how do you feel your team will do next season? are you expecting any major signings after earning a bit of cash with the cup run?

a few good signings and you won't be far away IMO

Looking forward to Europe, and I am happy with the signing of Stewart Kean. Only blip so far is Ryan McCann not having resigned yet.

heard we are looking at robbie foy who is unattached at the moment and david graham from gillingham. dont know if its true or not or very much about these players. young winger and a midfielder afaik. just the usuall rumours. we only have about 14-15 players at the moment so a couple in each department would be welcome.

are you's expecting a title challenge from your team?

personaly, i cant see us challenging this season but would be disappointed to finish in a lower league position.
my aims for this season would be:

good run in all cups (mabey even another final )
get through to the next roung in uefa cup
finish in top four
start work on stadium (no point in challenging if you cant move up if you win)

Seeing some progress on the stadium/tescos situation would probabaly be the best thing we could do in the coming year. Getting through to the first round of the UEFA cup would be dream world! Much like you I'd be happy with another fourth place finish and a couple of decent games in the cup.

I think you make a rod for your own back with positional targets to be honest although with cup exemptions in both cups for top four finishers I'd certainly like to finish top four.

I expect to be closer to the top this year. Our form after Xmas was no worse than the eventual champions and as good as anybody's. We lost only two games after Jan 2nd and in both cases fielded weaker teams (especially the last one) due to cup commitments by then. I can't say that I'm excpetionally bothered where we finish positionally as long as it's points-wise closer to top than bottom and closer to the top than we were last year. However, for that to happen we probably need to avoid the traditional "don't start playing until Xmas" attitude we normally have and, brilliant though the UEFA Cup is, it will definitely be a distraction in those terms. I don't think we're incapable of having a serious challenge to win it but it is unlikely and we obviously need to sign a good few players before we can really consider how close we can get.

I would expect to do better in the CIS Cup but the way things have worked it's likely that will be a one game tournament for us I suppose. Due to Europe we get a bye to the 3rd round at which point we'll come in as an unseeded team and are bound to play a top 8 SPL side. Rangers away would be nice since it would make us some cash and it's one of two grounds I've never seen us on. Hearts away would do too since that's the other one.

It's obviously asking a lot to look for a Scottish Cup run to even come close to matching last year's.

I quite like the Challenge Cup, unlike some, but with Europe this year it may prove an unnecessary distraction. I'd like to win a few games in it and I certainly don't want to lose the opening game at Berwick but I can't say I'd be heartbroken if we went out of it early.

UEFA Cup - Best we can hope for is a winnable 2nd Rnd Qualifying tie, sneak through, and then go out in the 1st round with a tie against a major name in an attractive location, hopefully not being too embarrassed in it. I want to actually go into Europe and not be in Wales or Ireland. It will be an experience.

What? You don't think we can conceivably challenge for the league? I doubt we will but it's not entirely inconceivable.

Or are you having a play on the part quote making it look like I was talking about the UEFA Cup?

I think that logically we have to take last season as a one-off. Agree with TeeMan and Dodgydi that work on the stadium is key, a better social club which can cater for bigger functions thus getting more money into the club.

A couple of decent signings and those that we've signed up already and I think that we can consolidate on the finish last season, again finishing in the Top 4 is target and key with cup excemptions the following season.

The second - it's a slow day at work.

Steady, financially viable progress is the name of the game.

The only major improvement needed on last season would be a better start. The longer we can keep the feel good factor between the people of Dumfries, and the club, the better. Seen as we don't have any bitter-ex-manager-induced suspensions to work around, this is a real possibility!

I can't see any stadium work, or development of the old Tesco happening overnight. If we could get the Terregles St end flattened that would at least clear an eyesore, and show intent that something is in the pipeline, if and when needed, which would be great progress IMO.

This has been covered at AGM's before and was again this year in response to a question from Kevin Donnelly but it's worth repeating again. The "Social Club" is leased out and its income, up or down, is completely irrelevant to the club. Obviously it's in our interests for the leaseholder to be making money out of the site but bigger functions and more money across the bar is directly irrelevant to the club.

I really don't see how you could make a bigger social club anyway unless you are talking about an entirely new one somewhere at the Terregles Street end. There's no room to expand the current one.

I've said before in one of the European threads but I really hope you get a good adventure out of this. I'm not sure you'll need to rely on sneaking through the first round, if you play to your potential but I do hope you get a glamour tie that attracts the interest it deserves (especially with the game being in Airdrie) and not some Polish or Czech mob that would probably beat everyone bar the Old Firm from this country.

As for the league, taking into account their form over the second half of the season, the Queens fans are playing down their chances. Dundee are probably still favourites but Queens are right behind them with a solid defence and a potent strikeforce. Maybe need a bit of luck as the squad might not have a lot of quality depth but then you managed three or four months with effectively the same side at the tail end of the last season.

Even if you did get a better social club, it would be hard to compete with "The Globe". The finest pub in all of Scotland.

I'm hoping for progress both on and off the pitch. I think we should be aiming for the top 4 now and starting to build a squad that in the medium term can have a real tilt at promotion. We will need a bigger squad this season with all our commitments anyway IMO. I'd like to see the manager given the time for us to look to be in the SPL by season 2012/13. Football is a funny game though....

Off the field, I'd like to think that we can sweat the asset that is the old tesco store in the short term. I think that is a priority and one that is being addressed ASAP as I understand it. Then we need to have a plan to redevelop Palmerston or (take sharp intake of breath) move to a new stadium within the town. I'm not a fan of the Barr identikit stadia used by the likes of Airdrie and soon St Mirren...but it might make sense for so many financial reasons. If we do end up moving, I'd like the fans to be onboard with the idea though. A decision needs to be made and we should be looking to be fully SPL compliant one way or the other by 2012/13.

I think the Scottish Cup final can be a watershed for Queens. The usually canny and unforgiving Doonhamers have had a taste of success and in the main backed the club well. We need to kick on and make the Willie H(D)arkness era a thing of the past. I think we have a chance.

And finally I'd love a really interesting away trip in the UEFA Cup and maybe even another upset and progress to the first round. Why not, eh!?

Ah but which one, we have two Globe Inns?

Was it the one within spitting distance of Palmy (Jurassic Park) or the one down the little lane in the town centre (Burns' Howff?).

Personally I like them both for different reasons.

The one down the lane. It's a bit of a dive, but 1 pound bottles of tennents and 93p whiskey shots can't be argued with. I tend to stay away from the whiskey shots though.

Also met Kris Boyd's aunt in the Globe. She was a horrible bigot.

I was thinking in terms of using the Tesco building as some sort of social club place, from what I can remember of doing the shopping in there, the place was some size, get a bowling alley in there and a function room or 2 and there you go. But as you've clarified the club get no direct income other than the lease.



The "Danger Juice" was flowing last night - Jacques Cider with Orchard Fruits, tastes just like juice and you don't know there was alcohol in it

(I'm not a Monday Night Session drinker - it was the start of our Gala Week, so it had to be done )

Hard to say about Europe. For all our outstanding performances in the cup last season and good league run we're still a mid-table first division club who prior to the Aberdeen semi final hadn't beaten a top division side in any competition for 17 years and hadn't done it in the Scottish Cup for over 30 years. As a seed for the first tie we have a wee chance of getting someone beatable. Gretna were a bit unlucky to get an exceptional Derry side who had already beaten Gothenburg and went on to give PSG a decent game. Dunfermline really should have beaten Haaken (or whatever they were called) last season. Much will depend on the draw.

Obviously we'll almost certainly lose to whoever we play in the first round proper if we get there. We'll potentially be facing AC Milan! It would be nice to get a major club of some sorts though. I agree with your point there.

Queens fans always play down our chances. It helps us not get carried away. We're not alone. I note you listing Dundee as "still favourites". For me St Johnstone are favourites, especially if Kevin McDonald does ultimately depart Dundee. We have a decent first eleven (though currently goalkeeperless) but really need to flesh out the squad over the next few weeks before we can really assess where we stand in the scheme of things. We'll not be favourites, nor should we be, but we ought to be good enough to compete and certainly fear no-one. I doubt the bookies will offer their usual daft long odds on us now either. Presumably the days of associating us with part-time struggle are gone. Pity, that was always worth a few quid in the handicap lists.

I think the key is have the old tesco store multi-functional and in use 7 days a week. Perhaps a space that can be used for creche/playground during the weekdays, a social club at the weekends, hired out for functions Sun-Fri. If it could be converted into indoor 5-a-side pitch(es) too, that might work on certain nights of the week. Rent it to a local church on Sunday mornings? etc. etc .etc. etc. Maximise the income without spending too much time, money and effort on getting it ready. A quick and dirty short term solution while we work out what we need to do with Pamerston in the medium term. Go into partnership with a local business who knows about these things if needs be. Longer term if we stay at Palmerston look to redevelop the old tesco site with the help of the council/local health authority.

My worry is that our European campaign (how amazing it still feels to type that! ) comes too early in the season. I fear we'll get a club from a country where they are well into their season and match hardened and fit. I want the home leg first and the away leg after, for once. I also want the potentially easiest club left in the competition to give us the best chance of going through. And if that means an unglamorous tie in Wales or Northern ireland...so be it!

Bring on Milan in the first round proper. If only we had beaten Rangers!

Boooooo!

Don't support this Guid Neighbours gash.

Last season was good for us in so many ways. A good league position and of course the cup run with the associated European entry will live long in the memory. We have over a good few years, slowly but surely started get things right both on and off the field, indeed even when were were struggling at the foot of the table in the last few seasons, it was worth remembering that we were struggling at the foot of the Second Division less than ten years ago. So it is clear that good, solid, progress has been made and I am sure most will agree.

I do think now is the time to look at ground improvements or as KFTS says look at the prospect of moving ground. I am sure the sale of Palmerston and the land around it would go a good way to funding a 6000 seater stadium. Obviously a feasability study and the will of the board and supporters would be required for this, plus a handy plot of land for a new gound, but it might be worth looking at.

Onfield things are also going in the right direction, we have a good solid team that with a few additions might be up there come the end of the season. The management team has also been doing a great job and if they keep this up, it will not be long before they are in the frame for bigger and better things.

I don't think we will be serious challengers for the league this season, but I would like to think that in the next two or three, that we would be considered a decent shout for promotion to the SPL. Hopefully we will continue to look at improving both on and off the pitch in order to progress as a club. At the moment I am more than happy with the progress that hase been made so far - long may it continue.

It's a trade-off! Support the Guid Nychburris(sp?) and a few more good burghers of the town might support the Queens.

Yer hame festival/carnival/riding of the marches is yer ain festival/carnival/riding of the marches.

At least give the Queens float a wee cheer on saturday evening....

I will give the Queen's lads a cheers. Then abuse my works float.......

I just dont get all the horsey stuff, why ride round the town? Whats with the guys who go to all the different bits to do it, Sanquar, Langholm etc? Surely you only do it in your home town? Maybe its because my mum and dad are not from Dumfries? I just think its old fashioned, some burd was asking me if I was going to the cornetts ball last week, I had to ask what it was. It sounds like a w**k fest from what I have heard.

Well some call it tradition...but I can completely see where you're coming from. File with the royal family I guess. It does all appear a bit outdated, parochial, snobbish from the outside looking in and cliquey.

I'd rather go and watch Stranraer than attend the Cornet's ball.

I agree! It does seem a bit snobbish, we must not be cool enough to get asked to be one of the dudes who make the daft noise. Thats my two bug bears about Dumfries, Guid Neighbours and the fact that the shows still come, they REALLY bug me.

I don't think Queens fans play down our chances, mostly we are just realistic.
Recently before each season, we have had some people, usually fans of other clubs, saying we will be challengers and every season by October/November we are well off the pace and in a relegation battle of varying duration.
At the moment, we don't have a goalkeeper and our main central defender is about 112. Guys like Tosh aren't getting any younger either. There are rumours about Dobbie leaving and McCann hasn't re-signed.
We need to see how our squad shapes up before we can make any meaningful predictions. And, with a small squad which relies on certain key players being available, we are more affected by injuries and suspensions than many others.
I don't think we will challenge this season. Those who do, base it on our second half of the season form being replicated for a whole season. It hasn't happened yet.

I'm not going to get into a debate on the merits (or in some people eyes the un-merits) of the Guid Nychburris festivities on here!! Needless to say I am not a "dude who makes a daft noise" but I was asked to be one this year, and I will be at the Ball tomorrow night, it's eye candy galore!! It really is!!

I am glad you said no to being one, I can imagine it does have its fair share of burds. But then you realise there is all the rest of the horsey riding of the marches types there and it will be gash!

The town itself on Guid Nychburris is a shambles. Its full of the same @rseholes who populate the town on a saturday night only they're out all day and more pi55ed than usual.

Dont get me wrong the queens float will get a cheer on its passing but all that nonsense with grown men on horses yelling at the top of their voices is a bit pathetic!!!

Aye thats one of the drawbacks definitely

And with regards to it being a bit snobby and cliquey, I totally agree....its for the "elite" of the town, it seems...

Dunno what you have to do to get invited to these things, but in 31 years fo living here, I;ve never even had a sniff of an invite.

Baws to Guid Nychburris, baws I say!

One of my pals goes to all these things, and I enjoy having a few digs at him about the "Toon's Elite"...but he says he's not biting this year. Bah!

I usually give the parade a miss. In fact I usually give the afternoon a miss as a whole. Too many of (a) the amateur drinker type people who only go out on Good Neighbours and their work xmas night out and end up completely pished and making an @rse of themselves, and (-b-) the aforementioned @rseholes who populate the town on a Saturday night, only in greater numbers and with several hours more drink in them.

Usually by the evening enough of the above have wiped themselves out to make venturing out worthwhile. Ach I don't mind Good Neighbours that much. In fact I'm quite looking forward to it.

Boo!

You get half marks for the hatred of amateur drinkers tho.

Got a wedding to attend this year so i wont have to worry too much about missing the whole thing

Granted I'd probably see it differently if I lived in Dumfries. For me it's an opportunity to run into people I've not seen for a while. With you all the way on the horsey horsey stuff.

Not for me either and I have been away from the town nine years. I would rather go out for a drink with my mates any other day of the year in Dumfries. In fact, I think I stopped bothering going out to it at least three years before I moved away.

Fair play, I usually see more people I have not seen in a while on Xmas Eve!

We're in danger of Ric coming along here with his Moderating Stick and wiping this thread away to the General Nonsense - Horsey Horsey forum!!

Christmas Eve for me is usually spent in the pubs in Dalbeattie, where I grew up.

Good Neighbours is a chance for us to get into the big town and pretend were all dead cosmopolitan and that, like you lot.

Must say I love Guid Nychburris.

The novelty factor of several hundred horses belting around the town, followed by several hours of drinking with all my mates appeals to me loads. Plus there are only two days a year you can legally drink on the street in Dumfries (with Hogmanay being the other) so I enjoy making use of the local bye-law and re-living my teen years down the Dock Park!

Guid Nychburris is a day I know all my mates, plus folk who I get on with but don't get to see too often will be kicking about, and in great form. It is also a refreshing change to actually see Dumfries as a community absolutely heaving and with a bit of atmosphere. I know drunken arseholes acting like louts comes as part of the package with this, but if you can ignore them they are in the minority.

I am all for heavy boozing, as you well know! But it can be done anytime!

That is correct my friend, it can be done and has been done with urself included. I just think Guid Nychburris seens to attract the @rseholes in their masses!

Just my opinion though, everyones entitled to their own!!

I like all the history behind the riding of the marches, all riding out too stob and nog, the return too the steeple, the proclamation of the charter and the crowning of the queen.
I dont go out and get pissed as this is something I could do any old weekend.
Normally take the kids too the parade in the evening, return home for a barbecue with the family neighbours and friends, and a few beers.

Will have the tent up this year with the telly in it so that beer, food and football can be enjoyed to the max.

I used to love Guid Nychburris is Dumfries when I was a kid. The floats seemed to go on for ages. It was so much better than Lockerbie Gala in that respect.

Lockerbie Gala Day was better when I grew up because I could get pissed and meet up with mates that I often didn't see out at vother times ebcause they were at Uni etc.

Can't be @rsed with the horses and the drunks who ride on them.

Dunlops are doing a float

you will still be out tho no doubt!

Indeed, that doesn't stop it being gash.