exiledjag

Sorry but I disagree. I think Henderson with 19 goals and I've read, also 11 assists is an excellent signing. Anytime I've seen him he has impressed me as a very good all round footballer who also has a bit of pace. Achieving what he did in a team that was eventually relegated was amazing. With better players around him and coaching from Wilson/Rae I'm sure he will improve. He may not be as good as Fitzpatrick (jury still out on this one) but I think that over a season he will prove to be an upgrade on Chalmers. Henderson is also a more versatile a player than either Fitz and LC and I'm sure this was a factor in signing him. I know I'm dreaming but just think what a squad we would have if we could keep our 3 'star' players, especially Stanway, and with the calibre of player we seem to be signing.

Great news about the signings of Euan Henderson and Oisin Smyth. Welcome to the iconic Partick Thistle Football Club. Wishing you every success. These signings give us a much stronger looking squad. Our team is taking shape for example 4-3-3 formation Clarke McPherson/O'Reilly/Loughrey/ Reading Smyth/Robust Central Midfielder (Osman with pace?)/Left Sided Midfielder Samuels/Watt (could Watt do a job for us as a midfielder?)/Henderson BENCH Keeper? Logan Left Sided Full Back/Wide Player - like Harry Milne)? Ashcroft (expect he will start season but might finish it on the bench) Robust Central Defender (someone like St Mirren's Gogic) McBeth Crawford Diack Striker (in the mould of Graham, ie, 6 yard box predator) For Robust think Tall, Quick and Strong; by my reckoning we are looking for 5 more players assuming Fitz, Chalmers & Stanway are off.

Euan Henderson would be an excellent signing. Anytime zive seen him he has looked a vrty good all round footballer I was aware of his record aas a goalscorer but not so aware of his ability to assist as well. I would have thought that a player of his calibre would also attract the attention of clubsclike Dunfermline, Livingston and Raith Rovers. Perhaps also Clubs in League One in England. Fingers crossed we can afford him.

Strange I dont recall us being in the market for a super star like McAvennie. Just think of the heights his career could have reached if he'd signed for the Jags. Thank you for this information. Appreciated.

Apologies meant only two other Glasgow Clubs.

Who was the player and which 'Glasgow Club' did he choose? Since the demise of Third Lanark there are only three other Glasgow Clubs, Clyde don't count!

Of the players leaving Turner is the only one I feel might be a mistake. However unless Wilson is willing to change the way he wants the team to play then I agree with laukat he probably would benefit from a fresh start. I only hope it's not with any of our likely main championship contenders. He leaves with my best wishes for future success. Looking at the players we already have lined up for next season I think we need more cover for our goalkeeper and at full back. Also central defence so that we can gradually replace Ashcroft. Someone a bit taller and with a bit more pace than Ash would be good. We also have to decide what we do with McBeth. Is he good enough for the Championship and if so is it in midfield or central defence. We need to be fair to the player and find him a settled position. Regardless of whether we hold onto Stanway, Chalmers and Fitzpatrick we need a robust midfielder who can win the ball and pass it. Also as was demonstrated in the Cup Tie and Play-off games with St Mirren we need far more guile and craft in midfield. I don't recall us being able to cut through SM anywhere near as often as we should have been able to, especially when, in all 3 games, we battered them chasing an equaliser/winner. I think we also need a 6 yard box striker. We definitely missed Graham last season. Watt and Samuel's, I thought excelled for us in there own way, but how many balls were fired across the 6 yard box looking for the ghost of Graham? Retention of the 3 players we all expect to lose will cover all the issues related to pace etc. On last point I would like to see more of Diack next season. I believe there is a player there and I hope Wilson and Rae believe so as well. They are the people who can bring his potential to the surface. So in summary: we need a Goalkeeper Left Full back Central Defender (robust with a bit of pace) Central Midfielder (robust, ball winner and who can pass it) Midfielder - creative (pace as well would be good) 6 yd box striker And if we don't retain AF & LC - then 2 pacy wide players (traditionally known as wingers); GMS I don't think is the answer. Best wishes to all for a great season and an even more successful one coming.

Regarding Turner I think your right about the fresh start thats why I qualified why I would like him to stay. He is not a midfielder in the traditional sense. He is though a midfielder who can get beyond the strikers and before he left us for Ross County thats where he excelled. Regular football and he would soon get his dead ball delivery touch back. However if we are not going to play him to his strengths then I agree we might as well let him go. PS: Without wishing them any harm I hope your correct about Raith Rovers and budget problems

Raith Rovers will be working hard to strengthen their squad and Lennon at Dunfermline is already talking about a 'big clearout'. So these two together with Livingston will as usual make the Championship very competitive. The others teams all seem to be about a similar level with perhaps ICT a dark horse. I think Taylor, Budinaukus, MacKenzie and McKay will not be at Firhill next season. I suspect Turner, McKay-Stephen and perhaps Diack will leave as well. Throw in Chalmers, Fitzpatrick and Stanway and including Martin, we have 11 leavers. Personally I would like Turner to stay but only if we play him as an advanced midfielder playing behind two strikers. I would also like the 3 above to stay ( AF, BS & LC). This is perhaps not as unrealistic as it seems as so far there has been no mention of clubs willing to sign any of the 3. Although a good player I just don't think Taylor has the physical attributes required to play at higher levels. The game is changing and teams/players are bigger, fitter and faster in the modern game. As far as signing new players is concerned I'm happy with the 3/4 names mentioned so far.

Excellent summary. I think there are far more positives to draw from the season than negatives. We can look forward to next season with higher aspirations and confidence than we had at the start on the season just finished. Surely our much quoted financial position has improved from the prize money for second place, cup runs and play-off earnings. Let's take the positives forward and with Wilson and Rae leading, build on them. As a Club we are in a good place.

I think I've missed something. I know that Fitzpatrick, Chalmers and Stanway are out of contract soon and there have been a number of comments about them leaving. However I haven't seen anything official stating that they are leaving. So have they received offers from other clubs or is all this just speculation?

This is my concern as well. Last season Livingston were head and shoulders better than us yet they couldn't cut it in the SPFL. I think we are a strong team for the Championship but faced the annual (well almost annual) problem of a well run, financially able SPL club who were clear favourites to win the Championship title. I think we have the potential to improve but at the moment I'm not sure we could survive in the SPL. I agree it's up to Barraclough to sign players of the required quality but where does he get the resources. I'm not aware of the level of debt we are currently carrying but I hope the near/plus million we have earned (2nd place, cup runs and play-off income) will be enough to clear all or most of our debt. I would not want us to add to the debt to sign players who might keep us in the SPL - something we could look at in next January's transfer window if in the SPL. The alternative, staying in the Championship, living within our means and perhaps reaching second again is perhaps more attractive. However, playing 4 games, instead of 6 and a final against a faltering St Mirren represents the best chance we have had of promotion via the play-offs.

" I do think Dunfermline look absolutely gassed and if that game had another ten mins last night I reckon we'd have won it. I'd expect it to be the same on Friday night". (Redandyellowallover) if this was the case then we need to get the ball forward quickly and play all round at a much quicker pace. This will make Dunfermline run and run and could be worth a couple of goals in the lsst 20 mins.

Agree with all of the above. Dunfermline played near enough at their best while we were no where near our best and yet they couldn'twin.. Defensively we struggled but managed to prevent them creating many clear cut chances. We on the other hand in the 10 minutes at either end of the game had them rocking and could have scored 3 or 4 goals. We need to play in that manner and with that attitude on Friday and if we do we will win. We also need to do something about Tod. If we double up on him and make sure we also mark his supporting player Dunfermline will be toothless. Easy. C'mon the Jags

This is the tie I wanted so pleased with that. I suspect this two leg semi-final will be very tight. We could win tonight and lose at Firhill as, notwithstanding the league points difference, I think at the moment the teams are evenly matched. However if we get the play-off 'fever' i can see us winning both matches and getting to the final with goals to spare. How is that for sitting on the fence. One thing I can be certain about is that if we turn up and play to our potential we will get through to the final. C'mon the Jags