O'Kelly Isley III

It's an interesting theme this.....we are a part-time team in basically a full-time division, so short of turning full-time which would be madness we need to pitch ourselves as being not only the best performing p/t club but probably also the best paying. And has already been pointed out, that costs money. All this stuff about percentage increases would be interesting if the same folk had been on here in previous times demanding to know why our season books weren't going up by what they probably should have. I'll make a prediction; the standard season ticket price will be circa £240. And for that you'll be seeing a pretty decent level of fare, but more importantly and in stark contrast to the stadium catering and match day hospitality, every penny will be going to the club. And let's not forget that DFC is also working within the limitations of a small stadium capacity. Raith, Falkirk, Livi, etc., will not normally fill their grounds but they may well do on at least 4 occasions this coming season, and that will mean a lot more dosh than we can generate unless we somehow provide temporary accommodation. We need to get real here folks

The three games ‘discount ‘ fits exactly what I’ve been told re season ticket pricing, bringing the standard price to circa £250. It’s essentially like a magazine subscription. As for demand dropping, I wouldn’t count on it, I’ve had two enquiries this week from guys who never normally buy one and in any case many people, myself included, view the ST as a way of providing funds for the season ahead - fitba fans usually run on emotion as opposed to hard economics. The other motivator for this season will be that a ST guarantees a seat in a division which will include Rangers, Hearts and maybe Hibs, so you can hardly blame the club for suspending the ‘early-bird’ offer in a situation of likely high demand, it’s simple business practice. With the greatest respect to Forfar and East Fife, they just don’t represent the same box-office draw. And the more dough we get in the better the quality of player we might attract. The two downsides are the rationalising of the ST categories and the fact that once prices go up they seldom drop back down. One thing I would very much like to see DFC do however is to reduce the comps, not to youth groups, etc., but to the many hingers-on who can well afford to pay like the rest of us.

There should be no room for sentiment or thoughts of testimonials. IMO Shay and Jamie are two sides of the same coin, ie both error prone with one who won't come off his line and the other who can't stay on it, so I have no probs with two new keepers.

Well, what can I say, it's been a time in coming but maybe all the sweeter for that. I get the feeling that Murray and the DFC Board will give it a right go next season, and whilst there may be some who will question Murray's motives in signing another contract when his name is being linked with other clubs, perhaps they should consider that maybe the guy has seen others in similar situations crash and burn and he wants to continue his learning curve with us. When the time and the club is right he'll move on. At this stage we simply don't know whether we will see the likes of McGinn, Megginson, Kane and Miller in a Sons shirt again, but I'll tell you what, as of this morning we must now stand a better chance. Not only that, if we are to believe what we've been directly told, players rate the guy, a priceless characteristic in a football, or indeed any manager. Overflowing pints of Deuchars all round

Don't think so, this was gone into before Murray's appointment and Ross's PFA role was a barrier to management.

I happened to agree 100% with your post but things have now moved on - at least at St Mirren, that is. And that could very well impact at Dumbarton, as I have no doubt that Ian Murray would be prominent on Saints radar. I would hazard that things will now move pretty quicky, and no matter what DFC does or offers, and despite Murray still learning his trade etc., etc., if and when a phone call comes in from Stuart Gilmour that could be a game-changer; it's one thing speculating at a fans forum about the future but actually seeing the carrot and trimmings dangled in front of you can alter things. Gary Locke's departure at Hearts will only further shake-up the managerial kaleidoscope. I would expect that by the close of this week we will know whether Murray remains Sons manager or not. But if he was to depart what would be the fans' thoughts on here as to Danny Lennon being approached to succeed him ? There would be dafter shouts in my opinion.

We should always be worried.

The wummin on the fish counter reports that a flaming Viking longship will depart soon from the Eagle Rock with a few familiar faces on board.

So, in the light of this are we safe to assume that the man himself is about to commit pen to paper, or is he merely preparing the ground for Kenneth Shiels ?

I'd be pretty astonished at this TBH - he has had a good season, scoring some cracking goals, but seldom really 'imposes' himself on games, Pittodrie apart. And I think everyone should begin to see the kiss the badge routine for what it is - a sham. Modern fitba is all about one-year deals and loans and just about every team will have the pack shuffled in the close season. And don't forget mercenary players. Just enjoy each season as it comes, Morton are a good example of just what can happen in next to no time.

Not as long as Rod Petrie is there

Goalkeeper has become a priority position and I'm afraid these guys are two sides of the same coin - time for new faces.

The situation could all be a bit flux, as today we hear that Saints are trying to extend Stevie May's contract beyond summer 2015; in that event could young Kane be a loanee again next term ? I'd certainly be sorry to see Garry Fleming go, not least because he can perform a couple of roles in the team. And then there is the enigma that is big Nishy, will he be with us again next term ? I'd personally like them all still to be here for next season.

I'd be sorry to see him leave as he has been associated with a lot of the good stuff surrounding Sons in recent years, not to mention one of the finest goals you'll ever see in Scottish football. However, I'd much rather Prunts or anyone left at the top and made a regular contribution elsewhere than they became a frustrated bit player here. Rovers now have a few bob and if it is Prunts then they'll be signing a first-class guy. Players, managers, directors, fans....we are all ultimately waves crashing against the shore but the sea must go on regardless.....

Well in this case it would save the individual from further public ridicule, not to mention mild humiliation. But you have a point Ranter; should we ever meet I'll look forward to belching or farting profusely in your company. Deal or no deal ?

Why the f**k should I when it's not me who needs to change my behavior ?

It's an interesting theme here; per head of average home support I reckon we have comfortably the largest percentage of bams of any club I've visited.

No it's not, it's a tedious bore. Sure, away from the fitba the guy is a very nice chap but his inability to recognise that there are two teams on the park and the ritual shouting at officials from start to finish is tiresome in the extreme. The hallmark of an oddball. And never trust a man who doesn't fucking swear.

And that is the key point Moonster, any outline has to come from the club, all that the Trust can do ahead of that is to keep a watching and listening brief on things - Saturday's meeting has now posted that intent. No doubt in the fullness of time some sort of proposal will emerge, but it likely to be by way of a general document and will be short on specifics. Be that as it may, I fully expect the Trust to be at the heart of things thereafter to ensure that the Brabco vision, because that is what it is, is converted into win/win reality, not least because the Trust has individuals every bit as savvy and competent as the Board of DFC. The most sensible course would be an open partnership of all the relevant parties and hopefully that can emerge.

After that Cappielow debacle last night I'm really hoping that things are going on in the background re Ian Murray's contractual situation and assessing team-building for next season. Whilst Murray's teams have achieved much over the last two seasons I feel that there has to be recognition of just how difficult this divsion will be next term and also how much we rely on astute loan signings, as of course do other clubs. Painful as it may be for certain players and their fan clubs within the DFC support, it's probably now time for some of them to move on to pastures new. Forward planning with regard to both playing pool budget and personnel should be starting right now, beginning with the spine of the team. I'm not worried about being in the play-off spot, I don't believe Alloa and Cowden will amass enough points to catch us, but I am concerned that we stumble into next season making panic signings in the final days. Now, DFC Board, if you could kindly leave your new stadium plans for 10 minutes.....

Aye, good effort Sir, and it's a trend we are going to see more of as players increasingly realise that a decent day job combined with p/t fitba is perhaps a less precarious route than the full-time one. At no point over the last two seasons have Sons looked out of place fitness-wise and that reflects great credit on the current DFC set-up.

I may have worded that last sentence ambiguously Wilf, I meant matters more general than the detail of a match day.

A couple of things are salient here. The move to any new ground is primarily for the benefit of Brabco, but we are not talking about John Hall or Hugh Scott here, let's afford the owners more respect than that. If DFC emerges with an enhanced stadium, with training, social and commercial facilities to match then that sounds fine on paper. I am not concerned that in Brabco we have asset strippers, I am however worried that we may have some fantasists who are conflating our current generational high-water mark on the pitch with some lasting legacy on the Renton Road. In order for that to happen there would need to be a very sound business model indeed and in the current information vacuum from the club itself it's difficult to get a handle on just what that is. Lastly, in terms of enticing more people along, I actually do believe there is still mileage in that but the plain fact is that it will never happen as long as the present local Directors, decent people to a man, maintain the current snobbish attitude in which the public is treated as a necessary evil, unless you form part of the inner sanctum. If the commercial direction and PR of DFC was radically overhauled in tandem with any new facility then it may all come together, but a professional football club needs professional people at the helm, that much should be self-evident to anyone with serious intentions. Moving to a spanking new ground to be told again that you can't do this or that just doesn't cut it.

That, my young friend, is the absolute crux of the matter, ie what is the future ownership of the club ? I note too people are asking about Trust involvement/knowledge on this issue, presumably specifically referring to the Community Director. Let's just say that communication at DFC Board level can be something of a Venn diagram, and Board meetings are sometimes held at odd times, eg weekday afternoons, when everyone can't attend. I'm sure there's nothing sinister in it.

It’s a very good response Wilf and of course I was being rather disingenuous in my post. There are a couple of howevers, however, and I’m pretty sure that HS would not offer the same level of hostility as they did initially; how could they given that visitors to the Rock now look out over a derelict and crumbling red brick monolith surrounded by waste ground ? A piece of waste ground in fact that has recently been a temporary car park with no whiff of Planning Consent, now just how did our visitors manage that ?? I’m also still curious how fellow cul-de-sac dwellers East Fife managed their temporary capacity arrangements, but no matter, what is really important is the statement in your last paragraph that the DFC Chief Exec has(literally) explored the avenues on the club’s behalf. If the definitive outcome is that we cannot install temporary additional capacity then that should effectively end any speculation on the subject, here or elsewhere, and I will graciously concede. And fair do’s to the club for pursuing the matter, at least we now know that they did.