Kingsmills

The game on Saturday merely underlined the need to get in a striker, we can't possibly contemplate going the rest of the season without one. The defensive lapse was disappointing but I believe that with a genuine forward we would have been two or three up by then. No reflection on Marley, he's good at what he does but what he does is not to lead the line.

Of course we will sign a striker today possibly two either permanently or on loan. There is no way the club would prejudice our prospects of our First ever European qualification by going almost half the season with not a single experienced out and out forward at the club. I am confident that by this time tomorrow the forum will be buzzing with discussion about the new signing(s).

...but, hopefully, one a little bit more careful about the company he keeps,,

I think you should listen to the interview again Kingsmills I haven't listened to it at all.

We can probably get by on Saturday but, if we are going to continue our push for Europe, we will need to recruit an experienced forward for the rest of the season.

Maybe no news is good news.

Why the very different attitude to Graeme Shinnie who served the club as well and for longer and who is at least staying until the end of the season ?

Like the only side to be undefeated in the 1974 World Cup...

A brief mention on Sportscene being the only football news in what was otherwise a tedious and repetitive Glasgow derby l in.

Much as Shinnie will be missed come the end of the season, we have a very talented young left back on the books who is apparently keen to stay. Prolific forwards are a different matter altogether and Billy will be much harder to replace.

We don't appear terribly good at this Development League thing this season.

Agree in full and, to Graeme's great credit, he has conducted himsekf with professionalism and decorum maintaining a dignified silence and not making any comments along the lines of moving to a bigger and better club.

Thanks have amended by post and given myself a D minus for sloppy arithmetic.

Has to be the same starting XI as Saturday assuming Brill recovers. I have absolute faith in Esson if he's not. Win on Saturday and we are guaranteed to go into February in second place and a single point behind a Celtic team with almost twenty times our income. Who, even in their wildest dreams, would have predicted that at the start of the season. I, for one, am enjoying my humble pie more and more with each spoon full.

OK, I see where you are coming from even although you don't seem to see my opinion on the subject. Yes, he is still contracted to this club so why would he sign a PC in January knowing full well that he would be obligated to us until the end of the season? My view is that he and Aberdeen would like the deal done now and they are waiting for our call to bring this forward (Aberdeen don't have a fit left back at the moment.) They are playing a game with us and we should do our best to get something instead of nothing out of the deal. If we had placed him on the transfer list at the beginning of January we would at least have had a little bit of control over the matter. With regard to "willing and able to play to the best of his ability" is concerned I really don't see how anyone can give their all knowing full well that their current employer's success could quite easily ruin his future employer's chances of winning a European place! Let me put this to you - If you are a highly regarded employee employed by company A and give them three months notice that you are moving to one of their serious competitors, how do you think they would react and what action do you think they would take? I can see your point I just don't agree with it. I don't think placing him on the transfer list at the beginning of the month would have made any difference. If he wanted to hold on and go to Aberdeen next season he could not be forced to sign for any other club no matter what they might have offered us. A bit like GMS signing a pre contract with Celtic when Dundee United had offers on the table to pay a transfer fee from other clubs.

A somewhat odd analogy. it's no different really from the situation in many walks of life where a skilled and valued worker decides to leave company A and move to Company B for what he or she considers career advancement and very often a salary increase. There is generally a period where that person is working their notice and is expected to remain committed to company A and, if they have anything about them, will do so. Shinnie has accepted a job offer from Aberdeen, he is working his notice with ICT.

I still don't see how on earth it benefits the club to be playing our best player what is, by our standards, a substantial salary to do nothing for half a season when he is still contracted to the club and willing and able to play to the best of his ability.

Just how does that benefit anyone ?

Never mind Manager of The Month, carry on like this and JH will have no real rival for Manager Of The Season.

While I wish Graeme well and respect his decision, I would be hugely disappointed if we sold him just now to one of our main top of the table rivals for a paltry £50,000.

In view of the acrimonious turn this thread has taken and on the express wishes of the OP I am locking the thread.

I am confused. While we all agree that robust industrial language can be anticipated at a football match, is anyone seriously arguing that the conduct narrated in the original post is acceptable for fans of our club ?

With Europe being a distinct prospect and so much to play for in league and cup, dropping our best and most skillful player would be cutting off our nose to spite our face.

and where exactly would the brushing under the carpet end ? If the OP is accurate, we should be exposing and condemning it rather than hiding it away.

He has been a very good servant to the club and, I am in no doubt will continue to give his all until the end of the season. To be critical of him for joining his home town club, with a fan base four times ours, for a substantial salary increase seems to me to be churlish.