Clyde Season 23/24

[Bullyweeno1]

9 hours ago, Rob1885 said:

Surprised at how long the "keep" list is from a lot of you and I'd expect to see a complete overhaul in the Summer with the vast majority of out of contract players moving on. Clyde can do so much better than 9th in league 2 and need to act like it in the Summer.

The squad assembled the 2nd half of the season would have won the league if it was only 18 games long so not much that needs to be done to the current squad to be competitive next year.

We need to let maybe 6 or 7 go and replace with them with better quality that can go straight into the team and replace those already there.

We cant do what we have done over the last couple of years and get rid of 20 players and start all over again.  That as was shown in the last couple of seasons was a disaster.

[the_bully_wee]

There are real parallels to the beginning of Lennon's time in charge here, with a handful of solid existing players markedly improving across his first half-season and going on to be varying levels of contributors to our promotion the next year (Currie, McNiff, Cuddihy, Duffie, Lamont, Nicoll). I'd say that Dunachie, Lyon, Sula, Cuddihy, Grant and Rennie all fit that billing. The six of those would be a fine and, I surmise, fairly inexpensive start to the summer's squad building endeavours. It's unrealistic (not just from a financial perspective) to expect us to put together a brand new squad of players that consists exclusively of improvements on what we've already got, and yet another massive churn will do us no favours when we've ultimately sustained decent form with a hodge-podge gaggle of strangers in the last few months. That said, I don't think any of them are necessarily must-signs; the only player who is for me is Liam Scullion, who's improved drastically and is at an age where he can continue to do so. 

[Clyde_MM]

Can only see Goss leaving Annan to follow Murphy if he went to QotS. Wage demands would likely be huge to accommodate travel, a drop in league and his track record of success at this level. Given the direct style of play McCall seems to prefer though, he's exactly what we're after but probably out of our price range currently.

Hard to think of many like-for-like alternatives but, for pure speculation if nothing else, I see Innes Cameron is out of contract at Killie in the summer (according to transfermarkt anyway). 156 minutes of football all season and some meh loan spells in the Championship. Did do well for Stranraer in League One though. 23 years old now so needs to be playing every week. Could he be convinced to drop to part time football and build back up with regular playing time under his belt?

[CowdenPhil]

Key to a successful season for Clyde is keeping McCall & Scally. Also Maitland at board level making the correct decisions for your club. 

You might see a high turnover of players but these guys will recruit well and make a strong team quickly from the summer in-take. 

 

 

[Brian Carrigan]

1 hour ago, the_bully_wee said:

There are real parallels to the beginning of Lennon's time in charge here, with a handful of solid existing players markedly improving across his first half-season 

I agree, but one of the main issues with Danny Lennon’s time in charge was allowing players to outstay their welcome. You need to be more ruthless at this level so it’s really important that we have a big clearout this summer. I have no doubt McCall, if staying, will have the wherewithal to be able to say “thanks, you’ve done well for me, but it’s time to go”.

[the_bully_wee]

49 minutes ago, Brian Carrigan said:

I agree, but one of the main issues with Danny Lennon’s time in charge was allowing players to outstay their welcome. You need to be more ruthless at this level so it’s really important that we have a big clearout this summer. I have no doubt McCall, if staying, will have the wherewithal to be able to say “thanks, you’ve done well for me, but it’s time to go”.

I'd say this was only really a problem because Lennon stayed (overly) loyal to players who weren't good enough to get us kicking on and established in League One, though; your McNiffs, Rumsbys, Loves. If the guys he had clung on to for dear life were instead the likes of Grant and McStay, then it wouldn't have been a problem. McCall is clearly not as stupid or lazy (take your pick) as that and won't oversee Mark Docherty/Steven Thicot/Kevin Nicoll return-esque recruitment. You don't need a great deal in League Two to succeed, as Stenny have shown, and we'll have a considerably larger budget than the one they enjoyed this year.

The progressive and staggered approach to squad building that Maitland has said he wants to adopt should see us handing out one-year deals to guys like Lyon and Rennie who'd be squad players, who we could then (if things go as hoped) wave goodbye to next season and replace with guys we'd want to strengthen the first XI, with a few guys initially on two-year deals then dropping from first-teamers to squad players and such. It's the kind of thing which Stewart Petrie has managed to do really well at Montrose in taking them from the dark depths up to a side regularly getting into the L1 playoffs and we'd do well to replicate it here.

Part of what concerns me about McCall's chat is that it reads somewhat like he wants to eschew any kind of mid-term planning along those lines and go all-out to win the title next year, and perhaps do the same in League One afterwards. That's all sounds exciting but it's a bit of a boom or bust strategy, particularly with a lot of big-spending full-time clubs finding themselves in the third tier nowadays. I'd rather see us build more solid foundations over the coming years and try to manage the growth a bit, without skimping on forward progress on the park. I've got no doubt that Maitland will go as far as he possibly can to keep McCall on board, but doing so shouldn't be at the cost of whatever his own vision is for the club across the next five to ten years.

[SLClyde]

McCalls plan for league 1, should we make it there of course, will need to be aligned with who else is in it. We had Falkirk in it every year, then Dunfermline for a year. Accies are still full time, and Alloa, Montrose, Cove and now even Kelty to an extent are established league 1 sides. You’d be doing extremely well to even challenge in your first season up. 

[Clyde85]

McCalls front runner for the queens job apparently in the daily record this morning

[Clyde_MM]

14 minutes ago, Clyde85 said:

McCalls front runner for the queens job apparently in the daily record this morning

I'd like him to stay but if he wanted to go then fair enough. He did what he was asked to with us, he has deep ties to QotS and they're a total mess at the moment. His comments post Elgin suggest we'd have to really push the boat out to keep him and may give him and the board a convenient/amicable excuse to part ways.

Just as long as the decision, either way, is taken quickly. We can't allow ourselves to fall way behind the pack for recruitment like we do every single summer.

[Right turn Clyde]

27 minutes ago, Clyde_MM said:

I'd like him to stay but if he wanted to go then fair enough. He did what he was asked to with us, he has deep ties to QotS and they're a total mess at the moment. His comments post Elgin suggest we'd have to really push the boat out to keep him and may give him and the board a convenient/amicable excuse to part ways.

Just as long as the decision, either way, is taken quickly. We can't allow ourselves to fall way behind the pack for recruitment like we do every single summer.

You're forgetting we now have a proper football man as Chairman.

[Brian Carrigan]

1 hour ago, Clyde_MM said:

he has deep ties to QotS

Hopefully the fact that he got sacked after playing an ineligible Jamie Adams in the cup and copping a huge fine combined with his woeful record there goes against him and he stays.

Plus, surely if you've escaped the borders twice you'd have really learned your lesson and won't want to go back.

[SLClyde]

Queen of the south train at Hamilton palace grounds every day. 
 

Queens would also need to pay out a years contract we have for him, not saying they won’t but makes it a bit less likely. 

[Clyde01]

Am I correct in saying Lewis Stevenson is a Clyde fan? Leaving Hibs this summer and no doubt won’t be short of offers but could we pull at the heart strings.

[Replays]

Just now, Clyde01 said:

Am I correct in saying Lewis Stevenson is a Clyde fan? Leaving Hibs this summer and no doubt won’t be short of offers but could we pull at the heart strings.

His dad certainly is/was a Clyde fan. I remember it being an article on the website before we played them in the 2008 pre-season. A match which also featured one of the best saves I’ve seen live from Peter Cherrie!

[Right turn Clyde]

1 hour ago, Replays said:

His dad certainly is/was a Clyde fan. I remember it being an article on the website before we played them in the 2008 pre-season. A match which also featured one of the best saves I’ve seen live from Peter Cherrie!

His dad is still an owner

[support the underdog]

Stevenson is a fantastic model professional. He has played almost 600 games for Hibs under numerous managers. He is still very fit, a great leader and would be an outstanding player for Clyde if you could get him, although I doubt he’s in the budget, but you never know.

[Clyde01]

9 minutes ago, support the underdog said:

Stevenson is a fantastic model professional. He has played almost 600 games for Hibs under numerous managers. He is still very fit, a great leader and would be an outstanding player for Clyde if you could get him, although I doubt he’s in the budget, but you never know.

It would certainly be an upgrade on Ross Lyon . Very unlikely he would come to us, will have plenty full time offers but you never know. Similar to Callum booth signing for Spartans in a way. 

[support the underdog]

Well he is a very loyal individual. With Paul Hanlon they founded a charity that has given a significant amount to good causes and if his dad is Clyde Massive you never know. I don’t think money is his motivator, although I obviously don’t really know. 

[Replays]

3 hours ago, Clyde01 said:

Am I correct in saying Lewis Stevenson is a Clyde fan? Leaving Hibs this summer and no doubt won’t be short of offers but could we pull at the heart strings.

https://www.clydefc.co.uk/news/2008/07/a-family-affair/

Link to the article mentioned earlier.

[DoingThe42]

On 05/05/2024 at 13:59, MonTheClyde_MonTheBullyWee said:

I think Ross Lyon has improved massively recently. He's versitile and can play either side of full back. I'd personally keep him. Even at a squad player.

 

Already here : Hamilton, Leitch, P. Grant, Dunachie, Mcculloch.

 

Keep (If Possible) Kinnear, Lyon, Howie, Cuddihy, L.Scullion, R.Grant, Ballantyne, Kabia, Rennie & Allan.

 

Release: Parry, Kennedy, Sula, Cameron, Hynes, C.Scullion, Young ( I would hope to add Peter Grant and Mcculloch to this list if we can shift them)

Also with the termination of Leslie, King, Ballantyne and Mcginns loan. I think that Ballantyne would be good for league 2, I know some games he hasn't looked like much but I think he would benefit from a fresh start. I would also ask Hamilton if we could get Mcginn again for the full season.

Interesting seeing the range of views here. I've taken a few days after Saturday to think about it.

A horrible few months of every game feeling must-win and every goal conceded feeling like the end of the world. A fucking great day to end the season, and I think we've all earned it.

As for the team, I'd be happy with not that far off the team that finished this season starting next. In really bad circumstances Clyde have been the best team in League Two this year (2024, not the season!), and I think going again next year with more or less the same (but a padded out squad) would be good enough to have a punt at winning the division.

I'd punt Kabia because I don't think his wee flashes are worth it. Moving on Cameron seems a no-brainer. I'd be tempted to give Young more time to develop in a functional squad rather than a fucking shambles. I think there's a player there. I'd keep Lyon as a squad player. Versatile and a known quantity.

That aside, pad out what's there with a bit more to come off the bench and there's already a team there that can win League Two. The form this season has shown that.

Forgot to mention, I'd be fine with McCall staying if he wants to. But not devastated if he left. He's obviously done a great job, but I'm not convinced with his team selection and subs. Sounds mad criticising someone who has dug the club out of such a hole, but I think his handling of the left hand side of the team has been dreadful, and has cost points. Not too bothered if he stays or goes, next season will be much better.

Glad the season is over. Absolutely exhausting. Ecstatic to not be going to EK on Saturday. A sentence most human beings could write any week, but especially true this week.

Edited May 7 by DoingThe42