Lionel J. Botch

All about opinions LJ. Let me clarify my point. I don’t know how many players we have signed in 10 transfer windows, but player for player how many are better than what was inherited? Have we signed a better right back than SOD? Ok now an international, unlikely to improve. But now we’ve not got a right back! better left back than ATS? better striker than Dools? God knows he’s tried. How many strikers have we brought in? Mukendi, Pogba, German et al. Lyle Taylor I’ll accept. Any others? osman for his first few seasons was excellent. I know your screaming Cerney and I know I’m in the minority here but his lack of urgency and willingness to play the ball to the full backs to play out, which was a big part of our play, killed us. Slow hoofball from the back. He was a great shot stopper, but goal keeping is more than that now. i could go on, but you get my point.

There is something very wrong at the club from top to bottom and something needs to change. the managers legend status is not in any doubt and as much as it pains me I think, largely for his sake, he should move on. The atmosphere is toxic in parts of the ground, now numerous fans deciding to stay away until there is change with others wanting protests. Even if we do go on a run of 3 or 4 games, it’s delaying the inevitable outcry when we hit an opposite run. I’d love Archie to turn this around, I can’t see it though. Genuine question, from the team that got promoted, how many players has he signed that were a step up from that team. I mean if you laid out that squad, in 10 or so transfer windows, where did we improve. I doubt you’d get more than a handful of players out of however many he has signed. Having said that, who is going to make the change? It’s jobs for the boys. When Maxi was announced at the SFA, we were hiring headhunters to get the best replacement we could. Within a few weeks we appointed the head of the youth academy to run the club. Best candidate? Take away the king of Spain guff for a minute, what qualifies Gerry for the gig? His Jagzone videos are hardly inspiring. We are going backwards and it’s unlikely to turn around soon. If it’s not the manager that changes, what does? As a Football team, club and business it’s failing and no amount keep the faith will turn it around.

I think we need to keep playing the high ball to Dools. Clearly working all game and will see us to promotion.

There will be no panic buying at firhill - just panic. right troops, what are we seeing from the manager to suggest we are coming out of relegation in any sort of decent shape. Please guys, Archie is a legend. Thanks mate and good luck in your next gig. no one here at Ayr can defend this shambles. Disgrace against Livi was 7-8 weeks ago, are we in better shape?

My tongue was firmly in my cheek. we’re a shambles.

No panic, Archie will sort it.

That was a hard watch today. Not much created, lost a poor goal then St J kill the game. That said they had a few chances to bury us. thought Cargill was excellent today. Fair to say Spittal is struggling a bit with form. Huge game on Friday... start with the team that finished today?

Was it a violent or reckless pull of the shirt in the cup final by the Motherwell player?

DACGSO if an attempt to play the ball receives a yellow card. Where no attempt has been made to play the ball it receives s red card. I recall Motherwell losing a player in the cup final for the same thing. If Lustic does not pull back Miles he gets his shot away, a CGSO. Lustic pulls him and should go off.

If ever there was an admission that Scottish Football is run for the benefit of 2 teams this is it. Thistle should have no part in this but I’m willing to be we vote it through. Let’s make the 2 biggest teams stronger, aye that sounds like a plan. I’m sure Aberdeen, Hearts etc might have something to say as to why these 2 teams. Scottish Football is a racket.

Enclosure does not have a safety certificate, so can't be used. And another thing, there is no guarantee that either of the ugly sisters would sell out the north stand (can we get a name for that stand) so can we stop p1ssing off the fans by trying to move them to appease 2 teams. I know guys who don't go to these games, so it's not worth buying season tickets. Then when it's freezing or chucking it down, they have nothing to drag them out. We need to be pulling punters in, not giving reasons to stay away.

I hate the term but this has the feeling of a must win. We need to beat the teams around us as they all seem more than capable of taking points off the big teams, whereas we might as well not turn up. Also county will spend big in January as per usual to ensure they stay in the league, again we probably won't. Big game guys and girls, let's get behind the team.

it is entirely possible to be backing the manager but to have concerns about our current predicament. I'm not in the sack him or indeed the job for life camp. I also don't get the argument that we were bad under Tommy Bryce, Dick Campbell etc so you should be satisfied that we're bottom of the top league cause we're not THAT bad. Are we not allowed to want progress as a club with stability like those massive clubs like Killie and St Johnstone? Big few games for the manager and indeed the club. After the Dundee game, Archie gave a worrying interview stating some players were not up for it and they thought they could turn up and pick up where they left after the Motherwell game. Well they did pick up where they left off, cause the last hour was honking against Motherwell. And why could he not get the team up for the game? Anyway... onwards to the weekend

Expected nothing and wasn't disappointed. We seemed organised but offered nothing up front. Put it to bed and onto Saturday.

Saying for weeks I'm not going. Bought tickets today

Danny Devine is honking

6th and 7th choice, you sure? The lack of a left back is a massive issue. It limits us in so many ways. Then we could go to a back 4, push Devine or even try Milan (strange signing) as a defensive midfielder to protect the back 2 and allow Barton and Edwards to push on knowing there is cover. Turnbull has to try to cover whoever is on the left as they are not a defender. Can McGinn not go to the left and put Milan in at right back. At least then we have a defender over there. Ach, what do I know...

Can we all agree Archie is a legend as a player and manager. Whether you think he should stay or go, can we agree on this. However there is the question of 2 wins in 21. It can't be ignored. Injuries have played a part, but we can't complain about lack of depth when we resign Fraser, Muzzy and Banzo. 3 first team wages and how many games in the last 2 seasons? Anyway, a the next few games are going to be pivotal. If the points difference gets bigger before Christmas I think the board have a huge decision to make. Keep backing the team guys, they need our support.

This. Scully has made some great saves in the last few games. So he stays on his line and his distribution could improve. Does Cerny command his box? He's hardly Messi with the ball at his feet either. Scully is a back up keeper, a decent one. He's not as good as Cerny granted. How do you get a better keeper, commanding his box, great passing ability to sit on the bench for Thistle? The way we sit back and let teams come on to us you could play the both of them and we'd still lose goals.

Giving them the JHS has been done to death and if a simple fact for us now. Like it or not we will suckle the teat of the commercial devil. But I'm willing to bet that this game, not on season book and on the TV will see the smallest home support for a game against either of the OF for many a year. Did you see the Killie home support at the weekend? That's what happens when you repeatedly turn your home ground over to the away team, fans don't go to they games. Then fans realise it's not worth a season ticket, then they don't go to those 50/50 games as they don't have a season ticket.... and so it goes on. It's not just the moving of the stand, every week we are being reminded to come to the aitken suite, spend your money here, help the club, meet the players after the game (I know midweek games are different, point still stands) except when we play the OF where you can go to ... well wherever as we get more money from hospitality so don't want or need you here. But please come in when we are at home to Ross County when we'll pour you a flat pint and stir it with a straw to put a head on it (honestly

No option was offered - should it make a difference?

Up to buy the new kit for the boy today. Can we get a name and number in the back? Certainly will be ready on Friday. 3/4 days to put on a name as they are busy. Absolute shambles of an organisation.

God bless big man. RIP Robert

It's difficult to compare football to the cinema, a concert or even other sports like basketball or ice hockey. Firstly they are not exposed to the weather. How many of us would pay to go to an outdoor cinema, open to the elements with no idea how good bad or indifferent the movie was going to be? I've been to see the Clan a few times and the whole package is excellent, crowd involved from the start, great prizes throughout and you can have a beer whilst watching. An adult ticket is comparable to football but the match experience is completely different. We need to think differently to get bodies back. Price is an issue. You can get a full sky sports monthly package for the price of 1.5 games. This has affected crowds across the board. Apply for a drinks license. I know, I know, not allowed. But here, neither is standing but Celtic managed it. Laws can be changed. For example a bar in section 1 of the JH stand. If you want a beer you go there. Why can I get a drink at ice hockey or rugby but it makes me a criminal at football. Also stop dicking the fans about. I understand the commercial reality but this moving season ticket holders out of their seat and into the shambles of a main stand (or the northy granted) for OF games grates for many. And it's not just that, the begging bowl is out to use the aitken suite before games, again unless the OF are here then you can p1ss off and find somewhere else to go cause we can get more money from them. Again I understand the economics but I know guys who have kinda drifted since the first year of promotion. There is no magic wand to fix this, it will be an accumulation of many smaller ideas.

Could have been a couple up before gifting the goal. Never looked like scoring after. What was the game plan in the last 20 mins or so? Hoof it into the box to that great threat in the air.... I mean if you are going to do that you need to throw Liam or Adam (who was honking tonight) into the box. We are trying to walk the ball into the net, threading the eye of the needle around the box. It gets far too congested, breaks down or goes out wide for a cross to hit the first defender. Erskine - rotten Lawless - rotten Edwards - fell right out the game Doolan - love the guy but doesn't look a threat at the minute. That's our forward threat and none of them played well. And don't start me on St Johnstone, their gamesmanship would get football stopped.