The Arbroath Thread

[ahfpjim]

3 hours ago, 1320Lichtie said:

Also anyone with any affiliation to the club needs to get down to Bobby testimonial on Sunday. If anyone deserves a good turnout it’s him, also would hope Ricky Little would get the same whenever his comes around. 
 

Praying he gets a good turnout for it 

 

[ahfpjim]

Well the club have done really well promoting this ,NOT.

[ExiledLichtie]

3 hours ago, 1320Lichtie said:

What has Anton Dowds got to do with anything? We tried to sign him NINE MONTHS ago. We have had 3/4 month to sign a striker and we’ve not managed it D.C. will recognise he’s not been successful there…. and like I’ve said even if what other clubs were doing was relevant we are probably worse off than every other team aside from Morton in that position

He's not been successful, but its not for a want of trying.  But you make it sound like he could have got us a 30 goal a season forward if he'd just tried a bit harder.

You don't understand the relevance of Dowds?  He is a good striker who might well have joined us in the summer.  However, by all accounts, we were unable to sign him because he wanted full time football.  If some young hotshot emerges in league 1, you think we will get him? 

Near enough every club in Scotland is desperate for a striker, right from the SPL down.  If you can't acknowledge this, you have lost your mind. 

 

[Lichtie78]

I think everyone acknowledges it has been a tough market this year, for one reason or another. However, the fact of the matter is that we have 2 out and out strikers, both of whom are 20 years old and have no experience at this level. I think anyone has a right to be disappointed at that.

[DUAFC]

20 hours ago, 1320Lichtie said:

Also anyone with any affiliation to the club needs to get down to Bobby testimonial on Sunday. If anyone deserves a good turnout it’s him, also would hope Ricky Little would get the same whenever his comes around. 
 

Praying he gets a good turnout for it 

Totally agree. 

Great to see Nouble and Doris again - get them signed !!

Select team managed by Stewart Petrie and Shereenigho......

Edited September 29, 2022 by DUAFC

[AFC360PUNK1320]

31 minutes ago, Lichtie78 said:

I think everyone acknowledges it has been a tough market this year, for one reason or another. However, the fact of the matter is that we have 2 out and out strikers, both of whom are 20 years old and have no experience at this level. I think anyone has a right to be disappointed at that.

Agree with this.

At the end of last season after the ICT play-off game The Gaffer should have made getting an experienced striker his no 1 target, he knew early on not getting his no 1 target Dowds was not happening he then should have had a 2nd and a 3rd choice lined up and i am not on about unknown trialists from down south or abroad as that is always a big risk, for every trialist like that you may find 1 in 5 at the standard you want like Nouble (albeit he was a Livi player on loan to us) so DC should have went for tried and trusted strikers.

Shanks needs an experience striker/forward up front with him, at the moment that would be McKenna or Hilson both who i would not class as an "out-and-out" striker but that is where we are at.

If DC had played his transfer/frees better after getting rid of JT/Craigen/Big Luke and dare i say it Nicky Low we could have had a five figure "££" in the Bank and he could have maybe bid for an experienced striker, personally i would have even went for McAllister or even our ex-player Hester just to boost our goal scoring options if we were not getting in our first choices.

And how he can give Corfe more or even the same game time as Bobby Linn absolute beats me.

I do not like having a go at our Gaffer but he has taken big plaudits over the last few seasons so when he makes a mistake he has to hold his hands up but hopefully like the last few seasons he pulls a gem out the bag and the goals will start happening.   

[Hayshead2]

2 hours ago, AFC360PUNK1320 said:

If DC had played his transfer/frees better after getting rid of JT/Craigen/Big Luke and dare i say it Nicky Low we could have had a five figure "££" in the Bank and he could have maybe bid for an experienced striker, personally i would have even went for McAllister or even our ex-player Hester just to boost our goal scoring options if we were not getting in our first choices.

What a load of nonsense.

[ExiledLichtie]

Kane Hester.  Again.  Honestly, that name haunts our fanbase.

[1320Lichtie]

10 hours ago, ExiledLichtie said:

He's not been successful, but its not for a want of trying.  But you make it sound like he could have got us a 30 goal a season forward if he'd just tried a bit harder.

You don't understand the relevance of Dowds?  He is a good striker who might well have joined us in the summer.  However, by all accounts, we were unable to sign him because he wanted full time football.  If some young hotshot emerges in league 1, you think we will get him? 

Near enough every club in Scotland is desperate for a striker, right from the SPL down.  If you can't acknowledge this, you have lost your mind. 

 

Your very first sentence is exactly what I said in the first place!!?!!!????? He’s tried hard and not produced the goods, that is not unfair? You literally just said that too!!!! f**k me

 

Last paragraph is just bollocks and I’m not saying we should be getting a 30 goal a season striker or the next hotshot. Just our number 1 and first choice striker. He’s failed to do that 

Edited September 29, 2022 by 1320Lichtie

[Smokerson]

Think exiledlichtie has a point, its not easy to just go and get a 2O goal striker, it looks like from interviews that Dick has been trying really hard to get one in and has been a bit frustrated. As mentioned nearly every team are crying out for the same type of player.  I dont get this McAllister thing, he is 35, can only train one night a week and takes holidays during the season (why he left Cove) so not going to work at our level. Hester is a laughable shout, surely at the wind up.

Hopefully McKenna can get into double figures, A revitalised Hilson can continue to improve. Shanks has a bit potential also, that gets us to January and  we get someone a bit more proven in.

[1320Lichtie]

46 minutes ago, Smokerson said:

Think exiledlichtie has a point, its not easy to just go and get a 2O goal striker, it looks like from interviews that Dick has been trying really hard to get one in and has been a bit frustrated. As mentioned nearly every team are crying out for the same type of player.  I dont get this McAllister thing, he is 35, can only train one night a week and takes holidays during the season (why he left Cove) so not going to work at our level. Hester is a laughable shout, surely at the wind up.

Hopefully McKenna can get into double figures, A revitalised Hilson can continue to improve. Shanks has a bit potential also, that gets us to January and  we get someone a bit more proven in.

Not saying a 20 goal a season striker, but the plan at the start of the season was definitely not to have McKenna and Hilson playing upfront until January? He has tried very hard to get a loan in for our main striker and he’s not managed to do it he’s said that himself 

 

In regards to every team wanting the same kind of player I don’t think that’s true either, nearly every team in this division has atleast one proven striker or a main man uptop. I understand some other teams have bigger budgets and there are different circumstances and the FT / PT etc but all of the below are much better options than we have upfront 

 

Ayr - Akinewe

Cove - Megginson

Dundee - Rudden / Robinson 

Partick - Graham / Dowds / Mullen 

QP - Simon Murray

Hamilton - Andy Ryan 

Inverness - McKay / Samuels / Sutherland 

 

I have not included Jamie Gullan and Connell at Raith as they seem to have a touch of the Hilsons about them from what I’ve read however Kyle Connell looked very good and promising against Ayr last week. Loved the look of him on the highlights but the jury is still out.
 

Morton have Quitongo and Muirhead and on paper they seem as powderpuff as we do uptop 

 

Second part of your post I couldn’t agree more with, I think Hilson has been excellent the last 2 games and if he pops up with more goals, even 5-10 league goals a season that’ll make a massive difference to our fortunes

 

My main point was that we have failed to bring in a main man upfront no matter how hard DC has tried he’s not managed to do it and I don’t think it’s unfair to criticise him for that, especially when myself and most other fans absolutely love the guy and kiss his arse over near enough everything else. It is a valid criticism especially when we have had so long to do it and can now get players in from not just Scotland but England too

 

 

[SotesBornalichtie]

Interesting reading all the recent posts, so will chip in my tuppence worth.

Hilson has had a couple of good games and scored in each. He tends to drop deep and chase the ball, don't know if that's his natural instinct or if the manager wants him to do that. But I feel that if he is playing as a striker he should stay further up the pitch so that when we break down either wing there is someone already in the opposition box.

Have to agree with a lot that has been said about signing, or rather non-signing of a striker. It seems fairly obvious that young guys like Dowds and Chris Hamilton (although not a striker) will always jump at the chance of full time football over part time, especially if they haven't had a job outside football. So the best chance of getting an experienced striker seems to be via a loan signing.

Dick Campbell has said that good players want to come to AFC, which sounded a little like only signing players who were better than those at the club. Those comments made good soundbites. Maybe he believed them. We have made one good signing and 3 good loan signings. Unfortunately the one we really need has not happened.

If Hilson can continue his good form and we continue playing as we did in the first half against East Fife, when we looked like a real footballing side, we could start to pick up the points.

 

[1320Lichtie]

30 minutes ago, SotesBornalichtie said:

Interesting reading all the recent posts, so will chip in my tuppence worth.

Hilson has had a couple of good games and scored in each. He tends to drop deep and chase the ball, don't know if that's his natural instinct or if the manager wants him to do that. But I feel that if he is playing as a striker he should stay further up the pitch so that when we break down either wing there is someone already in the opposition box.

Have to agree with a lot that has been said about signing, or rather non-signing of a striker. It seems fairly obvious that young guys like Dowds and Chris Hamilton (although not a striker) will always jump at the chance of full time football over part time, especially if they haven't had a job outside football. So the best chance of getting an experienced striker seems to be via a loan signing.

Dick Campbell has said that good players want to come to AFC, which sounded a little like only signing players who were better than those at the club. Those comments made good soundbites. Maybe he believed them. We have made one good signing and 3 good loan signings. Unfortunately the one we really need has not happened.

If Hilson can continue his good form and we continue playing as we did in the first half against East Fife, when we looked like a real footballing side, we could start to pick up the points.

 

Couldn’t agree more

 

Also came on to say I had a look through clubs socials and I do not think we have done enough to promote Bobby testimonial on Sunday, a massive part in us getting into L1 to start with and then arguable single handedly won us League 1, he was the game winner / changer in so many games that season. All this stuff that’s happened in the last few seasons is in a big way because of how good he’s been on the park, the gates and crowds etc and all the other stuff that’s come with it 

 

We should be promoting this much more!!!!!!! 

[Gayfield]

Welcome Scott Bitsindou

Arbroath FC are delighted to announce the signing of 26-year-old defensive midfielder Scott Bitinsdou on loan until the end of the season from Premiership side Livingston.

Scott, who can also play in central defence signed a 2-year-deal with Livingston in the summer after joining from Belgian side KSK Lierse Kempenzonen.

Born in Belgium, Scott is a product of the Anderlecht Youth Academy and has played for FC United Zürich in Switzerland, FC Javor Ivanjica in Serbia and had a loan spell with Lommel SK in Belgium, whilst also having represented Congo at International Level.

Arbroath FC have formed a fantastic relationship with Livingston, and we would like to thank everyone at the Club, especially Manager David Martingale for making this loan possible.

 If you would like to sponsor Scott’s Home, Away or Third Kit please get in touch with Paul@arbroathfc.co.uk

Welcome to the Club Scott!

C’mon the Lichties

[LiviLion]

Hopefully he works out as well as the last couple!

[lichtie23]

But left field but always good to have a versatile player on the books. 

[stan3600]

6’ 4.5”. Could come in handy.

[Smokerson]

Welcome Scott!

[stan3600]

His Twitter is in French. Dick’s language skills will be useful.

[DUAFC]

Dick's language doesn't really need translating...