NorthBank

Well, saying 10 were paid off is a bigger lie! I have made it clear that some money was spent but it was 1. not a lot and 2. it was offset by income from 2 streams - Naismith and fans' donation. The likes of Smith came in from the money we no longer had to pay Shankland so it was not a young player going out on loan. And I am not going to bother presenting information to help someone to understand when they have already come to a opinion and ignore the facts.

OK let's go through the list. Scott Gallagher (keeper) left to go to Hibs. O'Brien came in on loan from Man City. No contract paid off. Calum Gallagher left to go to Dumbarton. Josh Todd came in from Dumbarton. Maybe a little compensation but I do not know for sure. Hardie left to return to Rangers. Loy came in. No contract paid off. Shankland left to join Morton. Cammy Smith came in from Aberdeen on loan (but was with DUFC). No contract paid off. Naismith was sold to RC (fee not disclosed but assumed to be 30/40k). Eckersley signed as he had no club in the USA and wanted to return. No contract paid off - money in! Walsh return to Rangers. Storrie comes in on loan. No contract paid off. Jordan Stewart goes on loan to Annan. Pal Fyelde signed from Norwegian Second Division (was in UK looking for a club), No contract paid off. Kalvin Orsi left on loan to Queens Park. Stelios came in from a Cyprus team (11th in League) as he wanted to return to the UK (born here). No contract paid off. Kyle Hutton's loan extended with Airdrie. Steven McGinn contacts St Mirren asking to be signed as he wasn't getting a game for Wycombe. His agent advised against the move due to the reduction in wages by McGinn signed anyway. No contract paid off. Kyle McAllister sold to Derby in a deal work in excess of £400K. Harry Davis signs from Crewe on the last day of the transfer window where he was on strike. No contract paid off. So while the wages of Loy and Davis may have been more than the players they replaced the rest were like for like with no-one getting paid off and substantial income derived. I know that McAllister's money has not been touched. And the fans donated 8k to help pay any wage increases. He-haw spent in fact!

No. We spent pretty much he-haw in January. 10 players out and 10 in. Two players sold (Naismith and McAllister) but most of that money was untouched. Just good housekeeping in Jan.

Won't disagree with you however I reckon our keeper situation has improved (Samson in for O'Brien). Our defence could be considered to have improved with Buchanan coming in for young Baird. We have lost Mallan but the other 3 in midfield are the same. However Magennis - the next exciting talent from the midfield production line - will take on Mallan's role with Flanagan or Hilson or Todd out wide. And Smith up front with hopefully 1 other good striker to come in. The players JR has signed all have potential and I reckon cannot be worse than the others that made up the squad last season (Fjelde, Storrie, Hutton, Clarkson, Webster etc). The players JR has brought in are all young and hungry to succeed - whether they make the grade is unknown. We certainly need a good striker but besides that the squad is shaping up with a far better balance than last year's. Forgot about Reilly! Was shit at Dunfermline but a sensation at QoS so who knows what he will be like for us.

Pretty difficult to replace Mallan to be honest. However 18 year old Kyle Magennis was played wide last season due to McGinn and Mallan playing in the middle but his natural position is central midfield so I expect him to move in to Mallan's role. This guy is an exceptional talent but maybe does not have the goals that Mallan had. We have some options for wide players now so I can see Magennis making that position his own. We have most of the squad from last season but we need Loy or someone like him if we have any aspirations for promotion.

I do not like having a go at any player. I have kept my thoughts to myself all season about Sutton. But when I read rubbish that he is a 20 goal a season striker and we do not need anyone else then I have to present the facts of his poor scoring record. If we want to win the League we need someone who will score regularly and claw out points and that ain't Sutton. He was about 7th or 8th in our squad for his per league game scoring ratio when his main job was to score goals. Defenders and midfielders had far better ratios.

I am referring to what was most import last season and this season - League games and League goals. I am not including scoring against diddy teams like Albion Rovers and Spartans when what we needed was League goals. I gave Stelios credit for the Morton game, as like the Ayr game, the first goal was always going to be crucial. Stelios set us on our way against Morton and Sutton against Ayr. Sutton scored against Morton when the game was already won. We need a goalscorer who gets us points when the chips are down and Sutton does not earn us anywhere near enough points. And 'used sparingly'? When did 33 appearances be classed as 'sparingly'. Loy scored 5 from 11 games - a third less games than Sutton but only 2 goals less - that is 'sparingly'. Walsh, Hardie had far better scoring ratios than Sutton. He was the main striker for the season yet Mallan in midfield scored more. Morgan is a winger and scored 6 League goals. Sutton doesn't take penalties because he misses them. Defenders like MacKenzie and Stelios earned us as many points as Sutton did. When we need single goal winners; first goals to get us on our way then Sutton does not do that. There is he-haw evidence that Sutton could score 15-20 league goals in a season - its your wishing thinking and not based on evidence. 7 league goals in 33 games is not good enough for your main striker.

Rubbish. Sutton started in 24 League games and came on on as a sub in 11 games - 33 appearances and scored a grand total of 7 goals in these League games. No goals against any of the top teams. Only scored goals in 3 games that were significant in getting us points (draws against Dumbarton and Morton and the first goal against Ayr) - 5 points in total thanks to Sutton. In the seven games after the Ayr game he never even had an attempt on goal in any of the games. Pretty shit for your main striker. Stelios's goals were significant in getting us 6 points from only 3 goals in 6 starts and 6 sub appearances. Better than Sutton. Did Sutton have any goals in the St Mirren Goal of the season - no. For a big guy was he a threat at corners - no. Ross quickly realised that Sutton was not a striker that could do it for us and only played him when Loy, Smith or Morgan were injured. When these guys were all fit Sutton was on the bench. There are a lot of rose tinted glasses surrounding Sutton from the St Mirren support - he is living on past exploits like Thommo's last two seasons with us. If we want to win the League by winning League games then we need a regular goal-scorer. And that Ain't John Sutton.

He was once he got over an injury problem and regained some match fitness.

Is your U20's not producing the goods these days? Not only are we relying on them on the pitch they are also financing us. About a third of our team the last few years have been comprised of U20 players that have stepped straight into the first team and done very well. What's the score with your U20's or did you sell them all?

Think you mean sad instead of influential.

Never been anything on OS about it.

When everyone was fit Sutton was on the bench and I do not see that changing. His League scoring rate was very poor and he does not fit in with the fast attacking style that Jack likes. Sutton gives us an alternative from the bench but doubt he will start many games next season. Loy has to be the target or we'll find someone else.

No. That's the sad, delusional vt.

Ross will stay at St Mirren; do well; gain experience; and then be off to a big club somewhere but not to relegation fodder in the Premier league. (And that includes us when we get promoted). Reckon he'll be off to Engerland myself. The recent carry-ons will also have boosted his reputation.

Ross will leave at some point and probably in the not-too-distant future either. However many players have signed solely because Ross is the guy that signed them. Some taking a pay cut. They would be mighty pissed off if he walked out even before the first training session. And 3 clubs in under 12 months? Not too good for your reputation. Ross preached loyalty, trust and backing and the fans and players gave him that in spade loads. To then walk away would have caused more upset than any other manager leaving since Fergie. GS gave him carte blanche to do what was necessary (resulting in a 20 player turnover mid season) when he appointed an untried full-time manager - a huge risk that could have gone tits up. Jack has done the honourable thing by staying for now. When a big club comes calling we know he will be away but I do not now envisage that until maybe this time next year. Best of luck to Dundee on their new appointment. And I do not blame you for trying.

Eh, no. What made you think that?

'remain', 'continue', and 'remain' from his statement may give an indication what he is doing.

Only wanted to talk to him? Your CEO flew over to Spain (WTF was that all about) with wee models of his new stadium to impress the guy. Think he was begging.

You have to keep your chin up Ludo. McCann knocked you back. Ross knocked you back. I am sure you will someone. Eventually. Best of luck.

I reckon we should tell Dundee to let us have Loy and we'll not report them to the SFA. Seems fair.

I'll take your bet Liam. Mary's Meals is my choice of charity. Just post evidence you paid when your new manager is announced. On behalf of Mary's Meals thank-you so much. You are making a difference.

Not bothered at all. Allegedly he was on a poor salary to begin with and we have brought in a fair whack of cash recently so a wage increase is ok and in fact well deserved.

Daily Ranger ... Ross STAYING at St Mirren St Mirren manager Jack Ross (Photo: SNS Group) St Mirren boss Jack Ross has confirmed he will stay on as Buddies manager despite an approach from Dundee . It comes after Dens chief John Nelms flew out to Spain in a final bid to convince Ross to become their new manager – after Saints bosses issued a statement refusing permission for the Dark Blues to open talks with their boss. It’s understood the American travelled abroad armed with a lucrative wage offer as well as plans to build a new purpose-built stadium in a bid to entice Ross to make the move. But the 40-year-old this afternoon confirmed to Record Sport that he will remain at the Championship club. BBC ... St Mirren: Jack Ross reaffirms commitment to club despite Dundee interest 2 hours ago From the section Football Dundee had a formal approach for manager Jack Ross rebuffed by St Mirren St Mirren manager Jack Ross insists he remains "focused" on his position at the club despite interest from Dundee. The Dens Park club had a formal approach for Ross rebuffed by St Mirren and the manager says he is committed to the Paisley side. "I remain focused on continuing to build on the momentum we created last season," Ross said in a statement. "It remains my responsibility to reward the loyalty of our supporters with a team which they can be proud of." Ross became a target for Dundee after interim manager Neil McCann decided to leave Dens Park at the end of last season. The St Mirren manager guided his team to safety in the Championship after taking over in October last year when they were bottom of the division. "James [Fowler, the assistant manager] and I have put in a lot of hard work already and will continue to do so as we strive to prepare a squad capable of challenging in what will be a hugely competitive and demanding Championship," Ross added.

Thanks for that.