Otis Blue

Nice to see an industrial technology business based in Dumfries. Hope the sponsorship works for/helps them.

I've a bad feeling about this ...

Aye, it's the details that are often overlooked ...

Yep, not top of my list ...

I think there was also an element of good fortune in the assembling of the cup final squad - the Mileson project Gr£tna fell apart in 2007 and we were well positioned to pick up some quality players (eg Steve Tosh, Jamie McQuilken, Neil MacFarlane, Andy Aitken) on the back of that to supplement what was already a decent squad (including a certain Mr Dobbie) - so to a degree things kind of fell into place as much as being pre-planned. Great times nevertheless. I totally agree that the Chairman needs to control the manager. As in any business there needs to be checks and balances, approvals for transactions etc. I've personal experience of seeing businesses suffer when powerful individuals are given too much leash without enough control from on high in place and it should be the same for clubs. The club should set the budget, agree the strategy for squad building with the manager and then monitor the assembly of the squad via approval of each signing to ensure that the strategy is being followed.

Yep, it (going PT) would be a backward step. Sadly, I'd say it will be dictated purely by the club's finances. We'll no doubt eventually find a board of directors willing to operate the club, but it's probably unlikely that we'll also find anyone wealthy enough (and daft enough) to also inject a meaningful portion of their own hard-earned funds into the club to improve our position financially. Unfortunately, I'd say we are an awkward size of club/town/area - we're just on the cusp of being big enough to support a FT club (and would be at the top end size wise of most PT clubs) but we need sufficiently decent quality of product on the pitch to maintain reasonable sized crowds or else the financial model doesn't work. Certainly the outgoing board had the right idea in seeking additional income streams (such as the Arena) to supplement the purely football income and should be lauded for that (although that doesn't excuse their chaotic exit strategy). Geographically, I think it's a real shame if the South of Scotland (and aye, I'm not including Ayr in this "area") can't have a club able to maintain a profile within the top two leagues - just as I was pleased to see the introduction of Highland clubs (though I'm no fan of the County/McGregor rich plaything project) to give the game some profile in the North of the country. I think in the short term (next couple of seasons) we should use a hybrid PT/FT model where we spend the budget wisely on a smaller squad with "high end" PT players and use the FT signings sparingly and only where we know we are bringing in decent quality.

I thought we had all come to the sad realisation a couple of months back that nothing was happening re Bartley's position. Effectively, we have no board with which to sack him (the current board have to all intents and purposes downed tools, avoiding the big decision). So he'll be in place through the close-season at least until a new board is eventually formed and by which time most players (of reasonable quality) will have decided which clubs to join for next season ... sadly, I fear that yet another (ie next) season may already be in the bin. If we somehow manage to hold our place in L1 we're probably facing yet another relegation battle next season again. It's just so depressing.

We'll need to find a bloody board first ...

Aye, Ferguson was posted missing today. Why he was on the field and Connelly was warming the bench beats me. If there was a discipline issue, surely it was dealt with last week - to not play Lee today was plain criminal.

I thought the back line and keeper were fairly sound, but our midfield lacks any creativity and we've zip up front. I felt really sorry for Reilly today, worked his socks off (as always) and had some clever touches especially first half ... if only he had some quality around him, he'd be fine at this level.

Apart from the woeful fare on view ... was my first visit to Forthbank, and that's a fine venue to watch a game of fitba. I thought it was excellent.

^^^ called it (sadly). ^^^ Aye, for some strange reason I was too absorbed in what was happening to check my watch. That second half was crying out for a player with at least half an ounce of talent, and to not bring him on until right at the death (and to hook Reilly in the process who at least has half a clue what he is doing) should be a sackable offence for Bartley in itself. The obvious guy to hook was Ferguson who had totally disappeared all second half. I never, ever understand why managers wait until the final few minutes to bring on a talented player who might have the capability to change a game - surely they need at least 30 minutes on the park at least. That game was crying out for someone to put their foot on the ball and play some fitba - Todd tried first half but was miles off it second half. Huge opportunity missed today. Fizzing with that woeful second half.

That second half was dire, two poor teams out there reflecting the league positions. I keep asking myself if I'm overly hard on Bartley but obviously not. That game was crying out for some creativity up front and so Connelly has to warm the bench for 80 minutes ... wtf is he meant to do in only 10 minutes? To compound that he hooks Reilly in the process ... Reilly, the only forward who had a clue what he was doing. I was expecting Ferguson to be hooked who did the square root of FA that second half. Huge opportunity wasted there to pretty well make us safe.

Thought Queens shaded the first half. Started a bit shaky but improved. Reilly doing good work as usual as has Todd apart from one almost costly brain fart in midfield. Young Lewis working hard but not always going his way. Bryson, McKay and McClelland doing Ok at the back and one good save from Stone. Crying out for that bit of creativity up front ... Connelly needed badly, and not in the last 10 minutes.

Connelly on the bench ...

Aye, classic pre-match deflection type post there @StewartyMac ... we know deep down you don't think that really ... and we've all used it from time to time. Expecting a hard fought match today given the stakes for both clubs. Game on!

"I done bought my ticket ... I got my load. Conductor done hollered "all aboard" ... Ooops, drifted off into a Willie Dixon song there for a sweet moment, must be the warm spring sunshine. Anyhow, aye, "Bring it On (home)", lovely day for the fitba - only thing that can spoil it is, well ... the fitba quite frankly ... Mon the South, prove us all wrong for once!

I'd imagine that Transport Scotland will quite naturally be implementing their "major event strategic transport control plan (version 2.1)" on the northbound carriageway of the M80/M9 for this one, aye? So probably best for us members of the southern hordes to allow for this accordingly in our departure plans.

... Ah, but remember, we're full time!

No way I'd be confident of a 9th placed side winning through the playoffs (of course it does/can happen) because a lot of it is about momentum and confidence - you have lower league sides who are generally (as you correctly point out) used to winning and now playing a side that's low on confidence, under pressure and finding wins hard to come by. That often levels up any perceived difference in quality - not that I'd imagine there is much difference in quality.

I know it's your standard "go to" point of view, but ... this is Scottish third tier fitba', so all games at this level are "physical" to a degree, aye? But yeah, Gibson and Connelly just have to start, this is the game to really go for the three points and damage Stirling in the process as we still have another two games to go as backup if it doesn't go to plan on Saturday.

Continuing to grasp wildly at any last pathetic straw available ... I think one thing that may be in Queens favour is that two of the remaining three games are away from Palmerston where our truly appalling home record (Embra and Annan aside) offers the square root of SFA hope regardless of the opposition. So saturday's game at Stirling is our huge opportunity - win it and I think we'll be fine, lose it and it's a case of ... "Achtung iceberg" ...! [By way of explanation - I had the dubious pleasure of watching Titanic overdubbed in German multiple times on TV a few years ago whilst working abroad ... sorry, in advance.]

Did they not play together in the same Hibs team? If so, Bartley should have known the ups and downs of Efe ... He was brought in to add some badly needed experience to a very inexperienced back line - think we all knew what we were getting but the hope was that way down in the low levels of the third tier we might get away with some of his "brain fart" moments.

Question if I may ... what exactly are "tactics" ... just asking on behalf of a Mr Bartley btw ...

Yep, that's our lot ... does ma heid in btw.