I am fairly certain that most fans/posters on here know that at the end of this season there is likely to be a mass exodus of players leaving so my simple question is, would you rather we replaced them with experienced players or youngsters because I am clearly in the youngsters camp but would also believe that we may need some experienced players no matter what league we're in but especially if we're in league 1 which is the worst case scenario but also the most likely unless we can win our 6 pointers against Arbroath, Queens Park and Dunfermline 🤔.

I don't know who's here for next season but I would imagine that the key ones to retain if at all possible are Billy McKay and Mark Ridgers : ictscarf:

2 hours ago, Starscape said:

I'd like to see Austin Samuels offered a deal. He's been bombed out of a relegated Championship team, so maybe open to a substantial wage drop. But he should have played. We caught a glimpse of something in the final half of the final game. I think he'd tear up League One.

Sadly I can’t see him accepting anything with the amount of minutes he got under Ferguson. 

5 hours ago, Robert said:

I’m pretty sure Remi Savage is signed for next season as, with Danny Devine triggering his extension, that took us to 9 players.

We can play 5 2 2 (or 3 4 2) and put a jumper between the sticks!

I think you are right about Remi Savage.

3 hours ago, ICTPaisley said:

Sadly I can’t see him accepting anything with the amount of minutes he got under Ferguson. 

And we can't afford his hotel bill.

I don't expect we'll see any more than 2 or 3 signings (mostly loans) beyond what we have.  The rest will be academy players.  I'm ok with that.

10 minutes ago, STFU said:

I don't expect we'll see any more than 2 or 3 signings (mostly loans) beyond what we have.  The rest will be academy players.  I'm ok with that.

I am aswell, I don’t think we have much choice. 
 

There will certainly be plenty of people moaning on here in a few weeks though when they realise we are in for a real tough season.

11 minutes ago, STFU said:

I don't expect we'll see any more than 2 or 3 signings (mostly loans) beyond what we have.  The rest will be academy players.  I'm ok with that.

Do we still have all the youngsters who were put out on loan .?

1 minute ago, izzy said:

Do we still have all the youngsters who were put out on loan .?

All the youngsters loaned out are out of contract but hopefully talks are taking place to sign them up. Many of them showed promise when they got game time, including in the North of Scotland Cup, so hopefully we can be competitive in League 1 with a mix of youngsters and experienced guys like Devine and Mckay.

We do need to find goalkeepers though. 

4 minutes ago, izzy said:

Do we still have all the youngsters who were put out on loan .?

Ross Morrison suggested on the podcast that they were but maybe I misunderstood.

7 minutes ago, ICTPaisley said:

I am aswell, I don’t think we have much choice. 
 

There will certainly be plenty of people moaning on here in a few weeks though when they realise we are in for a real tough season.

At least we will get to know our team . Did anyone guarantee an easy season at any point .?

1 hour ago, Robert said:

All the youngsters loaned out are out of contract but hopefully talks are taking place to sign them up. Many of them showed promise when they got game time, including in the North of Scotland Cup, so hopefully we can be competitive in League 1 with a mix of youngsters and experienced guys like Devine and Mckay.

We do need to find goalkeepers though. 

We did have a lot of very promising youngsters till they got farmed out .Hopefully work is being done to get them on board .Highland boys with the club in their hearts .We can rise from this carnage .

I'd love to know the deal Meekings got at Clach

The biggest problem could be changing Ferguson's mindset about using local players. In that respect, I hope Lewis Hyde is brought in from the cold. Cameron Ferguson may be an actual signing which over a season might pay dividends.

6 minutes ago, CELTIC1CALEY3 said:

The biggest problem could be changing Ferguson's mindset about using local players. In that respect, I hope Lewis Hyde is brought in from the cold. Cameron Ferguson may be an actual signing which over a season might pay dividends.

Thing is as well, what will the dressing room be like when the local guys know that he doesn't really want or rate them them but is only using them out of necessity. Hardly going to be good for the 'togetherness'.

Perhaps with his fantastic managerial skills and man management that we've seen, he'll pull it all together 🤷‍♂️

2 hours ago, Fraz said:

Thing is as well, what will the dressing room be like when the local guys know that he doesn't really want or rate them them but is only using them out of necessity. Hardly going to be good for the 'togetherness'.

Perhaps with his fantastic managerial skills and man management that we've seen, he'll pull it all together 🤷‍♂️

I hope he has learned from his mistakes .The fans have made it perfectly clear to him .He also has to remember no one is indispensable. Disgusting the way our young boys got shafted Ferguson will have a lot of humble pie to eat . What kind of team did he think he was coming to ?....We are not Everton !!!

Edited June 16, 20241 yr by izzy

9 minutes ago, izzy said:

I hope he has learned from his mistakes .The fans have made it perfectly clear to him .He also has to remember no one is indispensable. Disgusting the way our young boys got shafted Ferguson will have a lot of humble pie to eat . What kind of team did he think he was coming to …..We are not Everton !!!

Unfortunately our board seem to think he (and Gardiner) are indispensable.

He thought he was coming to a team that were about to get near £5 million from battery storage and car park deals.

14 hours ago, izzy said:

We did have a lot of very promising youngsters till they got farmed out

And after their loan spells they are 'promising' at best

15 minutes ago, bdu98196 said:

And after their loan spells they are 'promising' at best

Yes I would expect so but we have to hope they will want to come back.

31 minutes ago, izzy said:

Yes I would expect so but we have to hope they will want to come back.

If they were all struggling for game time at a lower level than league one I am sure we will be fine.

Really feel for Lewis Hyde especially after seeing the Courier article. Never really rated him but he's a big powerful unit.  In Lge 1 he could easily be the new Allardice. Dodds pretty much threw him under a bus at Firhill when he played him at right back against Tiffoney. Mind you that was our annus horribilis with the injury situation.

1 hour ago, The Mantis said:

Really feel for Lewis Hyde especially after seeing the Courier article. Never really rated him but he's a big powerful unit.  In Lge 1 he could easily be the new Allardice. Dodds pretty much threw him under a bus at Firhill when he played him at right back against Tiffoney. Mind you that was our annus horribilis with the injury situation.

Please get him back I’m sure he will do well. 

11 hours ago, CELTIC1CALEY3 said:

The biggest problem could be changing Ferguson's mindset about using local players. In that respect, I hope Lewis Hyde is brought in from the cold. Cameron Ferguson may be an actual signing which over a season might pay dividends.

If the board actually grow a back bone and are serious about having a team of local/young players then he should have no choice; put up, shut up and get on with it otherwise tatty byes and see you later.

Possibly a twist of the hand from a board who see no way out and hope he'll walk.

On the other hand, give him some rope at the start of the season, if we field and team and have a club, and he might just hang himself (figuratively speaking of course) 

We must be coming back for pre-season training this week.

This is the main thing that is cheesing me off. Why the secrecy? There would be more chance of appeasing the fans if we were given an update - even if it was understandably added that we will be looking to add to.

1 hour ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

This is the main thing that is cheesing me off. Why the secrecy? There would be more chance of appeasing the fans if we were given an update - even if it was understandably added that we will be looking to add to.

I totally agree IHE if you look at the official website it has a full list of players from last season including players who have confirmed that they have left the club. One gone one half gone and none of the muppets left can even update their website!

We do our best on here with the little information that we get but at least it’s more accurate than the club site. 

4 hours ago, ictchris said:

We must be coming back for pre-season training this week.

I've heard the hall has been booked at the Hilton Community Centre from Wednesday.