The Moonster

I understand peoples concerns but he only played 6 times last year and never really got a run in the team due to his injuries. Murray's had him in for the full pre-season and he must be happy with what he's seen and been told by the physio/sports scientist. I have no doubt that fully fit Nicky Phinn will be a useful addition and actually think he may be more suited to a midfield 5, playing in the middle with Turner and Agnew alongside. That means sacrificing a forward but MacDougall/Gils/Agnew and even Phinn should be able to support. Against the stronger teams in this league I think that could work. EDIT - f**k you Pete.

If it's pay as you play it's not a bad signing at all. I can't imagine we'll have offered him anything other than that with his injury problems.

Pish.

Why not give Scientists free tickets? They serve the world with their research, theories etc. Or do you specifically need to be in great danger doing your job in order to claim free tickets?

Deserted school playground, bottles of Big Beastie and songs about how manky Cowdenbeath are. The glory days, indeed.

I thought it was Graham Wilson I was thinking of. Did we sign him from Beith and then quickly send him back? I also thought he might have been useful but don't know where he is now.

Starting to think you're going mental, Pete. The only Robert I can think of is Robert Campbell, but he was a left winger I'm sure. McAnespie did play left back I'm sure, he was pish there as well. Gary Wilson was also a left winger but he only played about 2 games before being punted. Jonny Graham, where art thou? EDIT - I've checked the results and it seems I was wrong about Wilson (did we sign another Wilson who was released quickly? Graham maybe?) he seems to have played most games at left back along with Craig Brittain before Boyle came in. 2nd EDIT - Looking through the teams for that season, Chapman used a fucking ridiculous amount of players. Sure I remember someone saying he used around 85 players in his time with Dumbarton?

Looking at the squad list I'm not sure who you're talking about. Kieron McAnespie seems to be on the list but he was shite and I don't remember him being injured. Youngster Richie McKillen is the only other one I think it could be. List is here: http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/dumbarton-fc/historische-kader/verein_3023_2008.html

Who's being negative? It's just peoples opinions on players during our first league match, people will always disagree, but if we can't come on here and talk about the game/players/managers then what's the point in having a forum? It probably says more about the team if we're on here picking at wee things, it shows they set a high standard from Christmas onwards and most of us will now go to matches thinking/half expecting we can take something from the game. We're all behind the team on here I think, a few old guys moaning in the stand and shouting the same pish at referees every week shouldn't be listened to, they should be drowned out.

I do actually agree, there's not going to be enough money left in our budget for a good centre half to challenge for places. I think if we do have any centre backs out for a lengthy period we'll go down the emergency loan route, much like last season.

Only two of them I'd be confident with and that's Graham and Barry (who looks a class act, btw).. Smith done well last year there but he's not a centre half and he's certainly nowhere near fit at the moment, thought he was well off the pace on Saturday actually. McNiff you could argue is decent enough cover but isn't really proven at this level. Ross & Murray - no chance. Coleman, asking a lot of a 17 year old to come in at centre half and deal with First Division strikers.

Yeah I understand that and it's a fair point. I suppose every way of funding it has to be looked at, I still don't see it being easy or that high on the clubs priority list.

I dare say if it was a possibility to get funding from the council to help out with this pitch the club would have looked at it. I don't think WDC gives two fucks about DFC and I imagine if they can spend that money they will be doing it elsewhere. Not a chance we can raise that sort of money ourselves and if we could I'd rather see it put into our youth system than a plastic pitch.

It's just numbers though. Maybe it is who Murray sees as his best 11 but I doubt the numbers have any real significance. Linton has played both competitive games at left back but he isn't number 3.

Why?

New owners, none of the previous issues with the owner are experienced these days.

Something like that, which is why it's a stupid rule. The club have the impression that away fans would infiltrate our support if we let them use the same toilets completely ignoring the fact that away fans like to sit with other away fans so that they can make it bit more noise. The logistics of it can be overcome but the club don't seem willing to do that.

It's the club that don't allow it. We've done it for a couple of games in the past (Albion Rovers being one, think Arbroath have been allowed in and possibly Clyde as well), I don't think it's off of police advice. It's a stupid rule that means we don't maximise income in the bar. I know the trust push the club for it but it's met with a massive no each time. The amount of away fans last year in the Stags before games (and I imagine the bowling club/Counting House/Clipper) was quite substantial and that is money that the club could have had. The trust do a lot to entice folk down there but I think until the draught beer is better and away fans are allowed in we're not getting the most out of it. I don't go to the bar on match days, I get a nicer pint, the early kick off on the TV and the chance to mingle with away fans in the Stags. I understand Sky can be costly for the club and if that's not possible then fair enough, the other two are achievable and I'd go down there more often if those were catered for.

And bar facilities available to ALL fans? Won't the home and away fans end up battering each other to death with empty pint glasses?!

A quick wiki search would tell you he's been playing for Clevedon Town (f**k knows who they are) on loan but seems he's had ligament problems which have hampered his progress with Bristol. Another injury prone midfielder, I take it there are no healthy ones left.

A former player had that expression, think he ate someone's weans...

Good stuff, centre half sorted then. I'm sure Davie Weir will have recommended him and hopefully it all works out. Welcome to the club Aaron .

I'd be more worried if Jack wasn't influential to be honest. As you say they are a team and they will make calls as a team and at the end of the year they will be judged as a team and we can criticise then if necessary. I don't think there are many teams in this league with a settled starting 11. Everyone will be trying out their new players to see which combination works and it's actually a good thing that we've got Megginson/K. Smith/Fleming/Prunty all fighting for a jersey up front - something we lacked last year. If Phinn has proved to Murray he's fit then I can see us offering him a deal. Muzz has also had a good look at Jordan now so I guess we'll see soon enough if he deems him up to standard. Hopefully we'll see what Murray thinks is his best team on Saturday.

Don't see it myself. From what I hear Lithgow was offered a good wage to stay and I don't see who we've spent that money on. Kevin Smith is one who might have wanted a good wage but with his injury problems I'm sure Murray had some negotiating room there. Who else have we signed that would demand huge wages? McGinn? Said himself he just wanted first team football and I don't think there were any other offers on the table for him. I don't see that signing breaking the bank. Turner? It's well known he signed because he got a good job outside of football and staying part time suits him, again don't see him on huge wages. Maybe, just maybe, Murray hasn't found the right player yet and hasn't signed someone for the sake of signing someone?

I did have a slight problem with giving these players game time if we had no view to sign them but when you look at it, we've given Riordan 45 minutes at most and training facilities, not sure how long Neilson played but who knows if we're looking to sign him or not? It's not a massive problem really, I'm sure Murray has assessed the fitness of all the players at the start of pre-season and knows who needs more game time than others. If he feels that he has space in the team to help out somebody troubled like Riordan in a closed doors friendly then is it really a big issue? Murray is a professional guy and we've got to trust what he's doing here, I am sure he wouldn't give these guys game time if he felt one of our signed players could use it. After the Stranraer game (and I'm sure even before it) Murray will be fully aware of the positions we need filled and I have no doubt he will sort out what needs sorted.