The Queen of the South thread

[Monkey Tennis]

25 minutes ago, Otis Blue said:

I don't think we'll be massively outmuscled either, I just don't think there'll be anyone markedly ahead either. Last season nobody was matching the financial wherewithal of Falkirk or Accies - this season should be much more even.

Yes, and yet nobody banged on about budget half as much last summer when we did share a division with a couple of markedly wealthier outfits.

I'd like to think we should actually be a bit better off than some of our companion clubs.  We ought to get larger crowds than most, providing of course that we're not utterly dire again, which is obviously a possibility none us will be dismissive of.

I know that gates aren't the sole determinants of budgets, but they're surely significant in that respect.

[Homer Thompson]

36 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Yes, and yet nobody banged on about budget half as much last summer when we did share a division with a couple of markedly wealthier outfits.

I'd like to think we should actually be a bit better off than some of our companion clubs.  We ought to get larger crowds than most, providing of course that we're not utterly dire again, which is obviously a possibility none us will be dismissive of.

I know that gates aren't the sole determinants of budgets, but they're surely significant in that respect.

Last year we had big losses but money in the bank. This year, we only have one of those.

Im not sure which, but I think Northfield knows

[Rjc-1988]

The scale of rebuild that we require is huge - even a few of the promising youngsters have decided that staying on as a fringe FT squad member is an unenviable prospect. It will be very interesting to see what the recruitment strategy is. Murphy will know the Cumbrian market very well but if we train in Hamilton the geography is not really conducive to that market. To get into promotion territory we have to be better than the likes of Alloa, Montrose, Cove, Kelty and that is no easy task as they are likely to retain the nucleus of their squads. Everything hinges on the recruitment - can only wish the new Manager every success on this front but it is a big challenge.

[Otis Blue]

12 hours ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Yes, and yet nobody banged on about budget half as much last summer when we did share a division with a couple of markedly wealthier outfits.

I'd like to think we should actually be a bit better off than some of our companion clubs.  We ought to get larger crowds than most, providing of course that we're not utterly dire again, which is obviously a possibility none us will be dismissive of.

I know that gates aren't the sole determinants of budgets, but they're surely significant in that respect.

Well, I'm not going to trawl back through all of my posts from last summer but I'm pretty sure that I was predicting that Falkirk and Accies would be a step too far ahead for us, and that basically implied (if not actually stating as much - although I may have said so) my view that our budget wouldn't be competitive with theirs.  My hope last summer (like many of us at the time) was that we'd be competing for the promotion play-off spots.  This time we have to hope that the promotion play-offs are a minimum expectation and that we can cause Arbroath and ICT (yes, I know ...) some problems in their title hunt.  We'll start to know once the squad begins to assemble.

If we're half decent next season then yes we should be well up the average attendance table, but I'd imagine (others can correct me here) that good attendances possibly only affect/enhance the following season's budget and not the budget for the season that those attendances actually occur in - ie the club probably does not gamble on certain potential attendance income, which would be a risky course to take.

[Greenacres]

3 hours ago, Rjc-1988 said:

The scale of rebuild that we require is huge - even a few of the promising youngsters have decided that staying on as a fringe FT squad member is an unenviable prospect. It will be very interesting to see what the recruitment strategy is. Murphy will know the Cumbrian market very well but if we train in Hamilton the geography is not really conducive to that market. To get into promotion territory we have to be better than the likes of Alloa, Montrose, Cove, Kelty and that is no easy task as they are likely to retain the nucleus of their squads. Everything hinges on the recruitment - can only wish the new Manager every success on this front but it is a big challenge.

Murphy really has the most difficult summer ahead trying to get quality full time players in with the budget he has .

If the likes of Todd McGuffie  Connelly Gibson and Mimnaugh accept new  contracts then we still need 2 Goalkeepers 2 centre backs 1 right back 2 centre midfielders and most difficult almost impossible 2 forwards who can get us goals .

9 new signing take our squad to 20 plus youngsters as back up it will certainly test Murphy recruitment skills. 

[Artemis]

13 hours ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Yes, and yet nobody banged on about budget half as much last summer when we did share a division with a couple of markedly wealthier outfits.

I'd like to think we should actually be a bit better off than some of our companion clubs.  We ought to get larger crowds than most, providing of course that we're not utterly dire again, which is obviously a possibility none us will be dismissive of.

I know that gates aren't the sole determinants of budgets, but they're surely significant in that respect.

The difference in gate money between Queens and, say, Montrose probably isn’t as much as you might think.
Assuming there are equal numbers of fans paying adult, concession and kids prices (and ignoring season ticket discounts) after VAT, Queens will take in an average of about £9 a head - lets call it £10. (I don’t know the composition of Queens fan base but the average of £10 a head seems fair).

From Transfermarkt numbers (I’ve used 22/23 for Montrose because their crowds were boosted last season by the Falkirk title party) the difference between Queens total home league crowds and Montrose’s was 6,531. Assuming Montrose charge similar prices, multiply that by £10 and, based on attendances alone Queens income would be £65,310 higher. Factor in the prize money (assuming a total of £30 million) and Queens would be trying to fund the difference between a full-time squad and a part-time one using  £56,310. 

If you then look at the difference between Queens and what might be perceived as a similar sized club, let’s say Ayr United.
Using the same assumptions, Ayr’s gate money last season would be about £170,000 higher than Queens. Their prize money would be £162,000 higher. The overall difference is £332,000. 

I know Queens have other income, and I’m using estimates, but I was just illustrating the point about crowds and also showing the difference in prize money between the Championship and League 1 is significant. If Queens hadn’t had the Covid grant, Dykes transfer and the game at Ibrox in recent seasons, then I think they would already be competing with Montrose for part-time players. As it is, they’re trying to assemble a squad of lower paid full-time players that they hope will be better than the part-time ones in the division. It was hugely successful in 2012/13 but not so much in 2022/23 and 2023/24.

[Slipmat]

9 hours ago, Rjc-1988 said:

The scale of rebuild that we require is huge - even a few of the promising youngsters have decided that staying on as a fringe FT squad member is an unenviable prospect. It will be very interesting to see what the recruitment strategy is. Murphy will know the Cumbrian market very well but if we train in Hamilton the geography is not really conducive to that market. To get into promotion territory we have to be better than the likes of Alloa, Montrose, Cove, Kelty and that is no easy task as they are likely to retain the nucleus of their squads. Everything hinges on the recruitment - can only wish the new Manager every success on this front but it is a big challenge.

An even tougher job now that ICT have moved their training base to Kelty in an effort to attract more players from the central belt.

[Otis Blue]

24 minutes ago, Slipmat said:

An even tougher job now that ICT have moved their training base to Kelty in an effort to attract more players from the central belt.

Sssssh!  Don't tell the ICT fans that .... 

[84yards]

Can we start signing players please???

I know three are probably signed up but we need them officially announced. 
 

 

[Brother Grimm]

Don't think you will see anything until the 1st of June at the earliest, most contracts will run to then or further into June.

[bod]

3 minutes ago, Brother Grimm said:

Don't think you will see anything until the 1st of June at the earliest, most contracts will run to then or further into June.

This ^^^^, but I'm sure they'll be lots of calls and conversations going on atm. 

[HighlandQueen]

5 hours ago, Greenacres said:

Murphy really has the most difficult summer ahead trying to get quality full time players in with the budget he has .

If the likes of Todd McGuffie  Connelly Gibson and Mimnaugh accept new  contracts then we still need 2 Goalkeepers 2 centre backs 1 right back 2 centre midfielders and most difficult almost impossible 2 forwards who can get us goals .

9 new signing take our squad to 20 plus youngsters as back up it will certainly test Murphy recruitment skills. 

Sounds about right….

[Rjc-1988]

I will be seriously impressed if Peter Murphy persuades Lewis Gibson to stay on...................................33/1 shot

[Monkey Tennis]

7 hours ago, Artemis said:

The difference in gate money between Queens and, say, Montrose probably isn’t as much as you might think.
Assuming there are equal numbers of fans paying adult, concession and kids prices (and ignoring season ticket discounts) after VAT, Queens will take in an average of about £9 a head - lets call it £10. (I don’t know the composition of Queens fan base but the average of £10 a head seems fair).

From Transfermarkt numbers (I’ve used 22/23 for Montrose because their crowds were boosted last season by the Falkirk title party) the difference between Queens total home league crowds and Montrose’s was 6,531. Assuming Montrose charge similar prices, multiply that by £10 and, based on attendances alone Queens income would be £65,310 higher. Factor in the prize money (assuming a total of £30 million) and Queens would be trying to fund the difference between a full-time squad and a part-time one using  £56,310. 

Yes, but in fairness, we're comparing a side that had a pretty good season with one having a historically dreadful one.

The hope must be that we won't perform that trick every year.

[ALOREBURNE]

Josh Todd signs for Annan. 

[19QOS19]

14 minutes ago, ALOREBURNE said:

Josh Todd signs for Annan. 

My view on Todd was I'd have been happy if he stayed but I'm not gutted he's gone. Been a good servant overall and was one of our better performers nearer the end of the season IMO. Cracking signing for Annan I'd say. 

[Otis Blue]

17 minutes ago, ALOREBURNE said:

Josh Todd signs for Annan. 

Not entirely unexpected and a good signing for Annan. However, I'd pretty well come to the view that his best days are behind him now.

[Otis Blue]

I know I'm in the minority here but I see that the Diddy Cup has had it's prize money increased by 50% next season, and the winner receives £100k - not to be sniffed at for our level.

Also no foreign sides - replaced by HL and LL sides.

Edited May 27 by Otis Blue

[ALOREBURNE]

Midfield has been rotten for years so a complete re build in that department is crucial. Toddy has been a good servant to the club but his time with us should have been up prior to last season. All the best Toddy. 

[Greenacres]

24 minutes ago, ALOREBURNE said:

Josh Todd signs for Annan. 

This we must be full time is going to make it very difficult to sign players .

Todd had a full time offer from us but like many players at our level had decided to drop down to Annan play part time and try and  get a job will make so much more in wages .

Todd stays locally if he had the option of part time with us I am sure he would have taken it Very worried now about the quality Murphy will be able to get in .