Goggles & Flippers

Cheers Yabba, I thought it's because I'm on a Mac, sometimes for some unknown reason it changes stuff even plain text. Also, individual interviews on the other newcomers available too.

Ask and ye shall receive Embedding the youtube video didn't work, so here's the http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGtEn5l_G2Y

Interesting point CoF and one I thought about. Evident Les dipped into his pocket to fund a few more of these deals than we could have afforded based on our balance sheet. There is a degree of speculation to accumulate here. If we did live within our means, out of the 7, who would we have managed to secure and would that have resulted in more heat being directed the way or our GM and Manager? If our chronic injury list started to diminish along with 2 signings (Pearson being one) I think we would have done enough to stay up. St. Mirren hardly did anything impressive and lost out massively with McLean's departure.

Well we're 50% further but on better roads. The reason I cited that is I'm sure both clubs would want the Highland derby games played when they can maximise hospitality. Geographically unless they play each other then they are isolated, Aberdeen or St Johnstone are the only "local" alternative. But lets hone in on the minutia of the argument that's what SOL does best after all. As for lunchtime, easy answer is 3 to 4:45 is blacked out, EPL has the bigger draw so it gets the slot after. We're cheap filler so we get what's left and 8pm games on a Saturday night would not get a green light here from the authorities or clubs. I'd be surprised if the police weren't happy with 12:30 KO's too especially with the track record of the old firm. It takes a bit of forethought and forward planning to get jaked by 12:30 on a Sunday morning so no doubt limits alcohol related trouble. To reiterate I'm not against Friday night football and I'm sure for selfish reasons the changes in the weeks ahead suit some. 2 out the three games back up my proposition, it's just the Aberdeen game could have been better served as a 3pm fixture.

I'd be interested to know if Leeann stole Fraser Fyvie from us and if so what the Chapman Building was like shortly afterwards.

Must be nice to pull out 500,000 hypothetical fans to prove a point. However the point I was making, this game will affect attendance by 1,000 or so. All I was saying is when games are moved for TV whither it be Friday's at 7:45 or Sunday's at 12:30 then some thought has to be placed on the travelling fans. Teams that are close together, not so much of an issue, so why not do do that. ICT vs Killie at 12:30 or Motherwell vs Aberdeen on a Friday show a degree of poor planning which can be avoided with enough foresight and a willingness to do so.

Don't agree with that, TV wants to see busy stadiums as that adds a degree of atmosphere. A game where you can hear the centre half shout commands and the ball bounce echo around an empty stadium do nothing for the spectacle. The Aberdeen game being switched to a Friday means what 1,000 less inside the stadium? I'm not sure that amount will affect viewer numbers enough for advertisers and no way everyone of them has a BT subscription.

Not disputing that but you could easily schedule games such as: Aberdeen vs ICT (2nd vs 4th) Dundee Utd vs Aberdeen (New Firm) St Johnstone vs Dundee (Tayside Derby) Motherwell vs St Mirren (11th place match - to be fair that has been done) Celtic vs Partick (Glasgow Derby - for the time being) Killie doesn't offer much at present as they are mid table with no distinct rivalries except Ayr Utd and Celtic because of their support for Sevco. All decent TV draws that allow people to get to the matches

Clubs would still get TV revenue even if they scheduled a game where both clubs were "local" to each other. Aberdeen away 2014/15 season x2 is a scandal.

Just seen in the shoutbox that our away game at Pittrodrie has been scheduled for a Friday night for BT Sport. Surely common sense dictates games being planned that involve minimal travelling time. Games allows fans still to go to work until 5/5:30 and still make the match if inclined rather than take a half day or leave early. Celtic not welcome at away fixtures as they tend to leave the place looking like downtown Baghdad. ICT/Ross County (only Derby or Aberdeen) Aberdeen (ICT, Ross County or Dundee Clubs) Dundee Clubs (St. Johnstone or Aberdeen) St Johnstone (Dundee Clubs, maybe Motherwell, Partick Thistle) 5 clubs around Glasgow (St. Mirren, Killie, Motherwell, Partick Thistle) What is the mindset of those who sanction this? I rarely go to away games anymore and selfishly the game against Aberdeen is welcome but I feel for the guys who go on the buses or trains religiously every second week.

I'm inclined to agree with Bezzer, we may not see immediate results, a change of this nature and number means there's a good chance a number of strangers will be playing together. I think it's evident that it takes a number of games for an understanding between a keeper and defence and among the defence itself to develop. Encouraging none the less. I'd expect 3 of the newbies to start the next game based on the fact they are match ready coming directly from first team action elsewhere.

All interesting reading, given me a bit of an insight into how the manager thinks. Talk a few days ago that Vigurs was on his way to Oldham but medical scuppered it, Ainsworth has cashed in his chips, McManus isn't living up to his billing and pedigree. All three seem will now be given a final opportunity to step up but mentally I don't think a couple have it in them. Evident that the manager has no time with players who show no effort. I genuinely think he'd rather field lesser players that give 110% than those with something about them but no drive. What is evident that alternatives have been now sourced. Getting a strong core again, shoring up weak points, introducing some grit and fight and being able to move the ball from the middle third to the final seem to have been addressed ..... on paper. So lets look at what we've got: 1./ Pearson (free) - Known quantity, ball winner with an engine and offers an attacking option
 2./ Straker (loan) – Left sided player, able cover defence and midfield 3./ Laing (loan) - Centre half, not the most auspicious of starts but the red could have gone either way
 4./ Long (loan) - England U21 Keeper, 6'4"
 5./ Grant (loan) - Left footed defensive midfielder, highly rated
 6./ Thomas (free with option) - 20 year old forward, preference for right wing but can play on left too 7./ Johnson (signed) - Nippy left winger, had the eye of a number of clubs, Flow seen it as a coup Someone pointed out Sutton has scored half our total so far, so hopefully we can now give him ammo he'll deliver, I'm happy to leave him up front and see what he gets. However I get the impression the signings are beyond living within our current financial means. I'd be surprised if our new owner has covered a wee bit here and there. If £50k for Johnson is true then I don't know where we would have found it otherwise. Typical for on here, as of lunchtime, with Pearson, Straker and Laing already in, rumblings on here of their caliber, despite memory loss of a host of unfancied signings over the past few years that eventually won plaudits and universal acclaim. As Jamsie pointed out earlier everyone cited that Baraclough had scouting the English lower leagues as a bonus for finding gems cost effectively. Then when a few players from there come in there are already labeled pish and beneath us. Long then gets the nod, some questioning the move as other positions need addressing first. Calm down kids, there's more to come, sorry we didn't sign midfielders and forwards ahead of a keeper to ensure you happiness. Grant comes from Everton, usual suspects can't use his parent club as an excuse for further scorn. Thomas and Johnson are instantly given a thumbs up after seeing their youtube videos. Quite a lot of eye rolling on my part but expected for SOL. Since a few are reluctant to give any credit to him, nice bit of business Flow.

busy in here tonight .... something going on?

It's a valid question for any time of year unless you like holding off till the 11th hour for answers

Kinda contradicted yourself there within one sentence. Just would be nice to know if he does make an impression we would have scope to build a team with the likes of him in it, he is a "younger player" after all. I suspect with Leeann out the picture and Gordon Young down there has greased the wheels with this one. However I suspect this move is primarilly just to give him game time, his U-21 status would suggest he's seen as a prize asset.

I can't see us having an option on him at the end of the season, the blades will want him back surely?

He still had to rubber stamp any endorsements and it couldn't have escaped him while a decent shot stopper, he was 5'10" and blow over in strong wind.

I had a look back at the 2013/14 In's and Out's and you've been consistent in your scepticism of Twardzik despite getting both barrels from a few who have either changed their tune or went to ground. You were correct a year ago and when questioned his size you got abuse with people citing Messi as an example why your opinion was wrong. I think he's a capable young lad purely let down by his gene's and there's nothing he can do about that. Unfortunately for him, we've seen what having someone with a physical presence does subconsciously for the back 4. I think Baraclough has recognised this and with his limited funds he's still went for a keeper despite having a number of options available. This can only be cause he thinks this is key to us shipping goals and the confidence that the guy behind (as a defender) you will mop up for you. Pearson has been brought in to be the driving force in midfield. A ball winner and scrapper in the mould of Jennings is what I think we require to give us a chance of dominating the midfield. We've been bossed there for 18 months (yes in plenty of games even despite our 2nd place finish last season). One more player for me, leave some in the pot for the summer as we do have enough to get us over the line when our injuries come back into contention again.

Tom Hateley held a consecutive games record and now our right backs get 45 minutes max.

He's their best player, however if the fee they get allows them to bring in a couple (or more) new faces, who knows they could be gems and they then have a bit of strength in depth and options. We've managed to bring unfancied in on the cheap and they've done well and made the team stronger .... Clancy, Gunning, Jennings, Coke However I doubt they could add enough quality and offer more strength than when our injuries return to the fold. It's starting to look like a straight shoot out between us and St Mirren to play the currants.

We'll never know which direction the club would have went if Boyle hadn't came in. In his tenure we've had the lions share of our Euro outings, finished best of the rest quite a few times and never dropped out the top league. Yes he got caught up in the moment but so did a lot of clubs.

Simple thing is, don't give him the opportunity to make a decision by being clever and everyone's happy. This thread is a knee jerk reaction similar to quite a lot of stuff on here recently.

Headline: Boyle looking to bum fags shocker .......

We could sell the naming rights to a posh welly company ..... 2 birds, one stone

It's yerseelllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!