CaleyCiuin

8 hours ago, DoofersDad said:

I think what we deserve is to stay in the Championship.  When big Dunc arrived at the club, we had played 6 games in the league and had only 1 point.  If the league table had started when he arrived, then we would have finished 5th.  Given the number of injuries we have had over the season, that's not too bad a record overall.  I've said before that Ferguson's style of play has often been a pretty hard watch, but if we can just find a bit of spark up front, then there is no reason why we can't be competitive and entertaining in the Championship next year.  If we do go down, then I think we have the potential to bounce straight back under Ferguson.   I do think we have enough to get through the play-offs though and hopefully we will do so with a good support at the home games.

He has had 30 games and a transfer window to keep us up…….. he hasn’t managed to do that even with his loan signings from big clubs in England. What makes you so sure he can do better with less budget in a lower league( if we end up there). 

Went to the match yesterday expecting a real battling performance given the seriousness of our position, but what I saw was a bunch of players (not a team), that looked like they really lacked energy. Ridgers did make a few good saves and there was plenty of possession and sideways passing, but not enough fight and desire to keep us out the relegation playoffs. When Billy missed that penalty my heart sank, really felt for him. Summed up our current state of affairs. Even if we do survive in the Championship, I really fear for next season given lack of finances and current structure of the Club.

1 hour ago, Tom_Weir said:

Poke at that narrative a bit and I'm not sure it stands up at all. Do you mean Carragher and Savage? That's really stretching the definition of duff. Or McAllister, who scored our last direct free kick goal, against Morton a few weeks ago, and if I remember right set up the other one in that game? I'm as happy as anyone to see Aaron Doran in again and Danny Devine at Hampden but I think the brief answer to your question is, no.

Chilokoa - Mullen is out long term too, but so is Gilmour & Shaw who Duncs did not sign. 

5 minutes ago, Robert said:

That’s not correct. The Trust is seeking to increase the voice fans have in the way the club is run and potentially have a seat in the Board. When they use the funds raised to buy shares, they have said they will only do so if they get commitments from the club.

I think you will find it is correct. The Trust want money to increase their shares. That money goes to the Club. The Trust already have a relatively significant shareholding, which does/should provide the voice/influence they refer to in their statement. They just don’t seem to be using it effectively at the moment.

I will keep this train of comment for the other thread.

3 hours ago, Jack Waddington said:

Happy days as long as the momentum keeps running. Can officially stop looking over our shoulder at Arbroath results and look up the table. Not officially clear of the automatic drop zone, but unless Arbroath win by 9.25 goals in each of their last 4 fixtures, we should be fine to chase Queens down. Massive 6 pointer at Hampden next weekend.

A deserved 3 points yesterday which are absolutely needed, but let’s not get carried away. A narrow win over a part time team, who are bottom of the league and played a percentage of the game with 10 men. Hardly emphatic. We also find out yesterday that the Trust want fans to give them money, to in turn give it to the Club in turn for no more voice than they already have ????!!!!! All going great .

Even if you gave folk a fiver you would struggle to attract anyone  to watch this current pi#h.

10 hours ago, bdu98196 said:

For the benefit of those who think options such as Davidson, Imrie or Brown would have been much better than Dunc.

Since Dunc arrived he's picked up 31 points, imrie 36 points, Ayr 32 points and QP only 27 points.

If someone has the time and wants to go look at the exact points per game of those managers - Davidson, Brown and Imrie - go ahead as I acknowledge they haven't all been in place the exact same number of games. However the clear indicators are that that are all pretty similar in terms of outcomes in this league - whether that's because you see them all as good or crap thats individual judgements but for me none exactly are standing out as options that would have brought massively different outcomes.

Also notable mentions to Dunfermline 30 points, Airdrie 33 points and Arbroath 11 points over the same timelines.

All of which makes the calls of Morton, Dunfermline and Airdrie having fantastic seasons at various stages over the season seem wild and very instantaneously focused.

A good point, well made. We remain in 9th relegation playoff place and the others currently don’t . Even if we beat Arbroath on Saturday ( which I expect we will), we will still be 9th. 4 games left then to save the season. In Duncs we Trust?????????

9 minutes ago, DoofersDad said:

I would be intrigued to know exactly what motivated Ferguson to take the job.  I agree with IHE that he has been up against it from the off - so why take the job on?  O.K. he would be looking for a position where he would have the potential to get some success at a lower level and improve his managerial credentials, but what made him think the ICT job was it?  It seemed pretty clear that when he first arrived here, he knew precious little about the club and the Scottish Championship more generally, so I can only assume that he was tempted by promises of significant resources for new players on the back of the Battery project which, he would have been told, was a certainty to go through.  Keeping us up this year and then challenging hard for promotion the following 2 seasons would be something which would raise his stock.  He'll be all too well aware now that things at the club are not quite what he was led to believe when he signed his contract.

Obviously it is rubbish when he says the team were "brilliant".  He knows and we all know that it's nonsense, but I would prefer that to him publicly slagging the team off.  Do we really want him to behave like Derek Adams?  I'm far from convinced about his style of play and his tactics, but I do have a bit of sympathy for him.  Other teams have been able to strengthen their squads in the January window.  We did not have that luxury and added to that, we have been hard hit with injuries.  We have one of the poorest squads in the club's history and that is not Ferguson's fault.  I think the guys on the pitch are putting in a good shift and doing the best they can for the manager.  I am sure we would be isolated with Arbroath at the bottom if Dodds was still here.

Dig Dunc may not be the greatest of managers and the squad may not be as good as we would like, but they are not the ones who are responsible for the mess the club is in.  If we are to avoid relegation we need to put a good string of results.  To achieve that the guys on the pitch need the fans to get behind them and give support rather than criticism.  Let's support the team and point the finger of blame to where it rightly belongs.

The management team ( DF, GB, SK etc), & the players are the reason we are in 9th ( relegation playoff place). The lower in the league we finish ( let’s be optimistic and say 8th), also has a huge financial bearing at the end of the season. Performance & position will only make worse the wider issues you refer to. 

3 hours ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

So I may be biased and protective of a player who was a real club man and a fighter (in many ways!!). He is getting a load of negative flak at the moment but if there was one person that I would pick to be in the trenches with me it is Dunc. He has been up against it from the off. IMHO scapegoated from the off and now taking hits for the bunch of self motivated morons who are the people responsible for bringing this club to its knees. Duncs main problem is that he has nowhere near the quality of players required to bring any footballing system to fruition. We currently have the worst squad of players that we have ever had - a mottley crew of cheap loanees desperate for playing time to progress their own careers. Unfortunately the ones with potential have picked up the injuries. There has been no consistency and I hazard a guess that most fans would have difficulty in picking a first X1. But what Dunc does bring to the party is pure passion and the Dunkirk spirit. The next two games are must wins and if Dunc can instill the passion and drive we will survive. And I am referring to passion and not from a skill or system perspective. Dunc needs to instill a "dogs of war" mentality and the players have to give the fans a degree of hope. So I am predicting six points in the next two games - however accomplished and escaping in 8th place at the end of the season.

Duncs has had every game since 30 Sep last year to shape this team and the cheap loanees you refer to are his signings. He has had plenty time now to make the situation better than he found it, but hasn’t. With 5 games remaining this season I would like to share your optimism, but don’t. 

8 minutes ago, STFU said:

Yes.  They were tasked with keeping us in the Championship and those who appointed him will be claiming it as job well done and a successful season.

I think you are right. I wonder if they would want to stay, particularly if there was not a great budget for next season. They might say they achieved their aim and find a get out clause at “mutual consent” !

8 minutes ago, STFU said:

Given the state of our match videos these days I wouldn't be holding my breath on that.

If we scrape into 8th place or survive the relegation playoffs, do we think DF and GB will still be here next season ?

Didn’t make it to Firhill today, but two mates did. When he came over and heard some dissent his attitude changed immediately. He couldn’t believe fans would be disgruntled. He is absolutely detached  from the reality of where we are. This is dire  .

Oh Feck………………. I hoped this thread wouldn’t start. Now not surprised it has though . 

With tonight’s result at Ayr, even if we win tomorrow, we will still be in 9th !!!!!! I can’t believe we might end up in relegation playoffs.  

3 hours ago, Douglas Mackenzie said:

Six games to go and some shouting for sack this one and that one and the board. A)who is out there willing to splash their cash?I don't see or hear of anyone.Then what do we do?

B)We maybe are in a precarious position financially and in the league but if the Chairman,CEO and board walked away where would we be?Certainly not better off.

C)Do you not think this is the time to all pull in the same direction and make sure we are not in the playoffs for going down.The boys could do with knowing we are rooting for them.Lets be positive,hope Ayr lose on Friday and we win on Saturday and then we try and beat Abroath at home.

D)Let's get safe in the league and  then look at all options and maybe we will know outcome of battery appeal during summer.If SG overturn HC decision we are much better off.We then rebuild in summer.

E)Don't you think the constant negativity has an effect on the boys.They need us on side,not talking of mutiny and throwing the ships command overboard and certainly not at the end of March.

Happy Clappers Unite !!!!! 
 

Meanwhile we remain in 9th and a relegation playoff place,  no obvious robust income stream to sustain us going forward and an unproven management team developing their career at ICT expense. 
 

Well done the board, backers and management team !!!! 6 games left in the season, I’m sure there is nothing to worry about !!!

Great away day today. The young lads down the front were very vocal………… Sack The Board and Gardiner out were the main chants. A bridge & Castle for full effect was also flung in ,  Love it…….. but why only away days  ??????  Do you think SG and any board members were at the game, if so they surely heard it. 

I wonder if he will stay even if we finish 8th and no prospect of battery farm money ????? How can he rebuild a team (only 7or 8 under contract for next season), if there is no cash for his plans. He doesn’t seem the type to use our youth set up. 

Seven games left to rescue the season. Is that enough. When is enough…….enough ??????

33 minutes ago, buckett said:

Echoes of Fleetwood . . . 

I think he won only one game in 18 there before departing. His record here has been better, but not much. It’s definitely his team now with the amount of loanees he has brought in. Our situation is definitely on him and GB. 

1 hour ago, lightlamp2 said:

He was there in the directors box. Along with Jamie Carragher.

Both Terry Butcher & Richard Gough were guests today. They are both doing a Rangers related gig run by SG at the Drimossie Hotel tonight. 

Our last home win was November 11th  last year, against Ayr Utd.  That is a terrible statistic. Are we a team…… or bunch of individuals? A recent post on this site stated we only have 7 or 8 players under contract for next season. Will Ferguson get this bunch of predominantly loanees to scrape survival in the Championship???? Will he stay if we drop to L1 ?????

7 minutes ago, ictbob said:

Doesn't sound like it'll be good news. Begging bowls will be getting dusted down. 

Most likely to manage fans expectations on potential cut backs if the vote does not go in the Club,s favour. Also to keep the issue alive in the press in the run up to the now contentious meeting. 

33 minutes ago, Duke of Inverness said:

Thanks for the clarification. 

5 of them started. 

7 of them played over the course of the game.

Anderson & Boyes are loans under the Dodds regrime, the 5 others are down to Duncs. 

1 hour ago, Duke of Inverness said:

He's definitely fading away. Just like his shirt in the second half today. 

Did he get a replacement shirt from the club shop or something?

He is prone to nose bleeds. He had two shirts with his name on them in the first half and a new blank one in the second half.

27 minutes ago, tm4tj said:

By my calculations, these are the only players capable of first team action unless I've missed anyone.

19 fit players, 2 goalkeepers, 6 defenders, 4 midfielders, 5 forwards and 2 youth. 2 of these on loan

Mark RIDGERS - Cameron MACKAY

Nikola UJDUR - James CARRAGHER - Danny DEVINE - Morgan BOYES (loan) - Jake DAVIDSON - Wallace DUFFY

Max ANDERSON (loan)
David CARSON
Cameron HARPER
Charlie GILMOUR

Aaron DORAN
Luis LONGSTAFF
Nathan SHAW
Adam BROOKS
Billy MCKAY

Roddy MACGREGOR (injured)
Lewis NICOLSON (injured)
Austin SAMUELS (injured)
Harry LODOVICA (injured)
Keith BRAY (youth)
Robbie THOMPSON (youth)

There is also the young goal keeper Corey Patterson, along with some other u18,s ( some on loan to Highland League clubs), including Sam Nixon, Callum McLeod, Jack Walker, Callum McKay, Ethan Cairns, Matthew Strachan. All are contracted, but as you say unlikely to feature in the first team at present.