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No Signings For A While Yet It Seems...


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Glaswegian

 

Here is the scenario, two weeks before the season starts, 13 players in the team, panic buying starts, we bring in hopeless players and let the players we do want to sign slip through the net.

Nothing we didn't know already mind you :thumbdown:

That's always a possibility going on previous seasons, but by my count we've got 14 signed players with 1st team experience, plus the four auld yins mentioned yesterday, Corcoran & Boyle and maybe as many as 4 other youngsters not too far off a squad place.

Like it or not I doubt, unlike other seasons, we have many places to fill. Given the lack of movement at other clubs they're marking time as well and they won't have their squads anything like finalised this month.

I'm sure we'll miss out on one or two targets and be gazumped along the way (what's new?) just don't feel it's so much a concern this summer. Exceptions to that as I see it are a goalie (obviously) a player with pace somewhere in defence and a bit of width down the right. Getting the right goalie is most crucial as we'll not be able to have the luxury of dropping him. Got to be a consistent, experienced cocky type.

Edited by lady-isobel-barnett
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Cowan and McCall have both said that they believe that the players that are currently under contact have the ability to challenge :thinking: Now, if we didn't even come close last season, this season will surely be worse seems Tuffey will be gone.

Seems he is linked with Burton it just shows you the state of Scottish football, two seasons ago they were in the Blue Square Premiership :unsure:

Ack, its just going to be another one of those seasons...

Edited by Yellow & Redneck
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The official site confirms 13 full-time players from last season, including the returning Kinniburgh and Doolan plus the unwanted Corcoran and Boyle. Add in the 3 youngsters who have been promoted to the senior squad plus the 4 player-coaches to give us a squad of 20.

 

We also have retained four 18 year olds - striker Kieran Burns who is 18 years old (who has played in the first team), goalkeeper Graeme Shepherd, defender Jamie Campbell and defender Colin Stevenson - plus 17 year old Kyle Lochead. I would hope that Burns and Campbell in particular can compete to get in the first team.

 

Frankly, that squad will struggle next season, especially as it is difficult to see where the goals will come from. Doolan and Grehan need to improve and Buchanan needs to regain his best form. I am dismayed that McCall thinks that Hinchcliffe can be number 2 goalkeeper again.

 

We need at least 2 goalkeepers, a full back, a midfielder and a striker. Sadly, there is not much, (if any?) room for more signings unless Corcoran and Boyle leave. Desperate times indeed!

Edited by kni
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I'd be happy with Scully as back-up goalie, with Halliwell or someone like him as number one.

 

There is apparently serious interest in another goalie from us, who has alot of experience in this division. Don't want to name him incase it hampers any deal, but he'd be a very decent signing at this level & he should be affordable.

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I should also add, that I'm happy with MacBeth, McGeough, Campbell, Scully & to a lesser extent Lochhead, Bannigan & Burns (feel they're just abit young & not quite ready yet) supplementing the 1st team squad.

 

However, I feel we still need a 1st team squad of around 17/18 + these guys. Don't see us signing 6/7 players though, yes we'll have 4 with the player/coaches, but we need more than that & also younger legs.

 

Is all abit desperate, & the slight cut in the budget, appears to be anything but slight.

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This is our team based on currently signed players.

 

Ryan Scully

Paul Paton

John Robertson

Willie Kinniburgh

Alan Archibald

Paul Cairney

David Rowson

Brian Hodge

Chris Erskine

Liam Buchanan

Martin Grehan

 

Reserves

 

Graeme Sheppard

Paddy Boyle

Ross McGeough

Ryan MacBeth

Mark Corcoran

Kris Doolan

 

<_<

Edited by kni
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The official site confirms 13 full-time players from last season, including the returning Kinniburgh and Doolan plus the unwanted Corcoran and Boyle. Add in the 3 youngsters who have been promoted to the senior squad plus the 4 player-coaches to give us a squad of 20.

 

We also have retained four 18 year olds - striker Kieran Burns who is 18 years old (who has played in the first team), goalkeeper Graeme Shepherd, defender Jamie Campbell and defender Colin Stevenson - plus 17 year old Kyle Lochead. I would hope that Burns and Campbell in particular can compete to get in the first team.

 

Frankly, that squad will struggle next season, especially as it is difficult to see where the goals will come from. Doolan and Grehan need to improve and Buchanan needs to regain his best form. I am dismayed that McCall thinks that Hinchcliffe can be number 2 goalkeeper again.

 

We need at least 2 goalkeepers, a full back, a midfielder and a striker. Sadly, there is not much, (if any?) room for more signings unless Corcoran and Boyle leave. Desperate times indeed!

More or less agree. By my arithmetic we've 14 players who have 1st team experience, plus 4 old timers and the youngsters Stevenson, Bannigan, Scully, Campbell, Shepherd and Lochhead. From the matches I've seen I'd suggest maybe 2 of the youngsters aren't far off squad inclusion. That would make at a stretch a squad of 20. I omit Corcoran & Boyle as I reckon their exit will be used to partly fund the 4 auld yins. Hinchcliffe will be No2 goalie till Scully (or maybe even Shepherd) is ready.

I can't really see us afford to sign four additional players. My guess would be a goalie and a right sided midfielder that can score. After that a nippy full back and a striker. Somehow I feel we'll be well down the loanee road by then.

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This is would be the team based on the four new coaches and the loss of Boyle and Corcoran.

 

Craig Hinchcliffe

Paul Paton

John Robertson

Ian Maxwell

Alan Archibald

Paul Cairney

David Rowson

Jackie McNamara

Chris Erskine

Liam Buchanan

Simon Donnelly

 

Reserves

 

Ryan Scully

Willie Kinniburgh

Ross McGeough

Brian Hodge

Ryan MacBeth

Martin Grehan

Kris Doolan

 

:thinking:

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More or less agree. By my arithmetic we've 14 players who have 1st team experience, plus 4 old timers and the youngsters Stevenson, Bannigan, Scully, Campbell, Shepherd and Lochhead. From the matches I've seen I'd suggest maybe 2 of the youngsters aren't far off squad inclusion. That would make at a stretch a squad of 20. I omit Corcoran & Boyle as I reckon their exit will be used to partly fund the 4 auld yins. Hinchcliffe will be No2 goalie till Scully (or maybe even Shepherd) is ready.

I can't really see us afford to sign four additional players. My guess would be a goalie and a right sided midfielder that can score. After that a nippy full back and a striker. Somehow I feel we'll be well down the loanee road by then.

 

The goalkeeper is the priority. Then we have to get a left back as Archie cannot play there all season. I would happy for Conroy to return on loan. Steven Kinniburgh could be another loan option, assuming that he has recovered from the injury that he got at Oxford. If we are lucky, we might be able to afford a right sided midfielder. My main concern is that the four strikers have lacked firepower in recent months.

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If anything it means McCall will have to use the youth players in the first team which I for one think is actually a good idea.

 

McCall is worried about their strength. He rejected Sanchez because he thought that he was too weak for the First Division!

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There had been a couple of Airdrie fans who had linked us with Bobby Donnelly but apparently he is off to Ayr United.

 

The Airdrie Advertiser has also linked us with Scott McLaughlan from Airdrie who I think would be a decent signing, but if we are not going to be making any signings till July then surely some other team will sign him. I see Eddie Malone is still available, quite a versatile player and able to fill the left back position that Kni was alluding to though again if we are having to wait till July again he will likely be another who will be off the radar by then.

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If as we are led to believe 4 of our major signings/resignings for the season ahead are Simon Donnelly, Craig Hinchcliffe, Ian Maxwell and Jackie McNamara then we are totally up the creek without a paddle. Whilst I can understand McCall wanting a backroom staff it should not look like a jobs for the boys club. Maxwell does not have pace and should be nowhere near the heart of the defence, Donnelly has had his day its time to move on coaching regardless. McNamara I think will do a job in the team regardless of age and I suppose Hinchcliffe has to stay to coach.

 

There must be someone out there who with their coaching ability can assist McCall they do not have to be a player. Lets just have 2-3 backroom staff at first team level with 1 out of the 3 having a dual role as player/coach. This would allow us to actually go out and sign players who have pace/ability unlike last season when the team was devoid of both. There will be players out there but if you load the playing staff with players/coaches who were not able to do the job last season then by October you are setting yourself up for an almighty fall and no matter how many good youngsters you have coming through they will not be able to carry a team lacking pace by themselves.

 

I am without doubt as passionate a Thistle supporter you get and yes I will be a season ticket holder next season but the train of thought at the moment coming from the manager does not make sense.

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McCall is worried about their strength. He rejected Sanchez because he thought that he was too weak for the First Division!

 

Well that just shows how clueless the great leader can be at times. Plus his history of signings hardly suggests he is too concerned about strength, we have a team of midgets and weaklings apart from a few machines like Rowser, Robbo and Archie.

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If as we are led to believe 4 of our major signings/resignings for the season ahead are Simon Donnelly, Craig Hinchcliffe, Ian Maxwell and Jackie McNamara then we are totally up the creek without a paddle. Whilst I can understand McCall wanting a backroom staff it should not look like a jobs for the boys club. Maxwell does not have pace and should be nowhere near the heart of the defence, Donnelly has had his day its time to move on coaching regardless. McNamara I think will do a job in the team regardless of age and I suppose Hinchcliffe has to stay to coach.

 

There must be someone out there who with their coaching ability can assist McCall they do not have to be a player. Lets just have 2-3 backroom staff at first team level with 1 out of the 3 having a dual role as player/coach. This would allow us to actually go out and sign players who have pace/ability unlike last season when the team was devoid of both. There will be players out there but if you load the playing staff with players/coaches who were not able to do the job last season then by October you are setting yourself up for an almighty fall and no matter how many good youngsters you have coming through they will not be able to carry a team lacking pace by themselves.

 

I am without doubt as passionate a Thistle supporter you get and yes I will be a season ticket holder next season but the train of thought at the moment coming from the manager does not make sense.

I kinda share Ruchillnomore's worry. I feel things hinge on just how confident are we all that Donnelly, McNamara, Maxwell & Hinchcliffe will only be fringe players this coming season.

Like Ruchillnomore I don't have too much concern re McNamara, assuming he recovers from the leg break. In my mind I see Donnelly coming off the bench at best with neither Maxwell or Hinchcliffe being used in anything bar emergency.

What's worrying me most is that Maxwell may be given a part to play up until when Archie is ready to return. That scares me :o .

I've seen McGeough play left back and was reasonably impressed and Robbo's got a decent enough left foot to move across to let Kinniburgh play his role but a back four of Paton, Willie K, Robbo & McGeough doesn't sound that inspiring either.

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There were some rumours that Ryan McBeth was for the offski, but it seems he's still at Firhill. Hope so; looks like a crackin' prospect.

I know for a fact that the general rumour doing the rounds was off the mark. That's not to say that he won't move on to another club soon though I'd be a bit surprised if it's in the first half of the season.

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There were some rumours that Ryan McBeth was for the offski, but it seems he's still at Firhill. Hope so; looks like a crackin' prospect.

 

I've only seen him in action a couple of times, but MacBeth loked really impressive. I suspect that he will figure regularly in the first team in the coming season, then move on to better things, hopefully for a large fee. For the first time for many seasons we have promising young players coming through. This hasn't happened since 1970 when, following relegation, Dave McParland built a fine side from home-grown talent : Glavin, MsQuade, Rough, the Hansens,Lawrie, Bone, Gibson,and of course Jackie Campbell The future is not really all that gloomy on the playing side - it's the financial state of the club which gives cause for concern. But we're not alone in that, or even the worst affected.

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I've only seen him in action a couple of times, but MacBeth loked really impressive. I suspect that he will figure regularly in the first team in the coming season, then move on to better things, hopefully for a large fee. For the first time for many seasons we have promising young players coming through. This hasn't happened since 1970 when, following relegation, Dave McParland built a fine side from home-grown talent : Glavin, MsQuade, Rough, the Hansens,Lawrie, Bone, Gibson,and of course Jackie Campbell The future is not really all that gloomy on the playing side - it's the financial state of the club which gives cause for concern. But we're not alone in that, or even the worst affected.

 

For f's sake, man - open your eyes. Don't you know it's all doom and gloom round here? Next you'll be telling me it's Friday and sunny outside! GET A GRIP! :D

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For f's sake, man - open your eyes. Don't you know it's all doom and gloom round here? Next you'll be telling me it's Friday and sunny outside! GET A GRIP! :D

 

Nearly 60 years of following the Jags through thick and mainly thin has shown me that it's when all the pundits are prophesying doom and destruction before a ball is kicked that the players surprise us all. I could quote several examples - most recently 2002 when we came from Division 2 written off but still won the championship with something to spare,. Keep the faith!

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