The St. Mirren FC 2023/24 thread

[pozbaird]

I don’t see us losing Jack Ross in the summer. I see Jack Ross taking charge of us in the top flight, and, if he does well, follows an ‘Alex Neil’ path to a decent calibre of team down South.... where he’ll be sacked after three seasons because that’s what happens to just about everyone.

[Buddist Monk]

58 minutes ago, pozbaird said:

I don’t see us losing Jack Ross in the summer.

Yeah, I don't see him moving in the Summer either. I was pretty damned sure he wasn't going to Barnsley too.

However... in the middle of next season should we be doing either better or worse than expected? Hmm... that would be a much harder call.

[DWBud]

Was going to say that (well, not the bit about Watson). Naismith was getting linked with clubs down south in January, there's no way he's coming back to us.

Naismith will sign for Hull or a club similar. He won’t be in Scotland come the summer.

[djchapsticks]

6 hours ago, Div said:

Think you've already seen Jack preparing for next season (or let's just say preparing us for next season).

Mullen (2.5 years), Flynn (2.5 years) and Hippo (1.5 years) all signed longer deals when they joined in January.

Looking at the team that started in Dumfries;

Samson - has another year left

Smith - will return to Hearts - I'd say unlikely we'll be in a position to bring him back
MacKenzie - Out of contract. I don't know if we'll offer him another deal. Hasn't played too much this season.
Baird - signed a contract extension in February - here for another year at least
Eckersley - has another year left

McGinn - out of contract in the summer - imagine he'll be offered a new deal and hopefully he'll accept
Magennis - has two years left - might possibly attract bids in the summer but we'll really be in no rush to sell until next summer
Flynn - 2 years left

Smith - 1 year left
Morgan - will go to Celtic. Although I've seen plenty folk saying they'll loan him out again, I don't think so.
Mullen - 2 years left

Stelios - out of contract
Donati - you think will be leaving unless he joins coaching staff
Sutton - leaving for sure
McShane - 1 year left
Reilly - out of contract - will definitely be offered a new deal
Stewart - 1 year left
Hippo - 1 year left

Davis - When he signed for a year the club said there was an option for another year - I've no idea how these options work!

 

So we're pretty good with most of the current first team for next season. 

The main one we need to keep hold of is Jack Ross and that is where I think we will definitely struggle :-(

I'd imagine that Eckersley will be more of a squad player next season so with that in mind we definitely need to strengthen at both full back positions. 

Much as I am a fan of Gavin Reilly and I want him about next season, I don't think he'll be out first choice every week if he does stay on.

I'd say pre-season, on the basis that we do go up we'd need:

• 1 Goalkeeper - someone who will challenge Samson hard and potentially replace him.
• 2 full backs - one on each side. Smith will go back to Hearts and Eckersley picks up too many niggly ones to solely rely on week in week out.
• 2 centre halves - one to challenge Baird and the hopefully retained Davis every week and one as backup -  Gary Mac you feel will go with the best will in the world.
• 1 centre mid as cover
• 2 wingers - a direct replacement for Morgan and another who is going to challenge to displace Smith, Flynn, Hippolyte, Mullen etc...both versatile, both can work anywhere in the final third
• 1 or 2 forwards  - dependant on Reilly signing on again

So I make that 9 or 10 in, we'll surely have around 10-14 going out the door as well. Perm any from the 19 below who could realistically go:

• Stelios
• Irvine
• Donati - retire
• MacKenzie
• Sutton
• Morgan - end of loan
• McShane (?) - Can't see it as he's done a good turn but opportunities will be few and far between next season I feel.
• Ross Stewart FW (?)
• Ross Stewart GK (?)
• Flanagan
• Liam Smith - end of loan
• Hill - end of loan
• Langfield - retire
• Duffy
• Todd (?)
• Kirkpatrick
• Whyte
• O'Keefe
• Horne

 

Edited March 22, 2018 by djchapsticks

[Demented Zebra]

7 hours ago, Soctty said:

In the 4 seasons he was manager he guided us to our best finish in the top league for over 20 years (twice) and won us the League Cup for the first time in our history.

Utterly bonkers to let him go without someone better lined up, as has been proven by our struggles over the next few seasons!

Don't sack/get rid of someone for the sake of it. Certainly don't do it just to save some money...

Praise the Lord sometimes the grass is greener on the other side but it can be barn with sunburn which will be our down fall when Jack leaves because fans will expect the same or better have seen it happen so many times to us being an old c.u.u.t. 

[houston_bud]

43 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

I'd imagine that Eckersley will be more of a squad player next season so with that in mind we definitely need to strengthen at both full back positions. 

Much as I am a fan of Gavin Reilly and I want him about next season, I don't think he'll be out first choice every week if he does stay on.

I'd say pre-season, on the basis that we do go up we'd need:

• 1 Goalkeeper - someone who will challenge Samson hard and potentially replace him.
• 2 full backs - one on each side. Smith will go back to Hearts and Eckersley picks up too many niggly ones to solely rely on week in week out.
• 2 centre halves - one to challenge Baird and the hopefully retained Davis every week and one as backup -  Gary Mac you feel will go with the best will in the world.
• 1 centre mid as cover
• 2 wingers - a direct replacement for Morgan and another who is going to challenge to displace Smith, Flynn, Hippolyte, Mullen etc...both versatile, both can work anywhere in the final third
• 1 or 2 forwards  - dependant on Reilly signing on again

So I make that 9 or 10 in, we'll surely have around 10-14 going out the door as well. Perm any from the 19 below who could realistically go:

• Stelios
• Irvine
• Donati - retire
• MacKenzie
• Sutton
• Morgan - end of loan
• McShane (?) - Can't see it as he's done a good turn but opportunities will be few and far between next season I feel.
• Ross Stewart FW (?)
• Ross Stewart GK (?)
• Flanagan
• Liam Smith - end of loan
• Hill - end of loan
• Langfield - retire
• Duffy
• Todd (?)
• Kirkpatrick
• Whyte
• O'Keefe
• Horne

 

I've always thought Eckersley was one of our team who could definitely make the step up. He's strolled through most of the season.

Would hope that we keep MacKenzie too. I reckon Davis is good enough to make the step up, MacKenzie has played a good level before too, and Baird will keep improving. 

[buddie06smfc]

Today is a gentle reminder that we’ll have to put up with tremendously boring posters like Widge should we get promoted.

[stu80]

Naismith will sign for Hull or a club similar. He won’t be in Scotland come the summer.

From what I’m hearing Shrewsbury are looking at him

[Demented Zebra]

11 hours ago, houston_bud said:

I've always thought Eckersley was one of our team who could definitely make the step up. He's strolled through most of the season.

Would hope that we keep MacKenzie too. I reckon Davis is good enough to make the step up, MacKenzie has played a good level before too, and Baird will keep improving. 

Personally I don't think Eckersley will be realised he has quality we will need, can see us signing a right back maybe two one for back up and  a left back for cover wrote that further back to let Gary Mac go would be wrong also these players when fit have the kind of quality that can make the step up no problem. Would be surprised if another forward came in we have more than enough cover up front Reilly will sign a new deal confident of that. Think our squad will be smaller for the simple reason we need quality experienced over quantity.  

[Buddist Monk]

Would like to keep the outfield Stewart, Todd, McShane and Gary Mac. Kirkpatrick and Stellios for me are "maybes" in the sense that they could be useful as backup players but I doubt they'd stick around for slim pickings.

The goalkeeping Stewart, Whyte, O'Keefe, Flanagan, Horne I just can't say as I've either not seen them or they've not had enough time for me to make a decision.

Duffy, Sutton, Donati, Irivine are, imo, not suitable for the top league.

Of the loan players, it would be great to get Smith and Morgan back on loan (or even permanent for Smith), but we'll just need to wait and see. Hill has come presumably as cover and (I believe) not even come on as a late sub so have no idea whether he'd be worth getting on loan again next season.

It's really difficult to work out what or who we need other than just general comments (like my, "we could do with having a bit more of a physical presence"). Who knows who might pop up onto our radar during the Summer?

[Munoz]

10 minutes ago, Buddist Monk said:

Would like to keep the outfield Stewart, Todd, McShane and Gary Mac. Kirkpatrick and Stellios for me are "maybes" in the sense that they could be useful as backup players but I doubt they'd stick around for slim pickings.

The goalkeeping Stewart, Whyte, O'Keefe, Flanagan, Horne I just can't say as I've either not seen them or they've not had enough time for me to make a decision.

Duffy, Sutton, Donati, Irivine are, imo, not suitable for the top league.

Of the loan players, it would be great to get Smith and Morgan back on loan (or even permanent for Smith), but we'll just need to wait and see. Hill has come presumably as cover and (I believe) not even come on as a late sub so have no idea whether he'd be worth getting on loan again next season.

It's really difficult to work out what or who we need other than just general comments (like my, "we could do with having a bit more of a physical presence"). Who knows who might pop up onto our radar during the Summer?

Hill came on against Aberdeen in the cup.

[Coventry Saint]

13 minutes ago, Buddist Monk said:

The goalkeeping Stewart, Whyte, O'Keefe, Flanagan, Horne I just can't say as I've either not seen them or they've not had enough time for me to make a decision.

Duffy, Sutton, Donati, Irivine are, imo, not suitable for the top league.

No need to add 'imo' to that second list - I can't see any of them being kept on. Duffy will probably stop at Airdrie or similar - I think even the Championship is beyond him now.

I've added the ages to that first list: Stewart (23 next month), Whyte (21), O'Keefe (19), Flanagan (20), Horne (19).

They are all arguably young enough to be given a chance still, I guess.

[Buddist Monk]

I added the imo more for Irvine's benefit. Certainly Duffy and Sutton are not suitable for the top league. Obviously I would wish all the best to both - more so Sutton as he has been a good servant to the club.

[Stu]

In the last few days I've heard a couple of folk say the weather is meant to be quite bad over Easter weekend. We're due to play Inverness Caley Thistle that Saturday. If the game is off weather is bad and the game is off, Inverness have no more free midweeks until the end of the season so god knows when it would be played!

I know the forecast says otherwise so hopefully it stays this way and it's the usual Daily Express WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE nonsense.

Edited March 23, 2018 by Stu

[Buddist Monk]

9 minutes ago, Stu said:

In the last few days I've heard a couple of folk say the weather is meant to be quite bad over Easter weekend. We're due to play Inverness Caley Thistle that Saturday. If the game is off weather is bad and the game is off, Inverness have no more free midweeks until the end of the season so god knows when it would be played!

Sat -> Tue -> Thu -> Sat

Didn't we have to do something like this under Gus where we played 4 games in about 9 days?

[Coventry Saint]

It probably just felt that way. #Gusball

[Stu]

20 minutes ago, Buddist Monk said:

Sat -> Tue -> Thu -> Sat

Didn't we have to do something like this under Gus where we played 4 games in about 9 days?

Aye, we had to play our final game against Rangers on a Monday night after the season was supposed to have finished due to postponements and their UEFA Cup run.

[NorthBank]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

In the last few days I've heard a couple of folk say the weather is meant to be quite bad over Easter weekend. We're due to play Inverness Caley Thistle that Saturday. If the game is off weather is bad and the game is off, Inverness have no more free midweeks until the end of the season so god knows when it would be played!

I know the forecast says otherwise so hopefully it stays this way and it's the usual Daily Express WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE nonsense.

Tue 24th April? Or am I missing something?

[djchapsticks]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Aye, we had to play our final game against Rangers on a Monday night after the season was supposed to have finished due to postponements and their UEFA Cup run.

It was after the split. Not after the end of the season. 

[Stu]

46 minutes ago, NorthBank said:

Tue 24th April? Or am I missing something?

They play Livvy that night.

44 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

It was after the split. Not after the end of the season. 

It was after the final round of bottom six games. We played Caley Thistle on the Saturday I think and that was the other clubs' in the bottom six final game. We then played them on the Monday and I think we lost a goal after about 90 seconds. The Wednesday or the Thursday was the final round of top six games with the Scottish Cup final the following Saturday.