Search the Community

It's that time again, and as we head towards the end of the season, we have the following player's loans ending or out of contract unless I'm mistaken (please let me know if any of these have changed): End of loan deals Jili Buyabu Georgie Gent Adam Devine Jack Vale Oli Shaw Out of contract (1st team squad) Liam Kelly Aston Oxborough Bevis Mugabi Ricki Lamie Stephen O'Donnell Callan Elliot Paul McGinn Barry Maguire Calum Butcher Callum Slattery Sam Nicholson Blair Spittal Jonathan Obika Mark Ferrie The players who we'd still have under contract are as follows: Dan Casey (under contract until May 2025) Shane Blaney (under contract until May 2025) Davor Zdravkovski (under contract until May 2025) Lennon Miller (under contract until May 2025) Harry Paton (under contract until May 2025) Andy Halliday (under contract until May 2025) Theo Bair (under contract until May 2025) Ross Tierney (under contract until May 2025) There's a whole load of youth players who's contracts are up as well, and who have been out on loan. I'm not going to add them to this discussion. Wider squad discussions Goalkeeper - Unless we re-sign one of the current goalkeepers, we'll be going into next season with a brand new goalkeeper and backup. Both of our first-team keepers are out of contract, and so are Matthew Connelly and Josh Bogan. I don't think we'll re-sign Liam Kelly. I reckon it's reached the stage now where it's probably best for all parties if we move on. He could do with a fresh environment, and we could probably do with someone else. Will be interesting to see what happens here. Defence - With Mugabi, O'Donnell, McGinn and Butcher all out of contract, there could be a relatively new-look defence for next season. As tempting as it may be for the club, the only player I'd retain from our out-of-contract list is McGinn. I think we need a change. Gent is out of contract at the end of this season, I think, but I doubt we'll see him again. We'd also be losing Lamie, although he's been out of the picture for a while. Casey and Blaney will be retained unless we decide to move them on. Midfield - Priority here has to be Spittal. I'd be looking to match whatever St Mirren or anyone else is offering unless it gets daft. He's a quality operator and is probably at the ceiling of the kind of quality a club like us can hope to attract. We retain Miller for another season, although I think we'll look to sell this season unless he signs for another year. That might not be as crazy as it sounds, as he's not featured much this season. A full season with us next year and a move next summer might be for the best, but I guess we'll see. I'd let Maguire move on, but have a feeling the club will offer Slattery a deal. I'm not fussed either way really. Davor I'm happy to keep, Paton likely won't be going anywhere if Kettlewell is retained. Forwards - Obika has to be let go. I'm not sure Nicholson warrants being kept around, so we likely head into the summer with one recognised striker in Bair. We need to make some proper moves in this department. So, that's the squad for next season as things stand. I'll be honest, going into the summer with all of the above and having Nick Daws in charge of recruitment gives me the fear.

Completely agree, the current squad will occasionally raise their game but will invariably disappoint , particularly the defence and the Goalkeeper. The defence needs a complete revamp. Other than keeping McGinn, Gent I'm not fussed about any of the rest. Halliday has shown bugger all that should tempt us to make his move permanent. Oli Shae needs moved out , ditto Barry McGuire. Id like to see Bair and Moses play up front next year. However if he secures Vale again I think Bair and Vale will be our front pairing. I sincerely hope we dont try and sign KVV if we lose Vale. I think Kettlewell has a big job ahead but frankly I wouldn't be looking to replace him. He deserves a chance to improve things but if we have another season like this and totally ineffective in the cups Id make the next season his last.

Some of these rumours articulated on P & B too. Like StAndrew7, I hope we don't announce any names until their seasons end, but that may be outwith our control i.e. the now infamous Tom Wright announcement. Certainly we do have a good track record, as a club, in this regard. I watched Obileye very closely indeed on Saturday and it was mixed bag. He saved a couple of potential goals with fantastic interventions but also made a few blunders. Bevis MK2? I'm actually optimistic for next season. Clearing a fair bit of deadwood will free up wages and SK has now had ample time to to fully assess his squad. There are virtually no players I'd hate to lose - maybe McGinn and possibly SOD but thats about it. If Bair and/or Miller move on so be it but we shouldn't overrely on those moves financially. The chances of retaining Vale and Gent only become realistic if you've been using a hookah. The defence needs 100% strengthened, not just with positional requirements but also with personality/character ones as well. A commanding goalie; commanding central defenders; mobile defensive midfielder for starters. We badly need oprganisers/leaders on the pitch. By my reckoning we need anywhere from 14-16 new lads but that doesn't take into account internal promotions from the Academy. Strikers: as things stand we probably need another couple and certainly one with the physical attributes to replace Bair, in a lone role, should he get injured or suspended. A few issues to be clarified: Ewan Wilson - worth a new deal? Sam Nicholson - worth a deal in my view Ross Tierney - mutual or punt out on loan again? Mark Ferrie - needs another year in the development squad, although he is 18.

I don't like the playing one striker tactics. Bair would be better with a strike partner. He played Vale up top then decided to play him in deeper role

Absolutely. I thought pre Christmas that we were going to end up in the play off place. I think if Mika hadn't had that injury and we hadn't lost him it would have been a very different season. However it's been great to see Theo Bair hit form. Gent and Vale have done well and Spittal also - sorry he's going. It was also great to get that win yesterday and survival assured for another season. Beating Rangers was great as well. A team performance if that's the right expression.

You said you were 'baffled' that Kettlewell doesn't see what the fans see. He's paid to see far beyond the basics of what we observe. We see Vale play for 90 minutes. We don't see him in training every day. Kettlewell has to focus on tactical adjustments, adaptability, and overall team dynamics. It could very well be the case that having Vale play up top alongside Bair affects the qualities that Bair brings to the team. It could see him less able to play his preferred game. It could also affect the performance of the midfield having two players so far forward, instead of one playing slightly behind and offering an outlet to our attacking midfielders? It could be the case that the management team have seen reasons to play Vale slightly behind Bair because it will affect how the opposition defence then goes on to try to deal with them during the game, pulling their defenders out of position and depending on those defenders qualities, maybe that allows Bair more space to get in behind? Now, I don't know if any of that is true, but it could all be a factor in his decision. I would wager that it's nowhere near as simple as we like to think, and I'd wager that whatever we see from the stands, Kettlewell and his team see that and much more.

That’s a very short clip of the incident which doesn’t give a true account of it and is from a view the the referee couldn’t see. Watch the full incident and most folk will have a more balanced view of it. Vale’s straight leg and studs showing is due to him clearing the ball not attacking the Aberdeen player who runs into Vale and could have seriously injured him - look at the way Vale spins when they collide. As I’ve said before, no intent, no malice no red card. It’s a collision nothing more.

Ah well as expected Nicholson for Vale leaving Bair isolated up front. Let's see how Spittal does today but if he's poor again then that should be him benched for rest of season. And please give Halliday a break.. booing ain't gonna help COYW

But he was a hybrid of both so not really comparable. If he had played against Odense we would have won be 3 or 4 as he was an expert at coming late in at the back post, and we had numerous similar chances in that game. Jamie Murphy is another who is was a worse striker than Bair or Vale and a not as good as Spittal, Miller and Slattery as a midfielder but still overall better than all of them.

Halliday and Nicholson in for Vale and Davor. Risky considering their form and Spittal's complete disinterest since Ibrox.

As a striker? Bair and Vale. As a midfielder, Spittal, Miller and Slattery. In terms of fitness, every one of them is better than Richie "blowin' after 60 mins" Foran. He got a lot of leeway from many fans because of his off the field activities, but as a player, falls very much into the Average category for me.

With Vale that has been my main gripe for weeks. He is a striker so why are we playing him in deeper role? Bair is isolated on his own. I also agree that guaranteed he starts Nicholson but I would hope he started in place of Spittal and we bring Moses in for Vale. Or bring Shaw in for Vale......cueeeeeeeee......ba.......boom....🤣🤣🤣

For me Vale’s challenge falls into a grey area and could have gone either way yellow or red. The ref showed a red and I don’t see that being changed. Some incidents are a stick on red and some are never a red so as mentioned I don’t think Vale’s challenge fits either of those phrases

That's not the point I made though, is it? My point, and that of others, is that Vale is a striker and that a striker is often wasted when being made to play out of position. If Kettlewell wants to play Vale in another position, then so be it, but these tactical decisions will rightly raise questions and bafflement from fans when they don't lead to positive results. Furthermore, and as you’ve said elsewhere, we wouldn't have a forum if fans agreed with the manager on all his decisions.

There are several issues at play here and its not all down to VAR. I do get the unnecessary delays and the micro analysing decisions i.e. an incident should be clear and obvious. However, what its poor performance to date does highlight is the level of inconsistency in decision making and the defensive/secretive attitude of the SFA. There is then the adoption of ridiculous rules and guidelines about handball and red card tackles. A final word on the Jack Vale red card - why was Butland only yellow carded in the St Mirren V Rangers game?

Whether we think harsh or not I just feel this was a waste of money as we were never going to be successful unless Vale was wearing a Sellik or Gers top. We move on and hopefully Moses gets a chance but guaranteed it will be Nicholson to give another midfielder and leave Bair isolated...... overthinking SK will strike again. Ps. Oh and did I ever say that Bevis is a big nice guy? 😜😜

It's not just about Vale as you say. It's the inconsistencies. Dunne got a yellow for a tackle that left Mika crocked for three months.

So, with Jack Vale being unavailable for Saturday do we bring in Sam Nicholson or Moses or maybe Oli Shaw in midfield?

Compare Vale's challenge to the one which put Lennon Miller out for several months. The Aberdeen player went in on him, late, high and with intent. Referee failed to produce a card of any colour.

Yip, no idea why that was appealed. Total waste of money. Vale clearly didn’t mean it but it was reckless, wild and caught him right in the haw maws. Clear red for me.

Although I have sympathy for the referee in having to make a decision on what he has seen, I would say that there was no challenge and there certainly wasn’t a lunge. It would be fanciful but if you could air brush the Aberdeen player out of the video you would just see a foot kicking the ball, no deviation towards an opponent. The force of the incident was provided by the opponent not Vale. I suspect there was enough contact that the appeal will fail. The Rangers keeper got yellow carded for clearing a ball then a St Mirren player running into him. Why is there no onus on the player to protect himself? In our case the Aberdeen boy wasn’t getting the ball and his momentum caused a collision.

So basically vale shouldn't have challenged? Players can't win at times

I’ll stick with my view as it’s not reckless either both players were entitled to go for the ball and no I wouldn’t have been screaming for a red card but I’d have been screaming at Vale if he’d pulled out of the challenge and I’m confident our appeal will be upheld.

Absolutely. I don't know in exactly how many games, Vale has been playing behind Bair in an advanced midfield role but I do know thats been the case in the last 2. We've drawn one of those and lost the other. The single goal we did score was through a defender. Now, its simplistic and wrong to attribute both of those results solely to this one tactical move. However, there is more evidence to show that it has not worked than to show that it has worked. Then again someone could argue that this move is more about not losing goals than scoring them. An overly cautious approach if true.

It baffles me that Kettlewell can't see what the fans see every week regarding Vale. He's a striker; play him beside Bair. It's that simple. Although I bet he starts Nicholson instead of Moses next week. It's time for a new keeper next season. For a team like ours, I’d rather have a big commanding keeper than a smaller shot-stopper. I'm pleased to see that Kettlewell isn't afraid to call out the officials on this incident. However, it’s a shame he's not as quick to learn from his own persistent failings, as perhaps that would give some indication that he's capable of implementing effective changes across the piece.