CGJags

He did, under Archie, from Dundee United. Initially in ‘09, he was a permanent signing by McCall.

They’ll win that league comfortably.

I don’t think anyone would disagree with that. But presumably that’s why we sign players, loans or otherwise, to make the team better.

Ask the management, I was simply making the point about the fact, McCall perhaps having an allegiance to Rangers, not being why we get their players. Again, McCall is good friends with Neil Lennon, and knows Steven Gerrard well, so they (and their academies) clearly trust McCall with players. That’s why from their perspective. From our perspective, if they don’t make the team better, don’t develop them and don’t accept the loan, if they make our team immediately better (which if you asked McCall, I reckon he’d tell you) then that’s why we have them.

Could be more likely to be because, he’s an OF youth player, and they seem to get an easier route into Scotland squads at youth (and even sometimes senior level).

That’s why we had Lee O’Connor on loan from Celtic, under McCall. Why twice, McCall got Ross Doohan on loan from Celtic at Ayr. Or is it just because, both Celtic and Rangers (of whom McCall knows both managers well, especially Lennon) know McCall has a good reputation with young players and trust him to bring them on?

Well obviously, Rangers will be expecting these players play matches, that’s sort of what you send players out on loan for. “Demanding” well that’s completely unknown, and doubtful. Rangers have bigger worries than whether Ian McCall is going to start their academy goalkeeper in a match against Dumbarton. McCall has good relations with Rangers, if they aren’t good enough he’ll tell them that. They might actually be good enough players to be in our starting XI, although some people haven’t even considered that.

That would probably be doable, I imagine only ST holders first.

Said he wanted Doolan to come in 1 day a week, to do training with the strikers (presumably to bring on Rudden and Mansell, although he didn’t specify that) but said, it’ll happen one day, right now he’s a bit busy with his academy. He didn’t mention whether he was interested in bringing him back as a player (which suggests that was never an option). He said, he’ll say his piece on the whole Relegation controversy when the time is right, that time isn’t now. He wants to change the whole club mentality, as he’s mentioned before. We’ve missed out on a few targets because of relegation, but there’s still a few he’s hopeful of getting. Couldn’t really disagree with much he said throughout the show.

In the context he said it, it wasn’t an inane comment at all.

Admittedly have no recollection of that.

It stems to some of the fans too, the songs they were singing that last time we played them at Firhill, were nothing short of embarrassing and disgusting. Danny Lennon is the only good thing about that club.

He was, but it was after Clyde had signed him. It was either his debut or certainly not long after signing, that he did it.

Good signing for them. Wish we could have got him, be a top player in that league.

If that’s true, then the Board were surprisingly correct then, because we don’t need other coaches, at this time. If it’s simply in a player role, then it’s down to McCall, or it should be.

Jesus, someone better tell QOS, pre-season starts in about 3 weeks. They’re only going to need 1 social bubble, for their entire squad at this rate.

No, of course not. But that’s sort of irrelevant to the point I made. Saunders being portrayed as an Ex-International (when he had 20 minutes for Scotland in a friendly about 10 years ago) is generous in the extreme. O’Ware hasn’t been good, but neither was Saunders. He certainly wasn’t better, but he also wasn’t worse. Preferably I’d have neither in the team, but if O’Ware can get back to his Morton form, then I’ll be glad, plus he does have experience of actually winning League One.

The 20 minutes he got at right-back in a Scotland jersey, hardly constitutes calling him an ex International. Saunders wasn’t good enough for us last season (neither was O’Ware), clearly he can’t get another gig at a decent level, if he’s retiring before 30. Saunders was decent(ish) in the air, but he was absolutely horrid with the ball at his feet. Strange one for an ex right-back, but it was the case sadly.

He was out for weeks at Ayr, and then had an injury at Morton too. Potentially he will still do well, given the chances, it certainly will be interesting to see. Arbroath seem to be a mid-table Championship side at the moment, due to the fact they actually have some very decent players. The main issue with that, is the obvious side to side passing. There has been no great attacking intent throughout the team for a long time now, not just midfield. One of the most frustrating things about the midfield at times, was the inability to win the ball back when they inevitably lost it, that's where Ross Doherty comes in. He should bring in that type of midfield presence to go and win the ball back and keep the game moving forward. Playing, Connor Murray through the middle, will effectively work as putting in a midfielder that can create, and has a quickness about him. Ross Docherty will do the defensive duties, and Bannigan will (hopefully) keep the game ticking along and bringing it forward. I feel a midfield of those 3, would work best at the level we'll be at next season. Not sensationally quick, but it's not slow either. On the plus side, all 3 of the players that have signed, seemed to have signed because they want to work with McCall (that was certainly one of their reasons), which is a good thing. McCall is a manager, which players (especially developing ones) are drawn too, because he's a well-known, good man-manager, and is able to get the best out of players (yes, debatable how often he did that last season.) If he's a pull that's a plus. On the opposite side to that, it can be quite difficult to attract players in the January window (if there is one). Would be stunned if we were in for him , would be also stunned if he turned us down. So Dick Campbell is likely talking BS. East Kilbride however, were in for him, cause he confirmed that he spoke to them.

Probably more so, he spent a season playing for Motherwell’s Reserve Team, and by all accounts was one of Falkirk’s worst players in League 1 last season.

Doolan signs for Arbroath!

Undoubtedly, we only have 1 senior Goalkeeper on the books, as it stands.

I thought the SPFL wanted Arbitration so the public knew nothing. Would they want this judgement to be released if they had lost? To be perfectly honest, there’s a new season coming up soon, and one already started, the SPFL would do well to move on. We all know the outcome anyway, we are in League 1, no compensation. I can live without knowing why the judgement was made, and also live without hearing about the parts the SPFL don’t want released, but Thistle/Hearts do. Release everything or nothing, or better still move on.

Mansell looks big and strong but he doesn't really show it. Personally, I wouldn't be sad if we never seen him in a Jags shirt again. If Mansell goes, (maybe back down south), then there's an opportunity to potentially bring Doolan back, although I highly doubt either of those 2 things will happen. Doolan has his own academy now, so I think he would suit a part-time gig somewhere, and unless we would allow him to be part-time with us, as a backup striker, coming off the bench for the last 20 minutes, which isn't impossible, then I don't see him coming back at this time. At the end of last season we had 4 strikers (Graham, Rudden, Mansell and Jones), we may be looking to bring in someone else, regardless of whether Mansell moves on. That said, although predominately a wide-player, Lyons can play in a front 2.

Someone may remember better than me, but I’m almost certain the goal he scored against us, was actually offside (although the linesman never called it). He looked sharp in that game against us, I thought, but he got next to no service from Ayr players, surprisingly.