Kmcalpin

A bit of an unkown quantity at this level. We certainly need striking reinforcements before next Saturday. Got to be the right ones of course.

It would be interesting if someone who us going to the game could give us a brief summary of how our young lads perform. Some of us know their names but that's all and others don't know them at all. The club doesn't provide us with much info on the development squad these days.

Pretty much my view, although I do love the colours, just not for us. I'm struggling to find our connection with Argentinian blue? Far more appropriate to the likes of Scunthorpe United, I would have thought. Have we borrowed one of their designs? If we're going to go down the route of an historical emblem again in future, I'll make a strong case for pit winding gear. That would be iconic.

I agree in theory about a bidding war, but I'm not sure how that would work, if a release figure has been built into his contract. Say, for example, a figure of £4.5m was agreed. We then receive 2 bids of £4.5 and £5.5 m. Young Lennon and his dad prefer the £4.5 one as the wages on offer are higher. What then?

Yes, he left a few weeks ago. Maybe an opportunity for a reset in fan relations.

Its not so much the signing of Elliot Watt as an individual that I find strange but rather the circumstances of the move. Ok , he didn't set the heather on fire in Perth but neither did Theo Bair and we all know how that move turned out. With the caveat that we don't know the details behind the move, it seems odd that he's brought in just after JBA arrives. Now, it could be that he signed a PCA with us which would explain everything, but there's no indication of that. It seems very likely, but not 100% certain, that JBA signed off the deal, which must have been set up and progressed by someone else at the club. You would think that following Michael Wimmer's sudden departure, any pending moves would be put on hold until the new manger settles in, unless the player in question is of such a high calibre that time is crucial. Maybe there's a simple straightforward explanantion but ostensibly it seems odd.

I can see where you're coming from here. Where we differ perhaps is that I'm excited by JBA's appointment. A bold one certainly. However, he'll take some weeks to get up to speed with the squad with its shortcomings. As you say, many were obvious last season. However, its early in the transfer window and we have time to bring in a number of much needed reinforcements. Our immediate problem is that the League Cup kicks off in about 10 days time and we only have one more friendly arranged before then. I hope coaches at the club have been briefing him about our long standing shortcomings. I'm a little concerned about the signing of Elliot Watt. He's a strange signing and I just wonder who was behind that. No doubt he was presented to JBA as a fait accompli. On the plus side I'm not worried about Lennon Miller's departure as his influence on the team in the latter part of last season wasn't significant and we still finished 8th.

Twente are a decent team and so I wouldn't read much into the result. It was a chance to build up gametime end of. We are short of bodies, maybe the right bodies, in critical areas and that will be rectified as JBA settles in. My main concern just now is that we're woefully short up front with the first League Cup game looming. OK the group stage will involve lower league opposition but we can't afford slip ups. Its a good chance to fill our coffers by progressing in the tournament and its one of only two realistic chances for us to win a trophy.

Was out tonight so haven't seen any of the game, but comments on here about individual players and deficiencies in the squad were ones we were making several weeks ago eg lack of firepower up front, need to bolster central defence, soft midfield and lack of decent full/wing backs. Still JBA has now seen them for himself.

Anyone know our line up?

I agree 100% with your first statement. Thats just the way it is in many organisations and the Society is no different. In town planning consultations for example response rates of 1-2% are commonplace, maybe even the norm until the shit hits the fan and bulldozers threaten to appear next door. Some truth in your second statement. Undoubtedly online information overload is a factor. The Society Board though cannot and will not accept your line of thought. It won't get anywhere by blaming the fans.

Yes, it was a very clear vindication of the board's proposals, insofar as it went. They don't come much clearer than 95% ish support. The response rate was indeed very poor and worrying. The Society has a job on its hands to get many members to vote on any issue. That said, it was quite a complicated, difficult, and lengthy consultation, and for many, perhaps a bit academic. You make a good point about those not contributing monthly and that needs to be investigated. It would be interesting to see an analysis of the % contributing /not contributing againstthe respsonses to individual questions. Maybe the Society has become a bit divorced from many members, who just want it to support putting a competitive team on the park? If so, its not an easy situation to rectify. Time to get back to basics?

Has anyone bought tickets for Stenhousemuir yet? It's a tad confusing. Our site mentions the Away end aka the Smillie enclosure which is standing only. However when we actually try to buy tickets, we also seem to be able to purchase them in the seated Norway Stand which is better for old timers and those who are vertically challenged. As an aside, age concessions start at 67 not 65.

Thats very unfair. It's just 2 poor lads trying to scrape together their retirement fund in these hard times. No final salary scheme for them. 🤣

That's Wellspeak for 2 months.

Almost certainly. Any appeal should be dismissed PDQ. Both clubs have known about this for some time and chosen to ignore it. In Livingston's case they said, when it was laid, that their current pitch was absolutely excellent. If thats the case why upgrade it? In Falkirks's case they chose to prioritise the playing squad over pitch improvements now the chickens are coming home to roost. Deja Vu in their case? Will this go to a vote, where other issues will be in the mix?

Hopefully the only injury we pick up before our first friendly pre season game.

Agreed Allan. In any event he's out until late this year I think. He seems to be talented enough and mobile but very lightweight and no goalscorer. A case for mutualling once he's fit and healthy?

Very true, although he sounds more like a replacement, type wise, for Lennon Miller i.e. a deep lying playmaker. .

Good luck to him and he'll get my full support. However he didn't seem to set the heather on fire whilst at Perth, in an admittedly poor team and I'm curious as to who signed him for us. He obviously wasn't on a PCA and I doubt if JBA knew anything about him. He could be another Theo Bair of course, who was mismanaged by Simo. St Johnstone fans seem to think he has talent but weren't overly bothered when he left. I'm not in any great rush to bring in extra bodies for the sake of it, but we do need another out and out striker before the League Cup group stages. As it is we only have Ap Stam, with 1 other out injured long term. I wouldn't think it right to give him 90 minutes in all the pre season bounce games given his injury record. If he does get injured what then? No doubt, JBA is aware of this serious short term deficiency in the squad and will possibly have brought in trialists to be assessed whilst in training camp.

I was replying to Busta Nut's post above suggesting that some legacy members should be telt that they need to start contributing. Joewarkfanclub's post above pretty well sums up my view. No point in repeating it.

Those affected adversely I'd guess. Why? You sign an agreement and the other party changes that afterwards.

Not a complete one at that.

Ad hoc top ups? A few legacy members went down that route.

There were 3 levels. Steel at £300; claret and then amber. One of those two kicked in at £1,000. Can't remember which was which.