Francesc Fabregas

The club are looking for supporters to vote for next season's away kit. One and three are pretty neat - I voted for option three myself! Vote now!

Interesting article with a couple of moments that caught the attention, particularly about recruitment. Is Sean Crighton playing an active role in identifying players and suggesting them to the management team? Or is Stephen Swift running ideas past him for his input? I wonder how many of his new team-mates he'd heard of before. Either way, it sounds like big things will be expected from Crighton this season with Swift putting a lot of trust in him. Let's hope he delivers!

Here's the updated squad list for the year ahead: GOALKEEPERS Ryan Marshall (signed from BSC Glasgow) Graeme Smith DEFENDERS BJ Coll (signed from Forfar Athletic) Adam Corbett Sean Crighton (signed from Airdrieonians Ross Lyon (signed from BSC Glasgow) Jamie Mills (signed from BSC Glasgow) Jordan Tapping (signed from East Stirlingshire) MIDFIELDERS Michael Anderson (signed from BSC Glasgow) Adam Brown (signed from Alloa Athletic) Ross Forbes (signed from Dumbarton) Declan Hughes (signed from BSC Glasgow) Nat Wedderburn (signed from Dumbarton) FORWARDS Darren "Daz" Christie (signed from Pollok) Cammy Graham David Hopkirk Thomas Orr (signed from Stranraer) Robert Thomson (signed from Alloa Athletic) OUT ON LOAN Josh Grigor (Syngenta)

This is exactly my feelings on it. We've just allowed one of the very few experienced players in the team join a rival side one day, and brought in a relative unknown the next. Darren Christie's name was mentioned earlier in this thread so it's no real surprise he's joined Stenhousemuir. Another player Stephen Swift has previously worked with at BSC Glasgow and someone who was quite well thought of during his short loan spell with Annan Athletic. I can't imagine this will bring about the end of David Hopkirk's time at Ochilview (although I've been proven wrong a few times in this regard!) and Christie has signed to beef up the numbers in attack. It's been mentioned elsewhere that Swift prefers a 4-3-3 system and he'll probably start the season with Robert Thomson on the left, Hopkirk on the right and Tam Orr through the middle.

Here's the updated squad list to reflect Callum Tapping's defection to Edinburgh City. Suddenly it looks like we've a bit of work to do to bring the team up to scratch for the year ahead! GOALKEEPERS Ryan Marshall (signed from BSC Glasgow) Graeme Smith DEFENDERS BJ Coll (signed from Forfar Athletic) Adam Corbett Sean Crighton (signed from Airdrieonians Ross Lyon (signed from BSC Glasgow) Jamie Mills (signed from BSC Glasgow) Jordan Tapping (signed from East Stirlingshire) MIDFIELDERS Michael Anderson (signed from BSC Glasgow) Adam Brown (signed from Alloa Athletic) Ross Forbes (signed from Dumbarton) Declan Hughes (signed from BSC Glasgow) Nat Wedderburn (signed from Dumbarton) FORWARDS Cammy Graham David Hopkirk Thomas Orr (signed from Stranraer) Robert Thomson (signed from Alloa Athletic) OUT ON LOAN Josh Grigor (Syngenta)

I am never going to doubt Midnight Express ever again. Callum Tapping has left the club and moves on to Edinburgh City. That's a disappointment. I thought he was largely good last season and would have been an asset this year. I would have had him ahead of Ross Forbes and Nat Wedderburn, that's for sure. I hope his wage will be reinvested in a quality replacement. I'm not convinced by our options in central midfield (although I appreciate we have yet to see them play).

The club have announced the new kits for the season and I have to say: I like it. It's bold, the pattern is wonderfully abstract and it's got a nice cut. It also looks like we've launched it in association with Stonewaller, which is pretty cool.

Our squad for the year ahead (so far!): GOALKEEPERS Ryan Marshall (signed from BSC Glasgow) Graeme Smith DEFENDERS BJ Coll (signed from Forfar Athletic) Adam Corbett Sean Crighton (signed from Airdrieonians Ross Lyon (signed from BSC Glasgow) Jamie Mills (signed from BSC Glasgow) Jordan Tapping (signed from East Stirlingshire) MIDFIELDERS Michael Anderson (signed from BSC Glasgow) Adam Brown (signed from Alloa Athletic) Ross Forbes (signed from Dumbarton) Declan Hughes (signed from BSC Glasgow) Callum Tapping Nat Wedderburn (signed from Dumbarton) FORWARDS Cammy Graham David Hopkirk Thomas Orr (signed from Stranraer) Robert Thomson (signed from Alloa Athletic) OUT ON LOAN Josh Grigor (Syngenta)

That would have been Matty Allan. As for Sean Crighton, I'm pleased to see him join the club. We've missed having an aggressive, no-nonsense centre-back since Andy Munro left the club in January and Crighton's experience and know-how will be the bedrock on which our team will be built on going forward. I hope he can make a positive impact for Stenhousemuir. Again, I'm not sure why bringing in Crighton would mean Callum Tapping is leaving the club, but crack on! On another point, I see some people have pegged us as favourites for promotion too - I'm not sure if this is because we've brought in half-decent players or because we've signed up so many of them in a short space of time relative to everyone else. I think it might be a bit of both. I'm still cautious, but Crighton is a step in the correct direction.

Got to assume Buzz won't be fit if Erskine has been offered terms along with the signing of Ryan Marshall Of course, Smith won't be back until September (or maybe before) (or maybe after).

Our team for the season ahead (so far!): GOALKEEPERS Ryan Marshall (signed from BSC Glasgow) Graeme Smith DEFENDERS BJ Coll (signed from Forfar Athletic) Adam Corbett Ross Lyon (signed from BSC Glasgow) Jamie Mills (signed from BSC Glasgow) Jordan Tapping (signed from East Stirlingshire) MIDFIELDERS Michael Anderson (signed from BSC Glasgow) Adam Brown (signed from Alloa Athletic) Ross Forbes (signed from Dumbarton) Declan Hughes (signed from BSC Glasgow) Callum Tapping Nat Wedderburn (signed from Dumbarton) FORWARDS Cammy Graham David Hopkirk Thomas Orr (signed from Stranraer) Robert Thomson (signed from Alloa Athletic) OUT ON LOAN Josh Grigor (Syngenta) I think we must be close to finishing our business. More defensive cover, some wide players and another forward option and we're about done. I wonder when we'll hear about Paul Brown and Callum Erskine, or if we're bringing in anyone on loan from Hibernian.

What should Stenhousemuir FC expect from Nat Wedderburn? I understand we're getting a lightening-fast midfielder with pace to burn, but what else will he bring to the table?

Nat Wedderburn: not for me. A decent passer of the ball over short distances but slow to the point of immobile. Signing Wedderburn and Ross Forbes, two players not really known for their ability to get around the pitch, goes against what Stephen Swift said in his first interview for Warriors TV when he revealed he wants his team to play high intensity, with a high press. Nevertheless, I hope Wedderburn can do a turn for us. Meanwhile, Ryan McGeever has signed a two-year deal with Dumbarton, so I apologise for posting utter toot on this thread. I don't know what came over me.

Jamie Dishington has moved to Spartans.

The weekly newsletter says we're likely to bring in another player today or tomorrow but, for the meantime, here's our current squad: GOALKEEPERS Ryan Marshall (signed from BSC Glasgow) Graeme Smith DEFENDERS BJ Coll (signed from Forfar Athletic) Adam Corbett Josh Grigor (on loan at Syngenta) Ross Lyon (signed from BSC Glasgow) Jamie Mills (signed from BSC Glasgow) Jordan Tapping (signed from East Stirlingshire) MIDFIELDERS Michael Anderson (signed from BSC Glasgow) Adam Brown (signed from Alloa Athletic) Ross Forbes (signed from Dumbarton) Declan Hughes (signed from BSC Glasgow) Callum Tapping FORWARDS Cammy Graham David Hopkirk Thomas Orr (signed from Stranraer) Robert Thomson (signed from Alloa Athletic)

This is good news about Jordan Tapping. I agree with you about Ross Forbes' performance in the first leg of the play-off final - it was superb and probably one of the best individual displays I've seen this season. Dumbarton fans have been a bit more lukewarm in their praise of him but I think if we're able to get willing runners alongside him in the middle of the park, I'm hopeful he'll be an asset.

I'm not sure where this "Callum Tapping is leaving" chat has come from, other than one post last week on this thread from a someone who spoke about Davie Irons' being "spiteful and vindictive" for not selecting Thomas Halleran, which turned out to be nothing more than a disagreement about playing time (?) I just can't see it happening. It would be daft to sell one of the few people in the squad with good SPFL experience. On top of that, it would cost a suitor a fee to sign him, and we've just brought his brother into the club.

Ross Forbes has the best left foot in the biz, sure, but what else is he likely to bring to Ochilview?

The club have also confirmed the signing of Ross Forbes from Dumbarton.

Stenhousemuir have signed Jordan Tapping from yourselves. What did you make of him? Is he good enough to make the step up to League 2? I know he was on loan at Edinburgh City over the latter part of last season but I'm not sure how well he did. Thanks in advance!

Our latest recruit is Jordan Tapping, a central defender signed from East Stirlingshire. He is the brother of midfielder Callum Tapping.

You always seem to find me at my lowest points.

I think I can answer a couple of questions here: is there a minimum or maximum number we take on loan each season? Normally you're only allowed two players on loan from the same club but this was extended to four during the pandemic. I'm not sure if it will revert back going into 2021/22. expectation we go to them first if need arises (we did have at least one from other club last season)? I'm not 100 per cent sure about this. I would imagine so given we went straight to Hibernian for a goalkeeper when Graeme Smith got injured, and again after the restart when we needed Jack Brydon to boost our numbers. Thomas Collins and Alan Docherty were also in on loan, taking us up to the maximum of six. expectations about playing time? This is agreed between the clubs beforehand. At the beginning of the season, Callum Yeats came in as our first-choice left-back with the expectation he'd feature in most games, while Jayden Fairley, who arrived at the same time, was only ever going to be a squad player and would appear here and there. Even so, Stenhousemuir are under no obligation to pick these players - for instance, if Yeats was in a poor run of form, we could have dropped him without being reprimanded by his parent club. I don't think we can criticise the strategic partnership. It was probably the only positive to have come from last season and everyone that came in from Hibernian made a good impression on the pitch.

These are all broadly positive messages, thank you! (Unlike Forfar Athletic fans when we signed BJ Coll.)

Rumours abound that Sean Crighton will join Stenhousemuir. What kind of player are we getting? From my knowledge, he's a fair ordinary meat-and-potatoes defender, and that makes him more than good enough to hang with the jobbing strikers in League 2.