StuPar82

Whether this has been an exit strategy crossed my mind as well, but upon reflection I think this would have seemed an unlikely road for him to have chosen. I presume (based on the holiday-jaunt version of events) we'll have been able to 'dismiss him', therefore being free from having to pay any compensation and so he'll be earning no coin from football until someone can sign him. I would have thought this would be January at the earliest, so a couple of barren months to endure; why not just sit it out and make it in the clubs interests to move you on until January, or even until the end of the season? Alternatively, he could have negotiated a mutual termination of his contract, where I am sure he could have agreed a small 'settlement' fee and better preserved his reputation for future employers. It sounds like he either simply DGAF anymore or he thought he would get away with it; either way, it sounds like the kind of attitude you would not associate with a senior player. I am sure another club will pick him up, however, given he's a seasoned defender at Championship level. He would surely be a good, solidifying addition to an Ayr, or a QoS in the Championship or maybe even a 'prodigal' return to Falkirk.

If we can get the first goal and our tails up then we have it in our locker to put the game to bed, I feel. If we conceded first then I worry how well we will cope with that, especially if the crowd get on the team / management team’s back.

Agreed, we seem to be have more of a creative edge to us when he is on the park. Sure Todorov’s header came directly from Wighton picking up the ball, ghosting past two defenders to make space to pick out Toddy. He was also effective when he came on against Patrick and, I think, similarly was the one who did well to bring MacDonald into play to ultimately send over that teasing cross which Wighton himself then wasn’t far away from getting himself onto.

(Long time registered, first time poster). The first goal is often pivotal in a game but especially so this fixture you feel. We should definitely be hopeful of creating chances and hopefully can we take one to give us that lift and help us kick on. Wighton has to start I think, but I’d stick with Pybus ahead of Thomas.