The Arbroath Thread

[Pens_Dark]

A little late but congratulations on staying up biys. Delighted for you. 

Hopefully get along to Gayfield for a couple games next season to cheer the Lichties on.

[Lochwood]

Played against us (Ayr)in the cup and based on what I saw he run our defence ragged, I would take him for us.

[Tattie36]

7 minutes ago, Lochwood said:

Played against us (Ayr)in the cup and based on what I saw he run our defence ragged, I would take him for us.

Some of our fans have the view that because we wasn’t great (although he was ok) when he was with us as a skinny wee boy then how can he possibly be good enough now?

I reckon he could do someone a decent turn in the Championship, us hopefully.

[Lochwood]

No chance we will get him but the boy Josh Oconner Hibs is a great prospect.

[Leicesterlichtie]

3 hours ago, 1320Lichtie said:

5 years has passed. A whole lot of player development can take place in 5 years. 
 

I love how you’ve put point 3 as - another poor management decision 

 

Imagine the long list of great management decisions there will have been in 

 

15/16 - keeping us safe in League 2

16/17 - winning League 2 

17/18 - 4th in League 1 and promotion play offs for Championship 

18/19 - winning League 1

19/20 - finishing 5th in Championship

20/21 - 7th In Championship 

21/22 - 2nd in Championship and promotion play offs for Premiership 

22/23 - 8th in Championship 

 

I know last year was frustrating and a lot of mistakes were made but come on now that kind of criticism is just mental for me - ‘another poor management decision’ - like his entire tenure has been full of them when he’s achieved an absolutely ridiculous amount here and completely transformed the club we support. 
 

Who or what in any walk of life has year after year of endless flawless success? Nobody. We or Dick Campbell aren’t any different
 

 

I'm not knocking what the management have done for the club in their time here. Leaps and bounds, the club is in an all round better position. 

It's swing and roundabouts, the good decisions will no doubt outweigh the poor, but you can't have a pop at me making a probable factual statement when you aren't whiter than white when it come to forms of negativity.

So, in all the previous seasons, you have never been critical about the management team on transfers, or their on field decision making. do you not often reference Bakare and Ford signings as poor, which in my mind comes under "poor management decision". Weren't there many complaints about Jaseem Suker in our league 2 triumph. 

[RedLichtie86]

3 hours ago, Leicesterlichtie said:

Ok, big question. Why did DC let Hester go in the first place?

1)Obviously thought he wasn't good enough.

2)Didn't notice any potential.

3)Another poor management decision. 

1. Yes. DC did think that. Hence why at one point where we had an injury crisis up front with only Hester available, he played Ryan McCord upfront.  Then went on to bring Gary Fraser in on an emergency loan for 3 games from Montrose and played him ahead of Hester. Hester still managed to score more than him in those 3 games.

2. Lack of game time stiffled Hester's development. He showed signs of developing but was 3rd or 4th in the pecking order most times.

3. Most likely no. If Dick had kept him then he would probably have not developed the way he has. Might have gone on loan again and did well but then again he could have struggled. But now with 160 odd games and 80+ goals at a level 2 below us in 5 years is very good for any player. Has changed from the player that left us.

He should have been playing at a higher level a few years ago but with the legal troubles and Elgin pricing him out of a move.

If he comes back then lets get fully behind him and not judge him on what he was like 5 years ago. After all we have a few players who have been with us when we were in League 2. Doubt anyone thought they would be good enough for the Championship.

 

 

 

[Tattie36]

10 minutes ago, RedLichtie86 said:

…. After all we have a few players who have been with us when we were in League 2. Doubt anyone thought they would be good enough for the Championship.

 

 

 

That’s a very good point. Who would have thought when we were in L2 that Ricky Little would thrive at this level or that Bobby Linn could still put in mom performances at nearly 38. I know that he wasn’t with us in L2 but who could have predicted that Mike McKenna would win Championship player of the year last season or that David Gold could hold his own?

Players develop and improve, particularly if they’re playing week in week out.

Edited May 11, 2023 by Tattie36

[1320Lichtie]

1 minute ago, Leicesterlichtie said:

I'm not knocking what the management have done for the club in their time here. Leaps and bounds, the club is in an all round better position. 

It's swing and roundabouts, the good decisions will no doubt outweigh the poor, but you can't have a pop at me making a probable factual statement when you aren't whiter than white when it come to forms of negativity.

So, in all the previous seasons, you have never been critical about the management team on transfers, or their on field decision making. do you not often reference Bakare and Ford signings as poor, which in my mind comes under "poor management decision". Weren't there many complaints about Jaseem Suker in our league 2 triumph. 

Yes I absolutely have been critical of certain aspects but to announce us letting Kane Hester go 5 years ago as another poor decision from the management and making a point of saying that, like they’ve been absolutely full of them the last 7 years, reads a bit dismissive and unappreciative I think.

I’d say the for every bad one there’s been there are a whole lot more good ones on the whole 

 

5 years ago is a long long time too. If we kept Kane he wouldn’t be the player he is now cause he wouldn’t have played as much as he has. 

Dick slaughtered himself after Friday night and made a point of doing that and apologising to fans etc. He’s been absolutely amazing for us, it’s a proper success story his time here so think it’s time to cut him a bit of slack. We all got our ranting and raving out the road but in the end we achieved what we set out to do. Time to kick on

 

[Leicesterlichtie]

18 minutes ago, 1320Lichtie said:

Yes I absolutely have been critical of certain aspects but to announce us letting Kane Hester go 5 years ago as another poor decision from the management and making a point of saying that, like they’ve been absolutely full of them the last 7 years, reads a bit dismissive and unappreciative I think.

I’d say the for every bad one there’s been there are a whole lot more good ones on the whole 

 

5 years ago is a long long time too. If we kept Kane he wouldn’t be the player he is now cause he wouldn’t have played as much as he has. 

Dick slaughtered himself after Friday night and made a point of doing that and apologising to fans etc. He’s been absolutely amazing for us, it’s a proper success story his time here so think it’s time to cut him a bit of slack. We all got our ranting and raving out the road but in the end we achieved what we set out to do. Time to kick on

 

As with everyone, we all come on here with our own opinions and viewpoints, right or wrong.

Anyway, I've always thought when he was at the club that Hester was a natural finisher.

[1320Lichtie]

2 hours ago, Leicesterlichtie said:

As with everyone, we all come on here with our own opinions and viewpoints, right or wrong.

Anyway, I've always thought when he was at the club that Hester was a natural finisher.

I was not having a go at any opinion just thought it was a weird point to make when the guys been an incredible success story here 

[Lichteeeeee]

2 hours ago, 1320Lichtie said:

Dick slaughtered himself after Friday night and made a point of doing that and apologising to fans etc. He’s been absolutely amazing for us, it’s a proper success story his time here so think it’s time to cut him a bit of slack. We all got our ranting and raving out the road but in the end we achieved what we set out to do. Time to kick on

 

We achieved what we set out to do? hanging on for dear life, after coming second last season.

Lets not forget, being part time has some benefits, we get the best pick of part time players, who want to play at the highest level possible. TOB and others with decent jobs wouldnt be here if we were full time.

We have a decent sized budget to go and get players like Scott Allan. So there is budget at his disposal.

Poor signings, poor tactics all lie at DC's doorstep, cutting him some slack, got f**ksakes he nearly took us down.

An no more of that Noubles mates at preseason 

 

[DUAFC]

12 minutes ago, Lichteeeeee said:

We achieved what we set out to do? hanging on for dear life, after coming second last season.

Lets not forget, being part time has some benefits, we get the best pick of part time players, who want to play at the highest level possible. TOB and others with decent jobs wouldnt be here if we were full time.

We have a decent sized budget to go and get players like Scott Allan. So there is budget at his disposal.

Poor signings, poor tactics all lie at DC's doorstep, cutting him some slack, got f**ksakes he nearly took us down.

An no more of that Noubles mates at preseason 

 

I actually agree with most of this. 

Still not sure what the  " Noubles' mates" is all about however. 

[1320Lichtie]

38 minutes ago, Lichteeeeee said:

We achieved what we set out to do? hanging on for dear life, after coming second last season.

Lets not forget, being part time has some benefits, we get the best pick of part time players, who want to play at the highest level possible. TOB and others with decent jobs wouldnt be here if we were full time.

We have a decent sized budget to go and get players like Scott Allan. So there is budget at his disposal.

Poor signings, poor tactics all lie at DC's doorstep, cutting him some slack, got f**ksakes he nearly took us down.

An no more of that Noubles mates at preseason 

 

Yes the objective was to stay in the league and we have, bigger clubs than us have went down (see Partick / Dunfermline / Falkirk) 

 

And yes cut him some slack because of the breakdown of each season given before, not this season which has been terrible as has been said a million times before

 

He has been absolutely incredible here, the way he’s transformed the club could possibly have him up there with one of our best ever managers although I am only 30 year old so that could be wrong.. by far and away the best we’ve had in my time watching Arbroath though it’s not even close.
 

Nobody can maintain season after season of relative success not even the best clubs in the world 

 

I realise everything else you say and pros and cons of PT and FT. The reason we have that budget too is because of how well Dicks done on the pitch which has allowed us to grow off it / claim prize money from very good league finishes…

 

And aye cannot be arsed with any more trialists either 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by 1320Lichtie

[1993]

12 hours ago, RedLichtie86 said:

And what style would that be? Lump it up the park to a target man like we did all season. Then yes he wouldnt fit that.

But maybe. Just maybe. We might be looking to change that for next season. Possibly have different options in the team to give us more tactical choices.

 

That’s the only style Kane knows. Ball over top to use his pace. No point in playing to his feet and asking him to hold the ball or lay it off, that’s beyond him.

[RedLichtie86]

1 hour ago, 1993 said:

That’s the only style Kane knows. Ball over top to use his pace. No point in playing to his feet and asking him to hold the ball or lay it off, that’s beyond him.

You do realise you have just described a different style of play than the one i mentioned.

Edited May 11, 2023 by RedLichtie86

[1993]

You mentioned lumping the ball up front which is pretty much what we do with Hester looking for scraps off defenders or playing on their shoulder although 80% of the time he is caught offside.

[AFC360PUNK1320]

OK here is my take on Kane Hester.

Would i want to sign him for the Red Lichties and my answer is YES as imo he is a natural goalscorer and i am convinced if he gets the service he would score goals for us.

This might sound nuts but Ian Rush was not a great player but he was a natural goalscorer who had good players around him Aldridge was the same, our last "natural" goalscorer was probably "Shagger" McManus whereas Doris and Simon Murray were more powerhouse bustling strikers and probably our last all round great player/penalty box goalscorer was "Dibble" McGlashan who was a class act and Wighton is also a class act.

Now i am not trying to say Kane Hester is as good as Ian Rush i am saying they are a similar type of forward but a good few levels apart and if we signed a player like O'Hara or Austin to play next to Hester i would be happy with that with Shanks getting more game time as i reckon he will be a good player for us. 

Hester has had 5 years away from us and will have toughened up and even the Ayr Utd fans said he ripped them apart at Somerset Park in the Scottish Cup and i think he is worth a chance and i would sign him for us (as well as getting a big experienced striker playing next to him).  

There always seems a lot of AFC fans who do not want ex-players to return but imo if you are going to return a better players then i see no reason on why not to sign you.

[Hayshead2]

6 hours ago, AFC360PUNK1320 said:

OK here is my take on Kane Hester.

Would i want to sign him for the Red Lichties and my answer is YES as imo he is a natural goalscorer and i am convinced if he gets the service he would score goals for us.

This might sound nuts but Ian Rush was not a great player but he was a natural goalscorer who had good players around him Aldridge was the same, our last "natural" goalscorer was probably "Shagger" McManus whereas Doris and Simon Murray were more powerhouse bustling strikers and probably our last all round great player/penalty box goalscorer was "Dibble" McGlashan who was a class act and Wighton is also a class act.

Now i am not trying to say Kane Hester is as good as Ian Rush i am saying they are a similar type of forward but a good few levels apart and if we signed a player like O'Hara or Austin to play next to Hester i would be happy with that with Shanks getting more game time as i reckon he will be a good player for us. 

Hester has had 5 years away from us and will have toughened up and even the Ayr Utd fans said he ripped them apart at Somerset Park in the Scottish Cup and i think he is worth a chance and i would sign him for us (as well as getting a big experienced striker playing next to him).  

There always seems a lot of AFC fans who do not want ex-players to return but imo if you are going to return a better players then i see no reason on why not to sign you.

2 up top and wingers as well now. Fool. 

[ExiledLichtie]

We are not going to play 2 strikers.

On another note, we just shouldnt sign youngsters.  We aren't giving Shanks chances, and Paterson has stagnated for the same reason.

[1320Lichtie]

2 minutes ago, ExiledLichtie said:

We are not going to play 2 strikers.

On another note, we just shouldnt sign youngsters.  We aren't giving Shanks chances, and Paterson has stagnated for the same reason.

We are not really In a position to give youngsters a chance. I agree Shanks was a better option than Komolafe etc last year but we would’ve been in same position as we ended up in if Shanks had played there all year too. The loan makes sense.

 

Don't think Patterson good enough for this level either and tbh seems like he’s just happy playing for Bo’ness so good luck to him

Edited May 12, 2023 by 1320Lichtie