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Some info on the 2 new signings. With another one coming next week going by Linns tweet

Liam Rowan - The highly consistent Liam has moved confidently through the ranks to push for a regular place in the first-team but has suffered injuries at vital times in his career. Now fully-fit, the full-back loves to bomb forward and can be a real asset when creating chances from the right. Last season Liam continued to put in some impressive performances for the Under 20’s and was slightly unlucky not to be given the opportunity to fill in for Kieran Duffie during his spell on the sidelines. Liam’s father featured at Leicester City and Dumbarton many years ago so the youngster won’t be short of the odd bit of advice. 4 appearances in their 1st team so far.

Thomas Grant - Another Academy graduate, Thomas is an exciting young midfielder who blossomed in the Bairns first-team during season 2012-2013. Thomas started last season in great form scoring in a League Cup tie against Clyde at Recreation Park, however that was to be the best of the action for the midfielder after a virus floored him for the remainder of the campaign.. Having had a solid preseason under his belt Thomas will be keen to forget last season’s woes and hit the ground running this time round as he recovers from illness. Thomas is the son of former Aberdeen midfielder Brian Grant. 9 appearances in the 1st team this season.

Both sound promising.

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Does anyway remember those halycon days of us having a youth team who went 18ish (correct me if I'm wrong) games undefeated and getting to the semi final of a national competition (rather similiar to the Webster/ Henslee/ Heenan/ Swankie team of the early 00s?) and produced several talented youngsters who came through into the first team?

Long Term > Short Term. Ultimately I don't like us showcasing other teams young talents when we could be doing the same for our own. Of course, both of these loan deals could work out in an Lee Erwinesque way, and we need a few guys in to cover for injuries/ fitness issues, so this is a positive move over the piece and fully understandable. However, to reiterate what I said 6 months ago, when you disband a youth structure built up over a longish period of time, there are a variety of pitfalls which will ultimately hit sooner or later.

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Does anyway remember those halycon days of us having a youth team who went 18ish (correct me if I'm wrong) games undefeated and getting to the semi final of a national competition (rather similiar to the Webster/ Henslee/ Heenan/ Swankie team of the early 00s?) and produced several talented youngsters who came through into the first team?

Long Term > Short Term. Ultimately I don't like us showcasing other teams young talents when we could be doing the same for our own. Of course, both of these loan deals could work out in an Lee Erwinesque way, and we need a few guys in to cover for injuries/ fitness issues, so this is a positive move over the piece and fully understandable. However, to reiterate what I said 6 months ago, when you disband a youth structure built up over a longish period of time, there are a variety of pitfalls which will ultimately hit sooner or later.

I honestly don't think anyone from that youth team but Scott would be any use to us. We kept 3 of that team this season, Birse has left, McWalters on loan and I can't even remember the other guys name... Scott looked very decent, the others will end up junior. The 4 players you've mentioned plus McMullen/Nicky Smith and Terry Masson are about the only good/useful players I can think of that we've produced from our youth setup. Edited by 1320Lichtie
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I honestly don't think anyone from that youth team but Scott would be any use to us. We kept 3 of that team this season, Birse has left, McWalters on loan and I can't even remember the other guys name... Scott looked very decent, the others will end up junior. The 4 players you've mentioned plus McMullen/Nicky Smith and Terry Masson are about the only good/useful players I can think of that we've produced from our youth setup.

Can't remember his name?! :P

Does anyway remember those halycon days of us having a youth team who went 18ish (correct me if I'm wrong) games undefeated and getting to the semi final of a national competition (rather similiar to the Webster/ Henslee/ Heenan/ Swankie team of the early 00s?) and produced several talented youngsters who came through into the first team?

Long Term > Short Term. Ultimately I don't like us showcasing other teams young talents when we could be doing the same for our own. Of course, both of these loan deals could work out in an Lee Erwinesque way, and we need a few guys in to cover for injuries/ fitness issues, so this is a positive move over the piece and fully understandable. However, to reiterate what I said 6 months ago, when you disband a youth structure built up over a longish period of time, there are a variety of pitfalls which will ultimately hit sooner or later.

Prior to these two loan signings from Falkirk's development squad, we have only managed to field a bench of 5 out of 7 in the last 2/3 matches. In previous seasons when we have been struggled on the pitch for either form or numbers we have had the best of our youth team to step up to the plate. Now we don't have that fall back, and haven't managed to get the numbers in players wise so far in January (see Allan Moore interview mid December on SPFL website) we have signed two players from another teams development squad, instead of promoting our own. As I said in the quote above, both could turn out to be Lee Erwinesque, and that would be fantastic, but ultimately......see the bits highlighted in bold above ;)

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I thought Scott was away at the end of last season :o

Defo would've kept him. Looked like a tricky versatile player. Anywhere across midfield and RB he was good.

Glad to have these guys in. Grant played basically the whole 12/13 season for them so must be decent. The other guys played a few games this season too. Sure they'll do well and look forward to seeing them tomorrow.

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As for the youth players, McWalter, Scott and Adam could all have offered us something this season. Scott Adam may have got some decent game time as the left-side has been a bit of a problem for us.

This Falkirk defender -> Little playing centre-back today?

That's what I'd go for, Rowan/Little/McGeever/Johnstone or McBride

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David banjo......any good?

In a word..... no. Will probably do a job for u lot tho. Left us to get full time football!LOL

He has plenty of decent attributes but he has a terrible habit of following the ball and ball watching. When we had him at right-back, the amount of times opposing left-wingers would get the ball in acres of space was ridiculous.

He is a "terrific athlete", which is football speak, for not a good footballer

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  • 2 weeks later...

Yes - we still have one development loan left. As we have used up all of our other loans, we were hoping to get Carreiro back on loan till the end of the season as a development loan, but I believe Dylan was told by Paul Hartley that he will be in his plans and getting game time as soon as they're safe from relegation, and therefore the deal is/ was off.

I believe that in this transfer window we could extend McGeever/ McCallum's loan deals until the end of the season, but there has been no announcement. If these aren't extended, as pointed out above we will lose McGeever after the Hibs game (if he is eligible for that) and McCallum towards the end of the month I believe. If Utd have told us we can't keep McCallum, we could have an extremely large issue there!

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