Contracts

[pink panther]

Not long until the "out of contract" players can sign "pre-contracts."

 

Thoughts

 

McMillan - extend. After a shaky start has displayed great form and leadership qualities. Should always start. New deal.

 

Lawless - there were a few eye-brows raised when he was resigned after a drop in form last year. Has been excellent this year and has proved he can play at this level. New contract.

 

Elliot - not everyone's favourite but workrate and commitment I unquestionable. Does the dirty stuff (tracking back) really well and never hides. Now finding his form after a run of games. Keep.

 

Craigen - another in the Elliot mode (not universally popular but works his arse off and never hides). Real team player but progress needs to be monitored throughout the season.

 

Higgy - no brainer but likely to get better offers elsewhere.

 

O'Donnell - one of my fav players and "on form." Deal him in.

 

Muirhead - great in the First. Commitment never in doubt. Like him but not sure at SPFL level.

 

Balatoni - prone to the odd error but solid enough beside a good centre-back. Best years are ahead and will get better. Worth new deal but may struggle to shift Frans and Seabourne. Good guy.

[Third Lanark]

New deal for McDaid please as I think his also runs out at the end of the season as well

McMillen, O Donnelland Lawless higgy osman for definite

 

The others along with fox and welsh who are also out of contract all deserve at the very least to prove themselves till the endif the season and think there's a good chance they will earn it

 

Eccleston also up at end of season like to see more from him first

Edited November 8, 2014 by Third Lanark

[Lindau]

Think Aero will be out the door. Of all the players from the championship winning side I thought he would be the one to kick on, but sadly he is a pale shadow of that centre back. Really don't think he has recovered from the Ramsdens Cup Final. Pretty sure Higgy will be offski at the end of the season and that will be a blow, though the team have proved we can operate without him

[The Arch]

I would definitely keep McMillan, Lawless, Higgy and SOD. I never thought we would see a right wing of SOD and Lawless again after they were both phased out last season, but both have worked on their weaknesses, and been two of our better players this season. Because McMillan, Frans and Seaborne are all out and out defenders, we can now afford to play a more maverick full back like SOD every week.

 

McMillan has been great this season, particularly at left back. Had terrible distribution yesterday, but was still solid as a rock. Reasons for keeping Higgy are obvious.

 

Think I would almost certainly keep Balatoni, who is good enough to be one of our main three centre halfs. I might change my mind on this but think I would probably also keep Elliott and Craigen. Man U had guys like John O'Shea, Park Ji Sung who are content as squad men, and give their all in 15-20 starts a season, and I think they're probably our equivalent. He's guys Archie clearly trusts, and bring back in when we go through a bad spell.

 

Welsh I'd definitely keep if fit. Fox is an interesting one because Scully's coming back next season, and it won't be as third choice goalie. Either Gall goes on loan or something, or Fox is maybe shipped out.

 

I'd like Muirhead to go out on loan, but even with that, I think he's almost certainly going to be ditched. Shame, but as said, I don't think he's ever recovered mentally from the headbutt incident.

[ThickAsThieves]

Muirhead, Welsh, Craigen and possibly Fox to go, everyone else to stay, as things stand.

 

Wonder if Scully will be our number one next season. Been fantastic at Dunfermline by all accounts.

[Jaggernaut]

Why would Archie punt players like Fox and Craigen who are regular first-team starters this season, and doing fine? If Scully comes back as our No. 1, why does Fox need to be shown the door? Can't we also have a very good keeper in reserve? (Gallagher isn't going to go on forever.)

 

Oops; this was meant to go in the Contracts thread….

[1 John Lambie]

If Scully is to be our number 1 next season I don't see us keeping Fox (or him wanting to stay). Gallacher or another experienced keeper would be ideal back-up to Scully, if it's decided he should be our number 1 next season.

 

Welsh needs to prove himself to get a new deal, Muirhead needs to go. Everyone else I would give a new deal to, Craigen & Lawless will be the 2 where the most thought goes into I would say. Craigen might just miss out on a new deal largely down to his lack of pace which is important in his position, Lawless needs to prove he can last a full season in the top flight.

[Norgethistle]

McMillan - Keep.

 

Lawless - Keep.

 

Elliot - Keep.

 

Craigen - Keep

 

Higgy - Keep if we can

 

O'Donnell - Keep

 

Muirhead - Let go / loan

 

Balatoni - Keep

[ThickAsThieves]

Why would Archie punt players like Fox and Craigen who are regular first-team starters this season, and doing fine? If Scully comes back as our No. 1, why does Fox need to be shown the door? Can't we also have a very good keeper in reserve? (Gallagher isn't going to go on forever.)

 

Oops; this was meant to go in the Contracts thread….

Maybe he wouldn't, but I'm not speaking on behalf of Archie.

[Willjag]

I thought SOD signed a 2 year deal in the close season?

[1 John Lambie]

I thought SOD signed a 2 year deal in the close season?

 

Not according to his profile on the official website.

[potty trained]

I thought SOD signed a 2 year deal in the close season?

 

Certainly seemed that way...

 

http://m.stv.tv/sport/football/clubs/partick-thistle/277123-steven-lawless-becomes-latest-partick-thistle-player-to-sign-new-deal/

[The Cup]

He signed a 2 year deal in 2013. He's out of contract next summer.

[Metz]

McMillan - Keep.

 

Lawless - Keep.

 

Elliot - Keep.

 

Craigen - Keep

 

Higgy - Keep if we can

 

O'Donnell - Keep

 

Muirhead - Let go / loan

 

Balatoni - Keep

Thank God you are not our Manager otherwise we wouldn't progress one bit.

In my view it's only Higgy, Lawless and McMillan that should stay with the test thanked but moved on.

Edited November 9, 2014 by Metz

[read'n'yell]

McMillan - Keep.

 

Lawless - Keep.

 

Elliot - Let go.

 

Craigen - Let go

 

Higgy - Keep

 

O'Donnell - Keep

 

Muirhead - Let go

 

Balatoni - Keep

 

Balatoni as a squad player. I'm tempted to say Craigen as a squad player as well but to be honest I'd much rather play our youth. If we are going to progress as a club we should be introducing the likes of McDaid from the start of games. Other clubs do it so I can't see why we don't.

 

Reckon Archie would keep them all though!

[Garscube Road End]

 

Thank God you are not our Manager otherwise we wouldn't progress one bit.

In my view it's only Higgy, Lawless and McMillan that should stay with the test thanked but moved on.

 

Only one I'd let go is Muirhead. And you would release O'Donnell???. Crazy person. Thank the lord you aren't the manager. You obviously don't know a good player that's in front of you.

[Norgethistle]

Thank God you are not our Manager otherwise we wouldn't progress one bit.

In my view it's only Higgy, Lawless and McMillan that should stay with the test thanked but moved on.

 

You need 1st 11 players and squad players, Craigen and Elliot have proven they fit the squad roll and can step up when needed and give us a different dimension, Ballatoni will come good with the right partner beside him. All 3 are still young and still improving

[Ancipital]

Possibly making a snap decision based on two games against teams struggling to score, but first priority should be getting Frans tied up until at least the end of this season.

 

There's plenty more players than those listed out of contract- not including youth players I make it:

 

Fox

Gallacher

 

O'Donnell (nothing on OS about extension, assume STV article wrong)

Muirhead

Balatoni

McMillan

Richards-Everton

 

Welsh

Craigen

Lawless

Elliott

Higginbotham

Osman

 

Eccleston

 

or to list the ones under contract...

 

Scully

 

Seaborne

 

Fraser

Bannigan

Stevenson

 

Doolan

 

Obviously Higgy would be top target out of those to re-sign, probably followed by SOD, Osman, and McMillan at the moment. I think if SOD did go we'd get stiffed again for compensation like we did for ATS as he turns 23 just before the end of the season.

[Norgethistle]

Possibly making a snap decision based on two games against teams struggling to score, but first priority should be getting Frans tied up until at least the end of this season.

 

There's plenty more players than those listed out of contract- not including youth players I make it:

 

Fox

Gallacher

 

O'Donnell (nothing on OS about extension, assume STV article wrong)

Muirhead

Balatoni

McMillan

Richards-Everton

 

Welsh

Craigen

Lawless

Elliott

Higginbotham

Osman

 

Eccleston

 

or to list the ones under contract...

 

Scully

 

Seaborne

 

Fraser

Bannigan

Stevenson

 

Doolan

 

Obviously Higgy would be top target out of those to re-sign, probably followed by SOD, Osman, and McMillan at the moment. I think if SOD did go we'd get stiffed again for compensation like we did for ATS as he turns 23 just before the end of the season.

 

Do we only have 6 players signed for next year?? 14 who can sign a pre-contract come January with another club if they so wish

[Ancipital]

Yep.

[Norgethistle]

Yep.

 

Maxi and Archie have their work cut out from now till New Years eve then

[chunky jag]

Just ask Higgy how much he wants and sign the deal!!

[The Cup]

The club will probably need to wait until our place has been secured in the league before they'll know the budget and can offer new contracts to the players.

 

I'd like to see us keep - Gallacher, Fox, O'Donnell, Balatoni, Lawless, Higginbotham, Osman, McMillan (if his problem sorts itself out).

And let go - Eccleston, Craigen, Richards-Everton, Welsh, Elliott.

[read'n'yell]

The club will probably need to wait until our place has been secured in the league before they'll know the budget and can offer new contracts to the players.

 

I'd like to see us keep - Gallacher, Fox, O'Donnell, Balatoni, Lawless, Higginbotham, Osman, McMillan (if his problem sorts itself out).

And let go - Eccleston, Craigen, Richards-Everton, Welsh, Elliott.

 

I would agree with your list except Richards-Everton - got good praise on loan and we haven't even seen him play?

 

Welsh is a hard one but we can't afford players to never be fit. We have stuck by him for a long time now. People will moan at Craigen and Elliott being released but my argument would be any player in the first division that is young and getting decent reviews will be better than these two. Look at us when we got promoted - all our first team have done well, likewise with Hamilton, Dundee, Ross County when they came up. So I don't think we would have a problem replacing them with better. On such a small squad we need every player to be as good as possible.

[The Cup]

It's a shame for Welsh but he's too injury prone.

Craigen and Elliott haven't shown that they are anything more than hard workers with limited ability. They are both 23 now. They should be at their peak or certainly very near to it.

The Airdrie fans opinion on BRE is mixed. Some say he's decent others say he's a total bombscare. I wouldn't be against him staying but unless he's been fantastic in League 1 I doubt he'd get into the team ahead of Frans, Seabourne, Balatoni, or Lindsay.