O'Kelly Isley III

Agree totally with your second para Pete, but you very much underestimate the Chairman's determination to chisel a penny out of every situation. There is however no doubt that police pawprints are over some of this, they apparently insisted on segregation of supporters in hospitality and the closing of the Castle Road is also their insistence. To be fair, for the Rangers games they probably need to do that to stop maniacs without tickets crawing all over the place.

Unless it's before midday that probably won't happen Moonster. My understanding is that the Castle Road will be blocked off by police at Castlegreen St and you must be in possession of a match ticket to be allowed to proceed to the BBS. It was always looking to be a circus this season and so far it's exceeding expectations.

This bit interests me; if for whatever reason a season ticket holder does not uplift their match ticket how does the club prevent the home end becoming populated with say 100 Rangers, Hearts or Hibs fans ? Even proof of local residence at point of purchase is irrelevant if tickets are then simply passed on to mates, etc., I imagine the police will be totally comfortable with this. And I take it that empty seats in the Directors Box will also be up for sale, should the Brabco contingent fail to appear.

It was utter dross Moonster, you made the correct decision. I'm really beginning to loathe the period up to mid-August; the sooner the serious, ie league, stuff starts the better.

The OS seems to have lost it's historical bearings today, we played Carlisle Utd in a pre-season friendly in (I'm sure) 1971-72 at Boghead so they have been in Dumbarton before tonight. I think it finished 2-1 for Sons, and this game was the precursor to King Kenny Wilson moving to Brunton Park in September of that year to replace, unbelievably, one Stanley Bowles.

Totally agree, and for what it's worth I don't think the lad is good enough. I like a 'keeper to 'look' like a 'keeper and Josh doesn't do that. As regards the youth aspect, I'm getting the impression that Ian Murray doesn't feel obliged to show undue interest and tick boxes against a policy which was initiated long before his arrival; his philosophy seems to be one of fielding teams with experienced guys who've been over the course. If that maintains our current league status then it's hard to argue against.

My thoughts exactly.

I always regarded Archie Campbell as a threat when we played Morton, although he seemed to have his troubles over the last season or so. I'm really hoping that being given a fresh start in a very decent level of competition can coincide with an injury-free run and him getting his mojo back. Not unhappy with this signing at all

And that from a guy who's team has just signed Ian Campbell

No they weren't and he can't IMO read a football match. It's a No from me.

Interesting that everyone was concerned about Murray moving to Edinburgh but it's Jack Ross who's now actually doing it. Good luck to him but as I've said before we need to get on with it.

The Morrison's Fish Wummin claims things are about to get interesting.....

He saw something in Owen Ronald too

They can speak for themselves but my guess is that they are probably well used to it. There are many other issues on which the Trust has been able to lead the club down the path of common sense but this one exploded in their faces. But there is a bigger and potentially more worrying picture here. Despite the fact that there is a Board in place two guys are effectively running DFC on behalf of the majority shareholder Brabco. At the behest of Brabco the same two guys are currently working on a plan to move the club to a new stadium. The season ticket situation has highlighted concerns with both judgement and communication, both of which are going to be of much greater importance in any stadium move. Attention levels will need to be high.

This is an incredibly important post, as for years now the Trust has been buffing the rough edges from many, many aspects of Dumbarton Football Club's affairs, and, it has to be said, at times in the face of some pretty churlish attitudes. The Community Director can and probably will speak for himself, but due to a seeming reluctance on the part of DFC officials to engage with their public the Trust has for many people long become the 'voice' of the football club. No great problem in that per se, except that it helps to have both influence and information, and far too often that's not happening. People need to remember that.

Van Halen is NOT the big signing Moonster. Trust the Trout with the Pout.

Love to, but Tuesday is her day off

Didn't I bring this to you nine posts back ?

The Countess of The Fish Counter tells me to expect a big signing this week.

The King is dead, long live the King. Good luck to Paul McGinn, but now we need to get on with it.

Yes indeed, the Sonstrust Annual Quiz has been pencilled in for Saturday 4th October.

Indeed, but it seems that it's all really not going on down at The Rock right now. The continued eerie silence, punctuated only by birthday announcements on the OS, is beginning to get worrying.

So, what are we to make of it all ? If Megginson signs is this a clear indication that Ian Murray will be staying, on the basis that Mitch (and perhaps others) may well want that to be the confirmed situation before committing to a new contract ? With the OS stuck on freeze-frame it's hard to know WTF is going on

It will be difficult whatever happens but for obvious reasons, not least continuity, it would be better if he were still in place at DFC. There will always be a limit to what clubs like Dumbarton and Cowden can ever achieve but gaining a fourth season in the Championship would still be great achievement for both of us. What really bothers me is the timing of this current speculation; if it was during the season when a squad was fully in place then that would be one thing, but we are heading for pre-season with a need to add to a pretty basic (in all senses) list of signed players and everything now seems to be in a state of suspended animation awaiting Hibs' appointment. It's a worry.