The Benchman: Some clubs should hang their heads in shame

TOPSY TURVY TIMES: Last season, this season? Scotland face Israel on Friday, September 4 at Hampden Park. So far so good. Then they face Israel at Hampden Park on Thursday October 8 . That was in last season’s match but being played this season and if there is a second wave, we might have to play last season’s game next season. Keep up. Last season’s tournament was postponed, as you know, thus permitting last season’s semi-finals to be played after the start of this season’s tournament.

MOVE ALONG, NOTHING TO SEE HERE: Hearts and Partick- in the words of The Proclaimers- “It’s Over and Done With.” The publishers of the Wee Red Book can heave a sigh of relief. They won’t have to print a classic fixture list of Team X v. Rangers, Team Y v. Kilmarnock etc, etc. Remember when Falkirk were Team X, as the debates about us playing at Airdrie and Murrayfield raged on? Falkirk have been on the wrong side of SFL/SPFL decisions so many times it is unbelievable. Some clubs should hang their heads in shame.

MYSTERY PICTURE: What is the Bairns connection in the image above?

DAVID HAGEN: It was great to see the tributes to Davie pour in from all parts of the football world, and he was a genuinely likeable guy. I know there will be a great turn-out along the route of the cortege and outside the crematorium tomorrow and afterwards as players, managers and supporters share memories of the popular player. He was a formidable force coming in off the wing and had his best season in 1996/97. Those who were there will never forget that night on a rain soaked Ibrox pitch when he set up that goal for Paul McGrillen and the tremendous celebrations afterwards.

ANSWERS: Last week we showed a picture for a Falkirk v Celtic game at Brockville in 1961 and the Bairns won 3-1. The Falkirk No.9 was Alex Duchart seen there congratulating Jimmy Murray.

LOGOS AND EMBLEMS: Exeter Chiefs and Washington Redskins supporters saw their traditional emblems come under fire from those who saw them as politically incorrect. Where will it all end? Sport is all about tradition, community, heritage, and identification. Remember the fracas when Falkirk dropped ‘Established 1876’ from the badge?

EX-BAIRNS PLAY-OFFS: The Swansea-Brentford and Cardiff-Fulham play-off matches gave Falkirk fans a chance to see the progress of Jay Fulton and Will Vaulks, and they more than held their own at that level. Lots of Falkirk players moved South, but relatively few were big successes.

FALKIRK’S MISSING INTERNATIONALIST: Once we are allowed back into the Hampden Museum, the mystery of Bobby Campbell’s registration will be solved once and for all. Was he still a Bairn when he played for Scotland in 1947? All will be revealed. We lost the argument about Alex Parker’s 15th cap - but we might win this one.