AFC360PUNK1320

We SHOULD have just put Shanks out on loan to Peterhead and never sold him as there is a good player in there. I would take Grady in a minute, someone that scores that amount of goals is worth a chance at 1st Division level, if it does not work out i am sure there would be loads of 2nd Division clubs ready to pay money to take him off your hands but i hope we take a chance on him. Smokies & Wine 36-0.

Heard that also but hopefully that does not happen. Mikey McKenna is ONE player i would hope we would push the boat out for even at 33 years old, he is a massive player for the Red Lichties and yes he has not had a great season but which (apart from Scottie Stewart) AFC player has had a good season? Anybody that read his article in yesterday's Courier could feel his love for Arbroath FC and everybody connected with the club. McKenna would be a stand out in a decent team in Division 1 and good be the difference of us having a good season or a great season that is how much i would be pushing to get him re-signed at Gayfield. I would be amazed if at 33 years old he would sign a part-time contract to go to full-time Falkirk, i have no doubt he could hold his own with any of their players but it must be strange if your fellow full-time team mates get dropped for a part-time player so not sure how that would work or might cause hassle in the dressing room?? AND if he ends up at East Fife i will just shake my head in disbelief. Smokies & Wine 36-0.

Superb getting Hammy to stay for another season well done JMc and the AFC Board. I disagree with some AFC fans on here who do not seem bothered if we lose our "old guard" i think the opposite and getting Scott Stewart/Hammy to join TOB and Goldie is a great move and i would welcome Gats/Ricky/McKenna to also get re-signed up. Having that core of players who know the club inside out could only be a good thing to add to the decent squad we already have plus a great signing in striker Gallagher. Remember we are DOWN a league playing against fellow part-time players so the "older" players who have maybe lost a yard in pace should now be on a level playing field after pitting their wits against full time players over the last 5 seasons. C'Mon the Red Lichties 36-0.

Heard Stenny midfielder Jordan Kirkpatrick (him that scored the goal when Darvel beat Aberdeen FC) has moved to Tayside with his work and is hoping Arbroath FC makes a move for him (this comes from one of his best mates that i work with). Hopefully an Arbroath FC employee reads this and passes this info onto JMc.

And for the record i used to like Dunc Ferguson but went off him when he turned his back on the Scotland team then his latest statement lol He really done well for Forest Green and ICT = FUD!

I know but others have said Jim McIntyre seemingly had an earlier statement about Ali Adams which i must have missed?

Thought the meeting went well last night, there must have been 150-200 AFC fans there as that hall holds about 200 and it was packed with standing room only. Thought JMc had to watch the way he answered some questions as some players still under contract will not be here next season so it would have been awkward for him to discuss individual players. I really do hope we re-sign Gaston, Ricky, McKenna and Hammy as lets be honest although they are getting on a bit and maybe a bit slower they are dropping down a league against part-time players so in theory it should be easier for them. Getting them onboard with the players already under contract and the re-signing of (has to be POTY) Scottie Stewart and C. Gallagher that sets up a very good squad with more players to be added. The Chairman Mike Caird and Ewan West, Gary Callon and Paul Reid also spoke very well and saying what a frustrating season it was but were positive for the future, also Goldie spoke well although you did see a bit of anger/frustration coming from him because (like McKenna) he loves and has feelings for our club. I went into the meeting expecting a riot but it ended up a decent discussion both ways, the young lad wearing he AFC black shirt had a very good speech with facts/figures of Jim McIntyre's time as the Red Lichties Manager and Jim replied with the reasons he could not keep us up but to judge him on his team next season. I ended up coming out the meeting believing Jim McIntyre although he was still not my choice of Manager he deserves a chance and hopefully proves myself and a lot of Red Lichties wrong so going into nest season i will be supporting the Manager, players and AFC Board as i do at the start of every season. C'Mon the Red Lichties, 36-0.

What did JMc say about Ali Adams like? I must have missed it. For the record i thought Ali done decent for us during his game time.

Absolute delighted that Scott Stewart has signed a new 2 year contract with the Red Lichties, surprised but over the moon to keep our POTY. Jim McIntyre's assistant Jimmy Boyle would have played a big part in getting Scottie on board as he is big pals with his Dad Sandy Stewart from their Airdrie days so well done to the Management Team and the AFC Board. But i am still needing convinced on JMc but this is a good start and if he keeps the likes of Goldie/McKenna/Hammy/Gaston/Dow then i will be delighted and i am resigned that Ricky will move to a club closer to home with our best wishes for his commitment to the Red Lichties BUT if he did also sign back on then that would be another bonus. If McIntyre could convince those players to re-sign and with our existing players and bring in another 4/5 quality Scottish part-time players then we will have a great squad for next season and i will salute JMc and admit i was wrong. As a Red Lichtie fan i really do hope Jim McIntyre proves me wrong and time will tell. Smokies & Wine 36-0.

Is ToB not going into his 2nd season of a 5 year contract with the Red Lichties?

In any level of football that is SHOCKING stats. I agree McIntyre came into a hard job given the way DC left and the injuries but he has had a window to sign players and been backed by the AFC Board (who i think for 90% has done a great job on and off the Gayfield pitch for the last 7/8 years) he has brought in at least 10 new players and i would go as far to say we are in a worse position now than when he took over and there is far more dismay in the Red Lichtie support than at the end of the DC era. We 100% need a new fresh Manager in to boost the AFC support and to keep our loyal established players and the AFC Board must see that if we do not do this then AFC as a club will lose a lot of finance with a lot of the support not renewing their season tickets (you will always get the older loyal support buying a season ticket every season) but the "newer" AFC fans and younger kids who are used to success plus a Manager they could relate to (i.e. although DC had mistakes he was very charismatic which was good for the fans young and old) but sadly it is clearly obvious McIntyre is the total opposite with no fan engagement. For this i would ask Goldie to take charge of the team until the seasons end, i am sure the vast majority of players would be happy with this and the vast majority of the AFC fans including the youngsters who love him as a player and probably been to his coaching classes would as well, if Goldie is interested to take on the job permanent then let him throw his hat in the ring at the end of the season and take it from there, the other thing is if Goldie did get the AFC job i am sure the vast majority of the fans would be happy with consolidation next season (top half of League 1) and he would get a bit of time to find his feet. I would go as far as to say we need to take a "gamble" even if it cost the club £20-£30k as a "pay-off" for McIntyre as if not we will lose far more than that in season tickets/AFC Corporate and other things that AFC fans fork out for which would be a disaster for the club. This is the last i am saying on this subject as i have made my feelings known what i want my club to do (as have loads of other Red Lichtie fans) and i will still support my club through thick and thin regardless who our Manager will be next season but the above is my view on it.

Sorry but nothing has convinced me that McIntyre is the man to lead the Red Lichties next season and i fear we are going to lose the core of our experienced loyal players, (Gaston, Ricky, Stewart, Hammy, Gold, McKenna etc) and also a lot of fans i have spoken to will not renew their season tickets as they have no confidence in JMc. I repeat again no enthusiasm from the touchline or pre and post match interviews, no interaction with the fans in the Hospo or Boardroom so like in any newish job it looks to me like AFC and McIntyre do not look like a good match, this happens in any walk of life. McKenna took a bit of stick for last week but at least he obviously cares for our club. Cut our loses now, speak to the players we want to keep next season to get their views and take it from there.

Decent post and agree with a lot of what you have said......but......it is plain to see to all the supporters it is simply not working and that happens in work places around the world that a person is not suited to a new job/workplace and the poster who said about Brian Clough and Leeds United was spot on (he was not comparing Brian Clough and Jim McIntyre) it was a case it was not a "good fit" with Clough/Leeds United/the established players at Leeds United and i get the feeling that is the same situation with Jim McIntyre and the Red Lichties. Football clubs (more so at our level) it is vital that Management/Board of Directors/Players interact with the fans and this has happened since the Sir Albert Henderson days (although to be fair some Managers/Board better than others) McGrain/Baikie/Sheerin/McGlashan/Campbell (for 90% of the time) were really good at it and some others not and just wanted to jump into their car after the game and get home. I had also heard that McIntyre does not go to the Hospitality to speak to the fans or go back the the Boardroom which is a poor show imo. You can see from the sidelines and his pre and post match interviews that there is no "enthusiasm" and i have heard that is the same in the dressing room so how can the players get fired up. You can see from the body language from our established players there is something not right and i repeat our club need the likes of Gaston, Ricky (but i fully understand if he wants a club nearer his home after his loyalty to us), McKenna, Hammy, Dow and Stewart etc to stay with TOB and Slater and the others under contract and that is a great foundation to build on for next season, if not and they all leave then it will be much harder with a brand new squad and i have no doubt the likes of TOB will ask away. Over the last 6 or so seasons Arbroath Football Club has been built on being a family club and "togetherness" which has been great to see and for the town and we need to keep it that way as if the players are happy at the club then that transfers onto the pitch.

A couple of other things from last nights game :- Why was Gaston dropped as i thought he done decent against Dunfermline even although we lost 3 goals, was he injured? As has been stated McKenna is the delegated penalty taker and McIntosh scored the last penalty as McKenna was injured at the time so when the argument was going on last night on who was taken it McKenna looked over to the bench only to see McIntyre (with his hands in his pooches) unable to make a decision, even his after match interview about the incident he was struggling to give a 100% answer to it apart from saying "McIntosh scored the last pen" making it obvious there was no clear cut plan on who would take the next penalty prior to last nights the game. Why did he take off McKenna at 0-0 when he was playing well plus was a threat for us in the air, it looks to me McKenna is getting treated the same was as Bobby was from DC. I do not like coming on here having a pop at our Manager or players but if the AFC Board are reading this and looking for feedback from the fans then i am voting to get McIntyre out now and not wait until the end of the season and even put Goldie in until the end of the season so it gives us 4/5 weeks to work out or next appointment. If we need to raise money to compensate McIntyre re-introduce the big white blanket that got carried around Gayfield in the 1960's/70's and the fans threw their shrapnel into it for funds. I will back my Club/Manager/Players to the hilt but sometimes things do not work out or are not a good fit and unfortunately that is the felling i am getting with McIntyre and our Club.

In regards McKenna he obviously wrote stuff "in the heat of the moment" which EVERYBODY has done but at least it shows you he CARES about the Red Lichties and was very frustrated and i will tell you between McKenna, McIntyre and McIntosh i know which one i would still want at the club next season and that is Mickey. On the subject of the penalty EVERYBODY in the ground last night apart from 2 folk knew it should have been taken by McKenna ffs this surely was discussed at training or before the game and McIntyre's post match interview was a joke. I really was hoping he was the Manager to save us after been left a mess by DC but he has signed double figures new players (which of 99% of them i would not keep) and apart from 2 or 3 games it has been dreadful and he shows no motivation. My fear is we are going to lose the core of our team in Gaston, Ricky, McKenna, Goldie and Stewart if we keep McIntyre and i am also now in the camp of speaking to the senior players to see if they would stay if we put someone like Goldie (who must have the specific football badges) in charge with the likes of bringing on board Craigen, Swanks, Keith Gibson and even Bobby back in some capacities just to boost the fans and get the feelgood factor back to Gayfield. Goldie must have loads of connections through his Coaching Schools so would surely know experienced folk he could bring on board who he trusts, as someone else has previously said it has worked with Airdrie, Peterhead and Spartans and with us in the past with the great man John McGlashan (RIP) who had only brief experience Managing The Violet and Tayport so i think the AFC Board should seriously think about this as i think if we stick with McIntyre we will lose a lot of players who care for our club plus a lot of the "newer" fans who have bought season tickets over the last 5/6 seasons. LOVE MY CLUB AND LOVE BEING A RED LICHTIE 36-0.

On another topic have i totally missed the pre-match report but as far as i can make out we are the only Tayside/Fife football club playing tonight but i cannot even see ONE line about tonight's game in today's Courier? No mucking about this is last chance saloon so lets go for it and give the Red Lichtie fans something to cheers about.

Spot on Tim. Not been on here for a while but some of those toxic posts about AFC Board Officials are shocking, plenty of folk have made mistakes in the past and paid the price for their wrongdoings so lets leave it there and i know most of the AFC Board Officials on a personal level and the time and effort they put in for our club is admirable and unless other folk want to give up their time to replace then then keep the sh#t=steering out of it. OK back to fitba matters, i agree with others when we were 1-0 down on Saturday i would have brought on McIntosh to partner Bird up front to "go for it" as be as well getting beat 2-0/3-0 rather than holding onto a 1-0 defeat trying to sneak something rather than have a real go to win the game. I am also not convinced with McIntyre and cannot see any passion in him, he started decent but his signings in the main have been pretty poor and i am now on the side of getting someone else in, sometimes things do not work out for various reasons. So chuffed for Ricky Little having a fantastic turn-out on Sunday night in what turned out to be a great night, well done Ricky Little a Red Lichtie Legend and well deserved. C'Mon the Red Lichties, 36-0.

The problem in regards Arbroath FC Board making a statement on "spit-gate" is do they really want to make this into a drama which will never stop with both the Club and DC given counter-claims or do they say nothing and hope it just goes away and everybody move on. To be fair to the AFC Board (who i am not saying i agree with everything they have down but in my view they have done 95% a great job for our Club) they are in a " no win" situation as fans will moan if they make a statement and fans will moan if they say nothing. I remember a Brechin City fan at my work about 2 years ago telling me "it will all end in tears with DC" and he basically told me what would happen as it happened at his Club then also at Forfar Athletic and i laughed at him but he was 100% correct. Brechin City - steady the ship - success - great times - things going wrong - ends in tears Forfar Athletic - steady the ship - success - great times - things going wrong - ends in tears Arbroath FC - steady the ship - success - great times - things going wrong - ends in tears Treatment of fans favourites Sir Bobby Linn and James Craigen to name but 2 players Now who is the common denominator here? I will state again what DC and his backroom staff done for the Red Lichties i will always thank them and hold them in high regard but they way it has ended has left me sad and saying it should have been more of a celebration as it is frustrating we never got a chance to thank them.

Simon as others have said i think the Hammy intervention was to do with a verbal exchange with DC and not "spit"gate. I was down at TNS and there was verbals down there as well because the Management/players seemed not to acknowledge the 360-400 travelling Red Lichtie fans apart from Stowe who walked down the pitch to applaud the AFC fans, DC then took a u-turn and walked down the pitch and got into an argument with some AFC fans and Big Rab had to manhandle him and drag him away, i knew at that point he had "lost the plot" (and it also looked like some players had downed tools) and after much thought during the week i decided not to travel to Spartans as i was not confident in getting a result and i told folk i feared there would be some type of incident if we got beat and that is exactly what happened. I still hold DC up there for what he has done for the Red Lichties and that will never change but that stupid BBC interview has lost a bit of respect from me and i can 100% guarantee if he told his twin brother what he was going to say in the interview then Pink what have told him not to be so stupid. This will no doubt be in the newspapers which does not do him or our club any good especially as it seems to be a "spoof" about him getting spat on by any of our support. What a sad way for DC to end his otherwise (over his time at the club) a very successful spell as our Manager.

Will no re-phrase what i was going to say about DC before i listened to this video. I was going to say i wished he had retired the season before or even after the near SPL season and moved upstairs at Gayfield in some type of role and everybody was happy i.e. the retiring Management team/The AFC Board/The Red Lichtie supporters but alas i think it was a season too far and everything finished on a bad note. I was going to say i was disappointed that the Club or even TASC or even just a group of AFC Supporters never invited DC and his backroom staff to some type of meet up just to say "thanks for what you did for AFC" albeit it would have been easier to do this if DC had actually said he was retiring from the game but i would have liked some type of opportunity to say "thanks" once the dust had settled after the disaster at Spartans. What he and has backroom staff done for our club was superb and a great 7-8 years in our clubs history and i will always be thankful for that but again i will say he should have retired a season earlier imo. Also if it is true an Arbroath FC spat on him then that is a disgrace as that is the lowest of the low imo.

I have no idea why a football player (if getting game time) would want to drop 2 or even 1 league down to a smaller football club? Also Ricky Little without doubt next move would be to a West Coast/Ayrshire club. All the best to Dick/Pink/Youngy/Big Rab what they done for our club was superb and just a shame the way it ended, I wish them all the best unless they play us in the cup 36-0.

Going back to the goalkeeping situation i felt Ali Adams deserved his chance, he kept a clean sheet and played very well against Ayr Utd in the Gayfield game, nothing against young Boruc but Ali has bide his time and deserved a run of games imo. Also great to see a new goalkeeping coach in Stuart Garden who is very experienced. C'Mon the Red Lichties - 36-0.

I am sorry to see Barry Sellars leave to club plus agree with the above that THIS season the "recruitment team" have done okay after only having one transfer window to work on as Steele and Slater are good players imo and Bird, Hylton, Turan etc are a lot better than the signings last season during the windows. I am pretty sure they had some defence cover on trial as well but remember it is not them that pick the players to sign that would be DC and the coaching team but Dick would have the final say. Not sure what will happen now with Barry away as as far as i can make out that will leave no local AFC staff to train the likes of Bird etc during the week unless the likes of Kev Middleton is still doing this?

SP would be my choice as well for our next Manager of the Red Lichties. Btw although i would never bet against my own team what were the odds on Wighton scoring against us? He must have the best goals/games ratio against us that anyone else in the last decade, a striker i rate highly given the correct service.

Really sorry to see Dick, Pink, John and Rab go but they will go down in history as up there with Sir Albert as our most succesfull Management team. Not going to say i agreed 100% with everything Dick done as i didn't, his treatment of Bobby Linn, some of his subs, forcing decent players like James Craigen out the Gayfield door, but on the whole he has done a really great job for the Red Lichties. The weekend Dick resigned was a bitty weird as 3 players he never rated at our club, James Craigen, Keiran Shanks and Kane Hester x2 all scored. Thanks for the great memories to the 4 of you and regardless of the sad ending you will all go down as Red Lichtie Legends.