exiledjag

Play-off system in Scotland, Championship to SPL is corrupt. It is designed to , as far as possible, keep the SPL team in the SPL. I much prefer the 2 semi-final followed by a final system. This is much fairer all round. The fact that one of the teams finishing 3rd and 4th in the Championship face the prospect of playing 6 games in a short period is a nonsense and does nothing to underpin football integrity. All it does is protect an SPL team which probably doesn't deserve to be/remain in the SPL.

To confuse opposing Central Defenders

Spittal left Ross County after a successful season including holding down a regular place in the team and making a significant contribution to their top 6 achievement. It was clear fron Malky McKays's remarks that he rated Spittal and I think would have liked him to stay. Why then would Spittal even consider stepping down a division with this background on his recent record? Surely his agent must be working on some deal equal to or better than his Ross County contract? Stepping down a division will only happen if clubs like Dundee or Queens Park match or better the money he was getting at Ross County. We know we can't do that so he will not be coming to Firhill.

I doubt Spittal would return to us even if asked. I recall an article about him when he left in which he said "he needed to re-establish his reputation"! I wouldn't think he would regard a move back to Firhill as a positive step. I suspect his agent is working on a better option for him. For example, Aberdeen will be having a summer clear out and would be surprised if he isn't in Goodwin's thoughts after his relatively successful spell at Ross County.

Assume he has another club lined up?

OK you win. On this basis I would sign him and hope he would be good enough to be a first team regular. Actually he is 30 according to his online bio! Still young enough!

OK point taken about last season when Dundee won promotion via the play-off matches. However has he made any impression at Dundee this season in what has been (glad to say) a disasterous campaign for them. Re Carlisle I kept an eye on him their because as I said I liked him and felt some of the criticism he received when a Jag was very harsh. He had a run of games, then on the bench and gradually faded from the first team squad to eventually leaving the club. He played 200 games while a Jag, 16 for Carlise (1 Season) and 44 games for Dundee (2 seasons). The majority of games for Dundee were as you rightly point out played in the 20/21 season.

I liked Elliot though I acknowkedge points made about his ability to cross the ball. He has though failed to make any impression at Carlisle or Dundee so on balance I don't think we should resign him. Same goes for McDaid and Fitzpatrick. The latter IMO I was over rated. I think IMC should focus on brining in new players and developing those young players fron the Academy who are close to joining the first team squad like Stanway and Lyon. I am not too familiar with the Kilmarnock players who have been released so don't see any names there I think would interest us.

My memory might be failing me but wasn't the problem with Welsh that he had some medical/health condition that made him a slow healer. This condition meant that even with normal injuries the recovery time he needed was much longer than that needed by other players. When he joined ICT he was in and out of the side but in the last few season he has been one of their best players been made captain and is a regular in the team. I assume the health issue has been resolved or being managed more effectively.

We, Jags Fans didn't rate Devine and there were numerous negative comments about him every week. Similarly with Craigen though perhaps not as severe. For my part I thought Devine was a solid defender and although he made the odd mistake I thought he didn't deserve the criticism he attracted. Archibald said he wanted to keep Ridgers but we didn't have enough money in the budget to do so. Welsh and Craigen left for similar reasons - both wanted assurances of more game time: theassurances weren't forthcoming so they left!

I don't think we actually let Welsh go. I seem to recall Archibald clarifying the position with Welsh. He said Welsh, who was in and out of the team at that time, approached him seeking assurances that he would get more game time and Archibald's response was that he couldn't give such assurances. Welsh then said he wanted to leave! My recollection might be inaccurate but regardless I fall into the camp of those who regret his leaving. With Welsh in midfield we actually had a midfield that could dominate the opposition.

Oh forgot Ayr and their former Chairman's dismissive statement that " Partick Thistle were just Collateral damage" Hope I get the chance soon to say something similar about Ayr. Another entry in my black Book!

Dundee, Dunfermline, Queen of the South, St Mirren, Clyde, Raith Rovers Cowdenbeath Ross County and perhaps Brechin were, from memory, clubs who made comments about our unethical relegation or legal action that could be construed as being negative towards Heart and the Jags. There maybe other clubs whom I can't recall With the exception of Ross County all of the above have had a poor season one way or another. I especially liked the self-inflicted mess Raith and Clyde got themselves into over the Goodwillie signing. Can't say I feel any sympathy for any of them and in fact for most of them I hoped they would be visited by bad karma. In fact I recall Hearts fans being very annoyed when the club made an emergency loan (a goalkeeper) to St Mirren! All of these clubs are in my black book!

I wasn't questioning the formation. I could see you were grouping defenders, midfielders and strikers. I just thought it strange where you listed Milne. I would have included him where you showed Holt give your groupingszrent alphabetical either.

I have no proìblems with Bell and Murray leaving. I assume Foster and Hendrie are being released because we want 'wing' backs rather than 'full'backs. I Otherwise I would have retain these two as well as McKenna as cover. Clearly these players being released have a squad composition and/or financial consideration. Involved.

I thought Milne was a left wing back? Does Smith chave another year left on his contract? If no then he should be released.

Agree with this. Perhaps though Bannigan and Docherty shouldn't be certain starters! Re Sena. He has never struck me as a future star and to be honest I always felt quite neutral about him. If he stays at Firhill I think he would make the bench but not get much game time. Suspect its in his own interest to leave for the reasons stated by IMC. I will say though that any time I have seen him I have never doubted his commitment to the Jersey and the team and that is a big point for me.

Big changes in the championship with 3 clubs leaving and 3 joining. Leavers - Kilmarnock, Dunfermline and Queen of the South. Joining - Cove, Airdrie or Queens Park and all but confirmed, Dundee. I am leaning towards Airdrie (no particular reason beyond the fact I know an Airdrie supporter; he is hoping we don't sign Easton whom he rates very highly). I think we should give Dundee a big warm welcome on their first visit to Firhill and have some with huge banners calling out Nelms for what he is! The only downside in the above is Killie getting promoted. Of course we may also have to swap St Johnsone for ICT or Arbroath. I think SJ might just be too strong for either club.

Every manager signs players who don't make the grade it goes with the job. Even the great Alex Ferguson signed some that didn't live up to expectations! The guy was set a target to reach the play-offs and he did this. Job done! Kilmarnock, ICT and Raith all had bad runs. Arbroath wobbled a bit. The important point was they had their bad runs when there was still enough game ahead to enable them to recover. We had our bad run in the last third of the season with no time to recover. The state of the pitch was a problem but so was playing 2 games a week for 3/4 weeks to play our games in hand. Oh and I should say I am a IMC fan. He is much better manager than Caldwell or latterly Archibald.

I just felt he showed enough in the bits and pieces he was given to indicate there might be a player in there and that he should have been given a better chance to prove himself and especially after Rudden left. So by giving him a chance I mean giving him a run of games, say 6 or 7, to prove himself. He was after all on the periphery of the first team.

Like others on this thread I am not too disappointed our season has ended and we will be in the championship next season. I prefer a further season of development and progress (hopefully) than struggling every week in the SPL. However there are lessons we must learn and things we must put right. IMC says we have the nucleus of a team that can compete for the league title and win promotion so IMO he must do the following: - find another first team goalkeeper to challenge Sneddon - he is a good keeper and will get better but he needs more competition to help him keep his edge - I like Foster and have come to like Hendrie but If we want to play with attacking wing backs then we need to find them and sign them; they need to have pace and be able to cross the ball. - in Central defence we can play McKenna, Holt, Akinola and Brownlie will be fit for next season; assuming Bell retires we need one more centre back. '- midfield, we have to play Turner as a central midfielder and find some one with a physical presence who can break-up the opposition's attacks and win the ball to support him and stiffen our resolve in this area; Dochery can play on the left and Bannigan on the right as our wide midfielders (enabling them to shoot for goal with their best foot). The worry with my comments above is that there is no real pace in this midfield! We do though need a midfield that can controlled a game, dominate the opposition and create chances. - strikers - we need them and they need to have composure, good first touch, pace and an eye for goal we hame Graham, Tiffoney and perhaps McIver. So who will leave - Mayo, Jakubiak Firth and Alegria (will return to their clubs) Who should we release Smith, Murray, Who should stay: Sneddon, McKenna Brownlie, Holt, Akinola, , Turner, Docherty. McIver, Graham and Tiffoney (if we can hold onto him) Not sure about, Foster, Hendrie (depending on the desired style of play, ie wing backs or just full backs) McAllister, Bannigan, Crawford, Niang, HAVE I MISSED ANYONE??? I would also like to see some young players from the Academy promoted to the first team pool Stanway and the young player we sent out on loan - sorry can't recall his name. The key considerations for me are that we need more pace in the squad and a more balanced squad that can attack (and defend)on both flanks as well as through the middle. We cannot continue to rely on one player, Tiffoney, to represent our attack. That's all for now Folks!!!!

I have been saying this all season about our midfield controlling games. I think, in common with most contributions on this thread, our midfield is too lightweight and Focherty can't carry the physical load on his own. We need to get away from trying to play through Bannigan all the time as he is too easily dominated by opponents. Ideally a strong, big, tough, hard tackling holding midfield footballer (if such a player exists) is what is needed together with 2/3 tall, well built pacy and skillful midfielders, one of who should be able to get forward to support the strikers. We also need to be able to attack on both flanks and through the middle. Asking too much probably! We do though need to find alternative to Bannigan though I would persevere with Docherty and Turner .

Don't know about your sectarian comment. I have never heard any such language from Jags fans anywhere. We are thistle we don't judge anyone by their religion, ethnic origin, colour of their skin. We are Glasgow's great alternative and we judge players by their ability to play football. The rest of your comment I agree with. Time to put domestic issues to one side, IMC, Low, Fan ownership etc, and get right behind the team. If we can see the early season team we can win these two games and move on! Come on the Jags.

Agree completely. One governing body, probably known as the Scottish Football Association would do it for me. We also need to reorganise PTFC. I am a supporter of IMC but although we have secured a play-off place something has change within the club. This I think is evident in the differences in performances from the first to the second half of this season. As manager whatever has changed has resulted in issues he has been unable to resolve. I am not sure the dressing room has the same team spirit and togetherness that was so obvious in the first half of the season. I feel we have too many chiefs with IMC, Scally & Archibald. This needs to be streamlined. Also we need to settle once and for all the ownership of the club and stadium - fan wnership, the more traditional form of ownership or some other option. We have to get rid of the uncertainty before we can move forward.

I don't think any player, no matter how bad a game they are having, should be subject to personal abuse either from fans (Cantona) or in fact from other players (Zidane). I go to see the Jags hoping for the best but in reality knowing 'the best' will happen only a few times a season. If a player is giving a 100% but things are not going for him then he still has my support and he certainly doesn't deserve personal abuse. I personally find it difficult to give unqualified support to players who for whatever reason throw in the towel or just disappear in the course of a game. Foster's attempt to 'speak' to the fan concerned should be dealt with by the club and treated as an aberration and out of character. I for one would, if he is fit and able, have no problems seeing him in the red and yellow next year.