Trogdor

Not if just counting the matches since Xmas which I think was the posters point.

I don't care for the Challenge Cup at all. Brian Reid got it right. I have some sympathy with the winning mentality argument. However, under the present incumbent of the dugout we're not winning this either. I also agree that wanting us to lose is bizarre. I didn't even reach that stage under Roberts, I just stopped going.

That's some shout actually.

Unfortunately, that is big Sean's default setting. Years of working under hoofball managers will do that to you.

Secured should read identified. We have a wage structure it would be remiss of Mathie not to be refusing to offer deals outwith that. That's part and parcel of the budgetary constraints of any business. I wouldn't say he's as accountable in your scenario, Glendinning and Bullen will be fully aware of the budget. If he's literally negotiating the deal for a player shortlisted and identified by the other two it's not remotely the same.

Mathie's role is more similar to Grant's than McCall's. McCall was never responsible for the off the field personnel other than the football staff. Mathie is in charge of the whole damn show. I'm not white knighting him nor am I calling for his head. FWIW I don't think he is doing a great job. The season ticket debacle and social media/highlights have both been poorly managed and communicated. That's firmly on Mathie. The recruitment is a side issue for me. That's on Glendinning & Bullen. Mathie is in charge but he's not identifying the players. He might pick up contract negotiations but that's once the player is secured. He can do as many Q&As and Vision nights as he likes but we should be more professional off the park given how many staff there are now. Instead we are still being outdone by part time clubs off the field. Our social media output is crap, our highlights are mince, our ticketing system is clunky and our junior ticket pricing is bizarre. There's four things he could sort easily. Get the basics right before going on about strategies and making Somerset the best away day in Scotland. It's birthday caird pish for me.

Comparing him to the octogenarian Lewis Grant presumably. Who was hamstrung by budgetary constraints as Lachlan ran us with one eye on minimising his contribution.

Given the number of appearances, I took it to be an envious comment on his conversion rate compared to Bryden and McKenzie tbh. Rather than a slight.

You do realise we were running on a shoe string for the guts of two decades? You aren't comparing like with like at all, the bar is atrociously low.

Aye the stand is a massive positive. It's the inconvenience factor this season of being stuck in the SRE but it'll be worth it in the end. I don't have any issues with Smith. He's pumping the money in and has entrusted the day to day operations to Mathie (which in principle I thought was a good idea). He'll go down as the best owner we've had in my lifetime. There have been lots of promises from owners and he's the only one who has delivered.

I think Mathie is getting a bit of a free pass from many. He talks a good game but let's look at some points: The construction is Smith's and he is bankrolling it so that can be put to one side. Smith has said he's responsible for infrastructure. The recruitment team reports to Mathie. He brought in Glendinning he setup the structure which is looking more like Falkirk's under Hartley with every passing day. The early bird installment season tickets were a disaster due to a lack of communication. That resides with Mathie. A great concept badly executed. These season ticket holders spent about 6 weeks being second tier season ticket holders. They couldn't even get into the Q&A as they didn't have season tickets. Or get into the game at Dam Park for free. That's on Mathie. The match highlights are still a debacle. Mathie told us we would get a new highlights package last November. It's still amongst the poorest in the division. That was after effectively telling an excellent volunteer that his services were no longer required. Community engagement? Has this improved any? I'm not in and around Ayr these days so I cannot comment. Are we more professional off the pitch?We seem to be spending a fortune in non-playing wages and the value add isn't apparent. As the MD, Mathie should be very worried about that. Mathie isnt doing a great job. Puting a #weareunited at the end of tweets and on PowerPoint slides isn't enough. Talking a good game at vision nights and Q&As isn't enough. He needs to deliver. Right now I'm not seeing enough. If it was a report card it wouldn't be a fail but he needs focus on delivery. He's effectively a talking head like the computer in Red Dwarf.

#weareunited or in your case... #weeayrunited Have some ambition man and some standards. You really are clutching at straws.

The spotlight should be shone on Mathie as well. The recruitment and the 'plan' is his. Hopefully Smith is holding him to account behind the scenes. I'm not surprised some are taking the Mathie Out stance. Some of our fans love Bullen and I could see them wanting Mathie gone rather than Bullen.

Because they've got an even bigger haddie in the dugout. Coupled with the biggest duffer as CEO in Gardiner. A truly terrible combination.

As for a Rhys McCabe type. A Player/Manager is not a route I would go down. Mark Roberts really destroyed that concept for me. Mark Kerr didn't help convince me that it could work either.

You can't stop it. Managers owe clubs no more loyalty than players do. The fact we as fans find that difficult to cope with is irrelevant. They are on an employment contract just like anyone else. They are free to take their labour wherever as are you and me as well. That's life. I'm not saying Uncle Ian is the solution, it wasn't all milk and honey under him either. However, the product on the park was light years better (sticky spells accepted). Given he is out of work it's hardly surprising people would suggest him.

To be fair, those fans are just following the club's lead. When the manager describes us as plucky wee Ayr United in order to temper expectations this is the result.

Agree on Ahui and if he's not up to it what about Watret. He played against Stirling Albion (same level as Falkirk) and was largely fine. He does need someone experienced to talk him through the game now and then. On Bullen: A win would alleviate the pressure but there is so much discontent on the terraces that if we were to concede against Falkirk it will get toxic quickly. It could be shades of that Raith game with Hopkin (I couldn't make that one either). Lose on Tuesday and on Friday and the slide becomes hard to stop and the jungle drums grow louder. Ultimately we haven't fixed our deficiencies. The team are making the same mistakes and setup for turgid football. He said in the post match that he can't understand why the players resorted to playing it long. That's pretty damning to be honest. We are in the final chapter of Bullen's time at the club (of that I have know doubt).

You play the part of the jilted lover well.

I feel for you. I usually go to Arbroath for the steak and black pudding pie alone. However, its so painful to watch at the minute that it really does drain the life from you. I'm home games only for the foreseeable. I don't even know if I'll make it on Tuesday night. It's unlikely at the moment as it takes an extra effort as I have to get someone to pick up the kids and then the lengthy drive. The turgid crap being served up really isn't worth that. No thanks.

He's not catastrophically bald, so it's unlikely.

Fair point, I'll get that added to the bingo card. Ohhh and it goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway). Calum is a stick on for "Well Lee..."

Mate, he'll Jim Duffy it... "Gayfield is a tough place to come" "We've no divine right to beat anyone" "This is a tight League and anyone can beat anyone on their day" "I'm not making excuses but the injuries havent helped." "This squad has character stick with us and we'll turn it around" Meaningless cliches.

Aye, I have to say that Reading and McAllister wouldn't be out of place in Scottish League One. The central midfielder options are too new at the moment to judge. It's eye opening to see that Houston and Hewitt don't actually feature for the League One sides they moved to. Yet we persisted with them. There has been too much sentiment where some of this squad are concerned. Especially in the full back areas.

Speaking of the BBC's journalism, apparently Michael Rose scored Ayr's equaliser despite having left Ayr over 4 years ago!