Coventry Saint

If he's a DM then I think we should send him out on loan to a team in a similar situation to us - ie one that'll mainly have their backs to the wall at the wrong end of their division. Help him learn the craft of breaking up play when we don't have much possession. Could imagine him going to Alloa but spending time training with us still. Or maybe Partick.

Yeah, definitely. Better than panicking that we'll be instantly shit if we pick up even one injury or suspension.

So if McAllister arrives, Goodwin has a rather large selection headache in the middle of the park. Two from Magennis, McGinn, Foley and Flynn in the middle, and three from Andreu, Djorkaeff, Durmus and McAllister behind the striker. Obviously fitness and injuries mean there'll be plenty of rotation, but my first choice midfield there sees two big players miss out...

I'm starting to get a good feeling about this season now. I only caught bits of the online stream yesterday but Durmus looks very promising. The absolute difference it makes when you've got a fast attacking player who can carry the ball a bit. And we've got him on a two year contract! Very promising.

This x 1,000. Based on his Youtube clips (I know, I know) Foley just looks like a proper spoiler and I can't wait. To those who can't imagine us playing without McGinn, it would definitely help him in the middle of the park if someone else is doing the running. Flynn does that to an extent, but it's a bit of a waste just getting him to break play up.

Agree it gives us options, and I'd personally be reluctant to see Flynn pushed out wide, and would be tempted by a mobile, niggly Foley-Flynn midfield base. That said, Flynn covers so much ground, he might do that 'wide-ish' role well, too. I know people keep saying Magennis needs to play in the centre, but managers keep on not playing him there. Edit: re McGinn, I think it's clearly his mobility that's starting to let him down. If we are to use him sparingly, you'd assume he'd be getting dropped for games against better, faster teams. After seeing Motherwell vs Morton, the idea of their pacey players running at some of our guys gave me the fear.

Inclined to agree, I think it'll be two more strikers (including the boy from today, assuming that's a done deal) and a winger. Surprised to see McAllister away to the Netherlands this week; was hoping he'd be signing for the weekend, if he is indeed coming. Nightmare if he tears it up for their juniors (whatever age group it is) and catches the eye.

Or Motherwell circa 2014.

Have to say I'm liking these two-year deals. As long as they're not pish Boy's got a Youtube highlights reel - fucking hook me up:

Wasn't aware of that, but could be useful if that's the case.

I dunno - as with Mullen, I thought his actual goal return was pretty good considering how very little we were creating.

I reckon we'll go with three - budget might limit us to that anyway. You assume White will be one, based on the rumours, and he's near enough a straight swap for Cooke anyway. I think we need a bit of pace up there, though, and that's where it gets tricky. I honestly wouldn't be averse to Jackson coming back.

Cody Cooke out for most the season, apparently. That's rotten luck, for him and us. Need two strikers in the door now.

True - dodged a bullet with Coulson, NBM and Willock, in that respect. (Aside: I just googled NBM, who has apparently scored two in three in the Danish league for his new club. )

I think, as with anything, there is a balance to be struck. Necessity forced our hand in January, but it wasn't ideal to have that many loanees in - it was a crazy percentage of the squad in the end. IIRC Jim said from pretty much day one that he wanted more properly contracted players, with a handful of loans on top. It's clearly the way to go, as long as those loans are adding quality that we couldn't normally afford, rather than just filling up the squad.

Not yet it's not.

Preaching to the choir on that front, tbf.

Is it that bad? You've brought in a few, haven't you?

Actually, yeah, doesn't change much. Points totals adjusted below for 3 point wins. Figures in brackets show the points gain over the team immediately below. Top six are slightly more spread out, but not as much as I was expecting. Big winners were Bankies who would have overtaken Ayr (though I've left them where they were on the below for clarity.) Raith 90 (+4) Killie 75 (-1) Pars 74 (+1) Saints 72 (+2) Accies 69 (=) Ton 67 (+7) Ayr 60 (-1) Bankies 61 (+2) Sons 52 (+4) Stirling Albion 46 (=) Meadowbank 43 (+8) Beath 16 (It's pishing down and I had lunch at my desk so this filled a few minutes!)

*And Rangers.

That race for second place was ridiculously tight. Possibly the effects of two points for a win.

At least we can be grateful that Thatcher died in the internet era. (A sentence which also works without the words 'in the internet era').

We scored for fun in the summer of 2014. Can't remember what happened after that...

Say what you want about Rod Stewart but that song is a stone cold classic and I'll fight anyone who disagrees.