O'Kelly Isley III
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Posts posted by O'Kelly Isley III
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To be fair one of their additions was Nish.
To be honest I'm tired of the argument. There are those who appreciate the difficulties, budget and restrictions (part time in a full time league) that Murray has to work under and there are those who don't or they deny that he does. If we finish seventh then he'll have done a good job IMHO. I think of times when we have signed forwards and they have seemed like good signings at the time. Eddie Annand, Stevie Mallan, Denis Wyness, Darren Gribben,Michael Moore and Colin Nish - all diddies by the time they got to us. Who is available? it's a reasonable question. They have to be willing to sign part-time, be better than what we have and good enough for the Championship. Maybe there just isn't anyone who fits that bill available at the moment?
There is a converse to your argument Wilf, in that our league current status and a wage structure considerably improved from the days of Stevie Mallan could arguably make playing for Dumbarton a much more attractive proposition these days. But we'll never know, just as we'll never know of players whom we have approached in recent times and who have knocked us back. I happen to believe there are not many, and that gets back to my original point of building a squad - some managers are more suited or better-connected than others. Are we 'selling' ourselves out there ?
But back to wider point; when folk like me and BBPF raise concerns this should not be interpreted as being anti-Ian Murray, although there are a few on here who seem to view the guy as a plaster saint FFS. We are simply highlighting the (perceived in this case) risk of entering a crucial stage in the season without an obvious goal threat. That is all, there is no campaign or hidden agenda going on here, Murray has done a wonderful job and none of us want it to stop. If that means occasionally putting a flea in his ear then happy to oblige.
Finally (for now) Wilf, I have it on good authority that funding is in place for the right acquisition should he appear
Now let's get on with it !0 -
Define minimum standard. I'd argue that by keeping us in this division he's met more than the minimum standard required. Some fans on here seem eager to hit the panic button.
I'll say it again, everyone agrees another striker would be a welcome boost. I've yet to hear who we could bring in to improve the squad though, and talk of relegation given our current position is a tad ridiculous.
No panic button Jordo, but no complacency either.
My definition of a minimum standard ? A first-team squad with a balance in defence, midfield and attack. A squad with no position overloaded. A squad with a minimum of jersey-fillers. A team where players play in position. A reasonably settled first eleven. A squad maintained at a sensible numerical level, and never allowed to drop to bare minimum.
Achieve that and you have built the platform for any division - that is the challenge for the team manager and the Board. As for nominating strikers, since when was that the responsibility of supporters ?
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Unrealistic expectations? If having a recognised striker in the ranks and enough players to fill the bench with a view to survival is an unrealistic expectation I'd hate to see what you consider realistic. Out of the 3 'strikers' we currently have 1 has played on the wing for nigh on 2 seasons now, 1 has spent the first half of the season on the bench or on the wing and the other is a good enough striker when played alongside someone else. Should one of them get injured in the next few weeks we're goosed.
No ones having a pop at him but should we go through the rest of the season with what we have and it's not enough then he'll receive criticism. He's done a grand job so far and I'm delighted he's our manager, I'm a huge fan of his but that doesn't make him invincible.
I'll be absolutely delighted to be proved wrong but unless some new faces are brought in I wont be expecting much. Lets hope we see at least 1 decent signing before Saturday.
I totally agree with this, and some Sons fans on here seem to regard any sort of robust discussion concerning Ian Murray as a heresy. Remember this folks, he is on a decent wage at DFC, indeed it was (and may still be) based on his role as Player/Manager, so I think we have a right to expect some sort of minimum standard. Somewhat ironically, most of his less illustrious predecessors were at least able to fill the bench !
But that's not the point. Kane's waygoing was known for long enough and irrespective of Nish's departure we had a crying need for a striker; the fact that there has been little obvious news suggests that for all Murray's attributes, wheeling and dealing and having a fat contacts book are not two of them.
Like BBPF I'd rather a rabbit was pulled from the hat before Saturday but we may just have to get on with it - hardly ideal, despite three goals at Falkirk.
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If Rangers made Chocolate.....
That will be Five Apprentice Boys I take it ??
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On a more sombre note, Dumbarton lost a long time fan this morning. Alex Barr from Bowling sat in Row M behind me and a few (esp David B & wee Alan) will know him and that he's been unwell for a while. Followed Sons from the 40s. He thoroughly enjoyed promotion day at Annan. RIP auld yin, you're a legend.
Really sorry to hear that Casey, he was a one-off, the big man. And possibly and perhaps probably the only Sons fan in attendance when we played a friendly years ago in Coleraine in Northern Ireland.
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I see some changes on the Youth set-up have appeared on the OS. I was fine until I got to the word 'pathway'...
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I know nothing. Honest, I am so far out of the loop at DFC I don't even know whether yon terrible painting of Rankine's is still in the boardroom!
You mean 'Last Orders At The Burgh Bar' ? That is a magnificent painting, so much so that Brabco made it a condition of the takeover, and I have it on good authority that it will adorn the showhouse on the new Portcullis Estate at the base of The Rock.
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I must admit I've always been disappointed that Aggreko don't take much interest. Maybe O'Kelly could put in a good word for us? The Rab Bruce Arena will be near their shiny new factory and everything.
A worldwide company like that could really benefit from a once a season plug on BBC Alba.
Lots of words have already been put in BBPF, and to be honest if the decision was local management's alone then we might have had a more positive response by now. It isn't however, and the reason given is that DFC falls below the profile at which the company seeks corporate sponsorship involvement.
Aggreko did advertise in the past at the Turnberry end of Boghead (check my avatar) so there has been previous involvement. Bet Butler's evaporation could though be a game changer inasmuch as any company or organisation is currently shooting at an open goal, so rest assured if there is further approach I'll be assisting in any way I can.
For the record, many employees are slightly puzzled as there is a lot of local kudos to be had at a fairly modest cost.
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It should be noted that the departing Davie's weren't paid anything by the club, so that's not cost cutting (Gilbert taking over and I assume he's not being paid more for it). To me, it looks like Muzz is having the clear out he should have had in the summer and he's finding it difficult to find replacements at this time in the season. The blame lies at Murray's door for the squad depth.
I do question what's gone on in the last week and whether or not this apparent crisis at the club could have been avoided. We're told that Gervaise handed in his month's notice at the turn of the New Year (and will leave at the start of February). Optimistic on here said that Prophet and the club were aware that he'd be stepping down months ago. As far as I'm aware Nish has been punted due to him being an arsehole (and shite at football) rather than him quitting over the assistant managers job. All this news coming out at once looks bad and I understand why some fans think it looks like we're cutting costs. To me, the news could have been spread out over the last couple of months and nobody would be hitting the panic button. Organisation doesn't seem to be our thing though, unfortunately.
It's a worry for me if Murray isn't looking for an assistant but that's just about where my worry ends. Are we struggling for cash? Probably, there's likely not a part-time team in the country that isn't though. A statement on whether or not Bet Butler owe us any money would be nice, but I'd suggest the silence on that issue suggests they do.
It should also be noted that today is the day the Scottish Government basically decide if our new stadium can go ahead or not...
Thye word on the fish counter is that the designation of the land WILL be altered from green belt. However, that stops way short of any bricks being laid as there are plenty of other considerations in play, and to be honest I feel that this project remains very much up in the air.
As fans we should obviously keep a keen eye on this, but we should also be prepared for other scenarios like what would Brabco do vis-a-vis DFC should their plans come to nought, still very much a possibility.
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Slightly later than billed, Dylan Easton's comments to The Dumbarton Terrace: https://thedumbartonterrace.wordpress.com/2015/01/28/easton-promise/
Not trying to be cheeky like, but as the iceberg moves another day closer would The Dumbarton Terrace not be better trying to find out just what the f*** is going on concerning team affairs at DFC ? Or rather what is not going on ?
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I wasn't saying that Saturday's defeat wasn't disappointing - it was but I have just watched it again and even in a 5-1 defeat I thought we looked not too bad. Certainly a universe away from the time where we could fill the subs bench with any passing guy with a pair of boots.
Wilf, I actually agree on the Livvy game; I was in hospitality with 25 workmates and they were dumbfounded at the last half-hour. After half-time you would have bet more on an equaliser than a 1-5 final scoreline.
But the point is, those who don't learn from their mistakes will surely repeat them, and after it went 2-0 there was a horrible inevitability about it all. The world and his mother can see that three centre-backs doesn't work for us so why is Ian Murray hellbent on trying to defy gravity here ? And how we are now reduced to a rump of a playing staff at a crucial point of the season surely needs to be questioned.
Everyone at DFC has worked incerdibly hard to try and establish us at a higher level, and it seems to be unravelling at breakneck speed - as I said previously it's painful to watch.
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A wee bit of perspective on our current position. On January 19th 2008 we went to Stranraer and lost 2-0. We followed this up with a 4-1 home defeat by Elgin. A 3-1 reverse at Montrose was next and then a 3-0 defeat at home by East Fife. We occupied the bottom berth of the bottom tier of Scottish football. This was no undeserved accolade, we were by some way the worst team in Scotland.
Seven years later we occupy a position 23 places higher.
I don't know about anyone else, but that particular passage in time wasn't uppermost in my thoughts as the tenth home goal conceded in the last two home fixtures bulged the net on Saturday.
I'd really like us to maintain that current league position, and for that we need to assess the current state of affairs, not trawl thro the archives to a set of statistics dating from a time when the club was run, operated and financed in a very different manner from today. And at least then we could fill a subs bench.....
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Just passed half a dozen shady looking people walking along cardross road carrying a large bet butler sign.
Said something about being the brabco six and they had just aquired millburn park.
So why are they heading to Helensburgh ?
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Defender on loan from Celtic confirmed on the OS. Stuart Findlay.
Can't say I'm dismayed at this as we definitely need to stop leaking goals, and let's hope there's more folk to come. There was a rumour concerning Joe Thompson of Celtic but that may have come to nought.
I see the lad was on loan at Morton last season, somebody please tell me he didn't feature in their last league fixture
Shit, just noticed he scored Accies 9th with an OG
Welcome aboard Big Man !
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Didn't Jackson play a number of first team games under Sean Fallon's season in charge?
He certainly played in a 0-6 mauling from Coventry in a pre-season friendly.
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I'm lost and bored in equal measure.
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And yet their time at the Rock has coincided with the club's highest standing in the game in 30 years. Or maybe folk preferred Neil Rankine?
No, I don't think they did Wilf. However, to suggest that Brabco have somehow taken DFC to it's current position by means of a structured, financed plan or anything like it would be an utter nonsense. Their time as (largely absentee) owners has coincided with great efforts made by the local Directors who actually run the club and who have in the main managed what finances are available wisely.
It also helped greatly that a team which finished in fourth position was (unusually) able to gain promotion via the play-offs, the corollary of that being that we were able to subsequently attract a young manager with potential in Ian Murray, again mainly down to the 'local' Board.
Let's make sure credit goes where it's due - long way to go yet for Brabco. 'Coincided' is the key word here.
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I have checked and can find hee-haw - please provide a link.
Looks like I've been whooshed massively here
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Talking to nicky phinn this morning and he tells me his cousin jack griffin(check him.on Google) is signing for the sons next week. He assures me he is even better than tommy Coyle. Can't wait
I have checked and can find hee-haw - please provide a link.
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Marko's played a few times this year and he'd probably still stroll that league. I think unless we're getting another centre half in he won't be going anywhere. McDonald's been used as back up, kind of. Murray's changed our formation when our normal left back is out rather than using him as a like for like, I'm not sure Murray rates him all that much but I could be wrong. Have no idea about Stuart McIver.
You can have Lee Mair if you want.
I was going to write that Ian Murray doesn't quite seem to know what he's doing at the moment, but I'm not altogether sure who is actually determining formations and tactics right now. If whoever doesn't get it sorted soon then our goals against will soon be looking like Rothes and Strathspey Thistle in the Highland League.
As regards Marko, at 39 (this week) he probably just wants a game and I'm sure would be a good fit for Clyde. As Moonster says, McDonald has featured only occasionally but I think he's worth more than that.
Assuming Kano is deffo away, if we pass thro the January window without adding a striker then we look to be in deep doo-doo.
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Bringing voting for Gordon Brown into a football forum isn't exactly the greatest comeback ever especially as it was directed at someone who has made some valid points. I for one cannot quite believe some fellow fans negativity towards us moving home and improving ourselves as a club with a better home and facilities that will enable us to source income from other means other than ticket sales. As a reasonably small club we really should be embracing every possible option for increased revenue. I for one would be for the idea of moving home to a multiuse facility with a 4G surface which would allow for rent to local teams when not in use by the 1st team, this way we would become more of a community club and give something back
If only it were that straightforward. As was said at the meeting no Sons fan would be opposed to the facilities on display but the plain fact is that the proposed development currently appears more pie in the sky than bricks on the ground.
There are enough examples of clubs, Livingston being a prime example, whose vaulting ambition got them into deep shit for people to remain very cautious. As for revenues, well football in general remains far too expensive for all but the committed whilst Dumbarton FC operates without any sort of Commercial or Sales Manager yet bemoans the lack of income - eh ??
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Seems a bit odd but illustrates the point that housing development is likely to gain approval and other development isn't.
Planning consent for housing development on the present site is the least of that aspect for me Wilf, it's what numbers come out of it. The projection shown last night was for 180 dwellings and the Planning Consultant was honest enough to admit that such a figure would likely need reduce due to WDC (rightly) wishing a cordon around the Rock. So, to use the Chairman's arithmetic you may only get 150/160 bangs for your bucks as opposed to 180, which I would imagine would depress the purchase price of the land. As I said last night that matters a good deal, espcially with Brabco having no advertised funding to supplement the land sale.
I also queried the need/market for such housing given the considerable amount of new builds which have sprung up in the town over the last decade. I received a bullish response but I remain sceptical, especially that given by the time foundations would be being laid the interest rate will almost certainly have risen from the present very low level. Are there 160 families or individuals looking to move down there ? No-one knows, but Turnberry took a long time to fill all the current properties and significantly (to me anyway) they have effectively mothballed the old Blackburn site until whenever. Just how attractive to any developer/builder that 10-acre site will be in hard cash will go some way to determining if Phase One commences at the Dalmoakdome.
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The meeting was pretty informative. I will be interested to see if the criteria laid out for the stadium move by Gilbert last night is adhered to. If it is then it would seem that the risk to the club is minimal.
I'm still concerned about how things will proceed though. At the presentation recently the plan was for 180 houses at the Rock. Last night the planning consultant said that this was likely to be reduced by WDC.
In response to my question last night we were told that the loan to proceed with Phase 1 would be secured on the Dalmoak site itself. However to buy that site from Chivas will require borrowing too. Will Brabco guarantee that themselves or will there be a subsequent charge over BBS? I don't think Brabco have yet purchased the Dalmoak site as they have no assets.
On the plus side, as soon as permission is granted on the Dalmoak site, it will increase in value so maybe the trick will be that the security for the lender will be in that increased value rather than BBS. I would certainly hope so. According to Gilbert last night the purchase price of the Dalmoak site is fixed.
The whole project it would seem hinges on the expected increase in land values and housing demand over the next two years. I have a feeling that should that not happen, the project will be shelved not cancelled. Whilst it does seem there is a plan B for Brabco to recoup should the project not go ahead, that comprises the club staying at the stadium and a small number of houses being built. I can't really see that as a realistic option.
I also note that there was an acknowledgement from the platform of the validity of the 100 C shares (the golden share) last night.
The meeting was certainly helpful in many respects but there are still things that unclear and undefined. One thing that does give me comfort is the fact that Gilbert has direct experience in seeing thro turnkey projects like this proposal, maybe not on this scale, but I would expect considerably in excess of anyone in the Brabco consortium.
I remain concerned however by his assertion that DFC has very little exposure to risk, how can that be when the proposers own 75% of the football club and should their plans be thwarted could presumably press the nuclear button and cash in their chips on the existing site, the name Hosie in the mix or not ? Could the Golden Share survive that in a court of law ?
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Say what you like but some of them down at the club really have got ideas above their station. Only my lifetime loyalty keeps me from telling them to poke it
Dumbarton FC is run on the lines of a private member's golf club rather than a community football club, and that tends to pervade dealings with the public. When people are not comfortable in certain situations they can withdraw into a defensive position which often manifests itself as abruptness.
As regards John Hosie and Alex Wright they were considerably more personable than anyone who has succeeded them, Ian McFarlane included. No-one however was any more loyal, decent, honest than anyone else, it's just that small local football clubs really need to get their supporters and the wider public onside and there are ways of doing just that. We are currently not doing it well enough in my opinion.
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Now let's get on with it !
Sons' sorrow
in Scottish League 2 General Chatter
Posted
We are all agreed, Mark Wilson is an excellent acquisition.
Now all we need to do is persuade his namesake Kenny to come out of retirement.