Ivo den Bieman Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 Stenny look like they're putting together a very strong squad. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1320Lichtie Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 Harry Paton joins on loan from Hearts. Canadian ex Fulham. Apparently a central midfielder. We badly need some width unless Jimmy is going to play on the wing. Scott would be pretty hopeless on the wing tbh. Zero pace 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickenbacker17 Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 Suspect we need three more. Right back cover, right mid (wonder what Willis is up to) and one more striker. Guess we will use the loan market again so maybe only one more perm signing? Would take Connor Duthie back if he is available. I believe Willis was on trail at St Mirren but are no longer interested in signing him. Wouldn't mind seeing him back but would be surprised if he did. I to would take Conner back but like Willis would be surprised to see him drop to league 2. Wouldn't mind being proved wrong. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 If Willis signed I'd be booking in for my 'Stenhousemuir F.C - League 2 Winners 2017/2018' tatoo now, but the chances are probably zero 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilly Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 Even if he came back on a 6 month deal he could tear shit up and then leave in January. Still need two wingers and I would be relatively happy with our work. Blockley or Marsh can cover right back so I don't see that as an area we really need to cover. I have the continued fear though McGuigan is going to be used on the wing rather than through the middle. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickenbacker17 Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 Will be interesting to see how we set up defensively, probably looked at our best towards the end of last season with a back 3. If we stick to that then no real need for cover at right back, would just need to go to a back 4 if a centre back was out. A back 3 with the Dunlops and Marsh, it would however mean that I couldn't really see a place for Meechan in the starting 11 and would be used as the right back cover and Donaldson cover for the left. I agree with Neilly that both wings are positions that need to be looked at. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesc Fabregas Posted June 25, 2017 Author Share Posted June 25, 2017 We've got a decent-looking team together, one that looks like it's capable of challenging for the play-offs. A good goalkeeper (our first in two years), a solid defensive base and handy options in attack - all we need is about three more players and we're good to go. As others above me have said, we need wingers. We had three very handy wide boys last year in Alan Cook, Connor Duthie and Willis Furtado and it'll be difficult to replace them with similar quality. I know Mark McGuigan has played out wide in the past before but I think he's better used as a striker. Goalkeepers Lewis McMinn Chris Smith Defenders Ruaridh Donaldson Mick Dunlop Ross Dunlop Joshua Gracie* David Marsh Ross Meechan Midfielders Nathan Blockley Mark Ferry Thomas Halleran* Harry Paton (on loan from Heart of Midlothian) Jimmy Scott Robbie Sinclair* Strikers Jamie Longworth Mark McGuigan Colin McMenamin (* denotes a player signed from the Forth Valley Football Academy) We're still to hear from David Crawford, Carlos Mazana-Martinez, Stephen Stirling and Ciaran Summers. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilly Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 We have four centre midfield and a new left back I would consider Steph and Ciaran gone. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesc Fabregas Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share Posted June 26, 2017 1 hour ago, Neilly said: We have four centre midfield and a new left back I would consider Steph and Ciaran gone. And David Crawford, for that matter, I can't imagine we'd have any use for a third goalkeeper. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesc Fabregas Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share Posted June 26, 2017 Having looked through the squad of players for the new season, we have only retained two (Colin McMenamin and Ross Meechan) from last season. I can't remember us ever turning the squad over to such a great extent over the last 12 years. The times they are a-changin'. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Warrior Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 You have forgotten about David Marsh. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaver1 Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 3 hours ago, Francesc Fabregas said: Having looked through the squad of players for the new season, we have only retained two (Colin McMenamin and Ross Meechan) from last season. I can't remember us ever turning the squad over to such a great extent over the last 12 years. The times they are a-changin'. Lack of continuity is a worry. Happy with the signings in general but they are unproven as a collective unit. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesc Fabregas Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share Posted June 26, 2017 1 hour ago, beaver1 said: Lack of continuity is a worry. Happy with the signings in general but they are unproven as a collective unit. Last season's continuity saw us relegated, so maybe ripping up and starting again was the best thing to do. On a completely different note, Nicky Devlin has signed for Walsall. When he left the club in 2014, Scott Booth didn't think he was "confident enough" a player. Scott Booth was an idiot. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 Nicky Devlin was a defensive liability and for every impressive foray forward his lack of positional awareness cost goals. I'd probably have kept him but he did very little to suggest he'd progress much beyond being a good Scottish League 2 player, middling Championship player. Let's no rewrite history 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilly Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 That man had no ability in judging a footballer. Great move for Nicky I'm pleased for him he's a good guy into the bargain. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesc Fabregas Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share Posted June 26, 2017 1 hour ago, Am Featha *****h Nan Clach said: Nicky Devlin was a defensive liability and for every impressive foray forward his lack of positional awareness cost goals. I'd probably have kept him but he did very little to suggest he'd progress much beyond being a good Scottish League 2 player, middling Championship player. Let's no rewrite history Speak for yourself! While he didn't have a great season in 2013/14, he definitely had the tools to develop into a very good player. He's big, strong, reasonably quick, has a good attitude and a willingness to learn and improve. He was generally excellent during his three years at Ayr United. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivo den Bieman Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 (edited) A propos of nothing in particular, here's the top Stenny were wearing round about the time I started watching the Mo: Absolutely hideous. It's like it was made from cast-off fabric for Wimpey show home curtains. Stenny have long really plumbed the depths of football fashion...(still, this, er, "beauty" is for sale on e-bay - probably worth buying and sitting on for ten years, you'll get your money back and more...) Edited June 26, 2017 by Ivo den Bieman 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 Speak for yourself! While he didn't have a great season in 2013/14, he definitely had the tools to develop into a very good player. He's big, strong, reasonably quick, has a good attitude and a willingness to learn and improve. He was generally excellent during his three years at Ayr United. He had the attributes to be a good player but he was caught out of position so frequently it often led to chances being created and goals scored down his side. I don't recall there being too much of a fuss when he was released. Maybe a majority would have preferred he was retained but there was no 'Batistuta leaving Fiorentina' riots outside Ochilview (or realistically, the same sweary words and anger directed towards Booth when Sean Dickson was punted) When he left I felt there was a reasonable chance his direct replacement would be no worse and perhaps better. Personally, Ross Meechan in his second season regularly turned in more solid and overall better performances that Devlin did during his best spell. He seemed like a genuine guy and always gave his best, so I'm pleased he's got himself a good deal down south. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesc Fabregas Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share Posted June 26, 2017 (edited) I see the points you're making but I'd disagree on the whole. Nicky Devlin wasn't fantastic in his final season at Stenhousemuir but I don't ever remember him being a liability or a particular problem at right-back. I was disappointed when he left the club but I think greater focus was on the number of players Scott Booth had allowed to depart in the summer of 2014 (something like 17, I think) and just how he was going to replace them, rather than on Devlin alone. As for your point on Sean Dickson, there were a number of factors for the outcry over his release - Booth's ever-decreasing popularity, Dickson's standing amongst the support, the fact he was one of the team's most experienced players, the side's terrible league position at the time - so I don't think it's fair to compare the two situations. It's also worth pointing out that Devlin's immediate replacement was Robbie Duncan. Duncan played the last couple of games at the end of 2013/14 and was the first-choice right-back at the start of 2014/15 and it quickly became apparent he was nowhere near good enough for League 1 football. Ross Meechan ended up replacing Duncan and was hopeless until Bomber took charge of the team and delpoyed him in central midfield alongside Kieran Millar. I would probably agree with your point that Meechan's performances in 2015/16 were better than anything Devlin turned in for us, but I'd certainly agree with your final one - Nicky's a brilliant guy and I'm also delighted to see he's won a good deal. I hope he makes a massive success of himself. Edited June 27, 2017 by Francesc Fabregas 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonglum25 Posted June 27, 2017 Share Posted June 27, 2017 (edited) Bomber spoke at the AGM last night and for the benefit of those who were not there the salient points were: Will probably play most of the games as 3-5-2. No captain decided yet. Still looking for a couple of wide players. Summers looking to go full time with a club! Willis currently in Paris - future somewhat unknown. Happy with the squad and hopeful about the ones who have came through from the academy - thinks Thomas Halleron could be a find. Jim Paterson is assistant manager. Stirling currently training with us but will have to prove his fitness before any decison made. Edited June 27, 2017 by Moonglum25 Forgot to add 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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