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Managing Saints, with a RandomTwist


RandomGuy.

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March 2024/25 (plus final pre-split fixture)

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Seasons turned to shit.

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Europe again, but should've been 2nd place.

Celtic play Kilmarnock in the SC Final, so 3rd will get in the Europa Play-Offs.

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3 transfers all agreed for the Summer.

After the disaster of a window in January, and subsequent collapse, there'll be no fucking about.

Eyad Al-Hussein

Spoiler

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Been scouting him for a few seasons, humming and hawing, and have finally taken the plunge.

Intend of signing another left winger to compete with him, but hes pretty good where I like wingers to be, and regular International games should develop him.

Mateo Mejia

Spoiler

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Agreed a deal with him last Summer, only for him to extend his Man U contract by a year instead.

A season on loan in the Championship with Wigan not enough to get another deal there, so to Perth he heads.

Completely different option to Wright and Connelly on the right, and I reckon he would be a pretty decent striker in a front two aswell.

Tom Ritchie

Spoiler

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Power move as f**k. Signing Aberdeens first choice keeper to send a message.

My intended long term replacement for Clark, hes worse just now, just, but should progress beyond where Clark is.

No idea how I got him for £33k, my scouts reckoned it would be more than £1m. I didnt enquire and just went straight in to bid, expecting the usual high response, but they just accepted it. No clauses or anything. Convinced myself I've somehow missed something.

 

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Split Results 2024/25

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Sums us up.

Good enough to beat the 5th and 6th best team, but too poor to do anything against the top three.

Looking at my bench for a game changing sub in those last two games and had nothing.

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In theory, a 3rd and 4th place finish in our first two seasons after promotion should be applauded, but I'm raging.

We had a genuine chance of finishing 2nd and making the UCL until the collapse in the second half of the season.

The "Euro Cup 2" gives you a fraction of the finances the Europa League gives you aswell.

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Squad Review 2024/25

Goalkeepers

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Clark had started to chuck them in by the end. His agility in particular is plummetting.

Defenders

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Griffiths won't be back. Outstanding again but I need a permanent option there. Miller might get a shot but I'm wanting a genuine star player in there.

Ralston might be replaced, his injury has fucked him by the looks of it.

Gordon wants to leave, and doesn't look like he'll be missed, while Lemon is out of contract. Knost a pointless signing.

Midfielders

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Bowie has to be one of the worst signings I've made. Barely even made the bench after January.

Connelly had started to show up.

Honestly, I have every intention of losing Darboe, McCormick, Slivka, Ceccoli, Wright, Bowie and Wright.

A total rebuild.

Strikers

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Ross is nowhere near ready for the top flight, Bowie being horrendous led to him playing so much.

 

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Expectations are...

League: Qualify for the Europa League (top 3 finish).

Euro Cup 2: Qualify for Group Stage (start in 3rd Qualifying Round; 4th Qualifying round final stage before Groups)

Domestic Cups: Reach the Quarter Final.

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6 minutes ago, Bully Wee Villa said:

Have Hibs had some rich benefactor? Wondering why their odds are so low after finishing second bottom?

They don't but this might help explain it...

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Summer Transfer 2025/26

Out

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A Summer culling.

We say farewell to many heroes.

Liam Gordon, Vykintas Slivka, Drey Wright and Scott Wright all major parts of my promotion season, and I think they all played over 100 games under me. Sadly their times at the club had come to an end.

McCormick never broke into the team and his sale helped fund some incomings, same with Darboe.

Rob Miller was loaned out to get regular starts, but I've already recalled him due to injuries.

In

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Record transfer broken...

Edited by RandomGuy.
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Summer Transfers 2025/26

In

Goalkeepers

Tom Ritchie - £33k from Aberdeen

Spoiler

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Decent player for £33k. Already similar to Clark, and should improve too.

It also fucks over Aberdeen who stole 3rd from me last season, his replacement there has already conceded 10 goals in 3 games. Hopefully they'll get relegated.

Defenders

Rick Karsdrop - free transfer

Spoiler

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Upgrade on Ralston in every way.

One thing they have in common?

Karsdrop got a long term injury after about two games, and will miss 2-3 months.

Big hopes for him once he returns though.

Mirko Romagnoli - £1.6m from Siena

Spoiler

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My replacement for Griffiths.

Been playing in the Italian third tier for years and I've no idea why.

Tom Lockyer - free transfer

Spoiler

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Pretty much replacement for Gordon, as 3rd/4th CB.

Free and could potentially earn me serious money if I do end up punting him after 6/12 months.

Reece Devine - free transfer

Spoiler

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Back up to Harvie, a massive improvement on Lemon.

 

Edited by RandomGuy.
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Summer Transfers 2025/26

In

Midfielders

Brian Brady - loan from Middlesbrough

Spoiler

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Back up, in multiple positions.

Small squad so need players like this.

Paul McKinney - loan from Arsenal

Spoiler

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Didn't actually realise he was that good when I loaned him. 

Now stuck as he was meant to be cheap, short term, back up to Heath but is actually better.

To play the better player that I'll lose in the Summer, or the long term prospect I could have for years?

Eyad Al-Hussein

Spoiler

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Ceccoli was quality, but I wanted a permanent version.

This guy is an initial downgrade, but looks like he could improve quite a lot.

Luka Stor - £600k from Maribor

Spoiler

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Upgrade on Scott Wright, can play all across the front.

Looks very decent.

Mateo Mejia - free transfer

Spoiler

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Different option to Connelly on the right.

Strikers

Pablo Javier Gomez - £500k from Villarreal B

Spoiler

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Upgrade on Ross as back up.

Provides something different to Sam Smith.

Should work beside Sam Smith,

Huge potential.

 

Edited by RandomGuy.
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St Johnstone squad 2025/26

Goalkeepers

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Zander Clark finally replaced, and just in time as he's gone off a cliff.

Ritchie should manage a few years before the next upgrade comes along.

Defenders

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Karsdrop, Romagnoli, Kpohomouh, Harvie.

First choice.

Miller will provide back up at both RB and CB.

Every player in my squad lost half a star after Karsdrop signed.

Midfielders

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As I say, add half a star on everyone if you want to compare to last season.

Ewing, May and Heath should be the starting middle players, but McKinney really pushing for a role.

Andy Murray returns after a destructive loan spell in League One. See how he goes.

Wide men?

Who knows. I wanted to have game changers on the bench, and I truly believe all four wide options could cause damage either starting or coming on late. Chuffed.

Strikers

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Smith had no help from Bowie or Ross last season, so hoping Gomez can step up.

If not then hopefully the wingers can help out.

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European Qualifiers 2025/26

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Obliterated Standard Liege.

Completely forgot Zander Clark was in goal for the game in Moscow, both goals came from set pieces he failed to get to.

Second half there, and the full home game, we absolutely battered them but just couldn't score.

Not too gutted tbh, no money to be made and Europe fucked us last season.

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August 2025/26

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Almost a perfect start, which considering the squad changes, is far better than I expected.

Smith still top scorer but so far others are stepping up.

Pushed my wingers up the pitch for the first time since our poor form in the initial season after promotion. We drew a lot of games we dominated last season so rolling the dice to see if opening up helps us win those games, feel like I've now got the defence to deal with the extra pressure.

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Celtic already look like strolling their way to their 15th title in a row.

My aim is top 3, but I honestly want 2nd. Getting Champions League money would be massive.

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3 minutes ago, C. Muir said:

Tom Ritchie showing promise for me in my Aberdeen save too. I've got Robby McCrorie and Lewis (his last season) too though so not sure he'll ever be first choice

McCrorie is miles ahead of him in my save, but is well beyond me as hes first choice with Rangers.

I probably could've gotten better, but would've cost far more and wouldn't have fucked over Aberdeen.

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September 2025/26

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We're winning games without Smith scoring. Exactly what I was wanting.

He seems to be struggling more that theres less pressure on him though.

Rangers we were two up, Rangers then scored a last minute penalty to equalise. We won with virtually the final kick. Revenge for last season.

Hearts went down to 10 just before our second, a rout after that.

Connelly, an ex-Ger, scored both our only goal, and the winning penalty, to knock them out.

Heath, finally, banged in a free kick against Killie too.

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Started like this last season then completely fell away, hoping that having less reliance on Smith, and less games without Europe, helps us maintain it this year.

Looking decent for second. We won't challenge for the title though, Celtic will beat us most times we meet and that'll be that.

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October 2025/26

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Congratulations to Celtic on their 15th title in a row. A relatively close game then Ryan Christie banged two in from range in the final 15 minutes. 

Livingston game looks impressive, but they went down to 10 after an hour and pretty much played with a back four, two DMs and two CMs, so went 4-4-2 with wingers and full backs on attack and completely demolished them. Gomez breaking his duck.

Other two games we comfortable.

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Converting draws from last season into wins is helping us a lot.

70pts generally gets you top 3, 80pts generally guarantees 2nd.

So 80 is the aim. Currently on course to get that before the split which is promising, but still worried about a collapse.

We play Celtic in our next game in the League Cup Semi, desperate for a trophy now and I'll need to beat them to manage it no matter what, so heres hoping this is the time.

Edited by RandomGuy.
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November 2025/26

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Looks a poor month, and it was.

Celtic went two goals up after 20 minutes and that was it.

Next two games we seemed to have a hangover and played dreadfully.

St Mirren game saw us back to our best.

Main issue this season is sadly Sam Smith, 1 goal in the last 2 months, and he's missed a lot of chances in that time. Played so poorly he was dropped for the St Mirren game (and typically we missed a penalty)

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We finally start to crumble, and second place starts to look less certain. Really need to win my head to heads with Rangers this season.

Celtic have scored 33 goals and conceded 3. Utterly pointless.

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Just hurt myself trying to hide a fist pump from my wife after a late goal away to Livingston. 

This career is really getting to me.

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December 2025/26

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Not pretty, but the job was done.

Rangers got two penalties against me and win the "bullshit ref of the year" award. Massive result after the Hearts game though.

Just some nice solid points picked up after that to keep us ticking over.

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80pts the target, but might need less with Celtic humping everyone, Motherwell the team to end their 100% season.

We've got a lovely gap over Rangers just now.

We've started to haemorrhage money with no European prize money for wins etc., so I really need to at least finish 3rd and make the Europa Group Stage next season.

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