Disappointing, but our league season is effectively over now. Sad also that an injury to our best defender, picked up in a nothing competition, has directly contributed to today's result that puts the playoffs beyond us.

How do we stop ourselves from becoming the next Dunfermline? I think we should start with the basics like sorting out the state of the pitch, setting up an effective fan group, and getting rid of the numerous passengers in our squad. This can all be done cheaply, as we have shown in the past, if those in charge are smart enough in their decisions.

On the subject of the pitch, the two problem areas are almost identical in size and shape and displaced an exact half-turn from each other. To me, this tends to suggest that the undersoil heating may well have some kind of role here. Do these areas, for instance, correspond to any particular entry or exit point for pipes?

5 minutes ago, Charles Bannerman said:

On the subject of the pitch, the two problem areas are almost identical in size and shape and displaced an exact half-turn from each other. To me, this tends to suggest that the undersoil heating may well have some kind of role here. Do these areas, for instance, correspond to any particular entry or exit point for pipes?

Suspect this may be the case - the pitch has never been the same since we had to install the undersoil heating.

1 hour ago, PumpFake said:

Disappointing, but our league season is effectively over now. Sad also that an injury to our best defender, picked up in a nothing competition, has directly contributed to today's result that puts the playoffs beyond us.

How do we stop ourselves from becoming the next Dunfermline? I think we should start with the basics like sorting out the state of the pitch, setting up an effective fan group, and getting rid of the numerous passengers in our squad. This can all be done cheaply, as we have shown in the past, if those in charge are smart enough in their decisions.

Donaldson picked up a hamstring injury in training on Thursday and the pitch is needing major work done that will have to wait till the end of the season.  jingsmonty is right about the undersoil heating, the ground staff can't spike the pitch to the depth they used to as it will damage the heating pipes.

1 hour ago, Charles Bannerman said:

On the subject of the pitch, the two problem areas are almost identical in size and shape and displaced an exact half-turn from each other. To me, this tends to suggest that the undersoil heating may well have some kind of role here. Do these areas, for instance, correspond to any particular entry or exit point for pipes?

Under soil heating ? Was that not installed years ago so why is it a problem now ?

 

We can't blame the pitch or the referees, guys. We are bang average and the reasons are various: small core support, poor club management over past 2.5 years, poor recruitment, poor discipline, hangovers from previous regimes etc. My concern  is not this season, but whether we can sustain another year as a full-time club. That is where we are at - either next season or the next, we have to accept the real possibility of having to go part-time. That is the magnitude of the failings over the last 2 seasons.

2 hours ago, jingsmonty said:

Suspect this may be the case - the pitch has never been the same since we had to install the undersoil heating.

USH is no longer a requirement. The pitch freezing is seldom an issue partly due to our firthside location but flooding increasingly is and there's little doubt that the undersoil heating contributes to that and also limits what can be done to remedy it.

If it's financially viable, I would be inclined to take out the undersoil heating in the close season.

1 hour ago, PerfICT said:

We can't blame the pitch or the referees, guys. We are bang average and the reasons are various: small core support, poor club management over past 2.5 years, poor recruitment, poor discipline, hangovers from previous regimes etc. My concern  is not this season, but whether we can sustain another year as a full-time club. That is where we are at - either next season or the next, we have to accept the real possibility of having to go part-time. That is the magnitude of the failings over the last 2 seasons.

My thoughts exactly. Well said neighbour.

 

Yes we are 100%

 

So summer football is not the answer then?  Nahhh!    Why bother even thinking abo?              BUT... may I say just one thing, please?

No need for Under Soil Heating. No capital cost of emplacement and of doing repairs. No severe damage from flooding at great cost to the club.  No  postponed games. More folks in the stands and all quoting  Shakespeare  .. "It's a far , far better thing I do than I have ever done before" .  More goals 'cos it's easier to control the ball and score at will. No frostbitten toes and clacking teeth , no dropping of false teeth on a frozen area of the park and breaking of same, leading to an empty wallet and  an inability to eat for a short week or two..NO need to pay for a cuppa at half-time no doubt at great cost 'cos you've brought your own flask and own brand of favorite tea that you could not do in the winter 'cos the frost was always sure to cool it unreasonably quickly. NO Parking problems 'cos no frosty ground , No snow to make everyone miserable , including the players.  A really good chance that rain showers would fail to appear on match day  even if the Weather-man on the BBC News says otherwise. More money in the pocke6ts of the club 'cos there are more folks in the stand and many more standing on the terracing(s). Less risk of serious injury to players. leading to greater  financial cost to the club  and much less risk that they will not try their best to get the ball 'cos they know the risk of injury if they fall is much less  in July than it is in  December. Each player maintaining a greater reserve of  energy  'cos they don't use it all up attempting to stop their whole body freezing up  and broken false teeth from chattering unreasonably. Goalies loving the sun 'cos it stops them worrying about making impossible saves  since they know they will not suffer grievous injuries when they hit the ground  in a brilliant dive to allow Caley thistle to win another cup.

"Yeah, Festus,  Winter footie  has to beat all that hands down eh"

Yep, Scarlet, As usual yer out to lunch, Buddy. Wanna Joint?   

 

I plead with posters to refer to the "Scotland's Aquifers and Groundwater Bodies" report, published in 2015, written jointly by British Geographical Society and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The report is written in the form of a manual for those with some technical groundwater (hydrogeological) knowledge, but also includes summaries for non-specialists.

 

4 hours ago, forresjags said:

Under soil heating ? Was that not installed years ago so why is it a problem now ?

 

It has been a problem for years - indeed ever since it was installed. But just look at the shape and symmetry of the problem areas and you relly do have to wonder if this is the latest difficulty this particular source of pitch disruption has caused.

5 hours ago, PerfICT said:

We can't blame the pitch or the referees, guys. We are bang average and the reasons are various: small core support, poor club management over past 2.5 years, poor recruitment, poor discipline, hangovers from previous regimes etc. My concern  is not this season, but whether we can sustain another year as a full-time club. That is where we are at - either next season or the next, we have to accept the real possibility of having to go part-time. That is the magnitude of the failings over the last 2 seasons.

Could not have put it better myself. As I suspected last season I felt the board were quite content to let us slip back because financially we could not sustain our success. At this rate we will be a Highland League club within 5 seasons. 

On 24/02/2018 at 5:29 PM, PumpFake said:

Disappointing, but our league season is effectively over now. Sad also that an injury to our best defender, picked up in a nothing competition, has directly contributed to today's result that puts the playoffs beyond us.

How do we stop ourselves from becoming the next Dunfermline? I think we should start with the basics like sorting out the state of the pitch, setting up an effective fan group, and getting rid of the numerous passengers in our squad. This can all be done cheaply, as we have shown in the past, if those in charge are smart enough in their decisions.

If we don't go down, then we won't be the next Dunfermline...given that Brechin will finish bottom, it's just about avoiding 9th, which we are good enough to do, without being complacent. 

I'd quite happily take Dunfermline's position just now!

No competition is a 'nothing' competition & I, for one, am looking forward to the Irn-Bru cup final.

 

imo i think it's a bluddy miracle we are still here after 25 years with no money and a mass of blazers indulging in a business they know/knew eff all about. maybe the championship is where we are destined to be and should be happy we are still full time.

5 minutes ago, caleyboy said:

imo i think it's a bluddy miracle we are still here after 25 years with no money and a mass of blazers indulging in a business they know/knew eff all about. maybe the championship is where we are destined to be and should be happy we are still full time.

Straight question - what would your alternative strategy have been to raise the £6M of other people's money that's been needed to get the club to where it's been over the last 25 years.

While not a direct answer to your question Charles, I do think we need to start rearing more of our own players and give them a chance. This is something we have never truly done, maybe the players haven't been good enough although I personally think not all of them got the chances they deserved. Rearing our own players and then, hopefully selling them on for a profit, has to be part of the way forward for us.

On 24/02/2018 at 8:28 PM, Kingsmills said:

USH is no longer a requirement.

Have I missed this at sometime, has USH been dropped as a requirement for competing in the premiership? If so, great, we should get rid of it. But if the requirement is still in place it would be a terrible lack of ambition to take that step only to find we had a resurgence, got ourselves promoted, and had to install it again. You never know, I'll always remain hopeful...

57 minutes ago, Huisdean said:

While not a direct answer to your question Charles, I do think we need to start rearing more of our own players and give them a chance. This is something we have never truly done, maybe the players haven't been good enough although I personally think not all of them got the chances they deserved. Rearing our own players and then, hopefully selling them on for a profit, has to be part of the way forward for us.

Don't worry about the indirect answer, Huisdean, because you raise a very valid issue.

I would say that at present we are and average Championship side - what the feck is wrong with that ?

1 minute ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

I would say that at present we are and average Championship side - what the feck is wrong with that ?

We have been spoiled in recent years. When we set out on this great adventure nearly quarter of a century ago, I am sure most of us would have settled for watching a full time team playing in either of the top two divisions.

Never mind the history - I am talking about the present - and if we stick with it we can rise again.

16 minutes ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

Never mind the history - I am talking about the present - and if we stick with it we can rise again.

In sickness and in health. I do. 

On 09/03/2018 at 5:23 PM, Charles Bannerman said:

Straight question - what would your alternative strategy have been to raise the £6M of other people's money that's been needed to get the club to where it's been over the last 25 years.

 

On 09/03/2018 at 5:23 PM, Charles Bannerman said:

Straight question - what would your alternative strategy have been to raise the £6M of other people's money that's been needed to get the club to where it's been over the last 25 years.

the unfortunate situation in football is that is normally always  "other peoples" money that keeps clubs afloat. it's just that we don't seem to spend it very well or manage to attract sufficient income. 

19 hours ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

I would say that at present we are and average Championship side - what the feck is wrong with that ?

i totally agree IHE. its just that we have achieve so much and we are now tasting reality.l

1 minute ago, caleyboy said:

 

the unfortunate situation in football is that is normally always  "other peoples" money that keeps clubs afloat. it's just that we don't seem to spend it very well or manage to attract sufficient income. 

We spent it pretty well when we reached two major cup finals, winning one of them, consistently being in the top six and qualifying for Europe.

We are going through a bad spell just now but most clubs with our level of resourses do from time to time.