The Queen of the South thread

[Chupacabra]

Hope we get a lovely home top out of this, eventually bent the knee and got a Joma one last year but I hope we manage something sexual this time round.

As far as away kits go, it should either be tidy as f**k, or strange but still pretty tidy, like this Napoli effort under Macron.

[Guest Flash]

Looking forward to the meltdown and seethe over the new strips in order to compare it with the level of knicker wetting and toadying when a fans' representative on the Board was suggested.

[Fae_the_'briggs]

I'm surprised the usual suspect(s) have not been on yet demanding to know what % commission the Commercial Team are on from Macron. Early days yet I suppose.

Regarding the strip being Royal Blue, I am no colour expert but surely Royal Blue is a definitive colour, any other shade is surely not Royal Blue.

[Homer Thompson]

Regarding the strip being Royal Blue, I am no colour expert but surely Royal Blue is a definitive colour, any other shade is surely not Royal Blue.

I thought that too. Wikipedia (I know) has a "traditional" and a "web" version - clicky

Personally, I would have said their traditional one is a little too dark for a Queens top

[Doonhamer doon south]

I have liked the kits over last few years. This season's black is especially nice sponsor as well.

[Monkey Tennis]

I thought that too. Wikipedia (I know) has a "traditional" and a "web" version - clicky

Personally, I would have said their traditional one is a little too dark for a Queens top

The traditional does look a little dark, about the same shade as my 60s Toff's one actually. I think I prefer that idea, as long as it doesn't get as dark as say Scotland or Dundee.

I don't get too animated about new kits though, chiefly on account of being a grown up.

[Monkey Tennis]

Looking forward to the meltdown and seethe over the new strips in order to compare it with the level of knicker wetting and toadying when a fans' representative on the Board was suggested.

It'll have to go some, to compete with that.

I think we should simply trust the board to come up with the perfect shade of blue.

[qos_75]

I see the Macron deal is detailed on their website too.

[palmy_cammy]

All the talk of loans on the Rangers match thread had me wondering, did any of our other fringe/youth players go out on loan in the window aside from Rutherford? I assume not because we haven't heard anything.

We've had several mutually beneficial loan deals over the years where players have come to us, improved us, improved themselves and then improved their parent club upon return. I can't think of a single player of our own that we've successfully sent out to nurture, why is that? The only examples I can think of in recent times have been the youngsters that have been nowhere near the first team anyway going on loan to the likes of Gretna or Threave and simply finding their level and remaining there.

Considering most see our year in the seaside league as important in the development of Durnan, Holt, Reilly etc. it would seem a no-brainer to ship the likes of Smith and Hooper out to a League 1 or 2 side for the experience. Perhaps even formalise it with an agreement with Annan or Stranraer? The club certainly used to have a good relationship with Annan under Davie Rae.

Players at all levels of the game will tell you that competitive football beats reserve football hands down.

[Skyline Drifter]

We've had several mutually beneficial loan deals over the years where players have come to us, improved us, improved themselves and then improved their parent club upon return. I can't think of a single player of our own that we've successfully sent out to nurture, why is that? The only examples I can think of in recent times have been the youngsters that have been nowhere near the first team anyway going on loan to the likes of Gretna or Threave and simply finding their level and remaining there.

Gavin Reilly.

And whilst he never came back to our first team, Pat Slattery certainly benefited from his loans at Queens Park last season and is now playing every week at East Fife.

And now, hopefully Scott Hooper will too. Off to Queen's Park today.

EDITED to add: It is though always going to be less likely that clubs at our level (and I'm not including Rangers and Hibs in that) are going to be able to do that as successfully. Premiership clubs have bigger squads and bigger youth setups. They are far more likely to be able to spare a young player for an extended time and it's always going to be more difficult for a young player to break through there. When you get to our level, with a squad of about 20 or so, it's far less easy to spare a fringe player for an extended time. There probably aren't too many examples of other clubs of similar stature (Falkirk, Raith, Livi, etc) gaining enormously out of sending young players out. As recently as a fortnight ago when Higgins was out we needed Hooper in our own squad, though he's gone out now for his own benefit. Likewise, until we get another striker in (if that happens) then it's difficult to spare Smith although the manager has said he'd like to send him out for experience. Gavin Reilly did go out to Gretna for the bulk of a season but he was 17 at the time and working part time so not training with our first team anyway. The likes of Holt and McShane developed within our squad without going elsewhere.

It's also all very well saying we should send young players to Annan but there's no point in sending them anywhere unless they are reasonably likely to play regularly. Annan have a pretty sold group of centre halves with Black, Watson & Swinglehurst. There's no guarantee the likes of Hooper would be an automatic pick there unless they had injuries. It's slightly different for strikers where appearances off the bench are more common but club don't often change goalkeepers and defenders unless they have to.

Edited February 19, 2016 by Skyline Drifter

[Francesc Fabregas]

Alright lads, I recorded a podcast with your erstwhile striker Colin McMenamin - CLICK.

This is the second part of his podcast but it starts with him talking about his time at Queens. He describes it as the most enjoyable time of his career.

[Guest Flash]

And whilst he never came back to our first team, Pat Slattery certainly benefited from his loans at Queens Park last season and is now playing every week at East Fife.

Does the same not apply to Dzierzawski?

[Swarley]

I think you misjudge the priorities of our fan base. I wouldn't be surprised to see a few meltdowns on here and the mad site over the shade of blue, the colour of the shorts, and whether the blue trim should be 1mm or 2mm. It may ultimately break out into violence.

Exactly this. A "PR DISASTER" in the making!

[19QOS19]

Sack the board.

[Swarley]

Sack the board.

We need to put together a bingo card before the new strip is revealed

[Broony88]

Derek Holmes a cult hero. I think all those queens fans are safely locked away in the Crichton now.

[Skyline Drifter]

Does the same not apply to Dzierzawski?

Possibly. Dzierzawski had though, mainly in the previous season, been a first team regular and had plenty of first team experience. His loan and subsequent move to Peterhead, which owed much to the fact that he wasn't going to be given a work permit to stay with us, was more a case of dropping down a level than gaining experience of senior football and benefiting from it as Slattery did.

[SUPERSOUTH]

Hooper goes out on loan to Queens Park.

[the_vortex]

Hooper goes out on loan to Queens Park.

You're joking ? Where did you read that information ? The official site

[Guest Flash]

Hooper goes out on loan to Queens Park.

How does that work in terms of their amateur status? Presumably we still pay his wages and QP contribute nothing? Was thinking that about Slattery as well. Fair enough if the club thinks it is worth still paying 100% of his wages if he is going to return a better player. But Slattery didn't come back.