Rate The 2013 Summer Transfer Window

[Lex]

Many people (myself included) posted their thoughts about the football clubs dealing in the summer transfer window at the time. Many people (perhaps rightly) asked for these signings to be given time to bed in and for them to be reviewed later in the season.

Well here we are, approximately half way through the season and approaching the January window. I think this is as good a time as any to look individually at the players who joined us for the first time in the summer and how they have performed so far:

David Cornell: Joined on a season long loan from Swansea and started the season as our number 1. After several shaky performances he rightly lost the number 1 spot in September, and he never played for the football club again. His loan deal was cancelled in December, half way into it. Rating: FAIL.

Kealan Dillon: 19 year old joined on a free transfer from Premier League Hull City. Started the season on the bench but never made an appearance for the first team. Mutual consented in December, halfway into his contract. Rating: FAIL.

Christopher Dilo: 19 year old (same age as Dillon) keeper joined on a free transfer from Blackburn in the summer. After starting the season as number 2 he won the gloves from Cornell for the trip to Easter Road. He then made a string of impressive performances before getting injured at Tynecastle and has since became number 2 to Kello. Looks like a very good young keeper. Rating: SUCCESS SO FAR.

Stephane Bahoken: The 20 year old joined on loan from Nice at the end of the window and was billed by Danny Lennon as ' the one we've been waiting for '. Hooked at half time in his debut and hooked in his second game, he never started for the football club again. Made a couple of no mark sub appearances before going AWOL during the international break which followed the 3-0 win at Firhill. Hasn't been seen at the club since and likely never will be again. Rating: FAIL.

Danny Grainger: Senior player on senior wages who can't get a game. Started every match in what was the clubs worst start to a league campaign this side of the war. After a shocking performance at Easter Road he was sent off at the end of the game. His suspension resulted in him losing his place. Him being out the side resulted in an immediate up turn in the clubs performance and he's never managed to win his place back; he hasn't started a league game since. Rating: FAIL SO FAR.

Gary Harkins: Senior player on senior wages who can't get a game. Started every match in what was the clubs worst start to a league campaign this side of the war. After a shocking performance at Easter Road he was sent subbed off at the end of the game. He was then finally dropped. Him being out the side resulted in an immediate up turn in the clubs performance and he's never managed to win his place back; he hasn't started a league game since. Rating: FAIL SO FAR.

Jake Caprice: 21 year old wide right player brought in on loan from Blackpool. Despite an injury to our first choice wide right player ( Teale ), the youngster has never managed a start. A few sub appearances hasn't seen him make any impact. I would be surprised if he was still here in February. Rating: FAIL SO FAR.

7 players joined the football club for the first time in the summer, and i make that 3 confirmed failures, 3 failures so far and 1 success so far out of 7. Let's hope we have a far better time in January, we really need it. I'd rate the summer window as an almost unmitigated disaster, what do you think?

Edited December 20, 2013 by Lex

[marrez]

Cant really argue with any of that, other than you missed out another Success - Connor Newton. Dilo has been the only success from the transfers that are completely new players, the rest have been Bahonking

Edited December 20, 2013 by marrez

[beyond our ken]

Disaster? Really? How many died and how many were injured as a result?

By the way, you put in a fair bit if mitigation before using the word "unmitigated"

FFS cheer up, it's christmas

[Isabella Duke]

Disaster? Really? How many died and how many were injured as a result?

Does someone have to die before a football signing can be criticised?

What a bizarre post.

[Lex]

Cant really argue with any of that, other than you missed out another Success - Connor Newton. Dilo has been the only success from the transfers that are completely new players, the rest have been Bahonking

I said joined the football club for the first time. Could certainly throw Conor in there if you like, but he wasn't really a new signing.

He was part of the relatively successful January window which included Isma and himself. Let's hope we have a similarly successful January this time around.

[scottd]

_{Fail doesn't quite cover it for Bahonking, epic fail would be more appropriate given Danny's hyperbolic utterances when he signed.}

[Murray7]

I'm quite happy for us to take a punt with unknown foreign players now and again. For every Isma Goncalves, you're going to pull a Bahonkin'.

They don't cost anywhere near the amount of money that the likes of Harkins and Grainger are skinning us and 9/10, there's no loan termination fee.

[Stuart Dickson]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25164024

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25195990

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25275636

For someone that cant get a game, why has he played in every game this month.

If you don't like Danny Lennon, just say it instead of all the bull.

He does go on to say he hasn't started a league game since. That is accurate I believe.

[Lex]

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25164024

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25195990

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25275636

 

For someone that cant get a game, why has he played in every game this month. 

 

 

If you don't like Danny Lennon, just say it instead of all the bull. 

Weird post.

He hasn't started a league game since September. He's a bench warmer who gets the odd run out.

Do you think that Gary Harkins has been a successful signing so far?

[faraway saint]

Great thread.

Is Paisley the glummest town in Britain, you choose.

Can't wait for Lex to start a positive thread............................

Blah blah football forum.

[windae cleaner]

We know Lex has an agenda against Danny Lennon but he is right about his signings.

He will need to up his game in future windows as Thommo (God) can't go on forever

[Kendo]

Yes I agree you can try and dress it up anyway you like but there's no hiding the fact that we had a really poor summer of signings. This almost cost Danny his job.

[oaksoft]

Many people (myself included) posted their thoughts about the football clubs dealing in the summer transfer window at the time. Many people (perhaps rightly) asked for these signings to be given time to bed in and for them to be reviewed later in the season.

Well here we are, approximately half way through the season and approaching the January window. I think this is as good a time as any to look individually at the players who joined us for the first time in the summer and how they have performed so far:

David Cornell: Joined on a season long loan from Swansea and started the season as our number 1. After several shaky performances he rightly lost the number 1 spot in September, and he never played for the football club again. His loan deal was cancelled in December, half way into it. Rating: FAIL.

Kealan Dillon: 19 year old joined on a free transfer from Premier League Hull City. Started the season on the bench but never made an appearance for the first team. Mutual consented in December, halfway into his contract. Rating: FAIL.

Christopher Dilo: 19 year old (same age as Dillon) keeper joined on a free transfer from Blackburn in the summer. After starting the season as number 2 he won the gloves from Cornell for the trip to Easter Road. He then made a string of impressive performances before getting injured at Tynecastle and has since became number 2 to Kello. Looks like a very good young keeper. Rating: SUCCESS SO FAR.

Stephane Bahoken: The 20 year old joined on loan from Nice at the end of the window and was billed by Danny Lennon as ' the one we've been waiting for '. Hooked at half time in his debut and hooked in his second game, he never started for the football club again. Made a couple of no mark sub appearances before going AWOL during the international break which followed the 3-0 win at Firhill. Hasn't been seen at the club since and likely never will be again. Rating: FAIL.

Danny Grainger: Senior player on senior wages who can't get a game. Started every match in what was the clubs worst start to a league campaign this side of the war. After a shocking performance at Easter Road he was sent off at the end of the game. His suspension resulted in him losing his place. Him being out the side resulted in an immediate up turn in the clubs performance and he's never managed to win his place back; he hasn't started a league game since. Rating: FAIL SO FAR.

Gary Harkins: Senior player on senior wages who can't get a game. Started every match in what was the clubs worst start to a league campaign this side of the war. After a shocking performance at Easter Road he was sent subbed off at the end of the game. He was then finally dropped. Him being out the side resulted in an immediate up turn in the clubs performance and he's never managed to win his place back; he hasn't started a league game since. Rating: FAIL SO FAR.

Jake Caprice: 21 year old wide right player brought in on loan from Blackpool. Despite an injury to our first choice wide right player ( Teale ), the youngster has never managed a start. A few sub appearances hasn't seen him make any impact. I would be surprised if he was still here in February. Rating: FAIL SO FAR.

7 players joined the football club for the first time in the summer, and i make that 3 confirmed failures, 3 failures so far and 1 success so far out of 7. Let's hope we have a far better time in January, we really need it. I'd rate the summer window as an almost unmitigated disaster, what do you think?

You are so far up your arse you are making ME look like a reasonable person.

As our friend from Newcastle might say - "away and shite".

Isn't there another football club forum you can fill with your relentless anti-Danny agenda?

[aldo_j]

You are so far up your arse you are making ME look like a reasonable person.

As our friend from Newcastle might say - "away and shite".

Isn't there another football club forum you can fill with your relentless anti-Danny agenda?

You can't deny his anti-Danny agenda, however, you also can't deny that many of the Summer signings have failed to deliver so far.

The main positive player wise has been the young players coming through probably followed by Dilo and the eventual signing of Kello.

[Kendo]

You can't deny his anti-Danny agenda, however, you also can't deny that many of the Summer signings have failed to deliver so far.

The main positive player wise has been the young players coming through probably followed by Dilo and the eventual signing of Kello.

Good well balanced post and point well made that he's managed to find a couple of diamonds.

[Sonny]

Paul McGown, Connor Newton and Marian Kello have done pretty well - all first team regulars . Outstanding work Danny

[Drew]

A couple of the signings haven't really panned out how many of us might have hoped and even expected.

I thought Grainger was a right good capture, but did worry about the fact that he had quite openly stated that he wanted a gig dahn saaf, so wondered what was afoot there (other than the fact that English clubs weren't falling over themselves to win his signature).

The Harkins signing didn't excite me, to be honest, but I did expect a bit more from him. In saying that, he couldn't be considered a complete dud, as he has scored a few goals and remains a decent enough option, albeit I wouldn't be heartbroken if he left before his contract expires.

Re-signing McGowan was a fantastic piece of business, and I was chuffed to bits that he stayed. Likewise with Newton.

The others were always going to be bit-part players, in all honesty.

Kello was a shrewd piece of business, and I really hope we can hold onto him. Granted he makes the odd error, but he would be nowhere near Saints if he didn't. Best keeper we've had since Dibble, for me.

I'd say it was who we didn't sign that was, in fact, more problematic than who we did. It was absolutely bonkers that we didn't make proper provision to bring another striker (at least) in. Bahoken was a late throw of the dice that didn't pay off, so doesn't count.

All signings are a gamble, and it isn't reasonable to expect them all to pay off. 50% would be a decent and realistic return. I think Danny has fallen short of this, but await any January activity with interest.

Edited December 20, 2013 by Drew

[saintargyll]

i must of started the Mulled Wine a tad early and missed all of the festive games.....did we lose them and are bottom of the league??

Lex if you have a problem with Danny then go and speak to him face to face

[oaksoft]

You can't deny his anti-Danny agenda, however, you also can't deny that many of the Summer signings have failed to deliver so far.

The main positive player wise has been the young players coming through probably followed by Dilo and the eventual signing of Kello.

Why is he picking on the summer signings only?

Why not mention Newton or Kello?

Because it doesn't suit his agenda that's why.

It's a shame people are indulging him but that's their right.

He's also not crediting Danny for re-signing McGowan.

If he wants to pick the signings that suit his agenda then he can expect to be challenged about it.

Duke does this as well as does Dickson.

I genuinely have no idea why they bother.

It's not as if the forum is full of thickies who can't see what they're doing.

ETA: FECKING AUTO-SPELL CHECKER!!!!!!!!

Edited December 20, 2013 by oaksoft

[aldo_j]

He way well be trying to suit his agenda.

I'm just partially agreeing to the fact that the signing success rate from the summer hasn't been fantastic so far. Those players can still come good though.

[billyg]

He way well be trying to suit his agenda.

I'm just partially agreeing to the fact that the signing success rate from the summer hasn't been fantastic so far. Those players can still come good though.

Correct. Whatever someone's own agenda is , there's no denying that, in general , the club's summer business was horrendous !

[jpg123]

And if you add in the other horrendous mistake Danny did, and that was signing 2 Goalkeepers and actually thinking that Cornell was the better keeper which even Stevie Wonder could tell he wasn't. I would like to think that big Mathers must have told him this and blattantly refused his imput!!!!!!!

[Isabella Duke]

You simply want to chastise Danny's signings at every opportunity.

Whereas Danny doesn't want to start his own signings at any opportunity.

[scrappy coco]

Whereas Danny doesn't want to start his own signings at any opportunity.

:

Apart from the young lads that danny's promoted to the first team, who exactly are the

first team regulars that danny didn't sign...

Edited December 20, 2013 by scrappy coco

[Lex]

You are so far up your arse you are making ME look like a reasonable person.

As our friend from Newcastle might say - "away and shite".

Isn't there another football club forum you can fill with your relentless anti-Danny agenda?

Okay, you've went and taken that too far.

Paul McGown, Connor Newton and Marian Kello have done pretty well - all first team regulars . Outstanding work Danny

Agreed, neither of them were new signings in the summer transfer window though. Therefore they are not relevant to the thread, the clue is in the title.

i must of started the Mulled Wine a tad early and missed all of the festive games.....did we lose them and are bottom of the league??

Lex if you have a problem with Danny then go and speak to him face to face

This isn't a thread to discuss league performances, this is a thread to discuss the impact the summer signings have made. I thought the title made that clear. Obviously not!

Also, i notice you and others have tried to turn this into a Danny Lennon thread. Why?

Although i assume he does have the final say on signings, Brian Caldwell, Tommy Craig, Paul Mather and our scouts must share some of the blame for our abject failure in the last transfer window.

Why is he picking on the summer signings only?

Why not mention Newton or Kello?

Because it doesn't suit his agenda that's why.

It's a shame people are indulging him but that's their right.

He's also not crediting Danny for re-signing McGowan.

If he wants to pick the signings that suit his agenda then he can expect to be challenged about it.

Duke does this as well as does Dickson.

I genuinely have no idea why they bother.

It's not as if the forum is full of thickies who can't see what they're doing.

ETA: FECKING AUTO-SPELL CHECKER!!!!!!!!

This is why even i couldn't make you seem like a reasonable person.