YOUR weekly round-up of the last seven days' gossip and rumours from around Scotland's football grounds.
Aberdeen
It was all about the Brewster for Jimmy Calderwood after his side's 2-2 draw with Hibs in the Scottish Cup. The 103-year-old striker scored the Dons' first and the manager was most impressed. Let us enjoy his tribute to the silver fox: "He was magnificent tonight for us, and he really repaid our faith in him. We didn't play at all in the first half but managed to improve but unfortunately we didn't control the game overall. The team showed the resilience and never-say-die attitude I want here." I was musing on Craig Brewster earlier and I decided the reason he moved to Aberdeen is so he can sneak into Inverness on his day off and fill a big duffel bag with Caley players. Old habits die hard.
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Celtic
So it's Leeds then for Alan Thompson. I can only imagine he saw my confident prediction he'd be moving to Aston Villa and decided to teach me a lesson. And it's a lesson I won't forget. The midfielder is 'quite close' to joining the club, certainly according to assistant manager Gus Poyet. "We've been looking for a couple of weeks and it's quite close. It's a case of medicals and things but we hope to have him training."
This could go in either Celtic or Rangers, but I've got a feeling the Gers is going to be a bit full today. So look, both clubs are after James McCarthy from Hamilton, the latest wunderkind du jour. Liverpool and Reading are both after him as well, and he's only 16, blimey. Actually, looking at the picture of him, he looks about 12.
Oh and look, Stephen Pearson's gone to Derby for £750,000. It was always going to happen really. I hope he does alright there since it all went a bit wrong for him at the Bhoys. Shame really, he's a decent player. I've not idea why I appear to be talking in bullet points. Rubbish. Isn't. It?
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Dundee Utd
According to the Dundee Evening Telegraph the Arabs will have signed Sean Dillon by the time this appears. Since I'm on the late shift tomorrow, there's no way of knowing at this time. So I could be very wrong. Anyway, Craig Levein said about the Irish defender: "Sean can play in both full-back positions, so it will be nice to have someone versatile." Yes, that will be nice. *wanders off*.
More new recruits at Tannadice, with the news that Jon Daly has joined from Hartlepool. A bumper two and a half year contract has been rustled up for the 23-year-old striker who had this to say for himself: "I heard there was interest from the club and from then I was very interested and it was too good an offer to say no. I was enjoying my time at Hartlepool but when Dundee United came in, it was too good an opportunity to turn down so I'm delighted with it." He sounds a little excitable. This could be interesting.
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Dunfermline
I feel genuinely sorry for Noel Whelan. After a magnificent three minute career with the Pars, injury has forced him to call it a day. John Yorkston said: "It is unfortunate we never had the chance to see what he could offer." But not quite as unfortunate as the possible end of his career eh John? I ask you.
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Falkirk
The Bairns have signed Schmeichel on loan then. Well his son Kasper apparently. The friendly post. *shoots self*. Right, anyway, he's a goalie too and he's on loan from Manchester City. Sadly I have no idea how red his nose may or may not be. Stuart Pearce had some things to say about it, presumably while bellowing and clenching his fists: "I have sent a well-balanced young man out, who has shown to me on the training pitch he is improving every day. He is ready to go out on loan now to Scotland when probably last season we felt League Two was his standard." Which means Stuart Pearce thinks the SPL is worse than League One, nicely damned with faint praise there.
Rangers have seen a bid for Alan Gow turned down by the mighty Bairns. And they even came out claiming they were going to keep him after the summer. Bless their little hearts. Look, just look: "The offer has been rejected as Falkirk remain committed to securing Alan on a longer deal and are having discussions with him." Yes, I bet. We all know he's already ordered new curtains and a big leather recliner for his flat near Murray Park.
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Hearts
It's all gone a bit quiet at Hearts these days. No-one's been stripped of the captaincy for ages and there's not been a disciplinary hearing recently either. They have made a signing though. David Templeton apparently, from Stenhousemuir. He's 18 and is expected to join the Jambos' under-19s squad. Here he is talking: "The move to full-time football will help me develop my game and will also allow me to build myself up physically. Hearts is a big club and I'm looking forward to joining the Jambos. I learnt about the potential move on Saturday, but I was obviously familiar with the club and its training facilities." Seven pence says he never plays for the first team. Think of that, seven pence.
Dumitru Copil, the Romanian 16-year-old they've all been chasing, has joined Hearts. Celtic and Liverpool were also in for him apparently, but he saw the light and chose the stability of Tynecastle. Valdas Ivanauskas said: "I think this is a very good deal for us as we have wanted him for some time so we are very pleased. He is just a young player but has very good prospects and we are very happy that he is coming to Hearts." Lot of fuss about nothing if you ask me, as you so often do. Even when I'm in the bath for god's sake. When will you stop asking me?
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Hibernian
Poor John Collins, I bet he thought the Hibees were through against Aberdeen in the cup, but then up pops Barry Nicholson to equalise. But he's come out with all manner of fighting talk, that's the spirit. Look at his rabble rousing here: "When the clock's running you'd like to think we can go on and win the game, take the sting out of it near the end. But Aberdeen are the home team and they were pushing forward. I'm disappointed with the goal we've lost. We fancy ourselves at home against anybody." Anybody? Brazil 1970? Nah probably not.
Where will Kevin Thompson and Scott Brown end up? It really is ever so exciting. Certainly in the sense of not being. Anyway, the latest club to make a bid for the wantaway pair would appear to be West Brom. That would be the West Brom managed by ex-Hibs boss Tony Mowbray. The same Tony Mowbray who promised not to raid his former team for new recruits when he moved. For shame Tony Mowbray, for shame.
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Inverness CT
Charlie Christie is encouraging keeper Mark Brown to extend his contract with Caley as Falkirk track the payer. He told the Aberdeen Press and Journal all about it, but for the purposes of this I shall be pretending Chuck and myself went out for scones and he told me about it. So Charlie told me: "We are aware of Falkirk's interest in Mark and I will be speaking to the chairman to see if there is something we can do. We don't want to lose Mark and I would hope he would look at what we have achieved since we were promoted. We have shown a good deal of loyalty towards Mark and it would be nice if it could be reciprocated." Ooooh a guilt trip, Charlie you bitch you.
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Kilmarnock
Rage. Rage from Jim Jefferies after Morton turned his Killie side over in the cup. Having gone 1-0 up, the Rugby Park side were a little surprised to see three goals flash past them and be ushered out of the competition. I chuckled, but Jim wasn't quite so amused. Enjoy the ire: "Defending was shocking for all three goals. I think they (the players) believe the publicity a wee bit, they think they've cracked it. We don't have money to go out and make wholesale changes or I would." That's the spirit Jim, lose a game and throw all the players out of the pram. Man management at its best.
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Motherwell
Motherwell and Stenny up a tree, l-o-a-n-i-ng (players). Yes I know that was rubbish, but I'm tired. So yes, the Well have loaned Adam Coakley to Stenhousemuir for a month, where he's joined fellow Steelman Shaun Fagan. Campbell Money, the man in the hot seat at Stenny, said this: "Adam is quick, useful in front of goal and will give us another option up front given our recent injuries." And he really meant it you know.
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Rangers
Oh dear. While it was fairly obvious big Walter was going to be returning to the Gers, it really has caused a bit of a stramash. With the SFA claiming they might well take legal action against both the Ibrox side and Smith himself, Walter has come out with claims of his own. He now reckons that if he'd been offered a contract extension by the SFA, he wouldn't now be the manager of Rangers. "My job with Scotland was going to finish in November if we didn't qualify for the European Championship. I had to look after myself. I would ask people what they would do in the same situation." It's a complicated one to be sure. But I'm on Walter's side, simply because I like him. I'm that shallow.
Julien Rodriguez looks to be the first man out the door as the new broom arrives on the Broomloan. Oh yes, I went there. Anyway, the defender who joined from Monaco in 2005 is set to move to Marseille, subject to a medical. It's not like he played much anyway. *waves him off*.
Andy Todd might be coming in, with his agent reckoning the Blackburn man would be interested in a move to Ibrox. The 32-year-old's agent said as much: "Obviously Rangers are a massive club and I'm sure Andy would be interested if they made an approach." Which roughly translates as: "Both Andy and myself like money, we would be very interested in seeing what Sir David Murray's currency looks like."
Also arriving in Govan is Celtic reserve team coach Kenny McDowall. He's been credited with producing a lot of the young talent at Parkhead and, let's face it, Rangers could do with a bit of that.
Poor Andy Webster, he finally gets the move to Rangers he's been hankering after for so long and then he pings his medial ligament. Oh well, he'll be back in six weeks, so he's no Daniel Prodan.
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St Mirren
Gus MacPherson got cross about something. \o/ hurrah \o/. He was most perturbed after Dundee United managed to get their game with the Buddies called off when the Arabs squad was struck down by some manner of horror virus. Gus went off on one: "If it had been an SPL game, they would have been told to play it. We all have injuries and illness. It was an incredible decision that sets a dangerous precedent." He's so much more fun when he gets vexed. More of irate Gus. More I say.
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