Tattie36

Arbroath also starting with an attacking lineup….. 0-0.

Why the hell not. 1. Partick Thistle 2. Dundee 3. ICT 4. Arbroath 5. Raith Rovers 6. Queens Park 7. Ayr 8. Morton 9. Hamilton 10. Cove

He will get game time but I can’t imagine Dick Campbell would play a player if he doesn’t think he’s the best option. He played Bobby Linn sparingly last season even though he’s probably the most popular Arbroath player in history and still very capable (as has been proven already this season), despite constant pressure from the fans to do so. He will play who he wants, when he wants. Also, as I said earlier, none of our established back 4 are getting dropped for an unproven 19 year old. His best bet is to play out of his skin and make himself undroppable when the opportunity does arise… which it will.

Don’t think it’s pointless at all. We operate with a very small squad so he will definitely get game time. Might not always be in his preferred position but he will definitely feature. There is no way, however - barring injury, illness or suspension - that he will walk in to LB in our starting 11. Perhaps has should have rephrased my original post. I don’t think he’ll get a huge amount of game time straight away in his preferred position aside from covering for reasons above.

On the contrary, I would be amazed if he hasn’t been brought in as cover. That’s not to say that he won’t play his way into a starting place if and when he gets his opportunity. It’s incredibly difficult to usurp an incumbent if their doing a good job, especially a 19 year old with a handful of first team games under his belt. Our current back four have been playing together for 4 or 5 seasons now and only conceded 28 goals in 36 games last season. Out of the 4, our left back Colin Hamilton is admittedly, probably the very slight weak link, however last season was probably his best for us and he’s a huge favourite of the management. We have cover for right back and Hamilton can move inside and play centre half if needed so that may be another avenue for Hancock to get game time at LB. There’s also more chance of me getting a ride from Salma Hayek then Ricky Little or Tam O’Brien getting dropped. We had a very promising, highly rated, young left back/centre half playing for us last season in Liam Henderson but he barely got a sniff at the back and played a lot of the games he did play out of position on the left of midfield. You won’t be surprised to learn that he left close season to drop a league to Falkirk where I imagine he’ll play every week. ETA I think Colin Hamilton may have a couple of games suspension coming up so there’s an early opportunity for Hancock to show what he can do.

Looks like a good acquisition for us. Don’t think he’ll get a huge amount of game time though. We have a very settled back 4 (the most effective in the championship last season) so cover for injury/suspension mostly I would imagine - we definitely need cover at the back though so he will play a part. Can he play midfield as he may get more appearances there?

Yeah it’s a vast improvement even without roofs. Once the stands are covered then it’ll be a tidy wee ground. Having said that, I think the stands would have been better being narrower and deeper. Spreading all the fans out like that won’t be great for atmosphere. I suppose your limited by the depth available though.

Was up at Balmoral Stadium this evening and couldn’t believe how quickly the end stands have been installed. I was there last Wednesday and nothing had been done. Are there going to be roofs? as I can’t imagine it’ll be much fun sitting out in the rain, standing is much preferable to uncovered seating in inclement weather.

That’s good going. I still know 2 or 3 who haven’t bought theirs yet. I think that’s a fair bit more than this time last season, that 1200+ total included half season tickets did it not?

I just think the full-time thing is too soon. Your crowds are pretty good and will keep growing if you keep up the success. The problem I see in the short term is converting many of these fans are interested Dons fans with a soft spot for Cove to actual Cove fans first and foremost. The big test would be if you were to reach the Premiership in the next few years. Would many scunnered Dons fans jump ship? Personally I don’t think so, so it’s the long game you need to play - target young fans from the immediate vicinity - Cove, Torry, Kincorth, Garthdee, Portlethen etc and become THE team for the south of the city. Maybe changing the name to something non-Cove related might be an even better idea. We know how tribal people are and you might get Kincorthers refusing to support Cove w@nkers… never mind the Rangers thing. Maybe Something generically Aberdeen related would be better - Leopards FC, Doric United, Rowie FC. Anyway enough of this Cove pish

I think moving full-time is mental for them in the near future. I live in Aberdeen and the simple fact is that it’s very much a one team city. The only folk I know that go to Cove games are Dons fans who go along for the novelty of seeing another Aberdeen based team in the league. I would be surprised if cove have more than 200-300 actual fans at the moment. Yes they will still get the interested Dons fans going but if push comes to shove, there’s only one team going to win peoples support. Obviously if they build on their success in the next couple of decades then they can become a genuine attraction for fitba fans in the city but that’s long term and certainly not a given. The other issue they have is the “Rangers”, blue kit, lion badge thing … it’s all a bit too “staunch” for a huge amount of Aberdonians. When they got into the league they should have changed their name to simply “Cove” or something and their colours and branding to something less emotive. Too late now though.

Yeah, good point. For some reason I had it in my head that he was still mid 20s. I wonder if he’s totally happy as there seems to be a bit of unrest at Cove.

I agree that McAllister wouldn’t be a long-term solution but to suggest he’s too old and then compare him to Prunty and Doolan is daft imo. I reckon he’s probably got a decent season or two left in him. We currently have a player playing out of his skin for us who is older than McAllister and who I guarantee, every single part-time team in Scotland, and some full-time ones, would give their left nut for. Prunty and Doolan were both done by the time they came to us whereas McAllister has consistently banged them in at every team he’s played for, including Cove in League 1 last season. The experience he could pass on to a young striker like Shanks would also be invaluable. I think he would be well worth a punt for a season but, as I’ve said already, I don’t think he’ll be coming to us. I also agree that Megginson would be a better option but he ain’t going anywhere and probably has aspirations of going full-time.

Oh aye, even though I would like to see it, I’m sure he’ll not be coming to us for a few reasons - he would not be guaranteed a start; he might prefer an easier gig to end his career and I can’t see him coping with the travel for training. He’ll more than likely end up back at Peterhead or Brechin, or some other HL side like BoD, Formartine or Locos.

An experienced, natural goalscorer like him, paired with a young, dynamic striker (Shanks and/or loan) could be a match made in heaven imo.

Without a doubt. Reckon he could still get a few goals. Natural finisher who could work really well with a player like Shanks. Hope Dick’s at least considering it.

Good point re playing it out. My 11 year old son is taught to play like that, he’s a full back and gets put under a lot of unnecessary pressure as it’s a tactic used pretty much all the time at that age. Darvel also did it in the cup last year and basically handed us the game on a plate. I’m sure it works for them at their level but you have the ability to change tactics if it’s not working against a stronger team. Also some examples of it going spectacularly wrong in the wifie’s Euros.

Ever since I started going in the late 70s/early 80s, the Pleasureland end was the end where home fans would gravitate to pre match. Remember there was no segregation back then apart from big cup games. The Pleasureland end was always given to away fans for big cup games but for all other games it was where home fans congregated. The first time this changed for league games was when we were in the second tier in the early 2000s, normal service was resumed once we dropped back down the leagues. Really don’t understand the reasoning for it at all - fine if every single away fan arrived on a supporters bus that parked behind that goal but that’s not how fans travel/arrive at games - there is zero segregation outside pre and post match and fans of both teams arrive from all directions.

A very pleasant afternoon in the end. Airdrie started very well, they needed a win and you could tell they were up for it. Great play by Scott Stewart to lay the ball on a plate for McKenna and we came into it more the longer the first half went on. Second half was pretty much a stroll, although Airdrie did have a couple of good chances. Even when we went down to 10 we still looked the more likely to score. Very impressed again with Shanks and delighted he got his goal, a tap in that Hilson, Donnelly and even Lewandowski would score . Hopefully he’ll push on now and get a good few more. Low brilliant in midfield again, great to get another 90 minutes under his belt. A few other good performances - JT, ToB and Linn who just has to play when fit. Liking Fosu the more I see him, looks very versatile and has a real physicality about him. Hope Gold’s injury isn’t too serious. Think Airdrie will do ok again this season, they passed it well and looked pretty dynamic. A bit more luck and composure in front of goal and the game could have been a lot closer. Definitely see them getting at least a play off place again.

Shut it Lewandowski I agree, they have their strengths - but goal scoring definitely isn’t one. Nothing to do with how we play, they both constantly miss gilt edged chances or make the wrong decisions when in good positions. That simply isn’t going to change while they play at this level. Still doesn’t alter the fact that I wasn’t even talking about their goals in my post

Not to mention the fact that I was talking about Fylde’s goals.

Whit? I think it’s pretty obvious that I was talking about Fylde’s goals - the first one was a free header, the second a simple passing move.

Hope they don’t want an advertising board - never seen so many at a football ground in my life. I understand it’s all financial gain but, jesus it looks terrible. Also, was in the main stand on Wednesday evening and still not a single bit of work done for the new stands. Are these genuinely going to be in place, plus all the associated perimeter fencing, gates etc, by the first home game of the season?

I know there are probably valid reasons for it but I for one am disappointed that it looks like home fans are being moved back to the harbour end. Much prefer the Pleasureland end and, as far as I’m concerned, it’s the traditional home end. Also means we have the prevailing wind blowing in our faces and we’ll be squinting into the sun. Not a lot, if anything, the club has got wrong in the last few years but this is one imo.

Why do Scottish teams constantly go into these ties ill prepared and with the wrong attitude? Sligo are half way through their season so are match fit but Motherwell should still be pumping teams like that, no excuses. If our teams are serious about doing ok in Europe then they simply have to drastically cut short their close season and be a bit more professional about their preparation. It’s not as if they’ve no past examples to use as a warning.