Stenhousemuir FC - The Warriors - The 2023/24 Thread

[CEMSFC]

Chris O'Neil has left the club.

 

Botti Biabi signs on for the rest of the season. 

[Francesc Fabregas]

5 hours ago, Burnsythebinman said:

hardly any of colin's summer signings left. some reaction from the club to improve players . would have liked to seen a left back as we badly needed one. 

There's still time to sign a left-back and I understand the club are working to bring one in.

You're right about the turnover in players since the start of the season but it hasn't been that drastic. Here's the squad that took on Albion Rovers from the first league game of the season:

• Graeme Smith (still at the club)
• Aiden McIlduff (absent through long-term injury but somehow still at the club)
• David Marsh (in exile)
• Andy Munro (still at the club)
• Jamie McKernon (left after a couple of months)
• Dylan Dykes (binned off back to Greenock Morton at the first opportunity)
• Scott McLaughlin (still at the club; Player of the Season contender)
• Liam Scullion (sent back to Hamilton Academical)
• Mark McGuigan (still at the club)
• David Hopkirk (still at the club)
• Alan Cook (left for Peterhead last night)
• Kyle Marley (still at the club)
• Marky Munro (still at the club, as far as I'm aware)
• Kieran Gibbons (sent packing to East Kilbride)
• Thomas Halleran (still at the club)
• Brandon Luke (left after a couple of weeks)
• Ryan Watters (still at the club, and fair play to him!)
• Kieran Anderson (binned off to the juniors)

Five players from that match started the weekend's game against Elgin City (Smith, Andy Munro, McLaughlin, McGuigan and Hopkirk) while Marley, Halleran and Watters were all on the bench.

Good news that Botti Biabi has signed on, I like what I've seen from him. Chris O'Neil could have been a sound signing but couldn't really get going after his injury and lost his place to Jonathan Tiffoney. All the best to him.

[beaver1]

Marsh has left - unfortunately

[Neilly]

I liked Marsh and was a steady pair of hands.

Could be risky being reliant on Wilson or Armstrong for the rest of the season but I suppose Irons just doesn't fancy Marsh for whatever reason.

It's a mad auld window for The Mighty.

[Burnsythebinman]

3 hours ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

There's still time to sign a left-back and I understand the club are working to bring one in.

You're right about the turnover in players since the start of the season but it hasn't been that drastic. Here's the squad that took on Albion Rovers from the first league game of the season:

• Graeme Smith (still at the club)
• Aiden McIlduff (absent through long-term injury but somehow still at the club)
• David Marsh (in exile)
• Andy Munro (still at the club)
• Jamie McKernon (left after a couple of months)
• Dylan Dykes (binned off back to Greenock Morton at the first opportunity)
• Scott McLaughlin (still at the club; Player of the Season contender)
• Liam Scullion (sent back to Hamilton Academical)
• Mark McGuigan (still at the club)
• David Hopkirk (still at the club)
• Alan Cook (left for Peterhead last night)
• Kyle Marley (still at the club)
• Marky Munro (still at the club, as far as I'm aware)
• Kieran Gibbons (sent packing to East Kilbride)
• Thomas Halleran (still at the club)
• Brandon Luke (left after a couple of weeks)
• Ryan Watters (still at the club, and fair play to him!)
• Kieran Anderson (binned off to the juniors)

Five players from that match started the weekend's game against Elgin City (Smith, Andy Munro, McLaughlin, McGuigan and Hopkirk) while Marley, Halleran and Watters were all on the bench.

Good news that Botti Biabi has signed on, I like what I've seen from him. Chris O'Neil could have been a sound signing but couldn't really get going after his injury and lost his place to Jonathan Tiffoney. All the best to him.

aye, fair point when you see it like that although a number of them go as far back as Bomber. would be interesting to compare this saturodays starting 11 compared to that one above.  the changes must have strengthened us or am i just too optimistic?

[Francesc Fabregas]

3 minutes ago, Burnsythebinman said:

aye, fair point when you see it like that although a number of them go as far back as Bomber. would be interesting to compare this saturodays starting 11 compared to that one above.  the changes must have strengthened us or am i just too optimistic?

I think the way to look at it is to compare the outgoing players and ask whether or not the incoming ones are better.

Jamie McKernon or Connor McBrearty? Dylan Dykes or Ryan Blair? Kieran Anderson or Botti Biabi?

The squad certainly appears better now than it was at the start of the season but the proof will be in the pudding.

[Dundee Hibernian]

See the Warriors have signed Abdelhak Massouaghou: he looked a very good player in a recent non-competitive game, very confident in his ability to attack players and fast/ direct. Looks like he has a decent shot on him. The only criticism would have been that he didn't always track players back, but he's young and could take that on board through time.

 

Looks like he's been playing in the U19s rather than first team, but against sides which represent some of the strongest in France. I'm assuming he's here studying: anyone know?

[Junior Pub League]

5 hours ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

 

<snip>

No shock to see the Tory doesn't even know what level Bo'ness play at.

[beaver1]

Another new player signing today. Sean Burns???

[Francesc Fabregas]

1 hour ago, beaver1 said:

Another new player signing today. Sean Burns???

He can play at left-back...

[Burnsythebinman]

Burns becomes Davie Irons 6th January signing and the 11th in total since November 2019. Summary below of the Club’s business this window;

 

Jonathon Tiffoney – signed in November, extended until the end of the season

Ryan Blair – signed from Swansea in November, extended during this window to the end of the season

Botti Biabi – signed from Swansea in November, extended during the window to the end of the season

Jordan Armstrong – signed in November, extended until the end of the season

Greig Spence- signed from Arbroath on an 18 month deal

Bob Wilson – signed from Arbroath until the end of the season

Conor McBrearty – signed from St Mirren on loan until the end of the season

Connor McBride – signed from Celtic on loan, extended until the end of the season

Callum Moore- signed from Dundee on loan

Abdelhak Massougahou- signed from Dracey FC to the end of the season

Sean Burns- signed from Forfar to the end of the season

[Passionate]

On 24/01/2020 at 11:37, CEMSFC said:

Chris O'Neil has left the club.

 

Botti Biabi signs on for the rest of the season. 

That move went well for o neil,   what happened highly rated by the happy clappers at airdrie,   Does he now fall into the "Journeyman" category

[Moonglum25]

Apparently Irons blamed Cook for both goals against Brechin, the first was a corner he took which did not get past the first man and the keeper hoofed it up the park and Wilson missed the header and back of the net. The second one was the ball that everyone thought was out , Cook missed the first tackle but there were three or four defenders behind him but he still got blamed for it.  Cook approached Irons at training about it but was still blamed so asked to leave and this was granted.

His decision to let Marsh go has also cost the club a fair sum of money in paying off his contract. There is a further development to this which will come out later.

[true fan]

Can't fault manager or board for activity in trying to remodel squad since end November/start December and now but loss of marsh and cook could really cost us. There seems to be a tendency for irons to fall out with players that wasn't there last time he was with us. Obviously stress of being at the wrong end of the wrong table changes things.

we need spence or biabi to hit a run of form. Both are rusty though. Spence in particularly looks like a decent player but seems low on confidence.

I think we need to get our hands on TWO central defenders but I don't realistically see that happening. One big problem is Andy Munro - he doesn't seem to get much criticism. Maybe some are fooled by his chest out, shouting style but I think he makes big mistakes every game. Distribution really poor but it's the mistakes he makes. Defence woeful all season and he is the one constant. Marsh better for me.

any news on halleran and marky Munro?

Edited January 29, 2020 by true fan

[beaver1]

I tend to agree re Munro. He has been the only constant in a backline that concedes goals every week. Will be interesting to see how we cope without him while he is suspended. I'd put Mclaughlin in to the middle. He has been our best player all season and hasn't let us down once. 

[QPSpider1867]

I spoke to a member of Kieran Anderson's family before the first league game of the season. When they saw he was on the bench they were incredulous and said: "He won't be happy with that. He'll have a word with the manager if this keeps up". I can understand that Anderson wants to play every week but if he's not prepared to work for it, what's the point?
I agree with your comments about Mark McGuigan, he's had a subdued season, but I'd be really disappointed if he was to leave. I can't see it happening.

Kieran Anderson is known around Falkirk. He was a bully to younger people. Doesn’t have any pals. Quite a coward. Always had a quick turn of pace and a little skill but no respect or care. Not surprising he won’t listen to anyone or work hard. Always thought he was better than he is.

[Christophe]

On 24/01/2020 at 01:27, Neilly said:

He was hot and cold but still probably the most popular player among the fans over the last couple of seasons, I will be sorry to see him go. He obviously wanted to go though so we can only wish him all the best at Peterhead. I know he turned down a move there for a lot more money before he came back here so McInally obviously a big fan of his.

Hopefully this new French winger will do us a turn.

 

On 24/01/2020 at 02:14, Vimto90 said:

Cooky was hot and cold but still probably the most popular player among the fans over the last few seasons, I will be sorry to see him go. He obviously wanted to go though so we can only wish him all the best up at Peterhead. I know he turned down a move there for a lot more money before he came back here so McInally obviously a huge fan of his.
Hopefully this new French winger will do us a good turn.

What's this about? Is Vimto doing "a hing" or did Neilly forget about his original post and log back on under an alias and reiterate almost word for word?! 

Odd! 

 

On the Cook being blamed for the Brechin goals thing, I did notice Irons going balistic at Cook earlier in the game when a poor corner was again snuffed out easily before the first post...what happened to sticking Blair on the corners which looked much more effective at Hampden a couple of weeks previous? On the Hampden note Cook probably WAS to blame for the two goals there, but he was being played out of position so I'm sure I said at the time we can't be too harsh on him. Maybe this was still in Irons mind following the Brechin incidents though. 

[Neilly]

10 hours ago, beaver1 said:

I tend to agree re Munro. He has been the only constant in a backline that concedes goals every week. Will be interesting to see how we cope without him while he is suspended. I'd put Mclaughlin in to the middle. He has been our best player all season and hasn't let us down once. 

Kind of sums up the ability of Armstrong if the thought is we need to play McLaughlin in there as opposed to an actual centre half. A Wilson/Armstrong centre back pairing gives me the absolute fear. Munro has been poor this season compared to last there's no doubt about that but he's still better than the alternatives. Marsh was better than them all but that ship has sailed.

38 minutes ago, Christophe said:

 

What's this about? Is Vimto doing "a hing" or did Neilly forget about his original post and log back on under an alias and reiterate almost word for word?! 

Odd! 

 

On the Cook being blamed for the Brechin goals thing, I did notice Irons going balistic at Cook earlier in the game when a poor corner was again snuffed out easily before the first post...what happened to sticking Blair on the corners which looked much more effective at Hampden a couple of weeks previous? On the Hampden note Cook probably WAS to blame for the two goals there, but he was being played out of position so I'm sure I said at the time we can't be too harsh on him. Maybe this was still in Irons mind following the Brechin incidents though. 

Cook was to blame for the goals at QP, absolutely, but really the manager can take the blame for that playing a naturally attacking player as a full back. Saturday showed we are going to miss Cook badly. Moore does not look like a natural wide player in the slightest and struggled to get into the game and the French lad is going to take time to adjust but it's time we don't have. As the week's go past and you hear story after story of how bad that dressing room is I'll just be relieved to finish 9th and clear decks in the summer.

[Francesc Fabregas]

I find it hard to believe Davie Irons blaming Alan Cook for both of Brechin City's goals (if the manager was looking to point the finger, he should have done it at his new centre-back) but he definitely was at fault both times at Queen's Park - regardless of whether or not he's being fielded out of position, he should never have been sucked into the middle towards the ball like that and leave his flank completely exposed. Nevertheless, I would have preferred him to stay at Ochilview. As for Andy Munro, it's been said numerous times but he needs to realise he's a meat-and-potatoes stopper, not a John Stones-esque centre-back, and his form this season hasn't been good enough. I think the way he carries himself gets him away with things other players would be criticised for.

This has been a shambles of a season and the worst I've experienced since I started following the club in 2004. There have been mediocre campaigns (the deadzones of 2006/07 and 2007/08), near misses (2011/12) and relegations (2016/17 and last year) but this has been anxious and incredulous. I can't believe we've been this poor. On paper, I think the current squad looks handy enough to finish in the top four but there's something not quite right at all. Everything just looks like less than the sum of its parts.

We just need to get to May above Brechin and rebuild from there.

[Burnsythebinman]

17 hours ago, Moonglum25 said:

Apparently Irons blamed Cook for both goals against Brechin, the first was a corner he took which did not get past the first man and the keeper hoofed it up the park and Wilson missed the header and back of the net. The second one was the ball that everyone thought was out , Cook missed the first tackle but there were three or four defenders behind him but he still got blamed for it.  Cook approached Irons at training about it but was still blamed so asked to leave and this was granted.

His decision to let Marsh go has also cost the club a fair sum of money in paying off his contract. There is a further development to this which will come out later.

Moonglum is a grass. has to be a retired tax man or retired cop, sitting home alone, begging for gossip so he can kid oan hes important for 5 minutes on p&b.