Sorry for delay in posting, lack of signal and no free internet in stadium, and then gridlock outside waiting for taxi because of insane sets of traffic lights, keeping traffic on A9 near stationary. Getting out of Adams Park has nothing on this.
St Johnstone 1-2 Aberdeen, should have been a wider margin, late goal for Saints. Some photos and videos shortly.
Our last match: St Johnstone 1 Aberdeen 2. Sky's Monday Night Live game was full of incident as the 2 sides played out an entertaining game in front of a very good crowd at McDiarmid Park.
Aberdeen took the game by the scruff of the neck but were only leading 1-0 by halftime when it could have been two or three. Saints were missing Uche Ikpiazu up front who's out with an injury until September. The Dons did double their lead with a breakaway goal in the second half. Saints improved after halftime & pulled one back 2 minutes from the end of normal time as a fierce cross was deflected into his own goal by a defender. In the nine minutes of stoppage time Saints pressed for an equaliser but didn't quite have the quality in front of goal to score. And that ends our 4 matches in 4 days marathon. Goals in every game (13 in total) & some great entertainment.
I'm just going to post a link to various photos and videos, which include the Saints goal (og) and the Perth and District Pipe Band, who played pre-match and HT, very good. Nobody clapped them but they have been playing at Saints matches since 1903, perhaps they are taken for granted. The previous owner Geoff Brown (kilted) handed over to new American owner Adam Webb on the pitch.The Saints Ultras were tucked away at the side, very noisy all game, as were Dons behind the goal. Today's mascot is Brogan the Beagle.
An entertaining game, no dull periods at all, both teams tried to get the ball forward quickly, Aberdeen better in and around the box, St Johnstone very open at the back at times.
McDiarmid Park opened one year before Adams Park and I think Brian Lee went to see it being built, to get ideas for AP. The main stand has excellent viewing, being steeply banked, so steep that the seat in front only protrudes about six inches. That means walking along the row needs concentration, with little to stop you toppling down! This also gives good leg room.
St Johnstone is family friendly, there were a lot of family groups. I also noticed Aberdeen cars with three generations in. Football in Scotland is very much an all members of the family tradition. In fact Scotland is the most football mad country in Europe.
"The Scottish Professional Football League continues to top the match attendance per capita table across Europe.
New figures show the SPFL had 21.3 attendees per 1,000 people at matches across its top four divisions, and a weekly average support of 117,700 fans.
That is 65 per cent higher than second-placed country the Netherlands, which has 12.9 attendees per 1000 people.”
1) Scotland is a beautiful country, so is an attractive destination for groundhoppers. I particularly like the sandy beaches, the best in the UK. You just have to accept the rain and the midges as payment for the glorious scenery.
2) The Scottish people are very friendly and hospitable, I have had no bad experiences, no anti-English sentiment - so far! They also have a great sense of humour, I particularly like Glaswegian humour, with a joke for any situation.
3) Three, two or even one-sided grounds are normal in Scotland. I think partly due to the cost of maintaining ageing grounds, partly due to new grounds not being finished yet, partly due to them being built like that, due to space availability. Nobody up there would make fun of Oxford United.
4) Ultras are a big thing, flares, big flags and constant chanting are normal. In general, Scottish fans are more passionate. There are constant comments aimed at the ref and players, the f-word is prevalent, male and female, it seems to be less offensive there.
5) Refs let a lot go, obvious fouls go unpunished.
6) Got to have a Scotch pie, or it's variant, at a match. The ultimate is the pie in a bun at Alloa.
7) Scottish trains are cheaper than in England, on time and with a wide network. Ideal for watching matches. You can keep your Azumas, Pendolinos and Hitachis, the iconic HS125s on the Inter7Cities service are the best!
8) 3G pitches are normal at lower levels, it's a fact of life in a wet climate. They do mean that the games are usually frantic, the ball pinging about with less time on the ball.
9) Scottish mascots are the best. Patrick Thistle’s Kingsley is a world leader, guaranteed to entertain and terrify your child at the same time.
10) Edinburgh is the big tourist destination but I think Glasgow has as much to offer. Plenty of cultural things to see, and it has the "Clockwork Orange", the small circular subway which is currently replacing the old trains. The narrow, two-sided platforms are a little scary when busy!
Comments
Probably the international weekend in early September, and I would vote for Ireland. 😁
Kazakhstan next, obviously.
Sorry for delay in posting, lack of signal and no free internet in stadium, and then gridlock outside waiting for taxi because of insane sets of traffic lights, keeping traffic on A9 near stationary. Getting out of Adams Park has nothing on this.
St Johnstone 1-2 Aberdeen, should have been a wider margin, late goal for Saints. Some photos and videos shortly.
Our last match: St Johnstone 1 Aberdeen 2. Sky's Monday Night Live game was full of incident as the 2 sides played out an entertaining game in front of a very good crowd at McDiarmid Park.
Aberdeen took the game by the scruff of the neck but were only leading 1-0 by halftime when it could have been two or three. Saints were missing Uche Ikpiazu up front who's out with an injury until September. The Dons did double their lead with a breakaway goal in the second half. Saints improved after halftime & pulled one back 2 minutes from the end of normal time as a fierce cross was deflected into his own goal by a defender. In the nine minutes of stoppage time Saints pressed for an equaliser but didn't quite have the quality in front of goal to score. And that ends our 4 matches in 4 days marathon. Goals in every game (13 in total) & some great entertainment.
I'm just going to post a link to various photos and videos, which include the Saints goal (og) and the Perth and District Pipe Band, who played pre-match and HT, very good. Nobody clapped them but they have been playing at Saints matches since 1903, perhaps they are taken for granted. The previous owner Geoff Brown (kilted) handed over to new American owner Adam Webb on the pitch.The Saints Ultras were tucked away at the side, very noisy all game, as were Dons behind the goal. Today's mascot is Brogan the Beagle.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ssRWRFFuDPunCDdS6
An entertaining game, no dull periods at all, both teams tried to get the ball forward quickly, Aberdeen better in and around the box, St Johnstone very open at the back at times.
Damn and blast, as me dad used to say. Clean forgot again to watch and share the experience with our Gasroom colleagues.
Maybe in Ireland next year.
But I managed to sleep through a whole episode of Who Do You Think You Are which mrs micra told me was very interesting.
The programme, not the fact that I slept through it.
I will try and get links together for highlights of all four games (on train home tomorrow).
Aside Joe Low do we have any other internationals now?
Bartolo I think is the only other international
Vokes (not current obviously)
That's it folks. The 09.59 Perth to Kings Cross pulls in & our epic trip abroad is nearly over. Next trip abroad is on Saturday!
Video highlights.
Falkirk 2-1 Queen's Park (4 mins)
https://youtu.be/XBN96nAYgFs?si=CJiVPBKNvJfrS9SM
Stenhousemuir 2-1 Arbroath (5 mins)
https://youtu.be/XQSFwto_5TE?si=y_KaNQOVdzUPgvo5
Dundee Utd 2-2 Dundee (5 mins)
https://youtu.be/K17shK7w4FE?si=IYTwninYLeVJoFrm
St Johnstone 1-2 Aberdeen (6 mins)
https://youtu.be/RQqy5UL_zZg?si=H2LmA37rN4sgHBR0
Blair McNally Dundee derby vlog (16 mins)
https://youtu.be/0kZnUPOgyRI?si=1W-weZLG5rx2VhbI
McDiarmid Park opened one year before Adams Park and I think Brian Lee went to see it being built, to get ideas for AP. The main stand has excellent viewing, being steeply banked, so steep that the seat in front only protrudes about six inches. That means walking along the row needs concentration, with little to stop you toppling down! This also gives good leg room.
St Johnstone is family friendly, there were a lot of family groups. I also noticed Aberdeen cars with three generations in. Football in Scotland is very much an all members of the family tradition. In fact Scotland is the most football mad country in Europe.
"The Scottish Professional Football League continues to top the match attendance per capita table across Europe.
New figures show the SPFL had 21.3 attendees per 1,000 people at matches across its top four divisions, and a weekly average support of 117,700 fans.
That is 65 per cent higher than second-placed country the Netherlands, which has 12.9 attendees per 1000 people.”
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11781/12810174/scottish-football-tops-european-attendance-per-capita-table-ahead-of-second-placed-netherlands
Some Scottish thoughts.
1) Scotland is a beautiful country, so is an attractive destination for groundhoppers. I particularly like the sandy beaches, the best in the UK. You just have to accept the rain and the midges as payment for the glorious scenery.
2) The Scottish people are very friendly and hospitable, I have had no bad experiences, no anti-English sentiment - so far! They also have a great sense of humour, I particularly like Glaswegian humour, with a joke for any situation.
3) Three, two or even one-sided grounds are normal in Scotland. I think partly due to the cost of maintaining ageing grounds, partly due to new grounds not being finished yet, partly due to them being built like that, due to space availability. Nobody up there would make fun of Oxford United.
4) Ultras are a big thing, flares, big flags and constant chanting are normal. In general, Scottish fans are more passionate. There are constant comments aimed at the ref and players, the f-word is prevalent, male and female, it seems to be less offensive there.
5) Refs let a lot go, obvious fouls go unpunished.
6) Got to have a Scotch pie, or it's variant, at a match. The ultimate is the pie in a bun at Alloa.
7) Scottish trains are cheaper than in England, on time and with a wide network. Ideal for watching matches. You can keep your Azumas, Pendolinos and Hitachis, the iconic HS125s on the Inter7Cities service are the best!
8) 3G pitches are normal at lower levels, it's a fact of life in a wet climate. They do mean that the games are usually frantic, the ball pinging about with less time on the ball.
9) Scottish mascots are the best. Patrick Thistle’s Kingsley is a world leader, guaranteed to entertain and terrify your child at the same time.
10) Edinburgh is the big tourist destination but I think Glasgow has as much to offer. Plenty of cultural things to see, and it has the "Clockwork Orange", the small circular subway which is currently replacing the old trains. The narrow, two-sided platforms are a little scary when busy!
Completely agree about Glasgow, an absolutely brilliant place for a night out.
Up there with Liverpool and Newcastle for me in terms of friendly locals all seemingly with one goal in life, to have a fun night out