The Queen of the South thread

[Skyline Drifter]

1 hour ago, annan4eva said:

More importantly you cant give a say 16 year old ( with all the talent in the world ) the desire to progress, these lads ( dare I used the word ) are few and far between, my point is that given all these challenges clubs are missing out due to not going the extra mile. Remember we’re not talking Messi here. 

Again, you're just throwing words about here. What exactly is it that you think isn't being done that should be?

1 hour ago, annan4eva said:

Ok my answer is Annan QOS Stranraer should have up and coming, fringe, returning from injury players in the SOS league. QOS have a reserve team but the fixtures are sporadic to say the least. Your answer is most welcome other than but Annan did this and failed , i know this but lessons can be learned.

................... and we get to the crux of the matter eventually. You think the senior local sides should be playing South League. I fail to see how that would be some sort of magic wand to youth development in the area. I watched the Lochar v Threave Cree Lodge Cup Final yesterday. There must have been more than a dozen one time QoS youths on the pitch. Where are these youths we've missed out on? How would playing in the South League magically mean we didn't?

Stranraer Reserves are in the South League now, I don't see them magically unearthing talent we've all missed as a result. Annan don't have a reserve side. QoS do and compete with the full time sides in the SPFL Reserve League as well as entering a team in a couple of South cup competitions. We've looked at the South League. it doesn't provide the level of football our first team players need to get match sharp. Plus the fact it plays on Saturdays means it doesn't work for us in terms of giving fringe players games. The younger reserves are sent out to the South League on loan to play games against men and learn the game whilst still playing midweek reserve games. Our real fringe players, the ones who make up the subs bench on a matchday, or at least travel with the squad, are busy on Saturdays seeing as it's when they play. It's not remotely practical to expect a real second strong to play at the same time as the first team. This isn't the 1970's and the first team doesn't travel with only 12 players any longer.

You may think the Reserve league fixtures are "sporadic", and it's certainly true they can often be subject to late changes, but we played 15 fixtures in the SPFL Reserve League or Cup this season (reaching the semi final of the Cup) and also played in those two South Cups so ended up playing in excess of 20 Reserve matches. In addition the 18's had regular fixtures at Club Academy level and there were occasional bounce games for fringe first teamers with other clubs too.

 

[Fae_the_'briggs]

Does loaning players or entering a reserve team into what is glorified amateur level of the South of Scotland League really benefit players development? Better for Clubs to have a proper Youth Development system playing against age level Youth Development teams from other League Clubs and then a proper Reserve League just under 1st team level for promising youth players and fringe 1st team players to compete in so it's a continuous progression for the better players to climb up to 1st team contention  through a club system. 

[Monkey Tennis]

I don't see an issue here.

The idea of thousands of players going through is true to an extent, and it's very welcome in terms of the community outreach of the clubs.  

We're a sparsely populated corner of the country though, and very few are going to be good enough.  

I don't imagine there's an ocean of ones that got away.

[Greenacres]

9 hours ago, Skyline Drifter said:

You've never been to Forthbank have you? 

Never been to Stirling for years  always thought it was a plastic pitch lucky we have you to keep my right .

[Homer Thompson]

24 minutes ago, Greenacres said:

Never been to Stirling for years  always thought it was a plastic pitch lucky we have you to keep my right .

Keep your right what?

[Skyline Drifter]

32 minutes ago, Greenacres said:

Never been to Stirling for years  always thought it was a plastic pitch lucky we have you to keep my right .

Forthbank has never been plastic.

[queenslad]

Van Veen scored in 9th game in a row for Motherwell at the weekend. Did super Andy Thomson not score in 10 or 11 games in row in the 90's. I'm sure he missed a game with injury but scored in each game he played. Anyone know if this is right or not?

[Fae_the_'briggs]

In today's Standard:

Queens have received Government funding of £190,000 towards the £270,00 cost of replacing the Palmerston pitch. 

Gretna has received £44,000 towards replacing floodlights. 

Fundings were granted through the Clubs' Community Trust Schemes. 

[Manwithnoball]

It's so quiet bring us some news to cure the boredom please.

[Otis Blue]

8 minutes ago, Manwithnoball said:

It's so quiet bring us some news to cure the boredom please.

Maybe manager and (most) players on holidays just now ....?

[DoonhamerDon]

41 minutes ago, Manwithnoball said:

It's so quiet bring us some news to cure the boredom please.

This killed some time for me over the weekend. 1 player from each of the last eleven years to form a best XI. You only get the player from that particular year though so no picking based on what they went on to do. Picking a player from each year is simple enough but trying to shape it into an actual team more challenging.   

[QoS99]

1 hour ago, DoonhamerDon said:

This killed some time for me over the weekend. 1 player from each of the last eleven years to form a best XI. You only get the player from that particular year though so no picking based on what they went on to do. Picking a player from each year is simple enough but trying to shape it into an actual team more challenging.   

Dabrowski (2022-23)

Wullie Gibson (2021-22)

Jason Kerr (2017-18)

Chris Higgins (2013-14)

Kevin Holt (2019-20)

Issiah Jones (2020-21)

Kyle Jacobs (2016-17)

Stephen McKenna (2012-13)

Ian Russell (2014-15)

Derek Lyle (2015-16)

Stephen Dobbie (2018-19)

 

Edited May 23, 2023 by QoS99

[Skyline Drifter]

1 hour ago, DoonhamerDon said:

This killed some time for me over the weekend. 1 player from each of the last eleven years to form a best XI. You only get the player from that particular year though so no picking based on what they went on to do. Picking a player from each year is simple enough but trying to shape it into an actual team more challenging.   

Sol Brynn (21/22)

Kevin Holt (19/20)
Jack Brydon (22/23)
Jason Kerr (17/18)
Chris Mitchell (12/13)

Iain Russell (13/14)
Kyle Jacobs (15/16)
Ian McShane (14/15)
Izzy Jones (20/21)

Lyndon Dykes (18/19)
Stephen Dobbie (16/17)

Struggled a bit. Probably adopted the wrong tactic in trying to take best players in best seasons first and fit others round. Should perhaps have taken best players in worst seasons and started there.

We're well off for attackers and I didn't find a place for Nicky Clark, Derek Lyle or Ruari Paton but I wanted the Dykes / Dobbie pairing along with Izzy Jones and the rest had to fit around. Slightly worried by the very young central defence. Probably would prefer 15/16 Andy Dowie or Chris Higgins in there but was struggling for midfielders. I could have gone for Dowie and picked a defensive midfielder this season instead of Brydon I suppose but not sure either Cochrane or Wilson played enough to be my pick.

[annan4eva]

On 21/05/2023 at 17:00, Skyline Drifter said:

Again, you're just throwing words about here. What exactly is it that you think isn't being done that should be?

................... and we get to the crux of the matter eventually. You think the senior local sides should be playing South League. I fail to see how that would be some sort of magic wand to youth development in the area. I watched the Lochar v Threave Cree Lodge Cup Final yesterday. There must have been more than a dozen one time QoS youths on the pitch. Where are these youths we've missed out on? How would playing in the South League magically mean we didn't?

Stranraer Reserves are in the South League now, I don't see them magically unearthing talent we've all missed as a result. Annan don't have a reserve side. QoS do and compete with the full time sides in the SPFL Reserve League as well as entering a team in a couple of South cup competitions. We've looked at the South League. it doesn't provide the level of football our first team players need to get match sharp. Plus the fact it plays on Saturdays means it doesn't work for us in terms of giving fringe players games. The younger reserves are sent out to the South League on loan to play games against men and learn the game whilst still playing midweek reserve games. Our real fringe players, the ones who make up the subs bench on a matchday, or at least travel with the squad, are busy on Saturdays seeing as it's when they play. It's not remotely practical to expect a real second strong to play at the same time as the first team. This isn't the 1970's and the first team doesn't travel with only 12 players any longer.

You may think the Reserve league fixtures are "sporadic", and it's certainly true they can often be subject to late changes, but we played 15 fixtures in the SPFL Reserve League or Cup this season (reaching the semi final of the Cup) and also played in those two South Cups so ended up playing in excess of 20 Reserve matches. In addition the 18's had regular fixtures at Club Academy level and there were occasional bounce games for fringe first teamers with other clubs too.

 

Queens also have a major investor ( and are full time ? ) which Annan don’t/ aren’t, so need to find another way.

[louisxiv]

Here's a query based on a discussion on the QOS Mad site. Can anyone clarify whether the ladies team are a part of the club or are they a separate entity? I'm guessing that they may be constituted separately for funding purposes but could be completely wrong on that score...

Apologies if this has been discussed before.

[Otis Blue]

45 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Sol Brynn (21/22)

Kevin Holt (19/20)
Jack Brydon (22/23)
Jason Kerr (17/18)
Chris Mitchell (12/13)

Iain Russell (13/14)
Kyle Jacobs (15/16)
Ian McShane (14/15)
Izzy Jones (20/21)

Lyndon Dykes (18/19)
Stephen Dobbie (16/17)

Struggled a bit. Probably adopted the wrong tactic in trying to take best players in best seasons first and fit others round. Should perhaps have taken best players in worst seasons and started there.

We're well off for attackers and I didn't find a place for Nicky Clark, Derek Lyle or Ruari Paton but I wanted the Dykes / Dobbie pairing along with Izzy Jones and the rest had to fit around. Slightly worried by the very young central defence. Probably would prefer 15/16 Andy Dowie or Chris Higgins in there but was struggling for midfielders. I could have gone for Dowie and picked a defensive midfielder this season instead of Brydon I suppose but not sure either Cochrane or Wilson played enough to be my pick.

When I initially read the OP I thought, easy - 10 Dobbies and Dykes ... but then I read the rules!

Agree with SD's suggestion in general although its hard to exclude Nicky Clark given his goals total alone in THAT season, which was also a season in which sadly missed Chris Mitchell was just pure class.  On his game, Izzy Jones was electric but probably didn't feature in too many games IIRC - you could equally argue for Faissal El Bakhtaoui in that position, again he didn't feature too often but he probably merits it for THAT game against Dundee United at Palmy alone when he absolutely destroyed the United defence single handedly.

[Skyline Drifter]

21 minutes ago, louisxiv said:

Here's a query based on a discussion on the QOS Mad site. Can anyone clarify whether the ladies team are a part of the club or are they a separate entity? I'm guessing that they may be constituted separately for funding purposes but could be completely wrong on that score...

Apologies if this has been discussed before.

They're a separate entity, affiliated to the club and permitted to use the name and some of the facilities (they use Palmerston for some games I think). There are various co-operations and tie ups, including the Macron kit, but not currently "part" of the club, no.

[19QOS19]

4 hours ago, Manwithnoball said:

It's so quiet bring us some news to cure the boredom please.

I'm all for it being a slower process this close season. Mind WG had his squad almost completed pretty quickly last season and we know how that worked out. I'd rather MB takes his time and gets it right. 

Noticed he said he's scouting the north of England for a few players so there could be a few unknowns coming in potentially. 

[Slipmat]

3 hours ago, DoonhamerDon said:

This killed some time for me over the weekend. 1 player from each of the last eleven years to form a best XI. You only get the player from that particular year though so no picking based on what they went on to do. Picking a player from each year is simple enough but trying to shape it into an actual team more challenging.   

This was far more difficult than I thought it would be owing to a dearth of candidates from 2019 onwards!

Robby McCrorie  (19/20)

Wullie Gibson  (21/22)  /  Jack Brydon  (22/23)  /  Jason Kerr  (17/18)  /  Jordan Marshall  (15/16)

Izzy Jones  (20/1)  /  Stephen McKenna  (12/13)  /  Joe Thomson  (16/17)  /  Iain Russell  (13/14)

Derek Lyle  (14/15)  /  Stephen Dobbie  (18/19)

I had to leave out a few candidates that I really wanted to squeeze in - Derek Young, Zander Clark, Lyndon Dykes, Ruari Paton, Ayo Obileye and (preparing for pelters here) Gary Harkins for example - but couldn't find a way to purely because of the one player per season rule, plus difficulty in selectring a left winger. 

I also toyed with the idea of a 3/5/2 with Jones and Marshall as wing backs, but since Jones only really became a wing back last season for Boro and never actually played there for us (as far as I can recall, I'm sure SD will correct me if I am wrong) I thought that might have been considered to be  cheating  

[Fae_the_'briggs]

1 hour ago, annan4eva said:

Queens also have a major investor ( and are full time ? ) which Annan don’t/ aren’t, so need to find another way.

Who do you think is this mysterious major investor that you speak of? I doubt if its any Board member. Are you Annan's version of Queens poster Greenacres who knows every other  Clubs' financial details.