DA-go Par Adonis

It was pretty downbeat at the start of 2022/23 also. They didn't even publicly state that promotion was a target - only that we needed to start winning matches. Also, without knowing either of them well, I don't think you would employ Cook or McPake as hype men. It just doesn't seem to be in their character. At the end of the day, it is results on the park that skew absolutely everything. If we're challenging near the top next season, all will look great - a performing team, stability on the coaching staff, important players under contract, a good crop of youth coming through, lots of good work in the community and our own training ground. A club investing in the foundations so that the long-term looks positive. If we're struggling, there will be a disconnect between club and the fans, too much attention to infrastructure rather than the first team, McPake won't be good enough, Cook will be drawing a large salary for doing nothing and all the community work is a smoke screen to appease the happy clappers amongst us.

We're 5 wins, 5 draws and 3 defeats since the two hammerings at EEP in February. I'd also have snapped your hand off for that run after the Queens Park match. Overall, it's really difficult to judge. We've been crippled by injury and did well to fight our way out of it. On the other hand, we got ourselves in a position to challenge for 4th with the majority of the squad back available and then didn't turn up against Airdrie or QP. McPake should clearly get another shot at it next year but it's got to be better when we can put something resembling the first XI on the park.

Apparently, a lot of the players look up to Chalmers because of his professionalism, dedication and attitude to training. Doesn't sound like someone with a poor work ethic - regardless of what you think of his footballing ability.

Nothing wrong with the time wasting today - we had one job today, which was not to lose and stay in the division. It was especially important given what Queens Park were up to. The issue with lack of ambition was last Saturday.

If that is the case, he must look like prime van Basten in training. I really can't see us signing him permanently.

I think Sutherland is probably looking at the likes of McCann, Todd, Allan and Tod and thinking that he's at a club which will give him a chance to play when the management think he is ready - and will then be patient with him. He scored two goals in his 1st full game at Bonnyrigg and then didn't score in the next 5, all of which he started. He was then dropped to the bench, came on in the next 3 games without scoring and was then recalled. So, at League 2 level, he wasn't prolific. That is completely understandable, given that he was 17 years old at the time and it was his first experience of regular first team football. On the other hand, it doesn't seem that he would be justified in bashing the manager's door down demanding a start. Also, if we pitched him in as the main striker in January and February when we were depleted and getting battered, that doesn't necessarily aid his development. If he's excelling in the reserves, in a team who are playing well and winning, it is likely that he will see a good bit of action in pre-season. If he does well then, he'll likely see more first team action in the league - hopefully in a side which is at the right end of the table.

Still think Mehmet gets a bad rap. He's made a few mistakes but so have most keepers in this league. He then gets nothing (from some) in the way of credit when he wins us points from keeping out a penalty or making a good stop. If Bene and Fisher stay fit, I don't think Mehmet is one of the major issues.

If that's too positive for some, I thought Saturday was a disgrace given we could still potentially make the play-offs. Whoever recruited Holmes needs a talking too - and why he and McCann were on the pitch at the end is anyone's guess. I'm still not convinced that McPake is any good at Championship level, nor that Todd is going to kick on, dominate the division and make us fortunes. I also think we're likely to be going into the last game of the season with a chance of being 9th. I'll still be back next season, though.

To be fair, I've heard the same about Cook's negotiations - and it may be confidential from our side - but agents will say anything to anyone, especially if they think it will benefit them. I'm guessing that's why Laing has come in. Some did criticise recruitment last year for being too ambitious. We were in for Reilly (and, I think, one other) who ended up going to the Premier League. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't when you miss out on a player. Re the strategy of the board, they'd argue that this is season 3 coming up, given that they couldn't start to implement what they wanted until the Covid restrictions were over. They're trying to build the club from the bottom up, whereas the Rovers are doing it from the top down. Whether it works, we'll wait and see. However, they're trying to do things to enhance the fan experience and build a fan base in our expanding city. Some of it is unconventional but nothing has worked for any other provincial club in Scotland in the last 40 years, so if they have a 'plan', that's better for me than overspending on players or temporarily reducing prices - which might be a short term fix but doesn't do much overall.

I know why we signed Kane. I don't get your point. You don't think Otoo, KRH, Fisher or Jakubiak are players who could play in a team in the top 4 in the Championship? They were all permanent signings this time last year. I don't know what this 10-year plan looks like but I can't see why it would involve not trying to get promoted.

He joined the board on 12th February. We signed Chris Kane the day after and MWH just over a week later. It would seem harsh to blame him for January. Re challenging for promotion, I don't disagree. My point is that I think it's pretty much impossible to plan for - and then achieve - putting a squad together to finish mid-table in the Championship for a few consecutive seasons. If you try, you'll end up going down.

We also brought Ian Laing on board, who seems to specialise in sports contracts.

How are you meant to go about making sure a club finishes mid table in the Championship several seasons in a row? Also, we've signed some amount of players - either permanently, on loan or contract extensions - for a club that can't get a deal over the line. For some reason, we like to focus on the likes of Ashcroft, Rudden and Wotherspoon as opposed to Welsh Hayes, Kane, Jakubiak etc.

3-5-2 made sense during the injury crisis as he was trying to protect an extremely depleted back line. A bit more flexibility would be welcome though. I think we were all happy at the end of last season when KRH signed permanently but it appears that he needs to play wide on the right with a full back behind him. I am guessing the board pushed the boat out a bit to get him (and Otoo) last season, so it is up to McPake and Co to get the best out of him.

We win 3-0, Thistle beat Airdrie by a couple and then we're all looking towards Friday night, thinking that Utd could beat Airdrie to clinch the title. United win 4-0 and then all we need to do to take it to the last day is beat ICT at home... 1-0 Caley due to a last minute penalty, everyone in the team plays terribly.

Airdrie took 1 point out of 15 during a spell at the start of last season - when they had lots of injuries. That killed any title challenge because we didn't lose, but they were pretty competitive from that point on.

Not just marginally overpriced?

Should we not wait to see how it goes before declaring it a shambles?

MWH is still under contract with Livi, I think.

Just need the Rovers to put 5 past Airdrie - and then any win there next week puts us in 4th. Edit - or joint 4th at least.

The game largely changed once Thistle went ahead. We finished the 1st half better and started the 2nd quite well too - and Chalmers was grand for the dozen or so minutes he played in 2nd half too. Gave the ball away once with a speculative long ball but that was about it. Moffat on the other hand barely put a foot right, although he did try hard. I don't think that sub swung the momentum, however. Partick seemed to become happier to defend their lead as the 2nd half went on - and we didn't much look like scoring until Todd hit the post and then we got the penalty shortly after. The momentum changed again when we scored. Thistle started looking for a goal again and it was much more end to end.

Edwards could sling a cross into the stand 4 times in a row and some of our fans would still shout at Chalmers.

Premier League 1st half, Sunday League 2nd half. Years of supporting the Pars summed up in 90+ minutes. Wouldn't have it any other way... I guess

I bet it wouldn't give a dose of happiness to everyone on the back of a heavy defeat. "Maybe they should concentrate on learning how to pass the ball to each other rather than teaching school kids... etc."

I don't disagree that it was worthy of criticism, but to boo them off in a friendly at half time is just nonsense. The team have credit in the bank and deserve better.