Probably started three or four threads with this title since his departure. Last one, promise.

On the mark again with a double against the Perth Saints. Bottom line is I think we got rid of him too early, I think he's more than decent and I'm pretty certain he will be back in the SPL next season. If he does (and I really hope he does) be good to him on his return as a visitor. The fact that we didn't want him isn't his fault and any time I saw him he gave his best (wasn't good enough at times but not through lack of effort) unlike some that seem to be adored in certain quarters.

So am I alone in thinking this or was Brew or TB (can't remember who let him go!) right to get rid of him?

Edited March 12, 201115 yr by Sorted

Watched him deliver numerous top performances and bag plenty of goals for the reserves, but despite the ample opportunity he got in the first team he rarely managed to emulate it.

Glad to see him doing well, but saw nothing from him while he was here to suggest he can cut it at SPL level and wouldn't be in any hurry to have him tying up a wage here again.

Watched him deliver numerous top performances and bag plenty of goals for the reserves, but despite the ample opportunity he got in the first team he rarely managed to emulate it.

Glad to see him doing well, but saw nothing from him while he was here to suggest he can cut it at SPL level and wouldn't be in any hurry to have him tying up a wage here again.

Most of the "ample opportunities" he got in the first team, were from coming off the bench - very often, with only a few minutes of a game remaining. Also, for some reason, a sizeable element of our support just never took to him and subjected him to all manner of unnecessary abuse. That for me, was what hastened his departure.

He's certainly come on leaps and bounds since joining Brechin, but whether he would be able to cut it at ICT, I doubt if we'll ever know. It's very unlikely he'd want to come back here again.

i will always remember the performance against celtic when he came on after about 3 mins

iirc he played out of his skin that day, just a shame he could never maintain any consistency

I seem to recall another player scoring lots of goals in the 2nd div, he moved to the SPL and failed miserably, would Rory do better? i'd like to see how he fares in the 1st div.

It is not surprising that he left. Knowing that you are behind Andy Barrowman in the pecking order is hardly likely to instill confidence in a young striker. His strike rate was not good (nearly as bad as Marrowman) but as Johnboy says, many of his appearences were as a late sub. My recollection is that he was also pretty unlucky in front of goal and I always felt there was real potential. It is good to see him doing well and getting a couple against SPL opponents today. Whether he could make it in the SPL is another matter but I would like to see him get the chance at a bigger club than Brechin.

Wouldn't be surprised if Barry Smith makes him an offer once we are in a position to sign players

Most of the "ample opportunities" he got in the first team, were from coming off the bench - very often, with only a few minutes of a game remaining. Also, for some reason, a sizeable element of our support just never took to him and subjected him to all manner of unnecessary abuse. That for me, was what hastened his departure.

15 starts and 47 sub appearances to prove he had what it takes to cut it at SPL level and he failed. Can't see where you get the idea that his departure was a hasty one either, he was with us for 4 years!!! Not condoning any abuse, but it's hardly surprising that fans didn't rate him when you look at the facts.

He's certainly come on leaps and bounds since joining Brechin, but whether he would be able to cut it at ICT, I doubt if we'll ever know. It's very unlikely he'd want to come back here again.

Or it could be argued that he's simply found his level!!!

Seems I am alone in thinking he'll make the grade. Thing is he's still only 23 and will have learned a hell of lot after a spell with Brechin. All very well to say he's found his level but the goals he scored today were against an SPL defence. As for the comparisons with Barrowthief, not for me. Rory never looked like a cheat and at no point did I ever here opposition managers talk about Barrow in the way Jim Weir's counterparts have spoken about the big fella. As well as his goals contribution it appears he has been responsible for the creation of many more.

The interesting comparison for me here is with Johnny Hayes (totally different players). Similar age, similar start to career not cutting it with higher league club and then dropping down. As I see it JH didn't really seem to make the impact at these type of clubs that Rory has had at Brechin (fair to say that they were bigger clubs) but managed to get himself another shot and has (to date) grabbed it. I think Rory will do the same.

I'll trawl the archives in years to come and say "I told you so" !

I wasn't suggesting he had found his level, merely pointing out that just because he's done well at Brechin, it doesn't immediately mean he's "come on leaps and bounds". Rory was talked about very positively by a lot of people in the game when he was with us...especially among visiting coaches and mangers at reserve games, so hearing people sing his praises is nothing new for me.

I have nothing against the lad, and would be happy enough to see him succeed at a higher level. I just don't think it would be a justifiable risk to bring him back having had him here before and knowing that whilst he can perform at that level, he couldn't/wasn't doing it at a higher level.

Of course, that's all just "armchair manager" opinion, and for all I know Butcher could have an eye on him and be planning to make him an offer....you never know. Wouldn't be the end of the world.

Rory is quite a sensitive guy. Brewster at times treated him like dirt. Now that his confidence is up and given an increase in his maturity a supportive management team could get great results from him. I have always said Rory has talent. Barrowman is narcisstic and lazy. Rory is neither.He just needs a bit more guidance and development.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/st_johnstone/9423243.stm

Seems certain that we can add St Johnstone to the list of SPL clubs that will be in for Rory at the end of the season and Derek McInnes as another fan.

He's coming back to haunt us.....!

[ Also, for some reason, a sizeable element of our support just never took to him and subjected him to all manner of unnecessary abuse.

I disagree with that. Everybody's prepared to give a young player a chance at first. When he was breaking into the team he was a cult hero with all the young lads chanting 'Rory, Rory' as he warmed up, with his white boots and so on, even when I hardly knew who he was. He just seemed to start believing his own publicity.

Physically he is very tall and strongly-built and the one failing that I felt he had when I saw and spoke to him in Vancouver a few years ago when he was in the under 19 team was that he was not determined and aggressive enough.

He does have a hard and very good shot but his shooting can be wild and wasteful at times. Maybe he lacks a bit of self-confidence too.

What I saw was that he did not impose himself on a game, tended to run around in circles a bit and not just run like hell at the goal, intimidating the defence with his size, to try a shot.

I am sure that opposition defences could find him a handful though if his passion and desire could be upped--compare with the likes of Hayes , Doran and McDonald currently playing in our frontal areas and you will get the picture--and he is probably much bigger than any of them.

However, I am pleased for him and wish him well in his future career. I can't see him back at ICT though--not quite the spark there that I feel might be necessary for him to succeed at Tulloch but you never know how wrong you can be, so.......

[ Also, for some reason, a sizeable element of our support just never took to him and subjected him to all manner of unnecessary abuse.

I disagree with that. Everybody's prepared to give a young player a chance at first. When he was breaking into the team he was a cult hero with all the young lads chanting 'Rory, Rory' as he warmed up, with his white boots and so on, even when I hardly knew who he was. He just seemed to start believing his own publicity.

Try reading through this thread, Mantis....

Might stir up some memories of Rory's ICT days.

.

It does indeed..... what's obvious though is that Rory's already had a season to make an impact and Wood is new. No doubt you can find me some threads from the season before!

It does indeed..... what's obvious though is that Rory's already had a season to make an impact and Wood is new. No doubt you can find me some threads from the season before!

Buggeroff!!

Just wasted an hour of my life trying to find that thread.

I posted this about Rory on P&B when he signed for Brechin.

I'm happy that he's doing well for them, I felt a wee bit sorry for him sometimes playing for us. He looked very low on confidence in some games. Apparentlky he was about the best player on the park yesterday and is attracting attention from SPL clubs.

Wood v Rory? We've moved on a bit. Wood was over rated, and whilst Rory is by all accounts a better player now, he's still a second division player. County should try him out for us.

Here is some comments from our fans back in 2006 when he was an 18 year old breaking into our team, a bit of a mixed reaction with some saying he has potential and others saying hes just rubbish. Nothing has changed since then i don't think.

Posted 04 May 2006 - 07:26 PM

I honestly don't rate Rory at all. People rave about him as if he is the next big thing. He couldn't get a game (or a new contract) for an Aberdeen 19's team that were doing poor in their league at the time but he then gets a game with an spl team?! Baffles me a bit to be honest.

Posted 04 May 2006 - 08:50 PM

Delighted Rory's getting a chance... I think he will be a big player for us next season

Posted 07 May 2006 - 12:57 PM

Are there similarities between the two raw, ungainly teenage strikers?

Although he was performing in a lower league, Bavidge seemed to have better pace, control and finishing. And yet he didn't quite make the grade as a pro.

This makes me worry for Rory.

Posted 08 May 2006 - 12:51 PM

Rory has a lot of potential, we probably haven't had a young player with so much to offer in our history

Posted 07 May 2006 - 01:46 PM

I do have hopes for Rory and I really hope he's given a fair crack of the whip by our sometimes fickle fans.

Posted 08 May 2006 - 01:34 PM

I think it is probably better to compare Rory with Barry Robson than Martin Bavidge ...

Although they dont play in the same position, the similarities are closer ... Barry was a raw youngster with bags of potential who needed regular games at a decent level to progress .... this sounds very like Rory.

Barry was not amused when sent to Forfar but sometimes you need to take a step back to go two steps forward and I definitely think this loan spell did him the world of good and he became a better player because of it. We all know that on his day he can be one of the best wingers in the SPL but whether CB gets the best out of him, or sees the moody and petulant side of him will be another question ....

In Rory's case, he has been touted as a really hot prospect and he has certainly shown skill when on the park. However, he is not a first-team SPL player yet and treating him as such might actually make him go backwards. If he fails to score regularly or misses chances and the fans get on his back his head may go down. As he is an Aberdeen boy, a full season loan to the likes of Peterhead, who have ICT goalscoring legend Iain Stewart in charge may actually do the boy some good .... ?????

Certain that Rory will be an ESSSSPL player next season.

Appears that the Dons are one of four top flight clubs after him with Hibs, St Johnstone and Dundee Utd also on the case.

Quite surprised at the number of posters who are prepared to dismiss him based on his time here as a kid. At 23 he still has his whole future ahead of him and the desire to prove some people wrong.

I'll stick my neck out and say he'll score a minimum of 15 top flight goals next season and at least one will be at TCS !

Not seen him play since he moved to Brechin so I'll be interested to see how he does in the televised replay tonight. Perhaps he's a late bloomer but we were right to let him go at the time.

Edited March 22, 201115 yr by kencar

Not seen him play since he moved to Brechin so I'll be interested to see how he does in the televised replay tonight. Perhaps he's a late bloomer but we were right to let him go at the time.

I'd agree with that, loaning him out to Peterhead didnt do any good, maybe releasing him sorted out his head.

Aberdeen now too

Rory

Our future striker is on Sky at the moment and making a decent fist of it so far...... I love the biterness on here of people who weren't willing to give the lad a chance and don't want to admit that he could actually turn out to be a terrific player.

and aye he had some pish games when he was a 19 yr old so that obviously justifies the hate campaign

Surprised to see the words you use Harry.

Who is or was bitter? Why would anyone be THAT bitter about a young man who did not make it at ICT?

ICT had the right to move him along because their reponsibility primarily is to the success of the team as a whole and to the paying public.

Rory was simply a player who did not perform at the level required at the time he was here. It is also true, however, that from the reading I did he was the target of a lot of ridiculous comments and abuse. Maybe he looked older than his years but he did not deserve the stupid barracking etc that he endured. THAT was unfair and more than a little insensitive and cruel.

Maybe Brewster was unable to cosset him and bring him along but.... maybe this and maybe that.

I do think he had more than a fair chance in the many appearances that he had. Nick Ross is younger than he was and he has managed to take advantage of his chances. It's always up to the player what effort he puts into his play and how he performs.

It's all about character and hard work and determination and at that time he did not fit in so he moved on. So??

We all wish him well and if he develops into a greater player well done to Rory McAllister. Hope you are very successful RR.