2017/18 Ins and Outs Thread

Scored a barrowload of goals near the end of games usually as a substitute.Couple of my Falkirk freinds a wee bit surprised by his release but like everyone else clubs are cutting their cloths accordingly.Seems Liam is still holding back which as ive said before is his right to do so.Dont think that Mchugh would be a direct replacement for him should he decide to go elsewhere but he does know how to sniff out a goal or two albeit later on in games.Nevertheless intresting to see future developments should they happen.

Yeah McHugh would be more of a squad player, his goals tally is hardly prolific.
So far we've got Mullen and Carrick signed as strikers, obv still waiting to see if Buchanan is going to re-sign but if he doesn't then we'd need a 15+ goal scorer to replace him.

Mullen is looking stronger and better than last season in the Championship, I think he will do well next season, but it would be a big gamble to have him as our main striker. I think he needs another season before he's ready to take up the mantle of our main striker.

Carrick looked pretty decent at getting on the end of anything being crossed along the 6 yard box but again i'm not sure we could rely on him to score enough goals to replace Buchanan as our main goal scorer.

Really hope Buchs signs back up and maybe just add someone like Todorov or McHugh for an off the bench sub.

Liviforever wrote:

LiviLion wrote:Calum Fordyce released by Dunfermline, chances of us offering him a deal?

Can cross Dycey of the list, he's just signed for QoS.

No loss IMO

I think he did quite well at Dunfermline till he broke his leg, didn't they make him their captain?

We're well covered for CB's this season though.

No to McHugh, for me. Wouldn't be a starter and I think we've already got the sub striker position nailed down in the shape of Carrick. Hopefully Buchanan signs on and we've just got to get two full backs and a goalkeeper, could do without the hassle of replacing 20-odd goals in the squad.

Also, re: Dycey; technically, a limited player but always put in a great shift and didn't shy away from anything when he was at CB nor RB. I'd wager if we'd had more players with his attitude last season we wouldn't have been relegated. That said, we have two cracking centre halves starting, and I'd much rather we had a proper RB in.

Huge loss if Buchanan doesn't sign back on. Tricky finding a prolific scorer. Andy Ryan would be great, wouldn't mind McHugh as backup but not as a replacement for LB.

Dunfermline manager has talked about struggling to find a striker... Wonder if that's why Buchanan hasn't signed up yet?

Nottingham Forest weighing up a bid for Matthew Knox. Apparently we're looking for at least 150k.

Warburton after him again.

He hasn't played enough for us to miss him so i'm easy either way. Would've been interesting to see if he could make a break through into the team to get regular starts right enough.

Rumours (i.e. one person mentioning it on P&B) that Raith are in talks with Buchanan. I'm not bothered. Not at all.

I'd be disappointed in him if he decided to leave us for a team that is dropping a division. It would suggest he believes he is now a third tier player.

Could just be that they're offering more money, he might be looking for some extra dosh before he stops playing.

Would be very disappointed if Buchanan went to RR. I also think the potential higher wage is a bit of a fallacy, given that earning £700 p/w compared to £500 p/w is hardly going to make a difference in the long-term, really? I'd also be mightily shocked if RR are throwing the cash around, given that they had to pay off Locke and they had a squad jam packed full of cast offs from the top tier.

I'm maybe being slightly biased, but a starting role with a second tier side with a coaching role with the club's U20s looks a lot more enticing than plodding about in League 1 with a side not really guaranteed to do much. If it were the likes of St Mirren or Dunfermline who could offer substantially more I'd understand, but not RR.

Afro wrote:I also think the potential higher wage is a bit of a fallacy, given that earning £700 p/w compared to £500 p/w is hardly going to make a difference in the long-term, really?

It's an extra 10 grand over a year, would be enough to make me switch jobs anyway. Wouldn't be surprised at all if they've got a bit more to spend than we have, it would still be full time football and another 30 goals for Buchanan next season too which could tempt him.

It's most likely a load of pish though. Hoping he will sign and it's just taking a while for some other reason rather than him being in talks with other clubs, would be difficult to replace him. Buchanan, Mullen and Carrick should be enough for us to stay in the league, especially considering we've got Brechin who should be quite far back in 10th. Would still like to see us bring a target man in for when we're playing hoofball, even if it's just Toddy back on loan.

After tax, it's only around £5/6k more. Depends if Buchanan himself wants to put emphasis on an additional £5k for a year jobbing it in League 1, or wants to make a start with his coaching career earlier. Personally, I would never begrudge anyone for moving to another job to gain more money, especially in Scottish lower league football, but the offer we've put to him does seem to be unique, and given the way he comes across and his ambitions etc. I think he'd be unwise not to take it.

Buchanan announced at Raif. What a shite day.

LiviLion wrote:Buchanan announced at Raif. What a shite day.

The longer he held off from signing back up the more I thought he was going to sign for another team, bit of a body blow for us though.

Would be great if Hopkin put in a bid for Andy Ryan to replace him, that would soften the blow of Buchs leaving.

I read an interview with Buchanan saying he wanted one more go at the Premier League. Then I imagine once the recreational substance in his system had worn off, he got the offer from Raith and decided to go for the move that didn't provide a new challenge. Either we're offering a pathetic wage or Raith are really pushing the boat out to get back up to the Championship.

Or as I mentioned earlier, he realised he can score more regularly in the 3rd tier than he will in the 2nd tier.

Tottally agree Bertie.The longer the talks with Buchs went on you could sense that something like this would happen.IMO hes shown a complete lack of ambition in this move but there again as we all know money talks and he may feel that hes got a better chance of winning something next season with them rather than with us.Also i was reasonably opptomistic about our challenge in the Championship next season but unless we can replace him with someone of simmilar quality as opposed to going up with what weve got up front i fear a very long tough season ahead is in the offering.Sorry to be so defeatist here even before a ball is kicked but we are going to have to be realistic here.Feeling so frustrated tonight but thanks for the memories and all the best Liam.

Bertie Bassett wrote:Or as I mentioned earlier, he realised he can score more regularly in the 3rd tier than he will in the 2nd tier.

I think everyone knew he can score more goals in a lower division, he'd still score plenty in the Championship though and has gone for the easier, more comfortable option. Bit disappointing he's taken a club in a lower league for an easier life, but glad he wont be playing against us, for a season at least.

Strange decision from Liam...quite disappointed as he seemed a driven individual who, to me, wanted to challenge himself. Maybe the snub at the player of the year award was the push? Scoring 31 goals for a club and not netting an award might have left a sour taste.

Usually the player who wins the PoTY award is the one that leaves too. Wonder if Buchs would've left to stay in League One if Sevco or Hibs were still in the Championship. No real big teams with big supports as a draw now, but it's still a league above the one he's decided to play in, bit like Dec coming to us when he could've played in the Premiership right enough, i'll never figure that one out either but really glad he did/has.

Reportedly Buchs has a deal twice as much as we offered him to sign for Raith, so money over ambition maybe came into it. Also heard Hopkin is in talks with Hearts to get Todorov back on loan, i'd be happy with that. Still would like us to try and get Andy Ryan or another striker with goals in him but understand it is a difficult task on what we can pay players.

Cant really understand why people are suggesting his move demonstrates a lack of ambition. The boy is 32 years old, people have already expressed surprise that he is still able to run around with as much stamina as someone 10 years his junior but time catches up with us all. At best he has two years left before his performances start to really drop off.

He's certainly not going to get snapped up by a premier side or stand a chance of international call-up. He does however have a chance of maximising his income for the remaining couple of years with Raith and I think he'll be a hero for getting them back in the championship. Lets be honest, for any side with a half decent defence; Buchanan's goals will virtually guarantee an automatic promotion place - plus he hardly ever gets injured.

He could have left us last year when we went down but felt he had a point to prove by getting us back up.

I would have loved him to stay with us and move into a coaching role at the end of his career but he needs to make the decision that he feel is best for him and his family; after all he's not nineteen anymore.

As I mentioned I think he's in with a great chance of another winners medal by going to Raith, that isn't lacking ambition, most players would love to look back on a career full of medals regardless of the level they won them at.

We won't win our division next season, Rovers probably will win theirs. The number of chances we create next season will be quite a bit less than the number we created this season. So far from lacking ambition I think he is being realistic.