The Arbroath Thread

[SimonLichtie]

Always find this time of year frustrating - the bigger/ better players hold out for at least another month usually to see what's about which usually leaves us signing up the squad filler/ rotation players (Doris aside) and our squad looking very bare until at least mid June I expect.

 

We have a good start in Ricky Little, Bobby Linn and Stevie Doris but realistically we need another 6 big players if we expect to be up the top. A quality keeper, two quality defenders, two quality midfielders and another quality striker required on top of squad players to give us a chance.

 

As I mentioned before, this summer will be different for two reasons. One - we need 16 players signed up by the end of the second week of July for the League Cup, and secondly because the loan market may be very different now the development teams are playing in the Challenge Cup (which is a total fucking farce). This may see the amount of loans decrease dramatically, at least until these teams are knocked out, which means July/ August and maybe even into September there will be a decrease throughout the lower leagues in the amount of loan signings. Ultimately every team still needs a squad, so will we see more signings come from the juniors/ lowland league or will squads across the board be very small initially until around late September when the loan market picks up?

[Lichtie78]

Omar Kader, Michael Dunlop, Gavin Malin and Ryan McCord all signed.

[Mexico]

New Signings

Manager Dick Campbell is excited to announce that he has agreed terms with the following players Omar Kader, Michael Dunlop, Gavin Malin all make the move from Station Park alongside Ryan McCord ex Raith Rovers and of course Steven Doris.

Omar Kader is a 30 year old midfielder who joins from Forfar Athletic and has also played for Spartans and Alloa Athletic.

Defender Michael Dunlop also makes the switch from Forfar and is a former Aberdeen youth captain and is 23 years old.

Gavin Malin is a 27 year old midfielder also making the short switch from Station Park.

Finally 27 year old midfielder Ryan McCord who started his career with Dundee United before playing over 131 games for Alloa Athletic makes the move from Raith Rovers.

Dick is still talking to various others players and is is very excited about his signings so far and is actively seeking to confirm the clubs preseason programme before the first League cup match on the16th July.

C'mon the Lichties

[1320Lichtie]

Big fan of McCord and Kader. Not sure about Malin or Dunlop but no surprise that's a few ex players in.

McCord is the good McCord brother isn't he??

[lichtie23]

We have signed the decent McCord brother.

Happy with all them

[Smokerson]

McCord is a great signing as is Kader. Don't really know anything about the others. Great to see we are getting business done early.

[Ivo den Bieman]

Gavin Malin

 

an appalling player last seen being bullied off the park in a game down at Ochilview.

 

good luck with that

 

(the rest are very decent players though, some good signings)

Edited May 10, 2016 by Ivo den Bieman

[renton]

Kader and McCord are both very decent signings for this level I would've said.

[lichtie23]

Gavin Malin

an appalling player last seen being bullied off the park in a game down at Ochilview.

good luck with that

(the rest are very decent players though, some good signings)

Was he at you're lot on loan this season?

[Ivo den Bieman]

Yes. In fairness in his first few games he looked OK but for some reason he had a very bad patch of form, and never recovered after his torrid time at the hands of the Shire.

 

Given that Campbell offloaded him whilst at Forfar to us and pretty clearly didn't have him in his plans it is a strange signing.

 

Ryan McCord and Kader should be great in League Two if they stay fit.

[The Moonster]

McCord should piss all over this league.  A wee bit annoyed we haven't gone for him to be honest.

[1320Lichtie]

youve made a few cracking signings. McCord too good for league 2 so brilliant signing & kader as well will do a job.

I actually can't believe Ryan has dropped to League 2... Fair play to Dick Campbell - Shrewd bit of business!

Pleasing to read that. I have always thought he was good but a lot of really positive things being said about the guy.

[Francesc Fabregas]

Ryan McCord is an astonishing piece of business. If there's a better midfielder in League 2 next season I'll be very surprised.

 

If Omar Kader can recapture the same form before he joined Alloa Athletic he'll be a star. Michael Dunlop's a very decent stopper. Some pretty handy signings in here. This is looking like a team that could challenge for the title.

[SimonLichtie]

Impossible to make any real judgement/ comment on all of them as I've only seen them in a handful of games.

 

Ryan McCord - Fallen out of favour at Raith since the turn of the year and had very little game time. However, he has spent the last 5 years at Championship level and it's very surprising to see him drop down to League 2 and bypass League 1. On the surface an excellent signing in my opinion, certainly a player I'd have high hopes for this season and I expect the plan will be for him to be a starter every week.

 

Gavin Malin - I would expect Malin to be squad filler for us. Was loaned out by Dick when at Forfar last year, but Dick must feel he may be able to offer something at this level. Not had many positive reviews from Montrose fans I believe. Doesn't look like he's kicked a ball in the first team for anyone since the turn of the year which is slightly surprising.

 

Michael Dunlop - Not had a massive amount of game time this season (may be due to injury?) and has average reviews so far but he is dropping down a division, and I would put him in the 'squad filler' category for now.

 

Omar Kader - Would fully expect Kader to do a good job at League 2 level. Has played every week this year for Forfar in League 1, and their fans seem to be happy enough (as happy as they can be considering their relegation) with Kader's performances. I would expect Kader to be a regular starter for us.

 

Signed up so far and expected position:

Ricky Little - DC, starter
Michael Dunlop - backup
Bobby Linn - LM, starter
David Gold - backup
Mark Whatley - CM (DR?), starter
Omar Kader - RM, starter
Gavin Malin - CM, backup
Ryan McCord - CM, starter
Kane Hester - SC, rotation
Steven Doris - SC, starter

 

Mooted signings - Rab Douglas player/ coach, Iain Campbell DL, Gavin Swankie SC.

 

Ricky Little, Bobby Linn, Omar Kader, Ryan McCord and Stevie Doris all fairly nailed on to be starters almost every week for me, so that's 5 of our starting 11 definitely sorted. I would say McCord definitely takes one of the half a dozen bigger signings I mentioned earlier, Kader also.

 

A good base to build from, and as long as we do bring in the bigger players in 4/6 weeks things are looking positive. I would definitely like to see a mean b*****d or two brought in though, especially in the defence.

Edited May 10, 2016 by SimonLichtie

[T-zero]

McCord is a brilliant signing for league 2 along with Omer kader.

[1320Lichtie]

Kader and Linn on the wings, McCord and Whatley in the middle. That's a very dece midfield.

GK situation will be interesting. Wonder if DC will trust Big Rab again? Or bring him in as a coach and look more to bringing in another starter?

I'd actually like to see Campbell brought in now I think. He's a solid left back, which were gonna need behind two attacking guys like Boab and Omar.

[powerhouse7]

Want Darren Hill? Hope to f**k we punt him

[lichtiekev]

Will McCord get a game before gold?

[Francesc Fabregas]

Big Rab was beginning to look a little creaky by the time he left Forfar Athletic last season. He's still a big lump of a boy and could organise a defence and command his area like no-one else, but he just looked slower and less agile than before. His age was definitely catching up with him.

[Aidan]

Fair play to Arbroath, Omar Kader, and in particular Ryan McCord, are fantastic signings at this level.