Two Welcomes

Mister Stephen has told me that to be a successful and popular Lib Dem Blog he's needs a little fluffiness and colour. So a few months ago he took me aside and gave me some typing lessons until my paws hurt. The picture you see is me ready for a football game wearing my football scarf, which also as Mister Stephen points out are also the colours of the Liberal Democrats.

Mister Stephen will continue to post on his journal, but will focus on the news and political stuff. He has asked me on board to be his sports, trivia and fluffiness correspondent.

Which is why today Mister Stephen thought it was an ideal time for me to introduce myself, I'm Lionel de Livi. Now yesterday there was another new introduction to the world of Scottish sport, Annan United became the newest members of the Scottish Football League replacing Gretna. Both places I have seen while sitting on the back shelf of Mister Stephen's car but have yet to experience football at Annan. It seems a lovely place and may well lead to Mister Stephen taking in a game and then heading on down and over the Irish Sea and home, should Livingston ever end up playing them there. I know he was a little upset that the Challenge Cup game at the start of the season against Stranraer was drawn at Almondvale rather than away for that reason.

Annan saw off the early favourites to secure the spot Spartans, who like Ferranti Thistle, part of Livingtson's past I am told, played at City Park until the end of last season. But it looks like the standard of their new Ainslie Park ground may have let them down as they only gained 6 votes and were eliminated second. Spartans had finished third in the East of Scotland league last season along with another cup run, and fellow defeated candidates Edinburgh City (4th) and Preston Athletic (5th) had also finished ahead of seventh place Annan, who also saw off Highland League champions Cove Rangers in the last round 17 votes to 12.

Annan from Dumfries and Galloway maintain a balance of distribution of Scottish football joining Stranraer and Queen of the South in the area following Gretna's demise. I wonder what fluffy mascot they'll bring to the table.