BaldyOzBud

Hello chaps, Darlington fan here. Have just been having a read of your thread and thought I might chip in as I can see there’s differing thoughts on his signing.
He has the potential to be a very good player, very young for a centre back but he is 6’5 so dominant in the air, is still fairly quick, reads the game very well and is pretty comfortable on the ball as well. 
I’m joking of course but unless you have 6’7 strikers in the Scottish Premiership he ain’t going to lose anything much in the air and is going to cause havoc going forward for set pieces.
As for the comments on the fee - I’m afraid you wouldn’t have got him for any less and I think you’ve done rather well. Supply and demand on that one and he was very much in demand. I can tell you first hand that he’s been watched by Fulham, Middlesbrough and Everton and apparently was one of the stand out players at the V9 academy. We didn’t especially need to sell him. As much as you guys think it’s a risk to pay for a non league player I can tell you I was (no offence intended) pretty surprised he chose to come to St Mirren, although in hindsight I think it’s a very good move for both parties.
Anyway, the intent of coming in here was to tell you that I’ve watched him play probably about 30 games now and after 3 I could have told you he’ll be a very good player. Stick with him, remember he’s still young for a centre back and take care of him as we need the money from the sell on clauses!
All the best!
 
 

I'm not even as worried at the prospect of Stokes being a bam anymore. At the very least he seems to respect Stubbs. 
If he gets his head down, understands this is probably his last chance and betters in a few goals, I'm sure we could have a couple of good seasons out of him. 

I'm liking the fact we have signed young enthusiastic players , who have potential to improve , a couple of loan players and a couple of experienced players and we,ll have not a bad squad , interesting to see what kind of football we will play , but very happy with how things have progressed this week . Would even be quite happy if we took a risk with Stokes or Miller or both , might even make an effort to watch one of our pre season warm up games.

Whatched Jeff King being interviewed on Buddievision. He came across very well. It is important that these lads see St Mirren as a big step up, and a chance to prove themselves. They all seem genuinely buzzing to have signed for us, and that ticks a big box for me.
I would much rather that than seasoned journeymen whose best days are behind them looking for a club to coast towards their retirement with, or bampots happy to accept any port in a storm.
These lads know that there is a lot at stake for them. They won't just be phoning it in, and I wish them all the best. I'm really looking forward to seeing them play for us.

Im liking the business done by Stubbs so far.  I feared we would fill the team with journeymen SPL players who had failed eleswhere. AS appears to be building a squad and not just a team. I fully expect there to be some good loan signings and a couple of older heads to balance things out. I am pleased with how its going so far.

And what is the relevance of this post. 

Yes, because every signing will follow the exact same pattern and criteria [emoji849]

When Motherwell, Dundee, and others make these type of signings, they’re lauded because they usually have a good track record of finding gems at that level. We should absolutely be exploring this market. It’s something we haven’t been doing enough of in previous years. Ball and Marwood were obvious failures but it doesn’t mean we should abandon the idea completely.

Tommy Craig was a first team coach with Newcastle when he left in 2006. James Marwood would have been 14. Find it hard to believe Newcastle first team coaches also train the kids. Even so,  if Tommy Craig signed players on how good they were 14 then no wonder he made an absolute c**t of it.
To compare stubbs working with these 2 boys and TC working with Marwood is just silly.
 

Inverness signed 8 players from the national league in 13/14 and finished 5th that season. Motherwell made a profit of around £2 million on players signed from non-league on the likes of Marvin Johnson, Ben Henighan and Louis Moult.
The talent is there if the scouting is good. Give these guys a chance.

Jamie Vardy was in the 7th tier of English football just 12 months before Leicester "discovered" his talent at the age of 25.
Are you seriously suggesting that Gavin Reilly is better than him?

Spoke to a Boro fan yesterday , he's seen Heaton play and was raving about him , he had a deal on the table to be part of their U23s but this guy says he's made the right move as young guys don't get a proper chance there anymore. I'm happy so far , need experience next !

You’ve got yourself a cracking defender. He was due to join us at the start of last season but got injured but joined us around Christmas time. Once he was up to speed we went from shopping in 2/3 goals per game to not conceding in about 5 I think. 
 
He he went to Jamie Vardys V9 academy but I know he was being watched for most of the time he was with us.
 
Fully agree £75k seems alot for Darlingtons level, but if he progresses you could make a lot more. Just hope we’ve got a good sell on clause.  It’s encouraging and refreshing that he’s chosen St Mirren because he wants first team football. If the reported interest from Middlesbrough and Everton is true then his game time might have been more limited.
 
 

A reliable source has texted me to say that Macauley Langstaff will be joining St Mirren from Gateshead FC for a transfer fee in the region of 60k.
Alan Stubbs rates the player very highly and will speak more at a press conference on Thursday afternoon where Macauley will be unveiled as Alan's first signing as St Mirren manager 

Livingston, via Martindale, must be making their players offers that they most certainly cannae refuse. 

I note that Halkett has signed on for 'managerless' Livi for another year.
David Martindale is quoted as saying "it makes my job so much easier"
Its amazing how many signings this managerless club has made. Its as if life has just gone on as normal since Hopkin left....
 

FFS talk about flogging a dead horse, let it go mate, much of what you posted is true, but it's becoming tedious in the extreme that you can't let it go.... Big man

FFS talk about flogging a dead horse, let it go mate, much of what you posted is true, but it's becoming tedious in the extreme that you can't let it go.... Big man

Ok, wee man.

Totally agree with your comment.
Let’s put ourselves in GS shoes for a moment. Going by the article to which he’s put in a £700.000 of his own cash, I’d also want to vet and approve any candidate proposed by SMISA, especially as he’s doing this with no financial gain to himself. It’s his cash and his risk. He (and the board) have a ten year plan and as far as I can see, they’re doing a fantastic job so far. I’m pretty sure the SMISA members come from all different backgrounds. My point being. If SMISA were to propose a candidate with no business background all because that person had put his hat in the ring and had some other individual had seconded him/her then GS (in my opinion) has the right to say yae or nae.

I’ll probably get shot down for this but it’s just my take on it.

Why would I put you on ignore and allow the gibberish you spout to go unanswered, you say  'God help him if there happened to be someone represent the fans interests who actually had a spine.  I say:  when you put up somewhere around 800K to buy a controlling interest (note the word controlling) then you might be listened to, might! but personally I very much doubt it; especially if you were spouting the same drivel as currently. The chairman; who I know nothing o;f other than he owned a building firm called Laidlaw Scott, put in his money and insisted on a controlling interest .in other words he owns more than anyone else and what he says goes.  Is that how he operates; I think not, otherwise you would have nothing to moan about would you?  Just how long he and his BOD take to formalise a 'long-term' plan for the club is 'how long it takes' .............see controlling interest.  I am sure your sarcasm and wit might terrify him into  ...... well" laughing out loud I would imagine.  The sad fact is my friend that he is a successful businessman who knows a thing or two about how to generate a profit and given that, I would much rather that his ideas were given credence than yours, especially since he owns the club and you seem to be simply a NUMPTY.  

And what rule states that someone MUST be elected to the board as soon as the join the SMISA committee?
 
Oh aye. And away in bile yer head, and stop trying to make everything sound like a conspiracy.

Try quoting the whole thing. He mentioned that he started off wondering if he should blab every decision to the supporters. The fact of the matter is there are those who could undermine their efforts by blasting out to all and sundry. For instance someone with an agenda,  could manage to get themselves onto the SMISA committee. To get on the board trust has to be earned. 

It's only when you read articles like these that you realise how lucky we are to have such an experienced and successful saints supporting business man running the club.
It also debunks a lot of the drivel posted on here regarding his everyday running of our club.