Nithsdale Wanderer

Agreed. Looks like we have turned a corner in last few weeks with wins and scored a few cracking goals - Gibson and Connelly to the fore - and then he benches both for a Home game to 2nd bottom team who are leaking goals. Makes no sense whatsoever.

I have been concerned all season about the level of injuries sustained, particularly outwith games. You want your players to train hard and well but not overdo it so they are fit and peak on matchday - surely ? In his last interview Bartley talked about " players being leggy" during the game and seemed okay with that as they had been worked hard all week in training. Another aspect of his Management that is lacking.

How right you are !

Can understand going 2 up front for this one , but they need supply. Gibson is by far the best at providing that, not Mckechnie. Why change it when it has been working ? Baffling !

Really nice guy, met him a few times and discussed his time with us. Fast, entertaining , tricky winger for us. Remember his arrival at Palmy in Jan 89 - I think - scored a belter from 18 yds after swiveling on the edge of the box against Killie - the team he had just left. Really good Cup tie that in which Tommy Sloan put us 2-1 up only for the diminutive Gardner Spiers to equalise with a header in front of the Killie fans at the Terregles Street end. Got our own back in the replay though in which McGuire scored the only goal of the game to put us through. Did he also get sent off in that or was it Derek Cook ?

I was at EEP that day too and remember that miss by Dempster. In his defence, the pitch was a midden that day which surely contributed.

I knows some think there should be a separate 'nostalgia' category but there isn't so I make no apology for the following which is totally relevant to QOS and certainly of interest to those of us of a certain generation. Robert (Rab) Thorburn - who seems a thoroughly nice guy - has posted on Facebook that Ian Reid is suffering from dementia. A prolific scorer from the early seventies , always committed and although not the tallest could rise above tough tall defenders to get his head on the ball. He, and so many others, in the course of their work have provided us with pleasure, and entertainment over the years and we should not forget them. Wish him and his family well. He was part of that team of the seventies who provided some memorable results against Dundee 6-0 (LC), St,Johnstone 3-2 (SC) and of course Ayr United 2-2 then 5-4 (SC) as well as a fantastic run in the League from being bottom in Nov '76 to finishing 6th I think , maybe 5th which doesn't sound much but considering where we were before then a remarkable achievement against some very good teams. It was also mentioned that Mike Jackson, Billy McLaren and Ches - stalwarts of the Club -are all affected by illness at the moment. I could say much more about each one of them but will just share a memory of Billy McLaren for now. Jan 1973 home to East Fife (SC) - then a top Division team - crowd 5, 000 plus on the day that there was the first ever Sunday Market in the Car Park - Traffic chaos ! Anyway, East Fife had a great winger, Bertie Miller, who was the typical diminutive Scottish winger and he clashed with big Billy. Wisely he moved swiftly away but Billy , as you would imagine, pursued him across the pitch to let him know what was what ! The image of the tall McLaren chasing this tiny winger amused me at the time and has stayed with me to the present day. These guys are heroes of mine, and I am sure of many others here, and I wish to thank them for the memories they have provided and wish them and there families well. That group seemed to have a special bond evidenced, after their playing days, by meeting up for reunions on a regular bais.

As long as he doesn't spend hours and hours doing it !

That's one target Bartley HAS achieved ! He stated when he came in that Gibson - for one so young - was playing too many games .

A tale of two interviews. As referenced above, Bartley is frustrated at the mistakes being made time after time especially after he has been so thorough in his preparation. If only Football Management was so simple as telling players what to do and they do it every time ! The penny doesn't seem to drop with him that if he keeps doing the same and the players keep doing the same and it isn't working then he is making mistakes as well - not just them. As a Manager, in any field, you have to get to know your team members and how to motivate each one. Every individual is different and will learn in their own way. It is his job to find that out for each one and deliver accordingly. It sounds like he is taking a ' one size fits all ' approach ' which is easy and frankly, lazy. I could well be wrong as I don't know what is happening on the inside as I am not there. I mention that as Bartley seems to me had a bit of a go in a very sneering, arrogant way during the Dundee Utd interview when Sandra mentioned some fans thought he had lost the dressing room. He responded along the lines of they don't see what happens on the inside , I do, inferring that they should all shut up as they don't know what they are talking about. To the second interview from Jim McIntyre at Arbroath. Arbroath are struggling too and he talked about a lot of similar things - preparation, game plans, instructions. He recognises players will make mistakes - Bartley can't seem to grasp that - " players are not robots ... but when they do make mistakes it is the Managers job to HELP them". He also said " things happen during games and players need to think for themselves sometimes ". Heaven help any of our players that might do that ! Going back to understanding instructions McIntyre also said that a player might not play well but he shouldn't come off the pitch saying he didn't understand what he was being asked to do. From these two interviews it is clear what the overall framework is for preparing and coaching a team to perform, but the key thing is the Managers approach to that and how best to deliver their message to each player in order to achieve maximum performance. Bartley and McIntyre want to achieve the same things but they are very different characters. I have always enjoyed listening to McIntyre , comes across as a very positive guy though I am sure he can ' give it out ' when required. Even when winning - rare I know - Bartley rarely cracks a smile and it is business as usual. You need that positivity around the training ground to carry into games not a culture of fear of making a mistake. Listening to McIntyres interview just reinforced to me that he would have been able to lift the whole place. He spoke very fondly of his time at Palmerston too. To sum up, Bartley seems incapable of changing therefore we need to make the change asap.

It could well be Dodds as the potential list is diminishing. McIntyre to Arbroath. That's my top two already spoken for.

Just keep an eye on the OS.

That must be another mistake from a player as Bartley will have warned/told/shown them what to expect. Investigation required as to there activities yesterday I think !

Factually incorrect on both counts. I made clear that I was not offended by either of your comments. You should read more carefully. The Calendar one was in " poor taste " . As I said earlier today, anyone with a love for Football and appreciation of what footballers do for our entertainment and the real risk they take in doing that would think twice before making such a comment.

I suspect he wouldn't approve of marathon Gaming sessions either ! Maybe not the man for the job.

Mentioned that also a bit tongue- in - cheek. It certainly would be interesting ! More likely bound for Cappielow - if Imrie goes - given the link to Dunoon. He has also attended several games there and been made very welcome I understand.

He is exactly what we need on the park, a leader and combative mid-fielder. Not so sure about Manager though. As we have just found out it is a gamble with young , novice Managers. Sometimes it will work, sometimes not. Who knows ?

I get what you are saying but I would have responded in the same manner to the post in question in good times or bad. If it is in poor taste, it is in poor taste anytime. Thankfully, so far , I have not been personally affected nor has anyone in my family . My response was made more with regard to the ' Football Family '. If you consider the Legends of the game who have recently passed away - and consider the hundreds , perhaps even more, less well known players not reported on - I think that is something that anyone who really has a love of Football should be sensitive to and concerned about. These are human beings with families - not just footballers - who provide entertainment for us over the years. My comments were neither a form of lashing out or ' being touchy' but out of respect for footballers , the wider community and their families. I would suggest anyone unaware should read Alex McLeish's piece in the media today.

That's in poor taste given the (potential) link between Dementia and Footballers that has been so well publicised in recent years.

MB. He wanted it out there or else he would not have done it in first place.

It's gone beyond that after Saturday. Even if it hadn't , it wouldn't work or be acceptable to Bartley. I think one of his major weaknesses is his unwillingness to listen to others. Unless ,of course , you are an expert in Gaming injuries !

This one is for Marvin And Steve Clarke says he didn't smile too much during the post-match lap of honour "because I was still fuming about the third goal we conceded". (Daily Record) Players make mistakes at all levels - deal with it !

Neil Warnock, 74, says he has received numerous offers to manage in Scotland and has revealed that he would love a "backs to the wall" type job should he ever make the move north of the border. (Hibs Observer via Football Scotland) How about it ? !

Employment law and contracts will determine any plan of action and subsequent announcement. That takes time, just need to be patient.

Spot on. Do you think Jim Leishman at 70 could still do a job or is he happy being the Provost of the Kingdom ?