Brian Carrigan

I did see you speaking favourably about him a few times last season which was pleasing, because by all accounts he’s a nice laddie, a hard worker and a member of our promotion-winning squad. I’d be lying if I said I was happy about the signing unfortunately. It’s a damning indictment of where we are currently that we’re signing a player that was deemed not good enough two seasons ago, and also released by a team in the league below. Appreciate the comforting words though, will make sure and give you a high five as we pass you on our way into L2 this time next year!

Only took one day to go from “positive early business” to “we’re fucked”

…but you were using your comment to make a point about not signing players from the juniors. So you’re saying we shouldn’t sign anyone, from any level? Bizarre stuff. Put it this way - I’d rather take a punt on a laddie that’s scored 40 goals last season at a good level in the juniors than sign someone like Rob Jones or Ally Roy who might have played senior football, but haven’t got 40 goals between them across their entire career.

Why? We can’t afford to aim higher. We’ve signed players from the Championship that turned out to be utter shite too, so that’s a weird comment. These points are entirely fair aye.

Aye?

Not fussed about not signing Bryson. As Craig Telfer said, players dropping down to the seaside leagues normally means they’ll be terrible or incredible, no in between, and we can’t afford such an expensive gamble - no matter how much I love the boy. I’m more concerned about Stenny signing the striker Sewell from Largs. Incredible goalscoring record and having seen him play a few times last season, he’s the type of player we really need - a striker that’s a complete arsehole. Even if that translates to 15 league goals it’s worth a punt. In the last 5 seasons there are only 5 players to have hit 20 goals in League 1, so the chances of us finding that are slim.

Always liked Rumsby, honest brave big laddie. Wouldn’t have minded him staying on as a backup centre half but I imagine he’s leaving because he wants to play. Definitely leaves with my best wishes.

You’re definitely new here. We all laugh at Falkirk in this place. Been a few seasons since they’ve been around you. It’s fine, you’ll get used to it.

Awch it's just a laugh. Stop being a wee tadger and jump back onto the Championship pages where the serious people live.

Nice input, Buzz.

It's never too early for weird, rampant and speculative predictions my man. Welcome to League One.

Anyone else fancy having an absolutely wild and mostly baseless stab at what the table will look like at the end of the coming season? I'll start... 1. Dunfermline Athletic - should have enough financial might and contacts via McPake to sign well and win the league. 2. Kelty Hearts - similar boat but I don't think they will be the dominant Fifers. Fwiw, I think Thompson is a better manager than McPake and might be key to winning the league. 3. Falkirk - Despite his Goodwillie-based misadventures, McGlynn is a sensible manager and will see Falkirk into the play-offs but I think ultimately the quality in the league will prove too much (lol). 4. Airdrieonians - Taking a huge gamble on McCabe and Fordyce but the club seems to be well run at this point, so I'd imagine it's more of an educated gamble. Good squad and if they can add to it they should still make the play-offs. 5. Alloa Athletic - I like Brian Rice, and hopefully he gets a tune out of Alloa. Most of the squad has resigned and there is definitely a lot of potential quality there. 6. Montrose - Consistently high placed over the past few seasons, but I think there will just be too much in the league this season for the Mo to continue making the play-offs. 7. Queen of the South - I think it's going to be a long season for Queens, as is normally the case when you have to essentially sign the poorest full time players in the land. 8. Clyde - I think there will be a significant gap between 7th and 8th, and I feel like the three bottom clubs will be mostly interchangeable. Some mildly positive early recruitment for us, with most of last seasons dross seen off. Follow up recruitment will be absolutely key, but we're agonisingly waiting on Danny Lennon returning from his holibags. Hopefully our experience in the league sees us right. 9. Peterhead - I think they will be fighting at the bottom end of this league as per usual, but equally wouldn't be surprised if they pushed for the play offs. 10. Edinburgh City - An unknown quantity in this league, which is why I've stuck them bottom. I think they could perform well though, especially going off their first-promotion buzz. All in all, that is an incredibly tough league. At this point I'm pretty much going off early recruitment, squad retention and club reputation. I think Clyde, Peterhead and Edinburgh may have a rough season, but we ultimately need to wait and see.

... and that's before you even set foot out of Fife!

Really interested to see how this works out - I've never been a fan of player/managers, just doesn't work 90% of the time. Especially given his assistant is also still going to be a player. Seems like the idea is to keep the boys together and roll with how things went last season.

Very good my man

He's part-time and I'd imagine Airdrie would be one of the better paying clubs for part time players. He's also 27 so will likely have a job outside of football and realistically if you're leaving Airdrie to 'step up', you'll be going full time. He scored 15 goals last season which is a good return for a player as hard-working as he is. For all people like you seem to think scoring goals in League 1 is easy, there are only five players to have broken 20 league goals since the 17/18 season - Shankland, Trouten, Goodwillie, Linn and Nisbet. Two of those five have went on to score for Scotland and one had previously.

What are these rumours? Has anyone actually heard anything or was this literally coming from P&B chatter?

Is he?! I thought he was coaching Killie’s 17s.

Yeah, the last time something positive happened. About 3 years ago by my calculations.

Must be great, I've spent the last 30 years of supporting Clyde in a state of almost perpetual concern.

Is your Clyde source me, commenting on this thread a few days ago saying I’d like it if Gallagher signed for Clyde?

The only reason they'll start off as bookies favourites to go down is because we've simply been in the division longer. They're well-backed, moving back to Meadowbank in the town and there will be a buzz about them. They also have access to East Coast based players so if a player is more that side of the country, they're more likely to join the third biggest team in the capitol. They have a promising young manager and the basis of a solid League 1 squad. We have... none of that. We can offer a general malaise? No stadium of our own? A broken board? The chance to be a part of a nationally derided organisation and a bit of a laughing stock? Some positive early business done, but if we don't see any further promising additions and some real board movement then the following season could be a very long one indeed.

Our recruitment team should currently be bursting their collective balls to get any of those QP lads on board. Realistically though, they're more likely to want to stay full time, and any one of them would walk straight into the starting line-ups of Falkirk, Ayr, QotS etc.

Can’t believe Harry Cochrane is still only 21. How has he been for Queens?

Yeah, it’s going to be another season where we have to hope at least one team has an absolute nuke. Depending on the next few bits of recruitment, we’ll be (correctly imho) favourites to finish rock bottom, so we really need to be pulling something out the bag.