Sneckboy

Hearts paying £850,000 for an over-rated foreigner...and relatively recently (2006). And he was reputedly on £9,000 a WEEK on top of that. He made just 4 league starts in 3 years and was released for nothing. Total financial mismanagement and now they're begging fans to dig deep. They effectively 'bought' the Scottish Cup win that year. They should have the trophy retrospectively erased from their history for financial doping.

I have a feeling you're serious!! I have to strongly disagree. There is no chance of anyone getting close to Celtic. I suspect they'll cruise it by 20 points. If they're in any difficulty in January, then they'll just buy the players they need to win it. It's no contest.

And he expects us to spell his name right...?!

Got to remember, this season, it could be TWO who go down!! Lets be honest, everybody bar Celtic could get involved in the scrap for survival now the play-off has been introduced. As a yard stick, St Mirren were 11th last season on 41 points. Need to be looking at 45+ points it seems, to be sure to survive!

I think Aberdeen will be much improved this coming season - will be looking for top six at the very least - don't think they've managed that since Jimmy Calderwood was manager. For a city of the size of Aberdeen, with one senior club and a huge catchment area, they really under perform. Even in the cups, they haven't had a Scottish Cup Final win in nearly a quarter century. Pathetic.

I think we have a keeper called Nick Draper, who will probably be the 3rd choice.

Thats 27 players now! Not short of 'bodies' for the new season. Despite initially thinking we'd have 'virtually' the same squad as last season, there really is a new look to it! Significantly, the core is still there - we may yet get Charlie Taylor back on loan too. But, as it stands, the squad looks good...although maybe slightly light up front? Only 3 recognised goal grabbers - (obviously) Billy McKay, his fellow countryman, Curtis Allen and our local lad, Calum Ferguson. Can Billy be as prolific again? With Andrew Shinnie away, perhaps Doran should be looking to replace those missing goals! Signed up till the end of season 2015-16: • Aaron Doran Signed up till the end of season 2014-15: • Josh Meekings • Graeme Shinnie • Billy McKay • Nick Ross • Gary Warren • Daniel Devine • David Raven • Liam Polworth • Ryan Christie Signed up till the end of season 2013-14: • Ross Draper • Ryan Esson • Richie Foran • Conor Pepper • Matthew Cooper • Jay Cheyne • Calum Ferguson • Ben Greenhalgh • Danny Williams • Adam Evans • James Vincent • Marley Watkins • Harry Hooman • Curtis Allen • Joe Gorman • Nick Draper (Butcher and Malpas and Marsella are also in this category) On loan until January 2014 • Dean Brill

He could be a Brill-iant signing!

You'd think by reading one of the Hibs fans forums that he was the new Bobby Moore! Comments like 'wins every header', 'a huge presence' and ' looks really good' just goes to show how fickle we fans are and how we give all our players the benefit of the doubt initially!

23 or 24 Neil Draper? I'm assuming that's a typo... Also missing are Joe Gorman, Calum Ferguson and Curtis Allen. But we're getting there, piecing it all together!

Well, he's good at shooting! Allegedly.

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He went to play in the USA.

You would think so! Although, to be fair, his claim wasn't so exaggerated as to make it unbelievable. Former Aberdeen dud, Eugene Dadi, has 1 cap for them! And Sol Bamba is a regular.... Thierry Gatheusi has a 1 cap for Cameroon! And Bert Vogts used to cap some real dross for Scotland! I posted on a previous thread - Andre Martins - (who, incidentally, is onto his 3rd club since leaving us), about the classic Graeme Souness gaff in fielding a guy he'd signed without having seen. Souness inexplicably believed that Ali Dia was a great player, capable of being thrown into a Premiership game, on the basis that he was related to George Weah, former world player of the year. In reality, Ali Dia was dreadful! Not even non-league standard. What I'll never understand is how he wasn't found out sooner! Did Souness not see him in training being unable to control a ball? A DVD, showreal or word of mouth just isn't good enough. Thorough research, first hand viewing and experience in scouting is essential - that's why we're fortunate to have Steve Marsella at our club.

Quality.

Did former Wimbledon champion, Goran Ivanisevic, not get 5 minutes playing for his beloved team, Hajduk Split? I believe Usain Bolt was told by Fergie at Man Utd that he could get a cameo role at some point in a testimonial or friendly. Bolt's got a very high opinion of himself as he also claims he could have been a first class cricketer!

Steve Williams has just been released by Bradford. His goals, both in the SPL, came against Kilmarnock (away) and a header in a home game against Rangers. A good return from a loanee centre back, from only a handful of games.

^^^ Me too, Libero. He'd be a great addition.

It's the 25 we already knew we had - but with Charlie Taylor (surely a mistake) also included! Unless I have missed him re-signing on loan!?

It 'would' have been a tie against the winners of Crusaders (Belfast) or Rosenborg from Norway.

Hope you put that bet on Yngwie!

*64% Well picked up, Sir! In my mind, I wasn't going to count Cooper or Polworth. that would have been 14 from 25 = 56%. But then I messed up!

Yeah, I thought he was decent. If there's ever a Caley Thistle 'Hall of Fame' then he would be inducted somewhere down the line due to being capped Internationally for Northern Ireland whilst with us. This would have to be a new thread, but , why can't we start a Hall of Fame next season - as it will be 20 years since the club entered the leagues.

In reality, 'only' 16 of our signed players, from a squad of 25 have played any SPL... = 56% !!

Home games in bold St. Mirren Dundee United Motherwell Celtic Hearts Kilmarnock Aberdeen Hibernian St. Johnstone Partick Thistle Ross County Kilmarnock Hibernian St. Johnstone St. Mirren Hearts Aberdeen Partick Thistle Celtic Ross County Motherwell Dundee United Aberdeen Kilmarnock Hibernian Hearts St. Johnstone Celtic Motherwell Partick Thistle Dundee United St. Mirren Ross County We have 2 home games v St. Mirren, Partick Thistle, Motherwell, Hearts and Hibernian And 2 away games v Kilmarnock, Celtic, Ross County, St. Johnstone, Aberdeen and Dundee United.