Skyline Drifter

I don't want to speak for Diege but I'd surmise he's probably referring to the bit about there being "a danger we could be left scrapping the barrel." HTH ☺️ By the way you, should only scrap your barrel if it has a hole in it and can't be repaired. Otherwise it may be useful.

I wonder if he'd still be hanging around Rangers if he wasn't a fan growing up. They've just signed Jon McLaughlin too who'll be ahead of him in the pecking order I think the fact they've signed McLaughlin is why it's an absolute certainty he's heading out on loan again. McCrorie wants to play and is being groomed as McGregor's long term successor. I'd put him ahead of McLaughlin personally but I imagine McLaughlin is here to act as this season's Foderingham while Robby goes on loan again. I don't think he would have signed without an assurance he would be allowed to go out on loan.

Whilst he's certainly improved his goalscoring a bit since going to Livi and being expected more to be the one on the end of moves, from what I've seen goalscoring remains the weakest part of his game. There are very few possess the physical power and pace combination he has. He's brave too and his ability on the ball is surprisingly decent for a big man. But his shooting, particularly when he's got time to think about it, is hit or miss. He missed the only two penalties he took for us too. He shouldn't be let anywhere near penalties. He doesn't score many crisply struck strikers finishes. His goals generally are spectacular lobs or rounding the keeper with pace, or they are bundled in off a shin, thigh, knee, etc from close range. McCrorie is an outstanding keeper. For me he's been the best keeper in the Championship for two seasons running (and he only spent half a season of each down there). If he wasn't at the same club as Alan McGregor he'd be playing 1st team pretty much anywhere else in the Premiership (including Celtic right at this second as I'd take him over Bain every day of every week). It will be interesting to see if he goes back out on loan again and if so, where. I think they'll look to send him to England if they can find a club they think he'll play at but another season on loan in the Scottish Premiership isn't impossible while he waits for McGregor to move aside. Will Livi go for him again?

Yeah, arbitration panel isn't going to set aside relegation. It may consider a level of financial compensation appropriate but the sums being claimed are ridiculous (For £2m I imagine we'd happily volunteer to be relegated!). There's a reason why Hearts didn't head to arbitration first (which would have been cheaper). They wanted a court to set aside relegation. They refused.

So then, welcome Hearts, cheerio Partick Thistle. Again. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53251721

Stupid people maybe. Dykes quite clearly was way better than our level in his last year, probably could have done a decent job a year earlier too. He'll always get criticism for his goalscoring record. He's done better at Livi where he is the focus of the attack but even with you it's decent but not exceptional. But his game is so much more than just goals. He's strong, powerful and quick. It's a rare combination in a front man. At Queens he played second fiddle in goalscoring to Dobbie, bullying defenders and running the channels to clear space. I know Dobbie is getting on a bit now but he scored 43 goals in Dykes last season with us (and missed two months injured or he might have got 50!). He scored 11 last season. Dykes was by far the biggest reason for the difference. and was clearly destined for better things. No disrespect but I think someone bigger than Livi might have taken a chance on him last January and I think your management did a smart bit of business to snap him up early and allow the loan back rather than wait and hope to get him in the summer. Salim Kouider-Aissa never got a look in with us so it's hard to say if he has a chance. He was young when with us and was Jim McIntrye's last signing before moving to Ross County a week later. James Fowler took over and never particularly seemed to rate Salim. He managed a handful of unused sub appearances, played for the Development side a bit and went out on loan to Shotts before being released at the end of the season and joining Stirling Albion. Certainly he was a handful and the biggest single reason Queen's Park put us out of the Scottish Cup last season at Palmerston. We couldn't deal with him. As much as it's easy to look at our end position and say that wasn't unusual, the game was in November and for the 1st half of the season we were on the fringes of the promotion playoffs with a very good defensive record. It only went to shit after New Year when you nicked McCrorie and Thistle enticed Darren Brownlie away. Up to then Salim gave us as much trouble as anyone (certainly more trouble than Lawrence Shankland ever did).

😂

QotS haven't gone down any part time route, not yet anyway. Our manager is still furloughed along with everyone else as far as I know. Did you mean someone else? Raith perhaps, or Ayr.

Disappointing. Was hoping there was a chance of a 3rd spell at Palmerston.

I would be far more inclined to believe Jason Leitch than Aberdeen FC. One is the leading authority on this in Scotland responsible for advising the Govt on ehat to do and the other, well, isnt! He will invariably err on the side of caution but Aberdeen are just guessing and crowds by August seems unlikely.

Aye he's from that well known Algerian outpost, Kirkintilloch!

I typed it, I know what it says. I think the clear implication of your first post is that if they hadn't been furloughed they'd have got something similar in benefits. If it's not what you meant it's certainly how it reads. "They would just be entitled to some other benefits so would still be coming out of money earned through tax" certainly suggests to me you think it's "six and two threes". Use of terms such as "just be" and "still be" suggests an equating.

I have no idea what you mean by a "snipe comment"? 🤔 You clearly connected the payment of furlough with otherwise they would get state benefits which isnt necessatily true as many of those are means tested. Its a very important distinction where we are discussing the Govt / HMRC attitude to this. The reason they initially encouraged employers to deal with staff through furlough was to stop the benefit system being overwhelmed, not because the cost to the public purse was similar either way. As soon as they got on top of the welfare system they quickly stopped encouraging employers to furlough everyone and anyone they could.

Yes but top line figures like losing £500k of potential income are one thing. How much have Dundee FC saved in Furlough receipts? Chances are it's in excess of £20k a week, maybe considerably more for three months to date. Probably another 6 or 7 weeks to come. There's £400,000 saved right there. Before we talk about not having the costs of hospitality, anything you pay match day casual staff, reductions in heat and light usage with buildings locked up, etc, etc, etc. Dundee (pending the potential for an insurance receipt) are probably among the worst hit (highest payroll full time, Championship club, probably only topped by your neighbours along the street) but Wigan probably lost more in a week than you'll lose throughout the whole crisis.

Playing matches isn't all that profitable for most clubs though and very few of the smaller ones have any significant hospitality. With most fans waiving season ticket refunds and the bulk of payroll costs covered it's unlikely missing out on 4 or 5 home games is enough to send anyone over the edge (away games not being played is a money saver).