News Archive -  15 May 1999 to 1 Sept 1999

1st September  We're Back !
We're back ! Sizzling Saints has returned from vacation to bring back the very best in on-line information on the glorious black and white army. Our return sees the boys sitting proudly at the top of the first division with a healthy ten point haul from the opening month and a superb tally of thirteen goals.

The feel good feeling is returning to the club and the surge of optimism will hopefully help the club maintain the run when Airdrie come a calling on Saturday. The diamonds won't be relishing the trip to face the buds who have dismantled them 3-0 on their previous two meetings. Saints will be without long term injury victim Chris Kerr who will be out for at least six months with medial ligament damage.

Manager Tom Hendrie has publicly stated that the club will be looking to add a new face to cover the
left back slot which Kerr has excelled in this season - but it is thought unlikely that any business will
be concluded before the weekend fixture.

The buddies will be looking for a healthy turnout from the Paisley faithful as they aim to keep the bandwagon rolling as the team enters a more difficult phase of fixtures.

We're glad to be back - we're glad to see the boys doing so well - back the stripes !!

17th August - 1st September
Sizzling Saints took our annual vacation in August - leaving the buddies sitting on top of the first division. We closed the site for this fortnight - so to fill in the archives we've done a small summary of everything we think happened - all of our other pages have now been updated !

Saints took the high road to the Highlands for the league cup clash with Caley Thistle on an obvious high after the Saturday caning of Raith. The buddies were seeking revenge for the CIS diddy cup defeat at the hands of the first division new boys just a week earlier - and with the form being shown the fans headed north in good spirits.

Any Saints fan would have predicted what would follow - and sure enough the buddies cup jinx struck again as Caley ran out 2-0 winners after extra time had finished goal-less. Roving Ross was there and his match report is available in the reports section.

With this disappointment fresh in the mind the lads then faced up to the next match - a league match against Inverness Caley Thistle. At this point the players must have been acting out a groundhog day style existence - every time they turned up to play they were faced with this determined team of highlanders who put them to the sword.

Revenge came at last with a 3-2 home win - although this was soured by the serious injury picked up by Chris Kerr, surely the finest left back in the division. A terrible tackle left the youngster out of the game for six months and left Caly down to ten men. The buddies then lost a dubious penalty before scoring three times in ten minutes courtesy of goals from Mark Yardley, Scott Walker and Stephen McGarry who replaced the injured Barry Lavety in the first half.

Saints lost a late goal to give the black and white army that usual tinge of doubt - but emerged deserved victors to retain top spot in the division.

The following week saw a story which linked on-loan Hibs hitman Barry Lavety with Dundee. however this story was quickly scotched by the player who is thought o be keen to land a permanent deal back "home" with his beloved buddies.

Saints had a free Saturday before facing Clydebank at cappeilow on the Sunday. Victory would have put the boys two points clear at the top - and they duly obliged by winning 3-2 again, this time thanks to a double from Lavety and a fine strike from Tom Brown. The game took similar parallels to that of the previous week when Bankies were reduced to ten men - yet still managed a late goal to put the frighteners on to the large travelling support.

At the end of the fortnight Saints lead the table with ten points, thirteen goals and five against after the first four games, a very welcome sight at the end of August !! 

17th August Final Score : Raith 0 Sizzling Saints 6 (yes - six) !! 
Super Sizzling Saints gave Raith a caning this afternoon in a six goal romp that saw the buddies
claim top spot in the first division. The boys were unstoppable as comback kid Barry Lavety,
Scott Walker, Ian Ross, Mark Yardley (2) and substitute Stephen McGarry left Raith down and
out.

Every player was outstanding - and Raith were saved further embarrassment as the darling buds
smacked both the post and the crossbar in what was an unforgettable ninety minutes for the
large and very vocal black and white army !!

Results elsewhere in the division also went Saints way, with Dunfermline held to a 2-2 draw at
Airdrie, the soapdodgers failing to beat Clydebank at home in a 0-0 stalemate, Falkirk pipping
Inverness by the odd goal in five and newboys Livingston shocking Ayr United with a 2-1 win
at Somerset. These results left no fewer than five clubs tied on four points - but the super
soaraway sizzling saints top the pile on goal difference - happy happy days !!

Roving Ross has rushed in his report before I bugger off to Mexico - check it out at the link above.

17th August Super sweep leaderboard - week two ! 
We've updated the super sweep leaderboard after week two results. Find out where
you are by clicking on the link above !

17th August Jackanory - tell us a story ! 
Every fan has stories to tell about their expoits and adventures following the darling buddies. We
want to hear all about them on our groovy new "Jackanory" page. First up is Jersey Saint Jim
Hutton with his tales of an away trip to Bolton - shockerooni !!

17th August No more updates till September 2nd 
The Sizzling Saints web team are off on their summer hols on Monday for a fortnight living it up
in Mexico - so there will be no more updates to the site until Thursday Sept 2nd. If you are a regular
visitor to the site you will be able to keep up with the lads progress at any of the saints sites
listed in our links section. I'm leaving the buddies at the top of the table - hopefully when I return
we will still be there.

Please continue to mail us with articles and stories - we'll catch up with everything when we get
back. Keep The Faith.

17th August "Heid & Chims" Fixed odds monkey madness !
I haven't checked the full list of results - but I know that Heid and Chims took the pars for an
away win at the Shyberry - so the best return they will get probably won't cover the stake,
but never mind betting saints - we proved today that the 20/1 offered on us winning the
league was a sham of a mockery of a mockery of a sham...........

12th August Raith Rovers Preview
Saints travel to Fife on Saturday to face Raith Rovers in an important second league match. The
buddies will be keen to record a win against Rovers at what has become a jinx ground for the
black & white army.

Few will have forgotten the 7-0 trouncing handed out on our first division return a few years back,
although Raith have fallen on hard times recently and if Saints are serious about mounting a
promotion challenge then these are games which must be won.

Barry Lavety is expected to start after impressing in midweek whilst Saints will hope that towering
central defender Scott Walker will return. Manager Tom Hendrie will be looking for significant
improvement following Tuesdays dismal performance in the Bells Cup and only a win will do.

12th August Saints fans drown cup sorrows...... 
Saints fans who travelled to Inverness on Tuesday popped in for a pint on the way home in an
attempt to drown their sorrows - as our exclusive picture shows - click on the link !!

12th August Final Score : Caley 1 Saints 0  
Saints slipped out of the Bells challenge cup with a first round defeat away at Inverness. A goal
by Caley's Mike Teasdale with two minutes remaining clinched the tie for the Highlanders.

The cup has proved universally unpopular with fans all over the country with dismal
attendances being reported at almost every fixture so  saints fans won't be too concerned at this
defeat, although defeat in any competition is hard to take.

The black and white army will look to next weeks repeat against Caley in the CIS League cup as
the ideal opportunity to make amends and improve our quite dismal recent cup record.

Roving Ross defied the odds and made the long trek there. If there is ever an award for the most
devoted Saints fan - then our Roving Reporter will get my vote - good work Ross fella !!

You can read his new look report at the link above - complete with tacky music which I supplied !

12th August Basher's Back !!
Saints have secured former Love Street favourite Barry Lavety on a three  month loan deal from SPL newcomers Hibs. Basher has fallen out of favour with ginger heided Hibs gaffer Alex McLeish and saints gaffer Tom Hendrie sees the return of the bustling hitman as at least the short term answer to 
the striking woes which cost the buddies two point in our opening
league match.

Lavety hit the headlines during his time with Saints after admitting to using  recreational drugs. The players talent has never been in doubt though, and if Hendrie and Coughlin can get the striker fit then he will undoubtedly add  the cutting edge that is missing from the current side.

12th August Fan or Supporter - which are you ? 
A serious, thought provoking article which every visitor should read.......

12th August Sizzling Saints featured on the telly !
The site was, apparently, featured on "Off the Ball" - the TV version of the excellent Radio Scotland
football show. The program went out on Monday August 9th on digital channel "BBC Choice" with Tam
Cowan rating our famous "If only she supported the buddies" page !!

Good work beeb fellas !

12th August We've launched our own footy team ! 
The black & white tiger and Harpo have joined together to launch our very own footy
team - Sizzling Saints Athletic FC ! 

If you fancy getting involved check out the link above to find out how to join. 

12th August Final Score : Saints 1 Ayr Utd 1  
Jekyll & Hide Saints ended up with only a point to show after a match which had almost
everything. Playing at times some superb football, Saints lack of a proven goalscorer cost
them two points in a game which was there for the taking.

It's not an exaggeration to say that the buds could, and should have scored at least five
goals against a weakened Utd side - who were even reduced to ten men for the final twenty
minutes.

Alex Bone returned to haunt saints with a goal against the run of play before, at last, Tom Brown
rescued a point with a well taken shot with around 15 minutes remaining.

Brown was chief culprit for Saints, missing one incredible chance, although he was joined in the
sinners book by Scott Walker, Iain Nicolson and big Sergei Baltacha who had an absolute nightmare
first team debut playing up front in place of the unwell Mark Yardley.

Roving Ross was there and his usual quality report is now available at the link above.

Elsewhere in the first division Dunfermline sent out an ominous warning with a 4-0 thrashing of new
boys Inverness. Morton had an excellent 4-2 away win at Falkirk. Airdrie defeated crisis club Clydebank
2-0, and Raith held Livingston to a 1-1 draw at Almondvale.

9th August Inverness - part one
Saints travel to Inverness on Tuesday to face part one of their highland double fling with a challenge cup first round match against Caley Thistle. The buds are likely to stick by the team which performed so well on Saturday - with the exception of Mark Yardley who is sure to replace Sergei Baltacha up front.

Hendrie does have the option of fielding some first team fringe players and promising reserves as Saints approach a cup tie we could probably all do without.

Caley will always present a difficult proposition at home and they will be fired up to make amends for Saturdays league thrashing by Dunfermline.

Saints face Caley in a much more important league cup tie next Tuesday and tomorrow's match does give Saints an ideal chance to do their homework on the highlanders.

The buddies black and white army will find a struggle to get to Inverness, as none of the usual buses will be running after being quoted ridiculous prices by the usual travel companies. It's trains, planes and automobiles for the black & white army but never fear we're pretty sure Roving Ross will be there !

9th August "She Does"...support Greenock Morton 
You've heard about our super "If Only She Supported the buddies" page - but have you sampled our amazing "She supports Greenock Morton" section, where we throw the spotlight on the famous burdz that follow our illustrious soapdodging neighbours !

Number two is published today - none other than Mrs Senga Stark ! Check it out !

6th August Bully wee tell bairns to bugger off !
Clyde today scotched rumours that they are about to open their doors to a groundsharing agreement
with Falkirk which could have seen the bairns make the SPL by the back door.

Sizzling Saints applauds the Bully Wee - who have told the Bairns that they will be making full use of
Broadwood for their own means next season and that they have no wish to take in lodgers.

Falkirk stunned Scottish football by proposing the ground share in the first place, the SPL then took
the proverbial biscuit by saying that this arrangement, had it gone ahead, would have seen Falkirk
allowed entrance to the hallowed top flight.

This sequence of events would have led to a furious backlash from Saints, Raith, Airdrie, Livingston,
Partick and yes, even Clyde - who have spent fortunes dragging their stadium into the 21st century
whilst clubs like Falkirk continue to invest in players whilst their stadia run into ruin.

Many of the clubs listed have nearly been bankrupt in their attempts to meet the Taylor report criteria,
and it would be appalling to see greedy clubs like Falkirk skip into the SPL and then use the promotion
cash to regenerate the stadium. If the SPL is to receive respect from the lower ranks it must clarify it's
position now to ensure there can be no rule bending as it suits at the end of the season.

Sizzling Saints will not be attending matches at brokeville this season - quite frankly it isn't worth a quid to stand in that crumbling wreck - never mind a tenner. Hurt the bairns where it hurts - in the pocket.

Meanwhile, hats off again to Clyde, who have rocketed up the sizzling saints popularity stakes !  

6th August Betting saints splash the cash 
Saints fans should take advantage of the bookies bout of summer madness by investing a few quid on the darling buds to win promotion at the ridiculous price of 20/1 !

On-line betting is available through "Blue Square" by clicking at the link above. The lads are offering the buds at 20/1 to win the league, with 1/5 the odds a place for second and third, and have compounded their generous offer by giving all punters tax free betting in August !

Bet on-line by using your switch or Credit card over a secure, trusted connection - don't miss it !!!

6th August Saints Quarterly out this Saturday  
The new edition of Saints Quarterly goes on sale this Saturday as the season opens against Ayr
United at Love Street - support the boyz that write the best fanzine for the best team and buy a
copy before they all sell out ! Check out our SQ page at the link above

6th August Super sweep scoreboard page updated
Our super sweep competition is now officially our most popular ever feature ! Loads of you have now
submitted your entry - check out the link above which now contains every entry we've receievd to
date and our super leaderboard.

We'll update the page where everyone rambles about their selections in due course - but remember, time is running out - if you want to enter we must have received the email by 1500 on Saturday !!

Thanks to everyone whose entered to date !!

6th August Saints building up for the big opener
Manager Tom Hendrie is well pleased with the shape of the squad as we prepare for the big opener this Saturday at home to Ayr Utd. Gaffer Hendrie aims to see Saints make a mockery of the generous 20/1 odds being offered by the bookies.

Saints complete their pre-season campaign with a closed door game against a Rangers XI this week, with the darling buds winning yet again against the forces of darkness - so very very easy !

Early team news for Saturday suggests that Junior Mendes will miss out, but Saints will be at near full strength, with Ludovic Roy returning in goal, and new recruit Ian Ross now approaching full fitness.

Ayr meanwhile will be without the suspended Glynn Hurst and influential midfielder Gary Teale is struggling with an injury. United will present a very tough opener for Saints who have, on paper anyway, a relatively easy first
month with subsequent matches against Raith (A), Inverness (H) and crisis club Clydebank (A).

The home clash with the highlanders means that Saints will face Caley three times within a hectic three week period - let's hope Caley start the season out of sorts !!

3rd August League Cup trip to Inverness 
Saints fans got the news they were dreading on Saturday as Inverness Caley crushed Stenhousmuir
to book a League cup home game against the darling buddies. This means that the darling buds face the long trek north on successive midweeks to face the highlanders in both the league and challenge cups.

Caley impressed during a 3-0 stroll against cup specialists Stenny and will present a real test for Saints in both ties - especially considering our dismal cup records of recent seasons.

3rd August Crisis club bankies hit new low 
Clydebank hit new depths of despair on Saturday as only 29 fans paid to watch their league cup defeat by lowly East Stirling at Cappeilow yesterday. It's a sad day when the number of players almost outnumber the fans on the terraces - obviously the bankies fans can't face the thought of travelling to darkestville every fortnight - and who can blame them !
 
3rd August Sizzling Saints go nap against amateurs
Saints rounded off a good pre-season with a 10-0 thumping of local amateurs Viewfield Rovers at
Love Street on Friday night. Scorers in the rout were McGarry (4), Brown (3), Ross, Murray and
Baltacha. Roving Ross was there but we've given him the night off to head to the pub - so no match
report on this one.......

3rd August Menu navigation launched !
We've been receiving complaints from our valued visitors that the site is too slow and that it keeps
crashing your browsers. The site is slow because we've grown so much and we've tried to make
the site a bit trendy..........but to try to speed it up a bit we've introduced a new menu system to move about your favourite pages.

All of the existing stuff is there - but you'll find further options sitting behind the button groups on the left - we hope this help solve some of the problems !!

If you are having problems please send an email to us here and we'll try to do something about it.

3rd August Final score.......   
Saints drew 1-1 with Clyde at Broadwood on Tuesday evening.. Roving Ross was there and you can 
now read his match report by clicking on the link above.

3rd August New Saints site launched ! 
Online Saints now have yet another site to browse when they visit the black & white world wide web
with the opening of "the best saints site ever !". 

Whilst we obviously don't quite agree with the title - we're sure that all on-line buddies will enjoy visiting this excellent site. Check it out at the link above or on the contents bar. Good luck Ally !

3rd August SPL plans finally unveiled
The SPL has finally announced the plans that are set to change the face of Scottish football completely as the game enters the new millennium.

Next season will, as expected, see the increase of the SPL to 12 clubs. The winner of the first division will receive automatic promotion, provided their stadium meets the 10,000 seat criteria set out in the SPL membership criteria by March 31st 2000. The teams finishing second and third will meet the bottom SPL club in a three way round robin eliminator - with the top two clubs securing SPL status.

We are still unsure how this round robin will work, but it is likely to involve two games per club to be
played at a neutral venue.

If any of the top three first division clubs do not meet the stadium criteria then the SPL member club
automatically stays up and is joined by the two clubs finishing highest in the first division who do meet
the criteria.

The whole deal is likely to be challenged in the courts at some point by the likes of Falkirk and Ayr Utd who will doubtless try to force ground sharing or some form of extension to be put in place. This of course would lead to counter claims by clubs like ourselves who have invested heavily in stadiums in recent seasons only to watch others blatantly ignore theirs and spend freely on new players.

The SPL will also revolutionise Scottish football by introducing a bizarre new "two-tier" premiership in season 2000/2001. Each club will play each other three times a season in the new setup - making 33 games. The clubs will then split into two groups of six where each club will retain their current points and then play each other once to determine who is promoted and relegated - bonkers !

28th July  Porteous aiming to impress 
Scottish midfielder Andrew Porteous was the mysterious trialist who played a part in Saturdays
win over Kilmarnock at Love Street. The 21 year old is aiming to impress gaffer Tom Hendrie enough
to earn himself a permanent deal at Saints.

The youngster was freed by Manchester City at the end of last season.

Saints are also trying out an African right back as Hendrie looks to strengthen the squad prior to the
real action beginning on August 7th when the buddies entertain Ayr Utd.

A buddies XI played Johnston Burgh on Monday night - with the buds running out 7-3 winners.

28th July  Blackburn buddies turning on the style
Blackburn duo Burton O'Brien and David McNamee have both made impressive starts at their new club, according to match reports published on the Blackburn official supporters website.

McNamee starred in the first team squad tour of Sweden and received very favorable reviews from
the local press and English journalists alike.  Bobo has been nursing an injury picked up in pre-season training but won the man of the match award on his debut as a below strength Rovers side drew with Blackpool.

Needless to say the better the boys perform the more likely we are to see some much needed loot heading our way so Sizzling Saints will be keeping close tabs on the lads progress.

28th July Killie browned off on Norries big day   
Saints claimed the scalp of yet another of the SPL clubs with a fine 1-0 win over Kilmarnock in Norrie
McWhirter's testimonial on Saturday.

Ex Killie hero Tom Brown scored the decisive goal with a first half penalty. Roving Ross was there with his trusty notepad - and you can read his thoughts at the link above.

26th July  Saints slump to Oxford defeat  
The buddies pre-season winning run came to an abrupt end at the hands of tough-tackling, no-nonsense Oxford United at Love Street tonight. The "O's" emerged 1-0 victors with a strange looping headed goal which seemed to elude Scrimmy in the Saints goal before half time.

Saints found an inspired opponent in the Oxford goalkeeper who time and again denied the darling buds efforts.

Main talking point of the game was the disgraceful stamping incident which  saw Chris Kerr lucky to escape a broken leg and the visitors reduced to ten men after only twenty minutes play.

Oxford continued to throw in heavyweight challenges which saw Stephen McGarry, Junior Mendes and Scott Walker all pick up injuries.

Roving Ross was there and as usual you can read his match report on-line at the link above.

22nd July Saints defeat seasiders 
Saints continued their impressive pre-season form with a 1-0 away win at Blackpool on Saturday.
As usual our intrepid reporter Roving Ross was there and you can now read his report on the match
courtesy of sizzling saints. Watch out for the cool music background !

22nd July New Morgon - New Danger for Morton ? 
The appointment of Steve Morgon as cheif executive of Morton FC went largely un-noticed in the
scottish  press - but dig a little deeper into his past and up-pops a familiar face.

Read all about it as we don our Roger Cook hat.

22nd July Lambert to return ?!
Former Saints star Paul Lambert is pleading with Celtic to be allowed to return to Love Street to pull on
the black & white stripes again - but only for a day !

Lambert wants to play as a guest star in the Norrie McWhirters testimonial against Kilmarnock next
Saturday July 24th. Lambo and Norrie have been mates since way back and the Celtic star even auctioned off the jersey he wore when winning the champions league with Borussia Dortmund in order to help raise funds for the big saints stopper.

Of course whether or not Celtic will release their star midfielder is another question entirely, as is whether or not Lambert could break into the side which gubbed the sons of William this week !

Celtic are set to play Leeds United on the day in question - so it would appear unlikely that Saints fans will see Lambert in a Saints shirt again - at least for the time being !

Watch out for a Norrie "big respect" feature on the site from Sunday evening.

22nd July Part time bankies heading into oblivion
The very real possibility of a senior Scottish football club disappearing from existence today became a
distinct possibility with the announcement that Clydebank will be a part-time club next season.

With no players officially signed under contract, Bankies boss Ian McCall faces the unenviable task
of reforming a squad based on what he terms "poor" part time contracts.

The last remaining asset at Bankies, McCall has asked for a fortnight to consider his own position with
the crisis torn club.

With no stadium, no players, no money and very few remaining fans it is hard to see any road back for the club who has proved a thorny opponent for Saints in the past.

Sizzling Saints today publishes their plight for two reasons. We feel that Saints fans everywhere should appreciate just how lucky we are - the last few seasons we've had have been a nightmare - but we are slowly but surely coming through it and only the most pessimistic fans would deny that the club is currently on a very definite "up".

Secondly we respect those Clydebank fans, few though there are, that have stuck by their team through thick and thin over the past few seasons. The fans who support the club are no less passionate about it than we are as Saints fans - spare a thought for them as their club spirals into oblivion.

22nd July Sizzling Saints Super Sweep ! 
Our season 2000 predictions page has proved to be a big hit with ten sets of predictions received
this week alone. We thought we'd hijack this in the form of a super sizzling saints sweepstake.

Check out the prediction page for details of how it works and how to enter !

Those of you who have mailed in your predictions can see your thoughts and names published for
the world to see - good work sizzling saints fellas !

22nd July It's Hunbelievable - Saints 2 Rangers 1 ! 
Saints turned the form book, and Love Street upside down  with an incredible 2-1 triumph
over a full strength Rangers squad on Monday night.

Our intrepid reporter, Roving Ross, was there and you can now read his thoughts online.  

22nd July More footylikes !  
No fewer than four new entries to the footylikes hall of fame !

22nd July Saints clinch Ross signing !

Saints manager Tom Hendrie ended a three month transfer chase yesterday by finally tying up talented Motherwell midfielder Ian Ross on a two year deal The 25 year old left sided player had been at Well for 7 years but didn't figure in Billy Davies plans. Ian, pictured left, denies that the move to Saints is a backward step, firmly believing that the buds are on the way back to the premier league.

Saints are thought to have paid a "nominal fee" for Ross who bolster a midfield area which is suffering badly after the loss of Burton O'Brien to Blackburn Rovers. 

Sizzling saints welcomes Ian aboard - come on ye saints !

15th July Play-off decisions this week
SPL beaks meet this Thursday to finalise the arrangements surrounding the proposed expansion of
the Scottish Premier League to 12 clubs in time for the start of season 2000/2001.

Confusion has surrounded the expansion ever since it was first mooted some six months ago with
the issue clouded by the strict stadium criteria which forces SPL members to meet a minimum
10,000 seated capacity.

The format is widely expected to mean automatic promotion for the first division champions, with some
play off format between the team finishing last in the SPL and those clubs finishing second and third
in the first division.

Quite how this play off system will work is anyone's guess with various options being touted including
a round robin which would involve each team playing four games if it was based on a home and away leg basis !

Neutral venues are the most likely outcome with each team playing two matches to determine the top 
two who would qualify for the top flight.

The seating issue really complicates things with well over half of the first division not meeting the criteria in place and not looking likely of achieving this by the deadline of March 31st 2000. An SPL spokesman in today's press states "If any of the sides finishing in the top three places in the First Division do not meet the criteria, then we will be forced to look to teams further down the table. In that event, it is likely that the bottom club in the premiership will retain its top-flight status without the need for a play-off."

This would appear to confirm the notion amongst SPL sceptics that those clubs in the top league are quite happy with the current membership and will be loathe to lose one of its current members. Looking at the first division the most likely clubs to have met the criteria in time would be Dunfermline, Airdrie, Raith and the darling buds.

It would appear on paper an unlikely scenario that any permutation of these four clubs would occupy the three top spots in the division come May - thus almost certainly meaning no relegation from the SPL.

We'll be watching this Thursdays outcome with baited breath.

15th July Saints Season Ticket Shambles
Sizzling Saints today asks for an enquiry into the season ticket shambles which can only be costing the club valuable revenue. Sizzling Saints visited the club today to purchase s book for the coming season, only to be advised that the tickets are only on sale Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm !!

This seems to be a ridiculous state of affairs - given that these are the times when most fans are working.

We were also advised that there were "not many good seats left" - why the f**k is the season ticket
allocation so incredibly low? Only one section of the North Bank is available. It strikes me that the club
must be better off than we thought if they can turn away punters willing to put cash up front for the
whole season. 

We hope someone at the club reads this and can provide some comment. Watch this space !

15th July Basher Bumped - Lavety Listed
Former Love Street favourite Barry Lavety was today dumped onto the transfer list by ginger heided Hibees manager Alex McLeish. Big Eck does not feel basher has what it takes in the premier league and has agreed to listen to offers for the big hitman. 

Although saints fans would love to see Barry pulling on the stripes again the chances extremely remote as high wages and a possible £100,000 price tag would rule saints out. 

15th July The Morton press release - translated !  
Everyone's a bit in the dark about this Morton nonsense - so we decided it was down to us to translate the official press release on the multi-stadium plans - and let the soapdodgers know what Shuggy really meant in his statement.

Incidentally we have had messages from many Morton fans who completely agree with our comments on the Shuggy statement of last week - everyone knows it just ain't gonna happen - but as you'll see on the translation pages we have put our money where our mouth is !

9th July  New Musical Quiz Now Available ! 
Our fantastic musical quiz is back with part ii of our sensational "You got me singing the blues" series.

If you have a soundcard pump up the volume and head for the link above or click on the link on the
contents bar - there are 15 footy related musical questions to answer - see how many you can get !

9th July Shuggy hits back with TWO new stadiums !!!!
Underfire Morton supremo Hugh Scott today hit back at the snipers by unveiling some quite unbelievable plans for our unwashed neighbours. 

Morton fans - who less than two months ago were told to forget about Cappielow are now being told that instead  of just one cappielow they will now have TWO to chose from !!!

Confused ? - Read On ?

The bold shugmaster was on "Scotland Today" - where he revealed that the club will spend £1m erecting a new 4000 capacity stand in place of the "cowshed" terracing. This work will take place during the summer completing in September.

He then went on to announce that if theclub was in line for a possible promotion place they would then set about creating another new stand to bring up the ground to the required 10,000 criteria.

Not content with this latest masterplan - Shug then revealed that despite all of this work taking place he'll also, at the same time, be chucking up an all brand new 10,000 all seater stadium in the Cappeilow car park !!

Sizzliing saints applauds these moves - we look forward to visiting all these new stadiums next season and look forward to the day the shuggy man knocks down a stadium he's just spent a million quid renovating !!

I think the phrase "bullshit" and "Reg Brealy" spring to mind...............watch this space !! 

9th July Thank-you !
Sizzling saints today extends a huge "thank-you" to all of our visitors who have made the site break
all previous hits records during June. The site depends on our readers - and your continued support 
is greatly appreciated - good work on-line saints !

9th July Fixtures for the coming season !
Saints fans will be astonished to learn that the darling buds open the new campaign with a home
game - for the first time since - well a really long time ago !

The opening day pits the buds against Ayr United. Check out the complete fixture list at the link
above - or under matchday on the contents sidebar. 

9th July Seaman - always goes down well at parties ?
Footylikes has yet another new entry - and some groovy new background music to boot !

9th July New home strip on sale for season 1999-2000
Saints new home strip is on sale now at the club shop - sizzling saints can shell out for the new CETCO sponsored black & white stripes  - contact the club for details !

Our groovy new red away number won't be available until August.    

30th June That'll Drew Nicely !  
Sizzling Saint Colin Drew is firmly on the mend from the back injury that threatened his career last
season. The young buddie is raring to go again after surgeons made career saving injections into
his back to expand thinning muscle tissue that was placing a painful strain on his back.

Surgery would have proved too risky for the young star - so the injections were the only solution.
Now Colin is feeling much better and aims to make the first team squad in time for the start of the new
season. 

Drew's tough tackling and non-nonsense distribution mark him out as a favourite with the
black and white army - although he is yet to cement his place in the first team under Tom Hendrie.  

30th June Re-launched saints site hits the streets !
Surfing saints today have yet another site to visit as the black and white on-line army presence continues to grow with the re-launched Kenny Morrison pages hitting the streets earlier today. Kenny has some wise words greeting visitors to his home page and also promises to carry match reports, stats and a lively guestbook. 

Check it out at link above or in the saints section on the contents sidebar.

Sizzling Saints supports all sites dedicated to the buddie brazillians.

30th June 2000- Buddie bonanza or bloody nightmare?
 
The coming season represents one of the most important in the clubs history. Sizzling  Saints casts an eye over our rivals to the crown and makes some bold predictions - check it out !!

30th June If Only number 40 ! 
The section that made us famous is back - at last - with number 40 - Britney Spiers !

30th June Sign our groovy guestbook ! 
Sizzling surfers can now enjoy our new groovy guestbook. The old crumbling geocities effort has gone and been replaced by, what we think, is the best free guestbook available. Check it out and please sign it !

15th June Squaddie swaps saints for seagulls
Saints squaddie striker David Cameron this week quit the club to sign for English basement boys
Brighton & Hove Albion. The seagulls have bought David out of the army and offered him the chance
of full time football. The big striker was manager Tom Hendrie's first signing for the buddies after being
given the step up from Whitehill Welfare.

Cameron's wife has also been offered employment in the seaside town as part of the deal and this,
coupled with a reported doubling of wages proved too hard to resist.

Saints fans will best remember David for his goal at the Shyberry Excelsior during our routine thrashing of Airdrie. The big man sealed the goal with a superb celebration in front of the black and white army !

Sizzling Saints wishes the big man all the best.

15th June Saints plan "£3m" Love Street Stand
Saints supremo Stewart Gilmour today (June 9th) confirmed that Saints are currently investigating
the possibility of erecting a replica Caledonian Street stand on the site of the Love Street terracing
at a cost of £3m. The construction will be mainly financed by incorporating either business, hotel or
sports facilities within it's structure.

It was initially thought that the buddies would initially build a temporary structure at the home end
of the ground which would meet the SPL regulations for entry to the top flight, but now it seems
that the ambitious Love Street chairman has his sights on completing the refurbishment of the
ground in spectacular fashion.

Whatever decision is taken, Gilmour has vowed to ensure Saints add the necessary seating to
meet the deadline of March 31st 2000.

15th June Saints Pre-Season matches confirmed
Saints have completed the arrangements for the pre-season, which kicks off as early as the 12th July with a home game against Rangers. The buddies then give their fans an away day treat on the 17th July with a trip to Blackpool before returning home for matches against Oxford, Kilmarnock (Norries Testimonial) and finally away to Clyde.

1st June New site layout for 1999-2000 season !
Sizzling saints has been revamped and re-launched in time for the new season !

Although the previous layout received acclaim - we felt it wasn't really up to the standard required
when we march into the SPL next season !

We hope you like the new site - which still retains all of the original features of the old one.

Next season promises to be one of the most significant in the history of the club - representing our
biggest chance for promotion in years - and Sizzling Saints will be there for the entire season,
bringing you all the up to the minute news from Love Street and also publishing video footage of
the darling buddies in action !!

Our aim is to provide on-line buddies with the fastest, funniest, best saints site on the net.

1st June  Coca-Cola Cup Draw
Saints fans will not be unsurprised to learn that the darling buds have been drawn away from home in
the second round of the coca cola cup - to be played in August. As one of the top 16 teams in Scotland last season Saints receive a bye for the first round proper and are seeded for the second round.

The black and white army will be heading to either Ochilview or Inverness to face Stenhousmuir or
newly promoted Inverness Caledonian as manager Tom Hendrie aims to stop the buddies cup slumps.

20th May Walker Signs On !

Scott Walker today became Saints first close season signing, as Tom Hendrie looks to shore up the buddies defence for the coming season. The 24 year old centre half put pen to paper yesterday after a last minute hitch was resolved. Walker has been outstanding for shire since arriving from Kilwinning juniors, and is widely tipped to take the first division in his s tride next season.

19th May Hitch hits saints new signing

ST MIRREN have suffered a last-minute hitch in a bid to sign a new defender.

East Stirlingshire central defender Scott Walker was due to put pen to paper at Love Street yesterday to become manager Tom Hendrie's first signing of the close season. But, just half an hour before he was due to sign, and with press photographers already waiting at Love Street to capture the moment, Walker's agent pulled his player out of the deal. "I don't know what has come up," said Hendrie.
"As far as we are concerned, everything is set to go, but his agent has just telephoned to say there has been a hitch. "However, I am hopeful of getting things sorted out and bringing the player here."

The 24-year-old from Glasgow joined 'Shire in January 1998 from Ayrshire junior giants Kilwinning Rangers and has been a regular in the side since then. He made his name with Dalry Thistle, was picked up by Kilmarnock and farmed out to Kilwinning before going to Hong Kong for a season and joining the Buffs on his return, prior to joining 'Shire.

At six foot one tall and weighing in at over 13 stones, he is the ideal build for a central defender. Saints learned this week that two defenders will require close-season surgery. More worrying is the news that Ronnie McQuilter has broken down in his efforts to rehabilitate his injured left knee and will require cruciate ligament surgery. This will put him out of football for between six and nine months and this news played a part in Hendrie's decision to move for the out-of-contract Walker, since he, like McQuilter, is a left-sided central defender.

"Ronnie was working very hard to build-up the knee in the hope of avoiding surgery, but after he broke down the specialist examined him again and said surgery was the only hope," said manager Hendrie. Colin Drew will also go under the knife shortly. He has been battling against a recurring back injury, and seemed well on the way back but he too broke down in training and will have to be operated on. "Fortunately the surgery required is not serious," said Tom Hendrie. "It's not like removing a disc or fusing discs together. "But he will need a minor operation at the foot of his back and we will arrange this as quickly as possible. "Hopefully Colin will be able to play some part in the pre-season and will be available early in the new campaign, if not from the start."

18th May Saints race for cover

17th May Junior - "Just Like Gazza !"

14th May Hendrie looks to add to squad
Saints manager Tom Hendrie is reportedly "close" to making his first signing of the close season. Apparently the Saints supremo has been in talks with two un-named players and is on the verge of completing the signing of at least one of the mystery men.

It is thought that Hendrie will look for experience to add to the talented crop of youngsters which Saints currently seem to have in abundance. It is also likely that Hendrie will look to the lower leagues in his search for talent with former club Alloa a likely hunting ground.

Of the freed players currently available ex-Dundee star Jerry O'Driscoll and ex-Celtic striker Marc Anthony look like possibilities.

14th May Bobo set for u-21 bow
Burton O'brien is finally set for his Scotland u-21 bow at the end of the month when Scotland's top babes take on Northern and Southern Ireland in a triangular tournament to take place in Inverness. Bobo has been in impressive form, and has provided journalists with the immortal line "Blackburn Bound Burton O'Brien" on countless occasions over the last few months.

Although he's now not connected with the club - I 'm sure all saints fans wish Bobo, and David McNammee (who looks like missing out - christ knows why) all the very best.

Good work ex-saints fellas !

13th May Saints to hit the SPL trail !

The Scottish Premier League today announced that, with effect from season 2000/2001 the top league will be extended to include twelve member clubs.This will be achived by means of a bizzarre promotion system taking effect in the coming season.

The champions of division one will be promoted directly to the SPL - with the teams finishing second and third entering into a three way play off with the team finishing bottom of the top division.

The extra dimension to this is that the SPL stadium and youth policy conditions will apply - and currently this only leaves five of next seasons first division clubs vying for what will in effect be three places at the top of the pile for promotion consideration.

Airdrie, Raith, Saints, Livingston and Dunfermline are the clubs who will at the start of next season already meet the criteria, whilst Ayr United, Falkirk, Clydebank, Caley Thistle and Morton have 12 months to redevelop their grounds - or face the prospect of a meaningless campaign next season.

Clubs who fail to meet the standards will effectively be ignored, regardless of finishing position. Had the rules been in place this season Hibs would have been promoted with Saints, Airdrie and Dunfermline battling it out for thee twelfth spot.

Saints supermo Stewart Gilmour has indicated that Saints, currently 500 seasts or so short of the magic 10,000 seat mark, are ready to cover and seat the remaining Love Street terracing during the close season - meaning Saints will be ready OFF the field for the SPL - it will then be up to Tom Hendrie and the chairman to make sure that we have the players ON the park who can secure that vital place.

[Homepage]