Proudtobeabairn

I get where you're coming from to an extent but the fans themselves made a massive effort to push through the Rawlins investment - we've got to give them a chance to now do things their way surely? What was the point of bringing them in to hand over their influence to a fans group (who the vast majority of us know nothing about) before they've even got started? Are the fans group more qualified and better placed than the Rawlins to make these decisions? Don't forget MR and SA were fans... I thought we wanted change?

The decision to knock it back wouldn't have been Rawlins alone - sounds like there was consensus that the majority of shareholders want to give Rawlins the influence he needs to take things in his direction with that being diluted. Isn't there also the option to increase their investment as part of the deal that brought them in? That could very well be the wrong decision (not like we have a history of making great decisions) but at face value Rawlins has the experience and credentials to do well. It seems strange to me that we wouldn't let that play out. There aren't any signs of this being a Kenny Rogers scenario so why would we dilute his influence before he's even started. 100% behind new investment, but the conditions that seem to go with it sound counter productive imo.

So what are we saying here? Anyone should be able to pop along at any time and take control if they have money behind them? The Rawlins project hasn't even got out the blocks yet and you expect him to hand over decision making to a fans group - that's just not realistic. He got in there first, made his investment and now expects some time to do things his way rather than being forced into having to make decisions by committee. Remember for the last few years we've been desperate for someone competent to take over decision making. Rawlins has shown nothing yet to show us he can do that but his credentials are better than a group of local businessmen and he has earned the right to be given that chance no?

From what's been said I can almost understand why Rawlins would reject the fan offer. Imagine you had made a sizaeble investment and were finally starting to get some decisions made and the board structured in the way you need it to be to get things done. At that point, some previously unknown (to you) fans group demand you restructure that board and even have a say in the new manager appointment (before you've even had a chance to appoint your own man into that position yet). A few months ago Rawlins was our saviour who we all wanted to be more hands on and to use his business acumen to sort the club out. He starts doing that and then gets asked to dilute his influence and instead be a co-partner with a fans group he knows very little about and very possibly have less experience of football club ownership than he does. Its's not surprising if he sees this as a threat to his investment and plan for the club. It doesn't sound like he's refusing new investment but rather protecting his position and making sure he has a chance to do things his way before considering reducing his influence. Is that really surprising? Its not great that the investment isn't happening but are the red lines the fans group have proposed realistic given Rawlins hasn't had a chance to fail yet?

Yogi maybe heading back to ICT? I think Sheerin a reasonable option and still least bad option of those that have been mentioned (Yogi aside).

While a fan group would be far better than the set up we currently have, it wouldn't be my first choice. I'd much rather have a single owner (Geoff Brown type) though it would clearly need to be someone who knows what they're doing (preferably with deep pockets) Fans groups occasionally work but can also become rife with ego and cliques. Like the manager role there are no guarantees of success at board level though we seem to be more incapable than most at balancing the bad times with some good.

He also won League 2 with Arbroath and finished 2nd in League 1 the following season. Of the names being bandied around, I'm coming round to Sheerin as being a far better option than the likes of McIntyre or Kettlewell.

Sheerin has come out of left field but maybe wouldn't be the worst choice. Hear me out... McInnes took him to Aberdeen in 2014. Since then he's been in charge of their under 20s - won the development league in his first season and made the youth cup final in 2018. Hardly pep levels of success but assuming he's a good coach (certainly trusted by McInnes) then he fits the 'head coach' remit. You'd like to think he'd know all about the talent in the development league and so maybe good for some decent loans. Looks increasingly unlikely there'll be an exciting left field candidate so after we've looked into dross like McCann and Rice, this might not be the worst option. Don't get me wrong, I'd still far rather have someone who'd bring a bit of excitement but we seem to be scraping the barrel here so trying to look at the positives.

Not in the slightest bit excited about the prospect of Rice. He's utterly miserable in his interviews and I can't see how he would command or motivate the dressing room. He's also disliked by Accies fans and comes with plenty of personal baggage. Would steer well clear.

Shouldn't really sign a player based on a game against us during the last few years - not too difficult to be a standout against our midfield. The fact he's signing for Stirling should tell us all we need to know about his ability.

Probably need to be someone I haven't heard of with an excellent record (most likely overseas) bringing a load of exotic contacts and the promise of attacking football to really get the juices flowing.

While I agree they aren't an exciting prospect, all manager appointments are a calculated punt. There's no guaranteed success out there for the wages we pay.

Does sound encouraging (with the caveat that most of McKinnons favourites would probably say the same about him and his methods)

What's the appeal of Stuart Taylor other than he's a bit of an unknown quantity? His record isn't exactly great and he's been closely associated with serial failure Paul Lambert over the last few years. What am I missing?

Hearing Raith have offered a contract to Telfer

Just a helpful reminder that just because we once brought in "some old guys/an ex player/someone who looks like they should cruise it at this level/kids/loanees etc". IT DOESN'T MEAN EVERY SIGNING THAT FITS THAT DESCRIPTION WILL BE A DUD Let's judge each signing on their individual merits.

Was talking about his reaction to the fans emailing him their anger and disgust and him saying he was just deleting them.

That Holt deleting emails chat is wild. Absolutely no self awareness. Lots of talk about creating a fans fund and shouts for BTB or other fans groups to take the lead in organising some meaningful protest. All very commendable but 99% of the team those suggesting it expect someone else to take the lead. These things are hard to mobilise. I wonder how much visibility the Rawlins have had of our last 12 years of failure. Maybe pressure needs to be applied there to educate the Rawlins about the state of what they've bought into and to force them to step up sooner rather than later. Let's face it they're very unlkely to have heard anything negative from MSG or Deans. Do any of the fans groups have direct contact details/email/any other way of getting this message over? If so, now is probably a good time to step up and make our voices heard. Might be a quicker solution that trying to starve the MSG out (which based on past experience is only likely to make them even more stubborn).

I don't think these players are capable of raising their performance whether Holt shouts at them or not. To get a reaction would need them to have some sort of base level of ability first.

Why do so many people seem to rate Mutch and Keena? Both have been absolutely sh*te this year. Clear out the lot of them and start again (again).

The "Summer of Hartley" saw us sign a lot of guys from down south, but there were also plenty of signings from up here that i'm sure Harltey himself would have identified and signed (Haber, Mackin, Petravicious, Russell etc). Let's not pretend Hartley is a good manager. He's also an odious wee p***k as many others have pointed out.

What actually happened with the Crunchie Initiative? Is it not going ahead?

Gomis should always start in place of Miller if fit. We've absolutely nothing down the left side if Connolly not back. Fotheringham and Leitch are just a waste of a jersey. Maybe Sammon out wide and Keena up front (assuming Dowds not fit). Dowds probably now our no.1 pick up front if fit which says it all.

Almost certainly not. Hate to say it but he doesn't even reach the standards of the likes of Kallum Higginbotham Having said that, he's our best player at the moment.

Better that than the problem of being chronically addicted to failure like the last few.