Sons' sorrow

[WC Boggs]

4 hours ago, BallochSonsFan said:

Official site confirming that Faz, Frank and Eric Philips have extended their contracts.

There was a lot of very justified anger that Farrell kept his job after we were relegated. It's arguable that the club didn't decide to keep him for entirely football reasons only. Given how we've performed so far in League Two, how do folk feel about him getting an extension? Is it too soon to forgive the relegation season and to reward our so far excellent league position? Or have Farrell and his management team done enough to justify the faith shown by offering extended contracts?

I'm a bit torn on this one. We can only judge Farrell on results and so far this season he's doing a very good job. The season isnt over though, and if we end up missing out on promotion then has he still done a good job? I'm not against him getting  a new contract at all. I think we might be a little bit early in doing the deal, but the counter argument could be that if he gets us promoted as league winners then he'd be a prime candidate to get a job at another club. If that happens then at least we get compensation if we have him tied to a contract.

I think you've summed up most board's line of thinking very well.  If the manager looks like getting promotion and at this point he does, then it enters their thinking that they don't want to lose him to a better offer. This leads to thoughts of a pre-emptive strike to prevent that happening. Sometimes too early, as has certainly happened before at Stirling in very recent memory.  

I suppose in their heads it becomes a risk management question.  Is the risk of losing him greater than  the risk it could all go south?  With the decision taken, it either works out or backfires big time.  I don't have sufficient knowledge of Dumbarton to guess which outcome is more likely.  I do know how much it sucks when it doesn't work out well.  Seen it, done it, burned the T shirt.

[Clarko_son]

Something which adds to the bizarre nature of today was seeing this. A hundred and fifty quid to see Gazza..

I do obviously understand this isn't the club that arranged it and if we can fleece folk through venue hire etc then there's a positive for the club behind it but f**k me there was folk going on about the 70s tribute nights and here we've got 1690s tribute acts instead. 

[O'Kelly Isley III]

33 minutes ago, Clarko_son said:

Something which adds to the bizarre nature of today was seeing this. A hundred and fifty quid to see Gazza..

I do obviously understand this isn't the club that arranged it and if we can fleece folk through venue hire etc then there's a positive for the club behind it but f**k me there was folk going on about the 70s tribute nights and here we've got 1690s tribute acts instead. 

Thanks for the heads-up Clarko, but this is very sad on a number of levels, including the optics for our football club.

[pleslie99]

36 minutes ago, Clarko_son said:

Something which adds to the bizarre nature of today was seeing this. A hundred and fifty quid to see Gazza..

I do obviously understand this isn't the club that arranged it and if we can fleece folk through venue hire etc then there's a positive for the club behind it but f**k me there was folk going on about the 70s tribute nights and here we've got 1690s tribute acts instead. 

Tbf this has nothing to do with the club. Back Onside are just using the venue, it's their event. 

I did hear last week it was happening and expected tickets to be around the £30 mark, when I saw that earlier I just about fell off my seat, £150 is ridiculous. Iv been to a few glitzy charity balls, sportsman's dinners etc for charity through work, and although top dollar, doesn't quite hit the £150 mark, in the current climate I'd be surprised if it sold out.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

34 minutes ago, pleslie99 said:

Tbf this has nothing to do with the club. Back Onside are just using the venue, it's their event. 

I did hear last week it was happening and expected tickets to be around the £30 mark, when I saw that earlier I just about fell off my seat, £150 is ridiculous. Iv been to a few glitzy charity balls, sportsman's dinners etc for charity through work, and although top dollar, doesn't quite hit the £150 mark, in the current climate I'd be surprised if it sold out.

Having now checked out Back Onside, I see it is a Mental Health Charity and it might have helped if they had included this on the advertising poster as to the casual observer it looks a bit like a commercial operator trying to turn a coin from Paul Gascoigne's reputation.

I also agree with you on the pricing; OK they are obviously seeking to raise funds but 150 quid is a very steep price indeed.

[Sweet Pete]

Can't wait to dig out my sash for that one.

 

As for the new, extended contracts for the coaching staff; I can see the logic in stability and longer term planning. It's something that can pay dividends for clubs. Kilmarnock have done similar with McInnes in an attempt to lay foundations for coming seasons rather than being solely focused on the current one. However the major difference in this scenario (two major differences perhaps) are that though Killie are pretty mince this season, they did win the title under their manager last season. That's a very different angle from Dumbarton who are currently sitting top under Farrell, but were relegated under him last time out. The other difference I see would be that full time football more commonly sees longer deals, where bottom tier teams more often are year to year.

It could be a bold move that pays off, it could be misplaced. Time will tell, but I don't begrudge the club trying something different from the usual. I don’t know the club's inner workings of finances and contracts, only those in charge do, and presumably they've taken the possibilities into account.

[FifeSons]

[the snudge]

Incoming Ghanian right back?

[Sons fan 1872]

2 hours ago, the snudge said:

Incoming Ghanian right back?

Any idea of a name? I’d say we need another winger if possible rather than a RB

[WC Boggs]

2 hours ago, the snudge said:

Incoming Ghanian right back?

Are you sure he's a right back?  I'm thinking midfielder Fosu, recently released by Arbroath. If it's a loan, still more likely to be a midfielder......and yes I could well be wrong on all counts.

Edited January 20, 2023 by WC Boggs
typo

[Sons fan 1872]

13 minutes ago, WC Boggs said:

Are you sure he's a right back?  I'm thinking midfielder Fosu, recently released by Arbroath. If it's a loan, still more likely to be a midfielder......and yes I could well be wrong on all counts.

Fosu signed for Peterhead 

[WC Boggs]

Just now, Sons fan 1872 said:

Fosu signed for Peterhead 

Thanks mate.  Just need whoever it is to be a RB now to complete my ineptitude.

[George Parr]

Anyone know the last time we beat a team who was in the Premiership at the time? Feel like it might be some time ago but happy to be corrected on that. 

[Boghead ranter]

18 minutes ago, George Parr said:

Anyone know the last time we beat a team who was in the Premiership at the time? Feel like it might be some time ago but happy to be corrected on that. 

1985.

[lionel wickson]

49 minutes ago, George Parr said:

Anyone know the last time we beat a team who was in the Premiership at the time? Feel like it might be some time ago but happy to be corrected on that. 

I think Partick Thistle at Firhill in 1982, if you're talking about the Scottish Cup.

[microdave]

1 hour ago, George Parr said:

Anyone know the last time we beat a team who was in the Premiership at the time? Feel like it might be some time ago but happy to be corrected on that. 

 

1 hour ago, Boghead ranter said:

1985.

This is correct. We beat Morton 1-0 on 16th March with Jimmy Simpson scoring.

52 minutes ago, lionel wickson said:

I think Partick Thistle at Firhill in 1982, if you're talking about the Scottish Cup.

This is also correct. We won 2-1 with Joe Coyle and John Donnelly on the scoresheet. Mo Johnston scored for Thistle. Rangers put us out in the next round.

[Sweet Pete]

Good support today. Great to see.

[Sons Fan]

12 hours ago, Sweet Pete said:

Good support today. Great to see.

It was great to see.

The whole team should be proud of the performance and even though we didn’t get the result, they should take confidence from it.

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

I had the fear a wee bit, not about facing Kilmarnock but more about what effect a pumping could have on us after a poor defeat in our previous game. Despite the loss I’d like to think it will give us real confidence boost, there wasn’t a failure in the team yesterday.

Oh, and big McNiff eh? Weak link and all that.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

I wasn't there yesterday but it sounds like the collective performance was everything you would have wanted in such a fixture, so well done to everyone at the club, and indeed the travelling support.  Kris Doolan on the BBC gave us a very good hearing.

I was also interested to read the comments on Ryan Wallace.  His industry and intelligence have been impressive for a number of weeks and I've wondered what else could be achieved with a striking partner.

Declan Byrne is very similar in style to Wallace but could Russell McLean be the guy ?  Two up front would certainly be a big change of formation but I feel we may need to be more offensive in the second half of the season, and it's noticeable that our main challengers have played with two up front all season.

I'd be interested to see us rotate two up front, and whilst this would mean a man less in midfield I think it's potentially a better team balance.  It's all about opinion though and some may point to the hiding at Forthbank when we played two up front.  For me though that was less about the formation than an error-strewn performance meeting a very clinical home team.