I think Queen Of The South will win the league this year. Why I hear you ask? Well I am of this opinion as:

-They haven't lost any of their key players from last year.
- They are capable of going on long unbeaten runs (see last season)
- They have made Palmerston a very hard place to pick up points.
- In Neil McFarlane, Stephen Dobbie, Stevie Tosh and Harris - They have the quality in each area of the park to win this league.
- I beleive Gordon Chisholm is a very competent manager at this level
- The run to last years Cup Final will only help the players for the battle ahead - They know how to play under pressure.
- Other teams like St Johnstone and Dundee may under-estimate them as they arn't traditional title challengers.
- There is far more pressure on the likes of Dundee, Saints and Dunfermline to win promotion - that could badly affect each of those teams.

So there is just a few of the reasons as to why I have stuck my neck out and tipped Q.O.S. this year. Do you agree with me? Whats your opinion?

u make some valued points and i do think that many teams will struggle to beat QOS. However will they have the strength in depth once the season gets underway. We will have to wait and see!!!! Still reckon its going to be between us and the fermers from Perth

1 - We lost Jamie MacDonald and Ryan McCann. It's up for debate if the replacements, primarily Bryn Halliwell and Craig Barr, are better or worse.
2 - We've gone on long unbeaten runs at the back end of the last three seasons at some point. It didn't mean we won the league in the next one.
3 - Mmm, we lost thrice at Palmerston last season but haven't lost there since mid December. However, it's also been a virtual fortress at the back end of those last two seasons as above. It didn't stop us losing the odd game there the next season.
4 - We do have some quality players right enough. Dobbie, Tosh and probably Harris would get in any team in this league (yes, St Johnstone might argue Dobbie has been there and didn't get in but that was back in the Jason Scotland days). So might O'Connor. Halliwell has to settle and build a relationship with his defenders though. Jim Thomson is now 37. We don't have a massive squad and could be badly affected by injuries.
5 - Chisholm is a very good manager. Agreed.
6 - It's a fair point. The cup run will definitely have instilled a confidence and belief. You can almost see it. However, the UEFA Cup will be an early season distraction and there's the possibility that early or embarrassing elimination in it could be counter-productive.
7 - I don't believe St Johnstone will under-estimate us. Dundee probably won't either given that we've beaten them four times running, though it's fairly clear most of their fans (Dundee's, not St Johnstone's) do.
8 - There's pressure on Dundee certainly. St Johnstone? Maybe. Dunfermline? No, I'm prepared to be corrected but I doubt too many Dunfermline fans actually expect to win the league this year do they? They maybe think they've a chance but expect it? We don't.

QOS div 1 winner 2008/9

They won't win the league as they aren't very good.

They took 1 point from us last season and we are rank,that says it all.

There is no pressure on us this year either.I expect us to have a better season than last and if we go on a decent run be in with a shout.

They got to the Scottish Cup Final last year and were very unlucky not to go on and win it. But they arn't very good. Right you are then! Just because they struggled against your lot last season doesn't make them a bad team. Every team has a bogey team each season and last year you were Q.O.S.'s bogey team.

we did well in the scottish cup too....and were put out by the same team as queens so are we gonna win the league?

Just to let you know, Im sure Dunfermline will be nowhere near the title this season. I think they will be mid-table like ourselves. I just think their board will be expecting them to challenge this season and I suspect some of their fans are still underestimating the standard of this league and I think some of them actually still think they will be up there challenging again this season.

Of course we won't win the league this year, we won't even be close. You really don't have a valid point to make there.

No.Ian McCall is your manager.

QoS won't win the league. End of.

There's no obvious reason why they couldn't.
Any plans to get Palmerston SPL compliant on the off-chance?

Would agree with that.
Dundee/St Johnstone are hard to split.Injuries/suspensions and Dundee going in to deeper debt,
could be the deciding factors.

We've got a good 1st team but not enough quality in the rest of the squad and we couldn't get promoted with our current ground.Chisholm will feel the pressure this season as expectations are running high at the moment.

no

Cant really argue with anything you've said. However, I still dont think we'll win the league. We just dont have the depth of squad to mount a serious title challenge. IF, and its a big if, we were very lucky with injuries and suspensions we might go close. But its pretty unrealistic to think we'll go through the majority of the season without losing one or two key players at some stage.

I actually think they might be a little surprise this year.

I can see them finishing round about the top three anyway. I don't think Dundee or Saints will go up this year, I think there is going to be a shock team.

I just hope Dundee don't win it, because it was brilliant watching their fans on here gloating when they were still behind Hamilton with a few games to go telling everyone the title was theirs.

They won't win the league for one reason.

They still have Craig Reid, who went about 8 games without a win at the start of his Queens career.







***awaits him posting response on my bebo if we lose to them***

I really don't remember that from any Dundee fan who wasn't Iron Chicken. Just you let your blind hatred mask your memory.

As I've said before I pray we win this league so we don't have to read this bile on a daily basis.

Cesspit!!

I think they have a chance but would be interested to hear their fans thoughts on their additions. I was speaking to SD about a month ago about whether Chis would look to improve the first team or just boost the squad numbers. I think in the positions he's lost players, he's obviously looked to bring in first team players (Halliwell, Barr) and Kean is as good an addition as you're gonna get when Dobbie and O'Connor are established but McGowan, Arbuckle and it seems McLaughan are very much just fillers for the squad. I'm not saying he's wrong to go with maily the same first team but I wonder if he's really looked to improve things, or just been happy to stick with what he knows.

Truthfully I can't see guys like McGowan or Arbuckle making a big contribution to a side pushing for the title, so they are maybe going to rely on striking it lucky with injuries but they managed it in the second half of last season. We also saw last season how guys (Stanic) can just suddenly hit a brick wall in terms of age, so there's no guarantee that Tosh, Thomson or McQuilken will be so effective.

I think the Queens fans will be quietly confident of a good season and IMO they shouldn't be aiming for any lower than third. You just wonder if this is going to be the best chance they have to get promotion though as there aren't many players like Tosh, Dobbie and O'Connor kicking around for clubs at this level.

We beat Dundee four times last season, by your logic that means I should think they are rubbish and shouldn't win the league!



I agree. But we'll come just as close as what The Pars will.



Played 8 times. Won 3 Lost 3 Drew 2. Hmm you may be a bit wrong there!

You make a fair point, but given the squad size and budget we have its unrealistic to expect our squad to be full of players of equal quality to the first eleven, certainly in the case of the likes of Tosh, Dobie etc Its also hard to see where we could significantly improve the first 11 without blowing our wage structure - other than left midfield which has been a weak point since Gibson left.

As for the squad, you're right about the players that have come in, with the exception of Jamie Adams I would say, but again its hard to see where better players would come from within budget. We've been down the loan route for 3rd and 4th strikers in the past few seasons and, frankly, its been pretty disasterous. Kean and Arbuckle are better 3rd and 4th strikers than we've ever had.

I think if you look at the other signings around this division, its obvious that there arent really that many players that 1st division clubs can bring in and really make a difference. Almost everyones signings have been from other teams in the division, or fringe SPL players, or younger up and coming players from lower leagues. No-one has made a signing that has made the rest of the league say "Wow. I wish we'd signed him"

A bulldozer would be off assistance and when it's finished there it could nip over to Greenock

19QOS19 has already pciked you up on that but that really is nonsense. I take it that's for wind up purposes?

We lost three games with Reid in the team and he drew on his debut (which would have been a win but for the worst refereeing decision I saw last season when Accies were allowed a last minute equaliser despite a clear foul in the build up.

No, the reason mainly being due to their part-time status...

Actually:
Played 9 Won 3 Drawn 3 Lost 3

Played in last seasons wins v Dundee and Partick and this season's v Berwick. Draws v Hamilton (debut), Morton and Dunfermline. Losses to St Johnstone, Livi and Dunfermline.

He was also an unused sub in two wins and a draw.

Its called optomism and having a bit of faith in your team but being a GYPO PWIK you would'nt be aware of these emotions ........enjoy yer dogfight AGAIN

That's right.

Thats a worse fishing attempt than the Craig Reid one

He's probably not trying to fish! He's just a bit slow!

You reckon?

I know a few of the county fans on here are a bit behind the times, but surely not?

I don't have time to look at any examples but it wasn't just him.



No it's not.

Juninho: Queens are full time. Pay attention.

I reckon they are in with a shout. Top 3 probably and not far behind first place at worst. Chisholm has done a great job. Queens are a good team, and I mean team - good players although no real stars, but very effective strike force of O'Connor and Dobbie, skilful midfield and the best centre back in the division in big JT. The cup run was spectacular but no fluke - I suspect there will be few shutouts but lots of goals for this year. If you don't think Queens are good enough, ask Aberdeen, or indeed Rangers.

I'm very happy with Kean. I've only seen Barr play once in a friendly but was impressed with what I saw and if Adams can get back to his best then I'm more than happy with that. I think Arbuckle will do a job. The jury is out on Halliwell he is definatley a notch down from McDonald but out of the three keepers we were linked with he is the one I would have taken. The only guy I'm unhappy with is McGowan mainly because I think he is bit of an arse.

Overall the squad is lot stronger than this time last year and happily enough we seem to be signing players that have more than a couple of years left in their careers. We've got a decent chance of getting third, anything more would be a bonus. Importantly we have got the sort of team that can play some decent football and get a few more folk into Palmerston on a Satuurday afternoon which would always be a good thing especially building on the interest from last years cup run.

I can't see us doing it or even getting terribly close to be honest.
We're a decent side and it's nice not to be regarded by bookies as likely relegation candidates for a change.
I just think though that we're relient on two or three individuals who we're likely to struggle without. The main one is O'Connor as our threat disappears more with his departure from a game than when even Dobbie leaves - as evidenced in the semi.
I'd also suggest - perhaps heretically - that we perhaps don't quite have the finest manager of all time. Of course he deserves immense credit for how last season ended, but there were errors beforehand in my view. I'm not suggesting for one moment that he's a bad manager, but I don't necessarily share the adulatory faith of many Queens fans.
I hope I'm wrong, but I can see another mid-table finish. This would disappoint, but not hugely surprise me.

Queens have a better squad than last season with a first choice eleven which is arguably as good as the one which finished the year.
On what I've seen Barr is a better player all round than McCann.I think with Barr and Harris we probably have as good a pair of full-backs as any team in the Division.
Halliwell is not as good a keeper as McDonald but the gap is not that great.
Jamie Adam is coming back to his previous form after being missed for the second half of the season.
With four centre backs on the books we are unlikely to have to make the kind of ad hoc improvisations we had to make at the start of last season.
With Kean and Arbuckle available we have pace up front to partner O'Connor and allow Dobbie to play in what for me is his best position behind the front two.
Dobbie incidently seems to have shed a fair bit of weight and his work rate has increased greatly.
Could we win the league - yes.
Will we win it - doubtful.
Will we be closer to the top 'pointswise' than last season - yes.

You'll get to know about Juninho, there's a few County fans that are embarassed for him!



I can't think of any other managers that would be of higher quality in this division TBH.

Wouldnt argue with any of that .... good summary

Particularly agree about the full backs, I said early on in pre-season that Barr will turn out to be a better right back than McCann or Paton.

Completely disagree there. Ever since McDonald joined QoS I have been comfortable when players took shots as I felt Jamie would deal with them no problem. I now find myself wanting to look away every time the ball goes near Halliwell (that was before his small blunder).

For me McDonald's career is just beginning and he will be a first team SPL player with a club in the next 2/3 years. Halliwell on the other hand is going in the other direction and I don't think he will be at Palmerston this time in 2/3 years.

I am not a critic of Halliwell as such, if he puts on the QoS shirt he'll get my support, but I feel McDonald is miles better.

I wouldn't even necessarily argue with you. It's just that the 'fact' we have a great manager seems now to be regarded as a given.
I think we've got a decent one, who is now deservedly assured of an exalted place in our history, given the recent cup exploits.

I don't think Chisholm is a great manager and if I'm being honest I think this is as high as his standards go. I personally don't think he would make a good SPL manager. I just feel at this level he is as godd as it gets.

We won't win the league.
As just about every Queens fan has said, we've got a decent first choice 11 (although IMO our central defence is weak whether it is JT and Aitken or JT and Reid playing out of position) and the jury is still out on the keeper. We also don't have a conventional left sided midfield player. Nor do we have any strength in depth.
I think some fans of other clubs are trying to big us up for reasons known only to them. Some Queens fans are joining in because they want to believe it.
I think some need a reality check. We've seen this every season for the past 3 or 4 years, only this time it is worse than ever. Usually by October, when we're starting our annual relegation scrap, it calms down a bit. Hopefully we won't need that this season before people start getting real.

I don't think it's an unrealistic possibility Flash, it's certainly more possible than it has been in the last few seasons! Saying that I too don't think we will be promoted but I am confident we may well get to our highest ever finish in recent years.

I dont think queens will win the league, for some reason i dont think we want to, well maybe not that we dont want but i think we would rather not in terms of we havent made any plans to revamp or develop out home ground, we havent built i big squad to make a serious attempt, i feel chisholm/ rae are modeling out team on inverness caley (i think i have heard that quoted before) but im of the same opinion i think we are making the progress steady instead of going full time getting a good run in the scottish cup and blowing all the money on making a challenge for the spl.
but to be honest i agree with what someone has said this could be queens best chance to make this challenge.


id like to add that on the back of kean's pre season scoring record and also gettin on the scoresheet on saturday i think he cant really be regarded as a "3rd striker". i think he looks a sensational signing!

queens have as good a chance as anyone imo especially as imo dundees team is weaker than last season. Plus the players will be spurred on from last seasons showings and playing in europe! on a sidenote, davie rae was also saying in the paper today that we have sold 1500 season tickets which is brill, so thats guarenteed to bring bigger crowds to palmy, eg couple of hundred floating fans plus another couple of hundred in most away supports! which could equal more money for qos.

They bought it!

Aye right

Seconded!

I dont think there are many Qos fans who need a reality check. Almost to a man they're saying the same as you - good first 11 but lack enough depth for any kind of serious title challenge.

The difference for me this season is that we know what we've got. We know we've got a good manager and we know we've got a good first 11 because we've seen it. Previous years, the optimism was based on 'maybes' and 'ifs'.


I only wish that were true. Im not convinced the floating fans will come, certainly not in any great numbers or for any long period of time. Maybe if we get through the UEFA cup tie and/or have a really good start the crowds will increase, but I dont think we'll see any kind of significant increase. Hope to be proved wrong though!


I see what you mean about him