El Grew

Good post and as I said in response to a very similar one a few weeks ago it gets right to the nub of the problem: “Due to our financial limitations we are unable to sign better quality players or pay more attractive wages than most of our peer clubs. This means it’s difficult to attract a better quality of manager than those we’ve had as the better ones have probably baulked at the lack of finances available to them. Also, the quality of player we have and have been bringing in for a number of seasons now (with a few exceptions) is as good as we can afford and as we’re starting to see, the quality is now pretty poor. I’m afraid I can’t see this situation improving in either the short or long term and we may well need to prepare for lower league football.” Fans need to wake up and realise the financial limitations our club is working under. We craved a fan-owned club after the administration debacle under John Boyle’s stewardship and we got it. However, we simply do not have a big enough fanbase for this model to be sustainable and things are simply going from bad to worse as a result. I’m not against fan-ownership but maybe the model needs to be re-visited. Perhaps with a view to seeking out a business person(s) interested in coming onboard in some sort of financial partnership with the existing fan-ownership. Ill get the Kevlar vest on ready for the flak flying.

BBC reporting line-up and formation as: Kelly Casey, Mugabi, Blaney Butcher O’Donnell, Paton, Spittal, Spencer Obika, Biereth We need to start getting ourselves ahead first especially at home. COYW.

This was already going to be a pivotal game but with Ross County getting a win against St. Mirren tonight, then a win on Saturday is an absolute must!

Wind yer neck in and read my preface to the post before jumping in with your tacketies. I began “As we are playing Celtic away it’s of no consequence at all…”

Wind yer neck in and read my preface to the post before jumping in with your tacketies. I began “As we are playing Celtic away it’s of no consequence at all…”

A la Peter McCloy. 😂

As we are playing Celtic away it’s of no consequence at all but if ever there was a team selection designed to get a manager the sack, this is it. Should be going 4-4-2 with Spencer & Gent at full-back with Casey and Blaney at centre-back. Midfield of Butcher + perm any 3 and 2 up front Biereth & Obika. Obviously learned zilch from the Hearts game when Spencer went to right-back and Gent came on at left-back. We looked much better balanced, had pace on the flanks, and played better and with a bit of fortune, might have saved the game.

Spot on. His personal worth was estimated at over £100 million and he’s been bank-rolling Ross County for a long number of years now. Alas, we have no access to anyone of that ilk.

Good post and gets right to the nub of the matter. Due to our financial limitations we are unable to sign better quality players or pay more attractive wages than most of our peer clubs. This means it’s difficult to attract a better quality of manager than those we’ve had as the better ones have probably baulked at the lack of finances available to them. Also, the quality of player we have and have been bringing in for a number of seasons now (with a few exceptions) is as good as we can afford and as we’re starting to see, the quality is now pretty poor. I’m afraid I can’t see this situation improving in either the short or long term and we may well need to prepare ourselves for lower league football.

I’m still convinced that we have core of decent players at the club. What we lack is a manager that knows how to organise and motivate them. Why did Brodie and Dent not start today - both young fit guys who can play a bit. And at least Obika can control a football and bring others into the game.

For me, today’s starting team selection, starting formation and the substitution of the 3 forwards who started that game demonstrate this manager hasn’t got a clue. Oh and O’Donnell, Slattery and Paton are nothing mire than passengers..

Been AWOL for months now!!

Can’t disagree with your defensive set-up but putting those 3 in midfield is just asking for more of what we’ve been getting lately. When we lose the ball, none of these 3 is capable of providing any cover to the defence. Maybe consider scrapping the 3 centre-backs + 2 wing-backs set-up and move to a back 4 and move Butcher forward as the defensive midfield cover in front of them. Kelly Spencer, Casey, Blaney, Gent Butcher Slattery, Spittal, Paton Bair, Biereth

Stevie Cowan, Stevie Cowan! He’s fat, he’s round, he’s worth a million pounds.😂 😂😂

I’m old enough to remember when mobs formed in Fir Park Street demanding that Bobby Howitt be sacked. 😂

Why? He was only on the pitch for about 10 minutes as a sub. He’s certainly well past his best but there were others much more culpable than him today.

Takes two strikers off and puts one striker and a full-back on?????

I’m afraid a few players seem to have reverted back to how they were under Hammell - McGinn, O’Donnell, Slattery, Paton and Spittal. Also Bevis Mugabi is a whole-hearted honest big guy but he is most certainly not a footballer. Kelly’s mind seems to be elsewhere at the moment as he seems to have been absorbing all the media pish about how we might struggle to keep him following his 45 minutes for Scotland v France. Its a statement of the bleeding obvious, but the major problem is our inability to defend properly and stop leaking poor goals. Kettlewell had better wise up to some of his non-performers and fast or he’ll find himself in the dole queue.

Criminal!

Our All time Home League Record v Kilmarnock P121; W62; D22; L37 GF 204; GA 138 Win 51%; Draw 18%; Lose 31%. Last 5 home games against them: W3; D2; L1.

I doubt the size of fanbase has any bearing on whether or not some “rich weirdo” as you put it, would be attracted to buy any club. Anyone with a large financial surplus would be wise to steer clear of football clubs because they are simply black holes for money.

Hoary old chestnut I know, but fan ownership for a club with a small hard core support of around 4,000 is at the heart of the “we’re skint” mantra. It was commendably idealistic and laudable but more a reaction (inevitable?) to our administration. I think as time has moved on it’s become increasingly clear that we simply don’t have a large enough fanbase to support our ownership model.

That’s a very important point because the further you go in the cup competitions the more income is generated both for progressing and from potential TV revenues. Another missed opportunity.

It will come as no surprise that our overall home league results against Rangers stinks but here are the bare stats: P136 W27 L80 D29 F148 A282 Win: 20% Lose: 59% Draw: 21% Our last home League win was 1-0 on 26th December 2002.

Agreed. As an old industrial works phrase went “you can only pee with the c*ck you’ve got.”