CallumPar

Unfortunately, when you include concessions and U12s etc, you will probably find its a lot closer to £300-350k. It's still a very impressive figure. Hopefully, we can sell a lot more, in the coming months, and push towards the 3k mark.

he is a similar style to Husband. Which means, as this proves, he is always going to divide opinion. He won't always look like he's giving his all, but that's just his style/role. I rated Husband and thought he was an asset. Plenty of others agreed with me, many disagreed. There will be games next season, where McCabe's ability to pick out a pass that nobody else can see, will prove crucial. We are not going to be the best team in the league next year. This means that tactics will need to be changed, depending on who we're against. Games against Ayr and Dumbarton will require different tactics to those v Hibs and Falkirk. One thing that seemed clear with last season's midfield, was that we seemed unable to 'mix things up' in midfield. I think McCabe is best suited to being the attacking midfielder in a 3 man central midfield, with 2 more defensive players behind. I'm not sure Johnston will play that way, but it's clear that Johnston believes he fits into the plan somewhere. Just got to have some faith.

Given the fact that Josh was one of our high earners, this isn't a great surprise. I think a lot of people confuse effort with ability. He has been a very passionate and loyal player, through very tough times. For that, I am grateful and wish him well. However, we must look to progress. I've found him frustrating for the last year or two, because of his poor passing ability on the ball. In League One, against part time teams, we got away with outrunning opposition. Josh was great for that. AJ keeps mentioning that the Championship requires more technical ability. Seems to me, that he recognises Falkingham's inconsistency when it comes to completing passes. Spence will be on about 50-60% of Josh's salary. So it's genuinely not even remotely close to being a case of keeping him or Josh. With regards to McCabe. He's a Stephen Husband type player. Not going to run around for 90 minutes, chasing every ball. But he can pick out a pass. We have 3 midfielders who have that energy (Geggam, Wedderburn & Spence) and McCabe offers a different option. Husband did well for us in the championship/first division. Then wasn't as impressive in League One. I would guess that's a sign that McCabe may be better suited to the championship. Ross Forbes has also one well at Morton, in the championship, despite struggling at League One level. Can we all just get behind AJ here. Managers have to make decisions like this. We can't keep the same players and keep progressing. I would guess, if we stay up, the prize money would increase our budget and result in more first team players being replaced. It's never nice to see players released, and I hope he finds a new club soon, but in order to progress, decisions like this are going to be necessary.

Don't have the actual figures, but I believe Paton had around 20 assists during the season. As much as he had bad games, that tells you that he had a very positive impact over the course of the season.

Think Shaun Byrne will do a job for you. Undoubtedly has talent, but has never really fulfilled it at Dunfermline. A move was best for both parties in the end. He can be quite lightweight, and has been known to disappear in big games, but a good player on his day. Hopefully moving to a new club and working under different coaching will be what he needs. Started very well for us in 2015/16, then got subbed off after half an hour away to Peterhead in August, for being a passenger, and never regained his place. Hope the move works out for both Livingston and Shaun.

Having Spence as backup, allows a larger wage to be available for the first choice midfielders ahead of him, rather than having Falkingham (already a high earner) warming the bench and being unable to afford the wages for the quality of player AJ is looking at. Spence's wages will be at least £200p/w less than Falkingham would demand. If AJ is targeting a better quality than Falkingham, that's why this decision makes sense. Spence was (by all reports) excellent for Brechin, and showed promise with us last season. Most likely, now has a year to prove that he can fulfil potential.

Nope. Just Nish that is. http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2016/03/22/cowdenbeath-boss-colin-nish-facing-touchline-ban-following-fife-derby/ For what it's worth, I think it's ridiculous that Nish could get a ban for that. Finnie put in the worst refereeing display I've seen, since a young Willie Collum officiated a Dunfermline v Inverness tie around 10 years ago. Nish, Dair & AJ were seemingly all sent to the stand for daring to question his decisions, many of which were baffling at best. Referees need a degree of arrogance to be able to handle games. However, Finnie's arrogance is totally excessive and means he loses control of games as he is too focused on being the centre of attention, rather than doing his job properly. I noticed Bollan praising Charleston post-match for explaining his decision to him at full time. If more referees were willing to have mature discussions with captains/managers, a lot of these issues could be avoided. Admittedly, this would require said captains/managers to show a lot more maturity than they often do nowadays.

AJ mentioned 4 or 5 players before the signings today. That now makes it 2 or 3. No clubs outside the top 6 in Scotland have much money at all. We have higher average attendances than most Championship clubs, as well as our Lifeline scheme, which generates an additional £200k per year for the club. That means that we can afford to match, if not beat, wages offered by the majority of clubs in the league(s) above us. You're using Talbot and Fordyce as examples. Livingston's average attendances over the last few years have been around the 1,000 mark I believe. Which suggests their players won't be on very much at all, for a full time club. Same goes with Paton from QotS. Murdoch has never been first choice keeper anywhere and has recently been playing the equivalent of Juniors football in the U.S. - so I don't think he'll command ridiculous wages. So I find it hard to see how you've come to this conclusion... Or are you telling me that every single club in Scotland apart from your beloved Raith are overspending? Barrowman, Buchanan, McAusland and Paterson were some of our top earners, I believe, along with those mentioned by you. This freed up that money. Being in a lower league, doesn't mean we automatically have less income. Majority of income comes from the size of fan base (ticket sales, merchandise sales). As I say, we do have a larger amount of ticket sales, and going by the attendance at the kit launch, probably more kits sold. We also recently signed a lucrative sponsorship deal with SRJ Windows. This has resulted in them having advertising in the dugouts, outside the stadium and on the shirts. Again, this provides decent income. Funnily enough, more income means we have more money available to spend.

Released 18 players, and (so far) signed 7. And you're wondering where the money is coming from? Did you go to school?! AJ going for quality over quantity. Got rid of some of our higher earners, and a lot of the low-paid squad players. Now he's signing a much smaller amount of decent players with the budget left over. Or is that too complicated for you? No doubt you'll try and cover up your lack of understanding with the excuse of 'trolling' or 'looking for a bite'...

Selling tickets now might generate the cash flow to allow us to use the USH for these games, which would significantly reduce the risk of postponement... No?