Anyway, there's been enough early season games to formulate some opinions, and I was quite surprised to note a lot of comparisons between my two teams fortunes, and unfortunately a lot of them don't pleasant reading.
Early season form on both sides has been patchy to say the least, both far away from the semi triumphant seasons just gone, with high placed finishes and raised expectations. Both teams or more importantly managers have been hampered by the ownership circus that surrounds both clubs, promised funds not materialising, with poor communications leading to a lack of stability. Injuries to key players who would normally be relied upon to drag the respective clubs out of their slumps.
Two talented managers being pilloried for their lack of nous when faced with the above problems, neither of them using the excuses but carrying on in the best traditions of the club, working countless hours to figure out that elusive something, other than hard work, which will steady the ship.
The fans, their unwavering belief that they have the right men at the helm, even if some of the deck hands on the pitch are targets/scapegoats for the overall failings of the team/running of the club - boos have rang around both grounds this season for certain players introduction or their remaining on the pitch, an unsavoury sound which surely can't assist during times of "crisis".
Not that there's been nothing to cheer about, victories over Manchester Utd and Celtic respectively have helped put the sparkle back into the eye of all but the hardened supporter, but these sparkles are fading, due to the inconsistencies which followed....
Which brings me nicely to the small matter of today's Edinburgh derby, my first experience of what I'm sure will be a feisty encounter, fans up for it, players up for it, maybe the sort of match you need when up against it, something to put the sparkle back, lets just make sure that it's not a hollow one, 3 points against the old city rivals is just that, 3 points, you don't win anything but minor bragging rights, and success should be measured against a greater yard stick, and maybe we can learn a lesson that Liverpool forgot after beating United, that result only matters if the next one is as good, otherwise progress is never achieved...
They say we only notice stars 'cause they're bleeding, well I think it's time for us to patch them up so our collective universes can shine brighter....
