First Team 24-25

Another new signing announced.Reece Maclear from Tranmere Rovers.24 year old midfielder.Looks promising.Starting to take shape..

Don't know anything about most of our new signings, so looking forward to our pre season and cup group games, to get a look at them. Big change from our squad from last season though, which was needed, and still got a core group of good players in Pittman, Montano, St Kelly, Donnellan, Brandon, and Yengi.

Who knows, we might even finally get to see Teto play, and be a total baller in the Championship.

Was really hoping Dycey would be back but he's just signed a 2-year deal at Raith.

Byrne back (as club captain) please!

The Sun reporting we're looking to bring Shaun back.Partick& Dunfermline also interested.Would be the icing on the cake if it happened.Money may be a contributory factor though.‍�.

Troy wrote:The Sun reporting we're looking to bring Shaun back.Partick& Dunfermline also interested.Would be the icing on the cake if it happened.Money may be a contributory factor though.‍�.

Apparently got 1M from a European payment as well as the parachute one of 300K+, but it's where all this dosh will be going, we squandered 2 good cup run windfalls against the erse cheeks in court cases, is it going to be the same again this season!

As much as i get fed up with these guys on P&B constantly banging on about Ward et al, they have a point about where all the money is going, it shouldn't be going on court cases when it's about holding companies and share issues. We need as much as possible spent on the playing budget, and the cost of running the club. It's only going to get harder the 2nd season if we don't get promoted back to the top flight, there wont be anywhere as near as much money coming in.

If these guys want to take each other to court then let them use their own money. Stop using my club's name and money for your personal squabbles.

I think there have been plenty of hints on forums like Pie and Bovril about where large chunks of the money is going.

Steven Bradley has left the building, official announcement that we've terminated his contract by mutual agreement.

Shame he never quite made it with us, has a decent bit of skill on the ball but never really showed any consistency to secure a starting place, needs to bulk up a bit too.

He got too many games towards the end of the season where he was as much a passenger as Noobs became, didn’t take players on, didn’t track back, didn’t pose a threat and didn’t want to be on the pitch.

Only thing he did which made me think he might be decent was his free kick at Stenhousemuir.
Would have like to have kept Dan Mackay but we’ve brought in wide players so let’s see what they can do…if they are allowed to without getting their wings clipped by the coaches.

Auld Nick wrote:He got too many games towards the end of the season where he was as much a passenger as Noobs became, didn’t take players on, didn’t track back, didn’t pose a threat and didn’t want to be on the pitch.

Only thing he did which made me think he might be decent was his free kick at Stenhousemuir.
Would have like to have kept Dan Mackay but we’ve brought in wide players so let’s see what they can do…if they are allowed to without getting their wings clipped by the coaches.

Wonder where MacKay will go, we had an option to sign him if we'd stayed up, so Hibs clearly don't want him.

Aye hope to feck we use wingers and are going to be a lot more attacking this season. Also need to be better in defence, still think we need another CB signed yet, Matthew Clarke and Nottingham are the only CB's, the rest are FB's, though i'd rather have Donnellan playing CB than Nottingham.

New signing has slipped under the radar, midfielder Olly Green signed from Hull.

Like his attitude in the interview, likes getting on the ball and going forward with it, doesn't like going backwards. All good.

Davie will soon knock that out of him

It’s going to be interesting to see how/if they all gel. I’d be happy enough to write off the group stages of the cup if it means getting the first xi settled and then getting everything going for the league campaign.

Aye nae super safe holding mids like Holt and Shinnie, who's first thoughts when receiving the ball were to turn back towards their own goal. Also liking how positive Lawal is, always looking to go forward, looking like a completely different mindset from last season, and we're going to be playing it through the midfield, getting it down the wings, and trying to score goals.

Even our new keeper signing is good with the ball and getting it quickly out to our midfielders, as opposed to our CB's to piss about with it till they're pressed into passing it back to the keeper/losing the ball.

Hasn't been much hoofing it up into the air to our forwards in the friendlies, we're playing decent looking attacking football.

Really hope Stephen Kelly sticks around for the season in the Championship, think it could be the making of him at this level, where he'll get to play his natural game and score a barrel load of goals.

I know its early doors,but going on what I've seen last Saturday and Wednesday shows there's a helluva lot of work needs done for this squad to gel in time for the real stuff to begin.Theve got time thankfully.Saw Olly on Wednesday night.He looked tiny,and the new goalie isn't exactly a giant who will command his area.Food for thought methinks.‍�.

Shamal is 6ft 7 and doesn't command his area.

Seriously though we had a team full of giants last season and were hopeless defending set pieces, height isn't everything, we had a team full of short arses when we won promotion into the Premiership.

We haven't fielded our strongest starting XI in any game yet, barely had half a team in either game that would be considered our strongest starters. It's about fitness and getting everyone game time, esp the trialists/new signings. We'll be doing most of our work in training getting everyone knowing one another, then gradually gearing the friendlies towards forming a team for the group stages.

Even the group games will be a bit of a warm up for the league, i wouldn't sweat it Troy.

The main thing for me is how we're playing, with the intent on attacking football and using our midfield and wingers, and not just hoofing it up the pitch to a lone striker.

Not sweating L/F.Just observing.Yeh,suspect our team will be somewhat smaller in height this season. Tbh no bad thing considering the rigours of the Premiership.And as you say,please no hoofball..

Ryan McGowan signed, an experienced CB, which should also allow Montano to get back playing as a LWB.

I thought McGowan played RB/WB for Hearts

He can play in midfield too, but at 6ft 3 i think he'll be playing as a CB, either in a back 3 or 4. Not sure what defensive formation Martindale is planning on using yet. Nottingham is 6ft 4 and quite quick on his feet, but lacked awareness and judgement last season, McGowan's experience should help him out though, playing alongside him. McGowan is the player we needed Devlin to be last season.

Ben Jackson in on loan from Brighton, centre back.

Club failed again to get permission to play Teto who is now on loan back in South Africa. I hope the club has learned that if they want to sign someone from overseas they need to get the red tape sorted first, as in - get agreement in principle for the player in question with the league and then sign the player.

The SFA are a bunch of arseholes, we've been paying his wages for over a season, how much commitment do they need that we're going to play him. Lawal was signed and given permission to play, only difference is he's had international caps.

The rule used to be based on international caps won and/or the likelihood of being called up to win caps; I wasn’t aware that it had changed, except for EU born players when were still in that union, not sure whether that was relaxed across the board. While the SFA/League are most likely just being awkward I hope that it isn’t just a case of us not knowing the rules.

Susp

Suspect it will soon be a case of not where is Teto,rather who is Teto.Perhaps we could consider taking them to court,or god forbid not.Il get my coat..

Welcome back Andrew Shinnie… bet you’re wishing you hadn’t bothered after that shambolic effort today

Stevie May on loan signing incoming, according to a St Johnstone fan on P&B, Levein has given it the green light.

Could be a great signing, we're certainly light up front and need a goal scoring striker. May is a right nuisance that presses defenders, and at this level should score a few goals.