The Airdrieonians Off Season Thread 2015

[airdrieman]

We weren't that bad in that respect this season, either. Outside of the top three scorers (Prunty, Lister and Fraser), the following all scored more than one: Fitzpatrick (4), McHugh (4), Blockley (3), Bain (2), P. Boyle (2), Gasparotto (2), Parker (2). None of them prolific by any means, by that adds up to 19 goals - and given how mean our defence was once it was sorted out in the winter, that's not a bad figure. Gilfillan, Lindsay, Morton, Proctor and Watt got one each.

That's interesting. Should probably have known since I kept a goalscorer chart throughout the season

Good to have players all over the park who at least have the potential to score (if not prolifically) especially if you tend to win games by one or two goals.

Reckon McHugh could be a 20+ scorer at this level.

[touchedbymadness]

Boyle has a woeful record compared to Bollan or just about anyone else. He was man in the charge when we got humped 7 - 2 and 7 - 0 by Rovers and Thistle and during our disastrous play - off final against Dumbarton, an awful signing record where his policy seemed to be he's a free agent - sign him up, got us relegated from the first division and had us regularly in the bottom two in this league. Bollan's not perfect but there is no comparison.

Bringing on youth - point has been addressed in earlier posts. While in hindsight it was a mistake to keep Coogans - it seems logical to keep a hold of him and try and sell him for more. Parker was an excellent footballer, as said above. I'm not convinced Coogans was better or would have been able to offer what he did.

The football may be "turgid" but generally it's effective - which is what counts. Lack of cutting edge - I'd probably agree with this to an extent but if the football is effective and we win games I'm not that bothered. In Bollan's first season in charge we had players in different positions who were able to score (e.g Buchanan). Hopefully this will be addressed and will be something that returns as it was a massive advantage to us.

As for this season's squad - it's still early so difficult to say. I really like O'Neil and would be happy for him to play LB although obviously a natural LB would be preferable. I'd imagine Bollan is currently looking to strengthen the midfield so it's uncertain who will be playing where just now. Would imagine Gilfillan and Fitzpatrick would be starters though. I agree that we need at least another couple of strikers. Hopefully Lister will sign up but we can't rely on him as much as we have done. Jury is still out on Cox while Richford is an unknown entity. Boyle is finished at this level. McHugh would be a brilliant signing but still think he will end up in the Championship.

Again, apples with apples, Boyle's summer of 2013 is looking very similar to Bollan's summer of 2015. Boyle made some early signings that year (O'Brilliant, McCormack, Lister, Coult, Sinclair, Hardie, etc.) and we convinced ourselves it was going to be great. We know that Van Zanten has been oft injured, Crighton seems to come with a rep for giving away penalties and generally being not what the Morton fans wanted, we know about Lithgow and Cox's issues, and we'll generally be lower calibre than what finished the season with Luca, Lindsay, Fraser and McHugh missing. And a few of Boyle's seasons had the exact same look as Bollan's last season. The year he signed Cammy MacDonald was the exact same kind of turnaround as we had last season. Jimmy Boyle and Gary Bollan are both managers who are more capable than we give credit for. Bollan is more like McCall where he'd rather rely on veterans but a 5th place finish in last year's league is hardly impressive. Boyle was trying to do what the chairman wanted by selling youth and he achieved a lot in that time which we should maybe acknowledge rather than judge him solely the previous season. But the managers aren't the problem, it's trying to attract quality players for £80/week. Do the sums. A few times under Boyle we had O'Neill and Drummond playing for £30/week between them. How can you construct a quality team worth paying £16/game for when the player budget is £2000/ week. Seriously, try working out a workable solution? Hopefully Mr M&H will give Bollan more of a budget to work with?

And please, Parker? He's the most useless bad attitude shitebag that's ever pulled on a <>. Prunty does more in 1 game than that tube did in 20odd games.

[airdriefan100]

Would love it if we signed Bob McHugh but he's probably too young to drop to part time and will be looking for a full time deal, will probably end up with someone like Raith Rovers. Would like to see us signing Callum Tapping tbh but i don't think we will.

[airdrieman]

Again, apples with apples, Boyle's summer of 2013 is looking very similar to Bollan's summer of 2015. Boyle made some early signings that year (O'Brilliant, McCormack, Lister, Coult, Sinclair, Hardie, etc.) and we convinced ourselves it was going to be great. We know that Van Zanten has been oft injured, Crighton seems to come with a rep for giving away penalties and generally being not what the Morton fans wanted, we know about Lithgow and Cox's issues, and we'll generally be lower calibre than what finished the season with Luca, Lindsay, Fraser and McHugh missing. And a few of Boyle's seasons had the exact same look as Bollan's last season. The year he signed Cammy MacDonald was the exact same kind of turnaround as we had last season. Jimmy Boyle and Gary Bollan are both managers who are more capable than we give credit for. Bollan is more like McCall where he'd rather rely on veterans but a 5th place finish in last year's league is hardly impressive. Boyle was trying to do what the chairman wanted by selling youth and he achieved a lot in that time which we should maybe acknowledge rather than judge him solely the previous season. But the managers aren't the problem, it's trying to attract quality players for £80/week. Do the sums. A few times under Boyle we had O'Neill and Drummond playing for £30/week between them. How can you construct a quality team worth paying £16/game for when the player budget is £2000/ week. Seriously, try working out a workable solution? Hopefully Mr M&H will give Bollan more of a budget to work with?

And please, Parker? He's the most useless bad attitude shitebag that's ever pulled on a <>. Prunty does more in 1 game than that tube did in 20odd games.

You're right - budget and how much you have got to spend has a huge influence over how well you'll do and yes, 5th place isn't impressive and not where any of us want to be. But Bollan has shown us that he's a capable manager and has an eye for a player. With an increased budget (which we may have this year with the change in ownership) and therefore the ability to sign a better standard of player I genuinely believe he can take us places. It's still too early to compare this season's squad with last. We'll have a better idea come July and presumably we'll get some loan players in again too.

Boyle had one decent half of a season which ended in utter failure.

Parry, Lithgow and Van Zanten are better players that Stewart, O'Byrne, McCormack and Sinclair. Admittedly Coult and Hardie were disappointments.

However like I said it's still early and we have no idea how the full squad will look come the start of the season. Plus we're Airdrie fans so it never pays to be optimistic!

There have been far worse players to play for Airdrie than Parker.

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

What's the deal with big Lister? Seen a few folk saying he may not be at Airdrie next season.

[airdrieman]

What's the deal with big Lister? Seen a few folk saying he may not be at Airdrie next season.

He missed the last few months of the season with an injury. Rumours are that the injury combined with his age means he's planning on retiring but there's been nothing official yet.

He's been a key part of our team and our game plan and even if he can only go around for another season he'd be a big loss if he wasn't adequately replaced.

[kerrdavidson95]

And please, Parker? He's the most useless bad attitude shitebag that's ever pulled on a <>. Prunty does more in 1 game than that tube did in 20odd games.

No, I'm not having that. Parker was a key part of the turnaround in 2013-14. How you can say that he's useless is beyond me.

You'll be saying that Craig Barr wasn't any good next.

[Jan Vojáček]

He missed the last few months of the season with an injury. Rumours are that the injury combined with his age means he's planning on retiring but there's been nothing official yet.

He's been a key part of our team and our game plan and even if he can only go around for another season he'd be a big loss if he wasn't adequately replaced.

Wan Jimmy Lister

[dextermorgan]

Keigan Parker was an excellent footballer and settled the ship when we looked like going down.

I only had one criticism of him, albeit a small one...he was striker who didn't score goals!!

When Lister was mis-firing at the start of last season we needed him to step up and take the initiative, it never happened. Parker eventually left and went to Clyde where he continued his scoring run.

[The Chlamydia Kid]

Keigan Parker was a different class to anyone in our side. Head and shoulders above anyone technically.

[Dandy Diamond]

It's not rocket science to realise wer going to struggle next season when you've got Gilfillan and Fitzpatrick as your two central midfielders GB is going to have to pull of another miracle in the loan market again otherwise were going to be watching another 9 months of dire football.

[airdrieman]

Glad to see the love for Parker. A excellent footballer and I was disappointed to see him go. To say he was the worst player to play for Airdrie is ludicrous. Wasn't even the worst player to play upfront for us last season.

It's not rocket science to realise wer going to struggle next season when you've got Gilfillan and Fitzpatrick as your two central midfielders GB is going to have to pull of another miracle in the loan market again otherwise were going to be watching another 9 months of dire football.

Relax. There's still plenty of time and I'm sure Bollan will be more than aware we need to strengthen the midfield and that he'll be looking to do so.

[kerrdavidson95]

Is everyone forgetting we've got over a month before the start of the season to get the squad sorted?

[Airdrie76]

It's not rocket science to realise wer going to struggle next season when you've got Gilfillan and Fitzpatrick as your two central midfielders GB is going to have to pull of another miracle in the loan market again otherwise were going to be watching another 9 months of dire football.

He hasn't finished signing players. Why don't you wait and see who's in at the start of the season

[Muzza81]

It's not rocket science to realise wer going to struggle next season when you've got Gilfillan and Fitzpatrick as your two central midfielders GB is going to have to pull of another miracle in the loan market again otherwise were going to be watching another 9 months of dire football.

It's the middle of June ya fucking rocket.

[AJ77]

Fitzy took a while to get going in the end he looked a decent player. Don't see what the problem with gilfillan is we've never lost a game with gilfillan in the starting line up

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[Dunning1874]

I realise I'm late in adding my thoughts here, but Crighton is a dreadful signing. Morton fans coming in talking about him being solid in the run-in are massively whitewashing him: he had two decent performances in the last two games of the season where he didn't have any total howlers, that's it. The fact that that was a massive improvement on the rest of the season says it all, he's simply nowhere near good enough for this division.

For a comparison with players both Airdrie and Morton fans are familiar with, Ricki Lamie is about ten times the centre back Crighton is and Grant Evans is also a vastly superior player. He's a trier, but he's just not up to the required standard. He played 35 games and gave away six penalties: that is shockingly bad.

[kerrdavidson95]

Season ticket prices to be held at the same price as last season, at £235 for an unreserved adult (£250 reserved) and concessions at £135 unreserved (£153 reserved).

The trust are holding their Kit Aid kit-for-kids-season-ticket event again this year too.

[Airdrie76]

I realise I'm late in adding my thoughts here, but Crighton is a dreadful signing. Morton fans coming in talking about him being solid in the run-in are massively whitewashing him: he had two decent performances in the last two games of the season where he didn't have any total howlers, that's it. The fact that that was a massive improvement on the rest of the season says it all, he's simply nowhere near good enough for this division.

For a comparison with players both Airdrie and Morton fans are familiar with, Ricki Lamie is about ten times the centre back Crighton is and Grant Evans is also a vastly superior player. He's a trier, but he's just not up to the required standard. He played 35 games and gave away six penalties: that is shockingly bad.

We were told the same about Fitzpatrick but he turned out okay.

I might be in the minority but I thought Lamie was cr@p. So I hope you're wrong!

[Diamonds are Forever]

We were told the same about Fitzpatrick but he turned out okay.

In fairness they were right about him when playing in defence where he's hopeless. Wasn't until he moved into midfield he came good. Anyway, I think Crighton will be a decent signing for us, he's clearly not 10 times worse than Rickie Lamie, which makes it hard to take the rest of the post seriously.