Gaz FFC Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 8 minutes ago, The Grass Is Greener. said: Fletcher is 4 years younger than both O'Connor and Deeks, when he was behind them in the team it was because he was just a young lad. I remember he used to come on for them when he was about 17. He also used to play games with them but at left midfield. I get what you're trying to say but you cannot be serious if you expect me to believe he was seen as better than Deek and Gaz but behind them because of age? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Grass Is Greener. Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 1 minute ago, Gaz FFC said: I get what you're trying to say but you cannot be serious if you expect me to believe he was seen as better than Deek and Gaz but behind them because of age? No im saying he was behind them because no one knew how good he was, he was just breaking through. He was only 17. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dudu Dahan pal Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 No im saying he was behind them because no one knew how good he was, he was just breaking through. He was only 17. Exactly. He then went on after both o'Connor and Riordan left to bang in goals for 3 seasons and was a vital member of our cup winning team in 2007. Not like Gav to Gav it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadwell Dog Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 I think if we had what we have now plus Alston and Vaulks we'd be looking ok. A good starting 11 with enough cover. However, that ain't the case I'm afraid and we're left with a bigger squad but have regressed badly in the quality of our first 11. Can't help feeling that Houston felt we'd be okay with what we had until Vaulks was sold out from under him. He then panicked and signed Rankin who we needed as much as a hole in the head. This season we shouldve been building on the successes of last season and their really is no excuse for us not to. We had the basis of a good team only having lost Alston through no fault of our own. We should be in a position financially where we could bring in some players to improve the squad and increase the quality of our first 11. We shouldve been looking to push hibs all the way again this season and the act that there is no sevco in the league shouldve been a major boost. DU have hardly been splashing the cash so there is no reason again why we shouldnt be competing if not bettering them. However, it would appear that the bod and Houston have failed miserably to take us forward from last season. Signings have in the main failed to get into the side never mind improving the first 11 and then our captain and leader on the pitch is flogged on the eve of the season and replaced by a 33 year old plodder with the rest of the cash going into the blackhole of the bod. We've been left with a side devoid of creativity and drive and this has been borne out by results so far . The only way we will improve is by signing some more players as the ones we have just aren't up to the job. Whether Houston will be able to bring in the right players is far from definite either. All in all the months since the high of beating Hibs in the playoffs have been ones to forget. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Grass Is Greener. Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 1 minute ago, Hibeesbounce75 said: Exactly. He then went on after both o'Connor and Riordan left to bang in goals for 3 seasons and was a vital member of our cup winning team in 2007. Not like Gav to Gav it. I just checked the stats and the season where he started playing regularly was 05-06 and that's the season Garry left for Moscow in January. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 42 minutes ago, Bairnardo said: Serious question... As fans, on the back of last season where everyones expectations were exceeded, what do we as fans owe Housty in terms of time to sort this out? Everyone was happy with the signings of Luca and Austin at the time. We have yet to see Kidd and Henderson. Rankin has done much better than some would like to credit him for. I am frustrated so far with Hippo and Austin stuck on the bench, but I am hoping this is remedied this week. So whats your thought? The fans owe Houston nothing. We were by far and away in the top three last season. We beat Sevco twice and Hibs struggled against us in all their games so I don't think it was too much to ask the club to build on that. So far, and I have not seen us play well in 7 competitive games , we are a mile off the side of last season. We have lost our attacking threat from midfield and not replaced it. Baird looks disinterested, McHugh has disappeared and Miller looks like father time is catching up with him. To compound it we send the real forward pace out on loan. I would be cancelling that today if we could. The new signings Gasparoto apart have been in and out of the team or not given the run the deserve. Have the Board backed Houston? God knows but my guess is the budget will be similar to last year as Hibs are still in the league. Frustrating and I struggle to see how the club could argue with supporters voicing that on Monday night if anyone cares enough to turn up. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadwell Dog Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Fletcher was a cracking player in his day but that's past now and other players should be getting a chance. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz FFC Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 16 minutes ago, The Grass Is Greener. said: No im saying he was behind them because no one knew how good he was, he was just breaking through. He was only 17. At 17 we have regulars coming upto testimonials 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz FFC Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 1 minute ago, Shadwell Dog said: Fletcher was a cracking player in his day but that's past now and other players should be getting a chance. This^^^ 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Grass Is Greener. Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Just now, Gaz FFC said: At 17 we have regulars coming upto testimonials Theres no shame being behind Garry O'Connor and Deeks as a 17 year old back then, both were fantastic strikers. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshmallo Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 5 hours ago, Bairnardo said: Serious question... As fans, on the back of last season where everyones expectations were exceeded, what do we as fans owe Housty in terms of time to sort this out? Everyone was happy with the signings of Luca and Austin at the time. We have yet to see Kidd and Henderson. Rankin has done much better than some would like to credit him for. I am frustrated so far with Hippo and Austin stuck on the bench, but I am hoping this is remedied this week. So whats your thought? This is the last year on his contract isn't it? People might be surprised to see this coming from me but, unless we look in serious danger of relegation after Christmas, I'd give him the remainder of the season. If we beat Dumbarton on Saturday it will have been a poor start but not a disaster - 4 points from a home game against the team that'll win the leagues, two fairly tough away games (Queens will be top 4 with Dobbie there) and a home game to a PT side. 55 points should be the playoffs (not that I think we should have been aiming for fourth), so about 14 points a quarter should get you there. 10 points from the 5 games after that should be do-able for quarter 1. We've still got our best player to come back into the side in Grant so I'd hope that'd sort the defence out. The recruitment looks like a huge mistake to me - Rankin has done well by all accounts but wasn't what we needed, Kidd/Gasparotto are Championship midcarders at best (I'd not seen much of Gasparotto but reviews were good), Craigen looks like he'll flit in and out of games and Rogers didn't require much imagination. Henderson seems a strange one but I've not seen enough. They've been a reversion to the season 1 type signings - available, play within 40 miles and/or against us, and Houston's heard of them. It's very unimaginative. Relatively safe though which I think necessitates not changing the manager too quickly. Regardless of how we do over the piece (unless we're bottom 3, which I cannot see), I would wait and re-assess our options in the summer. Hughes is my idol but would be divisive. Someone like Jack Ross or Gary Naysmith could emerge over the season as the next up and coming lower league manager ala Hartley and that to me would be a better shout than a short term fix mid-season. Pressley's availability terrifies me and I'd seriously probably chuck it if he came back. I could see them doing it as well. It is way too early to get carried away with how we're doing so far. Big game on Saturday though I feel from a morale point of view for the supporters as much as the players. -2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiDB Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 6 hours ago, Shadwell Dog said: I think if we had what we have now plus Alston and Vaulks we'd be looking ok. A good starting 11 with enough cover. However, that ain't the case I'm afraid and we're left with a bigger squad but have regressed badly in the quality of our first 11. Can't help feeling that Houston felt we'd be okay with what we had until Vaulks was sold out from under him. He then panicked and signed Rankin who we needed as much as a hole in the head. This season we shouldve been building on the successes of last season and their really is no excuse for us not to. We had the basis of a good team only having lost Alston through no fault of our own. We should be in a position financially where we could bring in some players to improve the squad and increase the quality of our first 11. We shouldve been looking to push hibs all the way again this season and the act that there is no sevco in the league shouldve been a major boost. DU have hardly been splashing the cash so there is no reason again why we shouldnt be competing if not bettering them. However, it would appear that the bod and Houston have failed miserably to take us forward from last season. Signings have in the main failed to get into the side never mind improving the first 11 and then our captain and leader on the pitch is flogged on the eve of the season and replaced by a 33 year old plodder with the rest of the cash going into the blackhole of the bod. We've been left with a side devoid of creativity and drive and this has been borne out by results so far . The only way we will improve is by signing some more players as the ones we have just aren't up to the job. Whether Houston will be able to bring in the right players is far from definite either. All in all the months since the high of beating Hibs in the playoffs have been ones to forget. Houston would have absolutely known that Vaulks was likely to leave, a year left on his contract and made it clear he wouldn't sign another one. There was no way he was "sold out from under him". 5 hours ago, Shadwell Dog said: Fletcher was a cracking player in his day but that's past now and other players should be getting a chance. He's 29, still plenty of time to get back into earlier form. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Fitzgerald Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Would definitely wait for Houston to see out the remainder of his contract and review at the end of the season. One good season out of 3 wouldn't be enough for me to renew his contract. He has this season to turn it around. His main failing has been recruitment, both recently and at the very start of his tenure. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadwell Dog Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 (edited) 22 minutes ago, KiwiDB said: Houston would have absolutely known that Vaulks was likely to leave, a year left on his contract and made it clear he wouldn't sign another one. There was no way he was "sold out from under him". He's 29, still plenty of time to get back into earlier form. I'll be amazed if he plays in the premiership again. Hasn't looked the same player for a few seasons so I doubt it's a former dip. A total of 14 league goals in his last 3 seasons is pretty brutal. Edited August 23, 2016 by Shadwell Dog 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Believe The Hype Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 Jay Fulton on the scoresheet last night for Swansea. Would love to still have him in this team. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz FFC Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 12 hours ago, Trump said: Would definitely wait for Houston to see out the remainder of his contract and review at the end of the season. One good season out of 3 wouldn't be enough for me to renew his contract. He has this season to turn it around. His main failing has been recruitment, both recently and at the very start of his tenure. Given how long managers will spend scouting and talking to players before they sign and given how late in the summer Houston got the Falkirk job, it was amazing he got together a team that went all the way to the final and gave us some great moments. I cannot find fault with Houston for anything he did in summer 2014 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadwell Dog Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 (edited) 28 minutes ago, Gaz FFC said: Given how long managers will spend scouting and talking to players before they sign and given how late in the summer Houston got the Falkirk job, it was amazing he got together a team that went all the way to the final and gave us some great moments. I cannot find fault with Houston for anything he did in summer 2014 Signing David Smith was fault enough I'm afraid. He also signed that big haddy from osterunds in January after having him on trial. God knows where he is now after being punted from Airdrie. A lot of his signings havent cut the mustard unfortunately. As has been mentioned most of the best performers were their before he arrived. The teams performances are getting worse the more Houston signings are in the team. Fulton couldn't get a game for us when he left. I'm frankly amazed hes gone on to big things at Swansea but good luck to the boy. Edited August 24, 2016 by Shadwell Dog 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDust Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 1 hour ago, Shadwell Dog said: Signing David Smith was fault enough I'm afraid. He also signed that big haddy from osterunds in January after having him on trial. God knows where he is now after being punted from Airdrie. A lot of his signings havent cut the mustard unfortunately. As has been mentioned most of the best performers were their before he arrived. The teams performances are getting worse the more Houston signings are in the team. Fulton couldn't get a game for us when he left. I'm frankly amazed hes gone on to big things at Swansea but good luck to the boy. Manager signs some shit players shock.... I could make a team of players the previous Elvis managerial term and yogi. The one thing I do like about Houstie is its black or white in his interviews and honest. The interview post QOS was as honest as it could be, arses will be kicked, he will make a greater effort to correct, whereas not so long ago under Elvis it was fabricated pish, first pumps away draws and knowing we were lining up 4-4-1-1 the following week in days when there was no Rangers. Hibs, Dundee utd, Hearts in the league.Houstie was always on a hiding to nothing after last season, unfortunately many have thrown the towel in after 3 difficult league games. As for Fulton, I agree, I'm well surprised he's not back in Scotland, good touch but was too slow for me to make it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Fitzgerald Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 Given how long managers will spend scouting and talking to players before they sign and given how late in the summer Houston got the Falkirk job, it was amazing he got together a team that went all the way to the final and gave us some great moments. I cannot find fault with Houston for anything he did in summer 2014 All the way to the final? Did you see who we played? Except Hibs there was no upsets. Still great to get to the final but nothing compared to 1997 or 2009. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadwell Dog Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 1 hour ago, MrDust said: Manager signs some shit players shock.... I could make a team of players the previous Elvis managerial term and yogi. The one thing I do like about Houstie is its black or white in his interviews and honest. The interview post QOS was as honest as it could be, arses will be kicked, he will make a greater effort to correct, whereas not so long ago under Elvis it was fabricated pish, first pumps away draws and knowing we were lining up 4-4-1-1 the following week in days when there was no Rangers. Hibs, Dundee utd, Hearts in the league.Houstie was always on a hiding to nothing after last season, unfortunately many have thrown the towel in after 3 difficult league games. As for Fulton, I agree, I'm well surprised he's not back in Scotland, good touch but was too slow for me to make it. Yes but the top managers sign more good than bad and tha'ts why their top managers. We're stuck in this division in the main because the likes of Pressley etc kept signing too many shit players and by the look of the current crop we're going to be here for a while yet. Its ok being honest in interviews but Houston continues to make the same mistakes. At the start of last season it was continually playing one up front. Now its the constant selection of Baird and a midfield of midget holding players . Its no wonder the three opening fixtures proved to be difficult. That's mainly because we arent very good.. Ok Hibs at home is a difficult fixture but Morton away. Christ Dumbarton managed to equal our result last weekend and that was without scraping an injury time equaliser. Queens away we should be winning if we're going to do something this season but it would appear that whilst they've improved from last season when they were 20 odd points behind us we've gone backwards by quite some margin and that with a whole lot more cash to burn than they've got I can assure you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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