would give me great pleasure to see them stay in the first division and with Dick Campbell in charge it looks as if that could well happen.

Judging by his limited signings so far-Eddie May and...chuckle,chuckle...Brian Reid- they don’t have the finances some would have you believe but unless Ayr’s stadium plans happen quickly I can see them just sneaking their way back into the Premier.

4.Livingston -Rumour has it Livingston’s new strip is green and white hoops,is made by umbro and is sponsored by NTL....oops,sorry got mixed up there,I’ve gave away Dominic Keane’s next phase in his master plan.

Keith,Bingham and McManus are all quality players but the rest are no more than workmanlike and with two dodgy keepers in McCaldon and Alexander I can’t see them finishing any higher than this.

5.Falkirk -They’ve relied too heavily on Kevin McAllister for too long and the fact that he’s taken up a coaching role indicates that he himself knows the old legs are finally giving way.
Colin McDonald and David Nicholls are decent players but they won’t compensate for the loss of Marino Keith and Kevin James. James in particular is a big loss and without him the defence lacks the kind of quality they need to have any chance of promotion.

6.M*rt*n -I can’t for the life of me see where all the optimism is coming from. Remember,the players who gave them such a great finish last season were the one’s who had them struggling at the start of it.

The additions of Millen,Ferguson and McDonald aren’t going to turn this team around and with the loss of Twaddle to Motherwell I predict not only another mediocre season for the scum but also the end of Billy Starks reign as manager.

7.Airdrie -I wouldn’t go as far as some and rate Gary McKay as the worst manager in the division but what I would say is that he’s inexperienced and with an aging squad and little money to bolster it I really see them struggling to stay up this year.

8.Inverness -With only one signing so far(Stuart Golabek from Ross County) I see the highlanders struggling but I reckon they’ve got just enough quality to steer clear of,what was,the relegation zone.

If they do want to become a serious force in the first division more signings are needed and players like Duncan Shearer and Les Fridge have got to go.

9.Raith -It’s highly likely there will be no relegation this season and John McVeigh must breathe a huge sigh of relief if this becomes the case. This guy carries the curse of relegation everywhere he goes yet, for some reason, he’ll always stay in a job.

With the exception of Ayr,they’ve made more signings than anyone but the likes of Jamie McKenzie,Kevin Gaughan,Kenny Black and Brian Hetherston are all just old pals and simply aren’t good enough to do anything other than finish in the bottom two.

10.Clydebank -No ground and as more players than fans.As if this wasn’t bad enough their two big signings of the summer are Paul McIntyre and Neil Oliver! Doomed.

Remember to Mail all your predictions to predictions@stmirren.net


Head Back to the Homepage