Sons' sorrow

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

In all seriousness Aitken really has to get over it and move on. That's a night out with our staff and coaches and a day out with the fans he's been involved in since we bagged him. Now there's chat of the kitman leaving because of his loyalty to the wee weirdo. It's almost like he's trying to get these folk on his side over the clubs side. The Army will be absolutely lapping it up and he knows it.

We've also had him on the radio accusing the board of only sacking him due to fan pressure etc.

He's a deluded egomaniac that really needs to back the f**k aff.

[The Moonster]

Bizarre. Utterly bizarre.

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

[renton]

14 hours ago, pleslie99 said:

14 hours ago, Howlin said:

What on earth is McGowan doing at Nisbet's equaliser? Also, although he (McGowan) is also culpable for Murray's goal, I can't see Dyer anywhere near where he is supposed to be.

That was my thoughts about mcgowan exactly, the equaliser seemed to just bounce off Nesbitt and go in in slow motion. The 3rd Raith goal has to be his ball, as I said on the match thread it's travelled a long way, dropped 3 yards from him and he just watched it. Fully culpable IMO. We need a keeper that is decent and fully fit!

I was thinking that, seems like Nisbet just mis-queued it, and the keeper was expecting a second touch from the striker, and then was too late to react to the initial miss hit when both realised it was on target.

Edited December 17, 2018 by renton

[Boghead ranter]

My Dad's sitting in the RAH after getting a new hip on Friday. 

He's had a rough weekend with pain an nausea, but is now feeling much more chipper after Graeme Sinclair was admitted to the same room as him this morning.

For younger Sons:

 

Sinclair went from Sons to Sellic for about £65k.

Dunno how chipper Sinclair will be after a couple of days of my dad's patter.

Edited December 17, 2018 by Boghead ranter

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

So what are we thinking for January then? It's clear the squad needs some work but as always any business we do will be down to what funds are available.

We already have Andy Little's wage freed up and I'd imagine Allardice will be offski (no idea what we're paying for him) so that's at least something to play with. Judging by some of the performances so far I reckon there may be 1 or 2 willing to chuck it for nothing if they can get something else lined up.

I think if we're serious about making the playoffs we need a centre half to play alongside Mango, who's apparently only a few weeks away from being fit, a left back, a keeper and a winger (Barr and Paton have both been poor IMO). We also have the terrifying prospect of Dom Thomas not extending his stay but I'm hopeful we can sort something there.

New signings don't come for free so it will be very much dependant on freeing up wages, fundraising and sponsors stepping in to help out. We may also be lucky enough to get 1 or 2 cheapo loan deals through the door.

We live in hope.

[The Moonster]

1 minute ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

So what are we thinking for January then? It's clear the squad needs some work but as always any business we do will be down to what funds are available.

We already have Andy Little's wage freed up and I'd imagine Allardice will be offski (no idea what we're paying for him) so that's at least something to play with. Judging by some of the performances so far I reckon there may be 1 or 2 willing to chuck it for nothing if they can get something else lined up.

I think if we're serious about making the playoffs we need a centre half to play alongside Mango, who's apparently only a few weeks away from being fit, a left back, a keeper and a winger (Barr and Paton have both been poor IMO). We also have the terrifying prospect of Dom Thomas not extending his stay but I'm hopeful we can sort something there.

New signings don't come for free so it will be very much dependant on freeing up wages, fundraising and sponsors stepping in to help out. We may also be lucky enough to get 1 or 2 cheapo loan deals through the door.

We live in hope.

Bare in mind that Andy Little's deal was only until January, I may be wrong but I don't think we have his wage to use from January onward.

Given that Allardice has been overlooked despite our low numbers I expect he'll be on his way back. Rory Loy seems another obvious one to move on given that he now no longer exists, but getting him to another club could be troublesome. Iain Russell - was his deal only until January?

Aside from that, I genuinely think I'd only be upset to see Forbes, Ballantyne and Thomas leave, if any of the rest can be moved on to help add to the squad then so be it.  

Looking at the league above us, there are plenty players sitting there twiddling their thumbs who would do a good job in this league.  Duffy will know more than a few of them I'm sure and given that Duffy seems well liked by just about everyone who works under him then I'm hopeful we'll get the right players in (*cough* Bob Thomson *cough*).

[Jan Vojáček]

20 minutes ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

So what are we thinking for January then? It's clear the squad needs some work but as always any business we do will be down to what funds are available.

We already have Andy Little's wage freed up and I'd imagine Allardice will be offski (no idea what we're paying for him) so that's at least something to play with. Judging by some of the performances so far I reckon there may be 1 or 2 willing to chuck it for nothing if they can get something else lined up.

I think if we're serious about making the playoffs we need a centre half to play alongside Mango, who's apparently only a few weeks away from being fit, a left back, a keeper and a winger (Barr and Paton have both been poor IMO). We also have the terrifying prospect of Dom Thomas not extending his stay but I'm hopeful we can sort something there.

New signings don't come for free so it will be very much dependant on freeing up wages, fundraising and sponsors stepping in to help out. We may also be lucky enough to get 1 or 2 cheapo loan deals through the door.

We live in hope.

It's going to be tough for Duffy unless he has players who are willing to walk away. Very few look as if they're enjoying life with us though, so maybe they will. If we can end January with a starting lineup that looks a bit like this I'll be reasonably happy.

Chris Smith

Cammy Ballantyne Craig Barr NEW CB NEW LB

Ross Forbes Stuart Carswell/Kyle Hutton Ryan Thomson/Brad Spencer NEW WINGER

Dom Thomas Calum Gallagher

Getting Chris Smith on a permanent deal would tick a lot of boxes. He's proven himself to be fine at this level, won't cost the earth and would (I'd imagine) be more than happy to join up permanently. Ideally we could then punt Adam - but I don't see him being wiling to leave, especially if he's injured.

Ballantyne is fine, Mango being back will be a massive boost and - at a push - Carsy has shown that he can play competently at centre-half, but we ideally need someone else. Dowie has struggled this season, Perry isn't good enough to be a starter (and is injured all the time) so a left-sided centre-back would be great. 

Left-back is quite possibly our #1 priority. Dyer is miles off it, for whatever reason, and doesn't really look as if he wants to at the club at all. Replacing him (again, if he's prepared to leave) would be a big help imo.

I'm not convinced by Forbes and Hutton as a centre-mid pairing. Neither of them have the legs to go box-to-box, and neither of them are great at doing the dirty work. Forbes out wide with Ballantyne overlapping looks good on paper, with one of Thomson or Spencer (fwiw Thomson strikes me as a Duffy type of player) alongside Carsy or Hutton. Pick whatever pairing you fancy.

Out wide Paton and Bobby Barr have dropped in and out of things. Both started the season quite well, and both have dropped off dramatically. I think I prefer Paton purely because of his quality on the ball - but ideally we'd have a winger with a bit of running in them to compliment Forbes on the opposite wing.

Up top I'd be fine with Thomas and Gallagher. Obviously in an ideal world it would be Thomas and a fully-fit and flying Loy (or Robert Thomson ) but I'm trying to be as realistic as possible. We're going to be working with a few smarties and a shiny button, and that would be better being fired at the defence imo.

[Silverton End]

New left-back please.

Urgent

Duffy surely has a list of potentials drawn up, just hope Balls of Steele has enough funds.

eta- as above, big Robert Thomson please

Edited December 17, 2018 by Silverton End

[cameron2000]

The hope that I’m clinging onto right now is that Jim Duffy probably wouldn’t have taken the job if he didn’t have any room for manoeuvre in the January transfer window.

The number one target for me has to be a pacy winger. Paton and Barr have well and truly lost their pace, Barr in particular is now nowhere near as quick as I remember. I think Forbes on the right wing will be very effective because Ballantine will overlap to give Forbes another option as well as creating space for him to come in on his quality left peg. Then on the other Wing a winger that like to take on his man with some speed.

As has been stated by everyone we really need a new left back. Dyer is just absolutely pish and looks like he couldn’t give a f**k if we Win, Lose or Draw.

In midfield I’d really like to see Spencer starting or failing that, Thomson but for some reason Duffy hasn’t been fussed about the extra energy with gives us.

Also a new Centre aback would be nice but I don’t want to get too greedy so we’ll hope that Craig Barr coming back improves everyone else somehow.

Goalkeeper needed, Smith permanently is a possibility.

[pleslie99]

Dowie has been pish this season but I hope that if Mango comes back in then he may improve. Let's be honest, they were ok together last season, far from our worst performers in a pretty horrific season.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

So what are we thinking for January then? It's clear the squad needs some work but as always any business we do will be down to what funds are available.

We already have Andy Little's wage freed up and I'd imagine Allardice will be offski (no idea what we're paying for him) so that's at least something to play with. Judging by some of the performances so far I reckon there may be 1 or 2 willing to chuck it for nothing if they can get something else lined up.

I think if we're serious about making the playoffs we need a centre half to play alongside Mango, who's apparently only a few weeks away from being fit, a left back, a keeper and a winger (Barr and Paton have both been poor IMO). We also have the terrifying prospect of Dom Thomas not extending his stay but I'm hopeful we can sort something there.

New signings don't come for free so it will be very much dependant on freeing up wages, fundraising and sponsors stepping in to help out. We may also be lucky enough to get 1 or 2 cheapo loan deals through the door.

We live in hope.

Playoffs you say ?

[Johnny Red]

My Dad's sitting in the RAH after getting a new hip on Friday. 
He's had a rough weekend with pain an nausea, but is now feeling much more chipper after Graeme Sinclair was admitted to the same room as him this morning.
For younger Sons:
 

Sinclair went from Sons to Sellic for about £65k.
Dunno how chipper Sinclair will be after a couple of days of my dad's patter.

Hope faither’s on the mend - sending best wishes!

[sonsanorak]

New left-back please.
Urgent
Duffy surely has a list of potentials drawn up, just hope Balls of Steele has enough funds.
eta- as above, big Robert Thomson please

Played last 2 games for Morton I think.

[Old Scrotum]

Congratulations to Ross Forbes on the Ladbroke's 'Goal of the Month.'

Before you ask: dragged Xmas shopping.

[cameron2000]

The army have been for a day out with Stevie and colm, seems rumour I heard that colm away is true, last game stenny, no one saying why, but there was a comment regarding “misguided loyalty”, and another fearing for our clubs “direction “.

Oh , and “let’s hope we do it again”, seems to be directed at Stevie.

Club before any manager in my eyes, get a grip aitkens army

Fearing for our clubs direction because the world is going to come crashing down now that the promise of having Stevie Aitken at helm until 2068 has been ruined. Colm seems like a very popular Kit man but he also can also get caught in the heat of the moment sometimes. I remember him posting, publicly a not very pleasant message to Mikey Doyle after a defeat vs Morton.

[The Moonster]

35 minutes ago, cameron2000 said:

 I remember him posting, publicly a not very pleasant message to Mikey Doyle after a defeat vs Morton.

Aye? What was this?

[Boghead ranter]

59 minutes ago, cameron2000 said:

Fearing for our clubs direction because the world is going to come crashing down now that the promise of having Stevie Aitken at helm until 2068 has been ruined. Colm seems like a very popular Kit man but he also can also get caught in the heat of the moment sometimes. I remember him posting, publicly a not very pleasant message to Mikey Doyle after a defeat vs Morton.

See also : club photographer.

[Jan Vojáček]

26 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

Aye? What was this?

"hi lite" 

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

Ooft. Bad yin.