exiledjag

Forgot to mention Holt possibly returning to Cyprus.

With Tiffoney going to Dundee, Killie talking to Docherty, earlier rumours of Sneddon going to another Championship club and just having read on this thread that Turner is likely to go as well the squad is really starting to break up. God help Doolan. Nevertheless I shall be buying a season ticket on Friday (last bought one 2 years ago) and will be at Firhill for as many games next season as I can physically manage. Wonder how the people who created this financial situation sleep at night.

I totally agree with this and how anyone can not see the sense in the above is beyond me. The fix is not in the number of games Ross County or The Jags were required to play over a season but the timescale over which we were required to play the final two play off games. A week between the two games against Queens and Ayr was fair but why not a week between the two RC games. Two days was just not enough time to recover. Rid skwerr is quite right the whole Premiership play off system is weighted to keep the 'big team' in the SPL. A two leg semi-final and final is all that is required but then that would be fair!!

Thank you JimmyMcD and.Jlsarmy.

What are the rumours about Docherty and Holt?

Just a couple of points. I would like to give a big shout for McMillan. When Milne was injured we all thought we would miss him not just as a player and the best wing back in the league but for the impact on our defence - moving Holt to left back. There is no doubt he has been missed missed In these play off games McMillan has for me been a revelation and together with Lawless, has formed a very effective partnership and really stepped up his performance. I am really looking forward to seeing both wing backs on the park and with them playing the way we know they can play we will be a real force in whater division we are playing. So we'll done McMillan. As "winter of 63" says "as a Jags fan there is always a nagging doubt"! However on this occasion my nagging doubt is a lot less than it would normally have been but yes it's still there. I feel confident we will score at Dingwall. So barring some catastrophic event (poor ref, our legs failing) I think we will go through to the SPL.

I I agree with DD. RC will have to attack and this will leave gaps at the back. With our pace we can score on the counter attack and one further goal will I think be enough! We will have to be on top of our game again and especially in terms of our defensive work.. I would have preferred 3-0 but would have taken 2-0 before the game if offered.

Like most on this thread unless Doolan has some super tactical plan I hope we keep the same team with Bannigan on the bench until needed. If we can use our pace and get lots of crosses into the 6 yard box we will win. The RC defence conceded 60 goals while scoring only 37 so their defence can't be that great and their attack not so clinical. They are however a big, strong side who will pose a threat at set plays. Our players will have to 'keep the heid' in both games as I expect RC will be up to all the tricks some of which I think will be brutal. I for one hope we can hammer them and take a 4 or 5 goal lead to make the second leg a boring dead tie but I don't think RC will fold like our precious opponents. I worried about Ayr's Akinyemi. The only worry I have about RC other than their size is if they play Wright & Murray as a two up front! Is Wright fit to play? I don't feel able to predict a score because I believe this tie could go either way. I do though I hope for a 3 goal lead to take to Dingwall,

I thought the ref who sent off Akinyemi did OK. I also thought he made the correct decision in doing so regardless of what the match commentators and field side pundits thought. A few of points about the Ross County games. Firstly watching the game with Killie it seemed to me that RC were a big strong team who will not be slow to resort to the dark arts. However they also looked slow and ponderous, something we can exploit with the pace of Tiffoney and Fitzpatrick. Secondly, should we be worried that Murray is in the frame to play against us? Will he be considered as RC's Akinyemi? Finally, I think we could be at a disadvantage with VAR as RC will be smart in using it to their advantage. Our players I hope are training this week with a focus on VAR especially related to not extending arms away from the body, pulling opponent's jerseys, being late with the tackle and lunging in with studs showing. All the best to the Jags on Thursday - run RC off their legs.

I agree with the above. Ross County are a big, strong team whom I suspect won't be taking any prisoners. I am sure Tiffoney , Lawless and Fitzpatrick will come in for 'special' treatment. If we can deal with the physical challenge then I dont see why cant win. Again a strong ref required. .

I see the attendance for the game is given as 3426. I watch the game on TV and It looked a lot more. Any comments from Jags fans who were st the game?

If we are in the SPL I would think most of the out of contract players would be keen to stay with us excepting of course if they receive offers from current SPL clubs or clubs in England.

A big well done to Kris Doolan, his staff and the players. Also the travelling support - what a performance by all involved. A fantastic result. One point though. I have watched the Akinyel/Muirhead incident 3 or 4 times now at both real time and slow speeds and I do not understand why the TV pundits are saying the red card was harsh. To my eyes it looks like Akinyemi made a fully fledge punch at Muorhead the force of which forced Muirhead back on his heels for 3 or 4 paces. Akinyemi's action left the ref with no choice but to send him off. I saw no evidence of Muirhead play acting. The initial clash was certainly a foul by Muirhead and possibly a yellow card but Akinyemi's reaction was definitely violent conduct and fully merited the red card. The BBC pundits clearly felt they were robbed of a football spectale and choose to blame Muirhead - this is unforgivable as Akinyemi is the culprit.

Sorry to hear about Hugh Strachan. My condolences to his family and friends. This will be a very sad time for everyone who knew and was associated with Hugh. I also saw him play many times and like our two strikers, Bone and Coulson, Strachan and Capbell forms an equally impressive defensive partnership. I read somewhere recently that when Hugh Strachan's contract ended and wasn't extended this resulted in Davie McParland's resignation. Apparently Davie with the Board's agreement promised when he signed Hugh a job as a coach when he retired from playing. Unfortunately the Board refused to honour this because when the time to do so they said they just couldn't afford it! So we list Hugh as a player and coach and Davie as our manger!

As I have been watching the Jags since 1959/60 I have become a little bit of a worrier. But this team are something different and with improvement in the right places could become something special. The Duffy/McParland, the League Cup Winning and the Doolan/Erskine/O'Donnell teams were special. As far as last night's game was concerned I was confident we were going to score with the move up and around the right side of the park. In fact when Lawless got the recycled ball I was just waiting on McMillan making his run. I like, a few on this thread was disappointed we didn't get a 4th goal which I think even with Akinyemi on the park next Friday, would have sealed the tie. So IMO we are not there yet and still have a difficult time ahead next Friday. We have to recognise though that Ayr caused us a few problems but also the only reasons they dominated the last 10/15 minutes was because we substituted probably our 5 best players and Ayr were a bit desperate! A big well done to the Manager, Staff and all the Players and a special mention for Lawless, Graham, McMillan and Mitchell. All to play for guys. C'mon the Jags