The St. Mirren FC 2016/17 Thread.

[NorthBank]

Jordan Stewart away to Annan on loan for the rest of the season. Revolving doors the last couple of days

[Stu]

Agreed,  yet strangely,  he wouldn't have been my first choice of the dead wood to punt. 
There's at least 3 or 4 I'd sooner have had off the bill. 

Agreed. Would have emptied Clarkson long before Gallagher.

[Dunning1874]

16 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

Agreed,  yet strangely,  he wouldn't have been my first choice of the dead wood to punt. 

There's at least 3 or 4 I'd sooner have had off the bill. 

Obviously Ross is limited in the changes he can make so clearing out the fringe players to free up the budget is really the only option he has, but it's another parallel I'm seeing with Morton's 13/14 relegation season. January came and Shiels tried to clear out half the squad - not only was there an issue in that we just couldn't find better players to replace them, but some of the players who left went to other sides and improved them, carrying them even further ahead of us.

Based on his performances for us that season none of us had a problem with Mark McLaughlin being released, but he then signed for Dumbarton and played every week with their fans loving him as they finished 5th in the league. Craig Reid was released and ended the season starting every week for Motherwell, scoring the winner on the last day of the season as they finished 2nd. Instances like that suggested the problem was getting them to play well for Morton rather than them actually being bad players, while we replaced them with players who genuinely were utter shite.

While it could of course turn out well for St. Mirren and it's hard to see what else Ross could do in this position, would anyone be surprised to see Gallagher, Shankland and Hardie all doing a job for other clubs while St. Mirren fail to turn it around, with the likes of Todd and Fjelde making little difference? It could suddenly click and be the start of the miracle turnaround, but I can't help feeling (and hoping) I've seen how this ends before.

[buddie06smfc]

Only time will tell but if there weren't changes to the squad this January then that would be more concerning.

It might work out, it might not, in our situation it's a gamble worth taking. We can't get much worse.

If we get rid of Clarkson (& Webster) then our squad quality would exponentially increase regardless of a replacement.

[glenburn bud]

Another Rae signing bites the dust. I'm not bothered about Gallagher leaving tbh, he's contributed little or nothing this season mostly due to injury but he was definitely on the list of players we needed to move on.

[djchapsticks]

53 minutes ago, Dunning1874 said:

Obviously Ross is limited in the changes he can make so clearing out the fringe players to free up the budget is really the only option he has, but it's another parallel I'm seeing with Morton's 13/14 relegation season. January came and Shiels tried to clear out half the squad - not only was there an issue in that we just couldn't find better players to replace them, but some of the players who left went to other sides and improved them, carrying them even further ahead of us.

Based on his performances for us that season none of us had a problem with Mark McLaughlin being released, but he then signed for Dumbarton and played every week with their fans loving him as they finished 5th in the league. Craig Reid was released and ended the season starting every week for Motherwell, scoring the winner on the last day of the season as they finished 2nd. Instances like that suggested the problem was getting them to play well for Morton rather than them actually being bad players, while we replaced them with players who genuinely were utter shite.

While it could of course turn out well for St. Mirren and it's hard to see what else Ross could do in this position, would anyone be surprised to see Gallagher, Shankland and Hardie all doing a job for other clubs while St. Mirren fail to turn it around, with the likes of Todd and Fjelde making little difference? It could suddenly click and be the start of the miracle turnaround, but I can't help feeling (and hoping) I've seen how this ends before.

Certainly is a gamble and one that we have to take. Loy, I'm,impressed with as a signing. The rest, I'm between 'wait and see' and 'meh' territory.

I think (hope) the case here is that by shifting out 4 or 5 absolute wasters and bringing in cover for positions (I mean, let's be honest, the Norweigan lad and Todd will hardly be bank breakers), then we'll have a decent chunk of wage to bring one or two real difference makers to the team. There's no point, from our POV at least, in appraising a transfer window halfway through it.

[Mr.Blue]

1 hour ago, Dunning1874 said:

Obviously Ross is limited in the changes he can make so clearing out the fringe players to free up the budget is really the only option he has, but it's another parallel I'm seeing with Morton's 13/14 relegation season. January came and Shiels tried to clear out half the squad - not only was there an issue in that we just couldn't find better players to replace them, but some of the players who left went to other sides and improved them, carrying them even further ahead of us.

Based on his performances for us that season none of us had a problem with Mark McLaughlin being released, but he then signed for Dumbarton and played every week with their fans loving him as they finished 5th in the league. Craig Reid was released and ended the season starting every week for Motherwell, scoring the winner on the last day of the season as they finished 2nd. Instances like that suggested the problem was getting them to play well for Morton rather than them actually being bad players, while we replaced them with players who genuinely were utter shite.

While it could of course turn out well for St. Mirren and it's hard to see what else Ross could do in this position, would anyone be surprised to see Gallagher, Shankland and Hardie all doing a job for other clubs while St. Mirren fail to turn it around, with the likes of Todd and Fjelde making little difference? It could suddenly click and be the start of the miracle turnaround, but I can't help feeling (and hoping) I've seen how this ends before.

I always thought Reids contract had come to an end and he chose to move on. If shiels released him that's another reason to dislike the c**t.

[squeezeboxson]

11 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

Certainly is a gamble and one that we have to take. Loy, I'm,impressed with as a signing. The rest, I'm between 'wait and see' and 'meh' territory.

I think (hope) the case here is that by shifting out 4 or 5 absolute wasters and bringing in cover for positions (I mean, let's be honest, the Norweigan lad and Todd will hardly be bank breakers), then we'll have a decent chunk of wage to bring one or two real difference makers to the team. There's no point, from our POV at least, in appraising a transfer window halfway through it.

Need to watch which kind of contract he signs with yourselves. Going by things when we signed him, unless he signs as an amateur then you need to pay compensation.

[Capitão]

Did Loy ever play on the wing when he was at Falkirk or just up front?

I seem to remember him being more of a winger when he came to us on loan but obviously he was still young and his best position may not have been established yet. Maybe a 4-3-3 with Sutton still playing CF could be on the cards? The idea of sticking with 4-4-2 doesn't appeal and we're now a bit short on wingers if Loy plays through the middle.

Personally I would have kept hold of Gallagher. He hasn't really had a chance this season after getting injured and I thought he was a decent player last season, definitely capable of doing a good job in this league.

[Coventry Saint]

@Dunning1874 nailed that, tbh. Can't argue with a word of that.

[AyrshireTon]

7 hours ago, sergie's no1 fan said:

Always have the fear when we sign unknown foreign players. Yes most people will point to Isma but he was one in a million. Nearly every single one has been a complete flop in my time watching Saints. Would rather take the punt than sign the Scottish dross that is available.

No pressure on Pal though, hope he does the business and doesn't turn out to be dug food.

Wasn't there a foreign guy on trial at Love Street who was subbed at half time after being culpable for a goal or two and allegedly on the flight home by full time?

[MrDust]

2 hours ago, Capitão said:

Did Loy ever play on the wing when he was at Falkirk or just up front?

I seem to remember him being more of a winger when he came to us on loan but obviously he was still young and his best position may not have been established yet. Maybe a 4-3-3 with Sutton still playing CF could be on the cards? The idea of sticking with 4-4-2 doesn't appeal and we're now a bit short on wingers if Loy plays through the middle.

Personally I would have kept hold of Gallagher. He hasn't really had a chance this season after getting injured and I thought he was a decent player last season, definitely capable of doing a good job in this league.

I'm sure Loy played mainly wide for Carlisle and also up top but for us it was always up top. He will drag players out wide whilst playing up top but didn't really cut it as a lone striker

[FTOF]

13 minutes ago, AyrshireTon said:

Wasn't there a foreign guy on trial at Love Street who was subbed at half time after being culpable for a goal or two and allegedly on the flight home by full time?

Gerhard Fellner.

IIRC it was a cup game v QOS during Tom Hendrie's reign. QOS won 5 -3 and he was fucking rotten. A bit like our defence has been for the majority of this season.

He did score one of our goals though.

 

[MrDust]

2 hours ago, Coventry Saint said:

@Dunning1874 nailed that, tbh. Can't argue with a word of that.

3 wins off 2nd bottom isn't Roy of the Rovers stuff yet, you only have to look at Dunfermline who have went on a little run of which all is needed in this league.

I think we won 5 on the trot that jumped us from lower league to challenge top end during the season, we hadn't won for 4 games or so recently but still maintained top 4 spot, the league is that tight with everyone losing games randomly.

The getting on a run is the hard bit in St Mirren case, as Morton found out that season is that losing becomes a habit, tho their recruitment of Novo and O'Connor as good as laid their bed

[distresseduke]

All semantics from here I'm afraid..Rory loy was one of my favourite Falkirk players ever but coutinho & firminio can't save you from here...championship winning form from here in would be necessary but unlikely..bye

[djchapsticks]

1 hour ago, distresseduke said:

All semantics from here I'm afraid..Rory loy was one of my favourite Falkirk players ever but coutinho & firminio can't save you from here...championship winning form from here in would be necessary but unlikely..bye

Championship winning form? Don't be daft! We're 7 points behind an Ayr side who are in worse form over the last 6 games (4 points) than we are (8 points). I think most of us have accepted that getting above the playoff place is looking ever less likely but I reckon that 9th may well still be achievable.

[djchapsticks]

1 hour ago, FTOF said:

Gerhard Fellner.

IIRC it was a cup game v QOS during Tom Hendrie's reign. QOS won 5 -3 and he was fucking rotten. A bit like our defence has been for the majority of this season.

He did score one of our goals though.

 

Think you're getting your wires crossed bud as there were two foreign trialists around the same time. It was Klaus Dietrich, who was unceremoniously punted at half time. Fellner actually played 2 or 3 games for us on trial and was decent the Saturday before that at Broadwood against Clyde although he was howling in that 5-3 game and it put paid to us bothering to sign him.

Dietrich was the gentleman who got Hendrie the punt. Allegedly chapped the door, told folk he was a professional footballer who had played a couple of times for Hibs and that was enough to get him a start on the Saturday at home to league leaders Inverness. What followed was a performance that would have made Ali Dia's infamous 17 minutes for Southampton look like he was in fact George Weah and not his cousin like he alluded to. We were 4-0 by HT, the bold Klaus was at fault or had a hand in all 4 of them he had absolutely nothing to show that he'd ever kicked a ball at any level and Caley fucking knew it....off we trotted 4-0 down at half time and he was never seen again. Tom Hendrie was bagged later that week.

[Dunning1874]

7 hours ago, MrDust said:

3 wins off 2nd bottom isn't Roy of the Rovers stuff yet, you only have to look at Dunfermline who have went on a little run of which all is needed in this league.

I think we won 5 on the trot that jumped us from lower league to challenge top end during the season, we hadn't won for 4 games or so recently but still maintained top 4 spot, the league is that tight with everyone losing games randomly.

The getting on a run is the hard bit in St Mirren case, as Morton found out that season is that losing becomes a habit, tho their recruitment of Novo and O'Connor as good as laid their bed

Exactly. St. Mirren do have an advantage over us in that season as 9th placed had a high points total that season with Cowdenbeath picking up the occasional win (helped by 7 points v us) making it even harder for us to turn it around, whereas St. Mirren at least have Ayr on a dreadful run of form to aim at. If Ayr keep failing to win, that gap can be closed.

However, the notion that a couple of signings can click soon enough to get them enough wins to catch anyone from 5th to 8th is far fetched. They don't need to think in terms of four wins, they need to think in terms of four wins more than those sides over the course of the remaining 16 games - realistically any of them would be having a disastrous second half of the season were they to only win twice for the rest of the season, and to get 6 wins out of 16 from where St. Mirren sit now would be an absolutely huge turnaround. Barring Dumbarton's worst run of form since their first few months in this division four seasons ago, Raith's winless run extending for several more months or Queen of the South going straight back to failing to win as if last week never happened, 8th is surely gone. Ayr are their only hope now - the head to heads between them will be interesting.

[AyrshireTon]

8 hours ago, djchapsticks said:

Think you're getting your wires crossed bud as there were two foreign trialists around the same time. It was Klaus Dietrich, who was unceremoniously punted at half time. Fellner actually played 2 or 3 games for us on trial and was decent the Saturday before that at Broadwood against Clyde although he was howling in that 5-3 game and it put paid to us bothering to sign him.

Dietrich was the gentleman who got Hendrie the punt. Allegedly chapped the door, told folk he was a professional footballer who had played a couple of times for Hibs and that was enough to get him a start on the Saturday at home to league leaders Inverness. What followed was a performance that would have made Ali Dia's infamous 17 minutes for Southampton look like he was in fact George Weah and not his cousin like he alluded to. We were 4-0 by HT, the bold Klaus was at fault or had a hand in all 4 of them he had absolutely nothing to show that he'd ever kicked a ball at any level and Caley fucking knew it....off we trotted 4-0 down at half time and he was never seen again. Tom Hendrie was bagged later that week.

I had a feeling it was an ICT game but didn't realise the HT score was that bad. Also hasn't realised the timing of Hendrie getting the punt.

[djchapsticks]

6 minutes ago, AyrshireTon said:

I had a feeling it was an ICT game but didn't realise the HT score was that bad. Also hasn't realised the timing of Hendrie getting the punt.

It was 3-0 after about 20 minutes if I remember correctly. Until the Morton game earlier on this season it was still my low tide mark for the worst single Saints performance I've ever seen. The only reason it wasn't 8,9 or 10 is because Caley well and truly took their foot off our throat. They had a habit of doing that to us for about 2 or 3 seasons at one point where they were regularly pumping us 3-0 and 4-0. Was usually Paul Ritchie (who we'd sent packing to Inverness after knocking him back following a trial for being too old at 32) who was doing the swording.