Kunter

And there's plenty on here who have this mindset that things could never be any better than they are and we should be grateful yet when the brown stuff hits the van will be straight on blaming the manager for poor signings completely ignoring the fact it's the regime at fault. How shit does it need to get before some folk open there eyes?!? We've had 5 seasons of this and the signs are we could well be on for a sixth!

Result doesn't matter but you'd expect us to at least be the better team or is that too much wishful thinking...

Yeah writing off the loans by the previous chairmen was the main one and the purchase of the land which he subsequently made profit on. We're here for the football and it's been dire the last 5 seasons. Relegation play off followed by almost certain relegation but saved by the pandemic then actual relegation. This last season high expectations followed by the sacked manager, failure to make a top 4 and now (so far) signing the same kind of calibre that's got us into this mess the last 5 seasons and yet we're apparently meant to be grateful and shouldn't complain.

Agree. I think he's got the makings of a fantastic manager but if the some what medioacre signings continue and we end up with yet another underwhelming season then he ends up being the fall guy rather than the fact he's only working with the funds he has available. As you say, the signings he made during last season actually looked pretty good.

Exactly this.

It wasn't splashing the cash under Connolly that nearly sent us under, it was pushing for promotion to the spl in the championship under Rae / Chisholm that did. Don't forget we were only propped up by the BOD and gate money back then - no income from the arena.

So there was no money pumped in under the Connolly promotion push?

The point is there was investment. Money was put in and we gained automatic promotion comfortably and competed well in the championship for a number of seasons even being part time. Since being relegated we can't be far off 50% of that figure of players released and current,, one manager down and technically have more of a advantage being we're full time and have the bonus of getting up via a play off system. What nearly sent us under was the Chisholm / Rae years buying expensive has been players we didn't even need.

If we are to get out of this division promptly then the only way to do that is to bring ready made players in not a young development squad. If we just want to live within our means without any form of cash injection*when required* then we have ourselves a long term project which could see us in league one inevitably. The Connolly years; we didn't bring in a load of young players and we absolutely romped the league. Bit of investment and thinking outside the box brought us the success.

No I think they just want to strictly run it from generated income.

As I said previously, I'm not suggesting we spend silly amounts of money but surely we can do better than for example signing a striker from a team that's just been relegated and doesn't score goals especially when he looks like Paton is away. If it goes wrong fans will look as far as the end of their nose and blame MB without looking at the bigger picture.

That's fine. As long as you're happy then enjoy the season If it ends up going wrong don't solely blame MB like most fans will. He can only pi** with the d**** he's been given.

What positives are there to comment on? Just about every player signed so far has been ripped to shreds - rightly or wrongly.

Are you just proud to be a happy clapper ? Any other club and this board would have been chased out of town for the shambles of the last few seasons. Least I'm still here unlike hoards of others including die hards who have ditched the club.

My worry is how long can we remain in league 1 before we're forced to go part time. I don't think our fan base has much more left in it for a repeat of the last 5 or so seasons.

My suggestion is we need to stretch the budget to bring in the quality to get us out of this division yes. That's the job of any chairman. It's the only way it's going to work. Developing young players into a potential promotion winning team could take years. MB is going to have to work miracles (as it currently stands)

Of course it matters. If he's only been given enough to bring in young players with the hope of developing them he's already got his work cut out. It's called backing your manager. Do you honestly think the squad so far is a serious promotion contender ?

I seriously wish they would walk. Some communication and ambition might make a return. No one can defend the shambles of the last 5 seasons and the signings so far are hardly inspiring to say the least. Of course MB will get the blame if it goes wrong not the fact he's working with a £6.99 budget.

Suppose you're right. It's been working amazingly the last 5 years without one...

I'm not suggesting we go mad on the spending front but sometimes needs must. Likes of the striker. Would it not have be better buying a more proven player on a one year deal than a potential on a two? Our objective just seems to be fixed on young players with a couple of more experienced where previously it would be more experience and break young players in. That worked, this model doesn't. As you say plenty of time yet.

I think we should be concentrating on proven rather than potential. Should be pushing the boat out and bringing in quality before we become a settled league one team. To me it looks like we're following the same crappy formula of the last few seasons, clearly budget derived.

Another car crash season fast approaching...

Hope we're going to be getting some experience in there and some height! - not this same old same old formula of the last 4 or 5 seasons of young hopefuls.

His biggest mistake was being a manger. Well done Annan. Great for our footballing region this.

Brydon, Gibson, the keeper and maybe Wilson if he could stay injury free, the rest cheery bye imo