Season Expectations- 2015/16

Just a copy & paste job from last season.


1. Final Position:
2. Star Performer:
3. Surprise Package:
4. Challenge Cup:
5. League Cup:
6. Scottish Cup:
7. Most likely to take 12 points off of:
8. Most likely to take 12 points off of us:
9. Will Burchill last the season:


I wasn't very optimistic in my last season expectation, think I had us being relegated and we weren't far off it with it all down to the last game of the season. I'm a lot more optimistic this season so here goes.


1. Final Position: 5th
2. Star Performer: Pittman/Buchanan (reckon both will be stand outs)
3. Surprise Package: Gibbons
4. Challenge Cup: Semi Final
5. League Cup: 3rd round
6. Scottish Cup: Q Final
7. Most likely to take 12 points off of: Alloa
8. Most likely to take 12 points off of us: Hibs (but hopefully no one)
9. Will Burchill last the season: Yes

Actually see no reason why we couldn't challenge for 3rd or 4th this season but i'll play safe with 5th. Falkirk and QoS have lost big players, StMirren are shite but have a bigger budget than the rest outside Hibs and Sevco, they still have to make huge changes and hope it works out well so wont be straight forward for them. Sevco and Hibs should get the top 2 spots. So imo the rest are up for grabs and we're in with as good a chance as any.

I don't know LF, one pre-season friendly win against Stenhousemuir & you are immediately installing us as potential play-off candidates! You were doom & gloom a year ago & they team ended up with a cup & survival, so you couldn't have been disappointed. Now if we finish in the bottom half (every bit as likely if the other top half spots are up for grabs) you'll be disappointed!

1. Final Position: 8th (hopefully finishing above Alloa & Dumbarton)
2. Star Performer: Scott Pitman
3. Surprise Package: Ross Millen
4. Challenge Cup: 1st round - Clyde will be up for claiming our scalp
5. League Cup: Draw on Monday I believe...1st round
6. Scottish Cup: Whatever round we enter this competition
7. Most likely to take 12 points off of: No one
8. Most likely to take 12 points off of us: Huns & Hubs & possibly St Midden
9. Will Burchill last the season: Yes; Ford will be aiming for stability, so unless we are absolute mince he will stay.

Hyper negative I know, but it will need to be an absolute disaster of a season to disappoint me!  

Bear in mind this is what I expect...but I think we are capable of more.

Actually I've got us down for 5th place, I'm just hoping we can challenge for a top 4 spot.

It has nothing to do with the Stenny result Bertie, just got a good feeling about this season, just like I had a bad one last season.

I like the look of Burchill's squad, Buchanan and Pittman are both class at this level, Hippo is a handful and have a feeling White will link up well with Buchanan.

Our defence with Gordon & Cole/Sives should be pretty solid, Longridge looks a good signing and we have a natural RB for a change.

EL nailed it about Burchill signing players to play in specific positions which will produce a more balanced and stronger team. Last season we had too many players out of position being played as utility players and for a large part of the season they weren't that good.

Bit early really and you cant take much from the Stenhousemuir resource; the second half in particular I think a lot of players were told to take it easy with the game already won whilst others were clearly out of position (has Glen actually played on the left wing before?). However I feel we have the potential of a terrifying front line with wingers to support and the defence is looking pretty strong -
Hippolyte Buchanan White Knox/Glen
.........Mullen/Gibbon Pittman
Longridge Sives/Cole Gordon Millen/Currie
................Jamieson

Looks pretty good to me; midfield could probably benefit from another defensive midfielder and Left back could do with additional cover.

1. Final Position: an optimistic 5th Can't see much joy against Hibs and the rangers, St Mirren are meant to be getting some loan players off celtic and Falkirk still seem to have rub against us at the moment. Alloa are significantly weakened from last year; as are QOS Raith and Dumbarton. Morton are the unknown package but our front line should be enough.
2. Star Performer: Scott Pitman - would go for Myles Hippolyte but I suspect he'll be called back for defensive backup until Longridge fully settles.
3. Surprise Package: Difficult but I'm going for Ryan Currie although Ross Millen looked pretty handy on Saturday
4. Challenge Cup: Dont know; it really depends on how much we want to concentrate on the league but I'll plump for semi finals
5. League Cup: Not done too well recently; lets try for 3rd round?
6. Scottish Cup: Not a scobbie - lets try third round?
7. Most likely to take 12 points off of: Alloa
8. Most likely to take 12 points off of us: Not sure; maybe the rangers if Hovis/Mothers Pride/Warburton gets his act together and spends other people's money wisely
9. Will Burchill last the season: Of course - based on what he said at the fans forum he's going nowhere and there's no way we're going to let him go unless there's another shake-up at the boardroom.

1. Final Position: 7th
2. Star Performer: Scott Pittman
3. Surprise Package: Ross Millen
4. Challenge Cup: 3rd Round
5. League Cup: 3rd Round
6. Scottish Cup: 5th Round
7. Most likely to take 12 points off of: Alloa
8. Most likely to take 12 points off of us: Hibs
9. Will Burchill last the season: Yes

1. Final Position: 6th/7th (we should just be aiming to improve on last season)
2. Star Performer: Hippolyte (season under his belt and he ended it as one of the most in form players in the division)
3. Surprise Package: Ben Gordon (wouldn't be surprised to see him or Cole being named captain and steadying the defence)
4. Challenge Cup: Final (beat by Hubs)
5. League Cup: 3rd Round
6. Scottish Cup: Out at the first hurdle
7. Most likely to take 12 points off of: Alloa
8. Most likely to take 12 points off of us: Hubs (I reckon we can beat Rangers this season)
9. Will Burchill last the season: Definitely, he's the young talented manager we've been needing for stability at this club

Hmmm....
Notice Dumbarton have started a few useful players and a young loan striker from celtic?

Yeah, they look handy. I think with the exception of Alloa and Hibs and Rangers, the middle of the league will be very tight.

Going to reserve my judgment until I've seen the team play.

Finally got round to this following our last pre-season game:

1. Final Position: 7th (ahead of Raith, Dumbarton and Alloa)
2. Star Performer: Danny Mullen
3. Surprise Package: Jackson Longridge
4. Challenge Cup: 2nd round
5. League Cup: 3rd round
6. Scottish Cup: Quarter-finals
7. Most likely to take 12 points off of: Raith
8. Most likely to take 12 points off of us: Hibs
9. Will Burchill last the season: Yes.

I think we'll reach 40 points (give or take 5 points) after I had a look at where we'll most likely get our points from. We need to take at least 18 out of 24 against Dumbarton and Alloa in order to have a comfortable season (on the park at least).