Sorry to butt in on this thread, but Ross Smith is an appalling player. I don't really like to slate players - he's a young guy and will probably improve in time - but he's probably the worst centre-back I've seen in my ten years watching Stenhousemuir.
Smith had been on loan at Peterhead last season and, by all accounts, had done very well and formed part of the defence that conceded just three goals in 12 games at the end of the campaign. He looked reasonable in his first two matches at Stenny as the team kept consecutive clean sheets, but since then - the infamous 5-4 game at Ochilview, he was rotten. Not strong enough. Barged off the ball by guys like Dale Hilson. No positional sense. Would come charging out and leave big gaps in the defence. Too timid. Didn't want to get involved with the rough and tumble. Couldn't pass the ball ten yards. Could only kick the ball in the direction he was facing. No awareness or intelligence.
After the 1-1 draw at home to Forfar Athletic he was dropped, with Martyn Corrigan preferring to use Eddie Malone (a 5' 9" left full-back) alongside Ross McMillan in central defence. Curiously, during our Scottish Cup second round replay with Annan Athletic, Smith came off the bench and played as an auxiliary striker and played a big part in the win. He was then tried out at right-back for a couple of games but in the 3-2 win over Arbroath - and in front of Jackie McNamara and Simon Donnelly - he had a poor game and was culpable for the Lichties second goal, misjudging a header and taking himself and McMillan (who had shouted for the ball!) out of the game. He played at centre-back again for the Scottish Cup third round tie against Fraserburgh and was almost embarrassed by their tubby front two and then again the following week in a defeat to East Fife.
The loss at Bayview was his last match. Corrigan had the option to keep him on for the whole season but declined, sending him packing. Dunfermline's problems at defending are pretty well known and Ross Smith is certainly not the answer to their problems. No doubt he'll sign up, become an integral part in central defence alongside Callum Morris, and score a last minute winner in a 6-5 match against Stenhousemuir, running past the Warriors support with a finger pressed against his lips.
Avoid at all costs. At the very best, he's a League 2 defender. The Dundee United youth academy is producing some of the most exalted talent in the country just now but remember - for every Ryan Gauld, there's a thousand Ross Smiths.
EDITED TO ADD - Lawrence Shankland's got it. Saw him about five or six times at Queen's Park last season. Not fast or particularly technical but his movement in the area is deadly. He's a superb finisher too. He was badly let down by his manager, with Gardner Speirs preferring to play him on the wing. A superb signing for Dunfermline.