bud84

Think Alex mcleish and maybe even Gordon Strachan will be further up Aberdeen's wishlist than Jack Ross, should mcinnes head for ibrox. I'd be very surprised if we're on the hunt for a new manager any time soon.

Think Alex mcleish and maybe even Gordon Strachan will be further up Aberdeen's wishlist than Jack Ross, should mcinnes head for ibrox. I'd be very surprised if we're on the hunt for a new manager any time soon.

Highlights show that Ross Stewart didn't initially make an arse of his touch that he had to recover at the winner either and that the Brechin defender actually nudged him (fairly) causing the ball to bounce off him for what was almost a by kick. It was actually a good piece of defending that was recovered very well. 

Pm'd

Unfortunately the practice of having to pick out a perceived 'weak point' in the team for the focus of all frustration seems to be endemic among our support. 
At the start of pre season it was Samson who was the target after dropping one in against Dundee. 'We should never have f**king brought him back, he wasn't good enough last time and he's still not good enough' one shout from behind me came, 6 minutes into his debut. 
Sammy then settled many nerves and it was Jack Baird after that. Yes, he was deservedly criticised after his mistakes at Cappielow but the one performance was enough to convince several that he'll never be at a level required and was enough of a basis to justify him staying out of the side indefinitely. Jack returns and looks excellent for several weeks. Time to move on. 
Gary Irvine isnt in the side so he's escaped the ire as he's normally a bit of a heat magnet. 
So it falls at the lap of the big gangly awkward looking lad who hasn't really done anything to justify the frustration being thrown at him. He's got a decent touch, retains possession, can make the ball stick in the final third, has a great ethic and strong positional sense. But he's ungainly, runs awkward and is lanky so sticks out like a sore thumb. There were 4 young lads of about 17 at the East Kilbride game who sat behind me and whilst not shouting, were actively discussing how 'he's so f**king shite' and 'what a lump of wood' even when he scored the winner 'it wasn't even a good goal anyway, it was easy to put that one away' I ended up turning around and laughing at them and telling them thank f**k they aren't in charge of the side. 
Think it's time we started laying off our players when they are clearly giving it everything and mostly to good effect.  These are relatively good times and they don't come around often. There's always room for improvement and constructive criticism is part of that, that's understandable but some of the sustained abuse isn't warranted. I always love hearing those who are loudest in their criticism then being vocally supportive when the subject of it turns their form around as it shows objectiveness and the willingness to give the player a chance based on merit rather than preconceptions. Unfortunately that doesn't happen too often, the two options are vocal abuse or passive silent seethe that said player is proving their precious opinion wrong. 

Could be doing with stopping his ' show your appreciation ' pish at every substitution. Apart from that he's sound 

Great support of a 20 year old boy settling into first team football for the first time in his career 
I actually think the big man has been quite useful so far. Very raw, granted, but I think he'll become a good player for us.

You seem to be in a minority with this opinion.
Interesting post though. You know Ross is just 21 years old and you know players read these forums but you post this abuse anyway?
Is that because you believe your right to post whatever garbage leaps to your brain outranks the effect of your abuse on a young lad at our club or because you have an IQ in single figures?
BTW do you know who setup today's winner?

You think a 21 year old from the basement of the Scottish championship can walk into any team in the English Championship and compete for an EPL play-off place?
yeah i am sure having spent hundreds of thousands on him, carefully working him into the style/set up they have, they will then set out to destroy his footballing ability. This league we play in is a league of cluggers, that league,  is a league with many international players.

Wee interview in today's Daily Ranger ....
 
“You’ll never have to buy another drink again.”
It’s a phrase that Conor Newton still has ringing in his ears.
He hasn’t been back to Paisley since his second loan spell ended in 2014 – but one goal has set him up for life if he ever decides to return to the town.
When St Mirren fans talk about their side’s League Cup 2013 triumph, they really mean the moments the ball hit the back of the net.
Newton, who was on-loan from Newcastle United, has never been a prolific goalscorer. Even he admits he probably shouldn’t have shot from the edge of the box while the clash remained finely balanced at 2-1. “I should have taken another touch,” he laughs down the phone, “I should have taken my time... not that anyone was complaining.”
As history would have it, Newton’s snapshot, while finding himself faced with just Hearts keeper Jamie MacDonald, would find the back of the net.
The masses roared as the red-headed Englishman with a Geordie accent gave their side a 3-1 advantage, while 150 miles from home.
But still Newton maintains that in hindsight the occasion may have got the better of him.
“Watching it back I have to wonder what I was doing,” he says.
“I think the moment just took over. I’ve just looked up and seen the keeper and thought why not. If anyone else was to do that I would have been shouting and screaming at them.
“But you’re in a cup final, and sometimes you have to be greedy. Thank God it went in because I could have got all sorts of grief if it hadn’t.”
For much of the game, St Mirren, and their supporters, were on tenterhooks, finding it difficult to break down a stubborn Hearts side. Ryan Stevenson’s early goal, taking a deflection off of Newton’s old mate Paul Dummett, saw the Gorgies deflate the Geordies in the Paisley ranks.
Isma Goncalves’ strike levelled things up before Steven Thompson famously fired his hometown team into the lead shortly after the break.
But Hearts were always in pursuit of the leveller – before Newton played a deft one-two with Goncalves before thumping home.
Two goals in the lead, Saints would have been forgiven for believing the trophy was theirs. But with just under half an hour left to play, Newton is adamant that you couldn’t be any further from the truth.
“From a neutrals point of view it must have been a fascinating match to watch,” he admits, “But to play in? It was terrible from a nerves point of view,
“It was end to end and we were just so nervous.
“We came back from behind – but when Ryan Stevenson scores to get Hearts a goal back, they were piling on the pressure in the end. We were clinging on for dear life in all honesty.”
When Craig Thomson blew for full-time, it brought an end to 26-years without a major trophy for St Mirren. For a generation, it was their first glimpse of the Saints lifting some silverware when Jim Goodwin collected the League Cup before lofting it in the air in front of the black and white masses.
Being so far from home, there was a little piece of Newcastle at Hampden, with a family caught up in the occasion and becoming Buddies for the day.
So as the whistle pierced the chilly Glasgow air, Newton looked up to his family to share the moment with his nearest and dearest.
“When that final whistle goes it was just relief and elation,” he added, “You see the fans celebrating and you realise just how much it means to everyone.
“Obviously I wasn’t a St Mirren supporter, I had only really been at the club for a few months, but you got caught up in the moment.
“My family filled a bus from Newcastle, the whole Newton clan, around 30 of them where at Hampden so to be able to share those memories and have them there to see – that was special.
“It really was the romance of the cup. St Mirren fans won’t mind me saying it, but they aren’t a massive club, and no one really expected us to get as far as we did, especially when you consider we played the likes of Aberdeen and Celtic just to get there.”
The infamous parties went on in Paisley for days, with Newton’s strike sparking days of bevvying on the streets of the town as the players took in the adulation of the support at every possible opportunity.
Mobbed by fans telling him they loved him, the midfielder was more than happy to share the moment.
And although he has hardly been in the town since that day, Newton says one promise never passed him by, joking: “I was told I would never have to buy a drink in Paisley again – and one of these days I’ll have to take them all up on that offer.”
Newton’s burst on to the scene was something which he explains happened literally over night.
At the age of 21 he got the all in January asking him if he would be interested in joining up with Newcastle teammate Paul Dummett, who had been at the Buddies since the start of that season.
Having been forced to bide his time in a Magpies youth team littered with talent, he admits he jumped at the opportunity to link up with a senior side.
However, one training session with Paul McGowan and Jim Goodwin, he laughs, opened his eyes to what it would take to make an impression in Scotland.
“I was more than aware what I was getting myself into because Paul had been at St Mirren for the previous six months,” Newton explained.
“In all honesty the move was a bit unexpected because I hadn’t played much football, let alone at senior level. It was daunting because I had never really been among experienced players before apart from being used as a mannequin from time to time in Newcastle training, where you were basically invisible.
“I went up in the middle of the night and stayed with Paul at first and it was a fantastic time. I wasn’t really in the set-up at Newcastle so to be given the opportunity to test myself in Scotland was one I really looked forward to.
“I remember the training being really difficult on the first day, thinking ‘I’m really going to have to up my game here if I am going to get any sort of chance’. Going in for a challenge with McGowan on day one opened my eyes to everything it would take.”
Looking back, that St Mirren team that won the cup in 2013 was the strongest in some time. Newton admits that he was shocked to see the side relegated a couple of years after his departure back down south.
Having watched from afar as the team started to struggle, Newton highlights the talent and personalities in the squad that Danny Lennon and Tommy Craig had built over that period.
“Down south sometimes people laugh at the game in Scotland,” he added, “But I was blown away by the talent which we had in that St Mirren side. Kenny McLean, Paul McGowan and John McGinn were all unreal players.
“Gary Teale, Jim Goodwin, David van Zanten were all great, experienced pros to have around the place too. Goody obviously had a bit of a reputation but there was no one you would rather have alongside you, these guys helped me straight away.
“Looking back it was a real good group of boys. There is a lot of guys who have gone on to great things.
“All you have to do is look at Graham Carey, he is flying at Plymouth and I think he scored 20 odd goals in League Two last season. Carey is a boy who struggled to even get in the team at times at St Mirren.
“Sean Kelly got a move down south for a while, and Jason Naismith was coming through the ranks too and has gone on to have a good career.”
Newton is now turning out for English National League side Hartlepool United following stints at Rotherham United and Cambridge in recent seasons.
With a young daughter, he revealed that he was always on the hunt for a move closer to home this summer, with Hartlepool coming along at the perfect time.
However, although only four years since that day at Hampden, Newton concedes the cup final drama feels like forever ago.
But that’s not to mean he doesn’t still revel in the glory...
“I look back on the whole cup experience as the best in my career.
“I maybe didn’t appreciate as much as I should have back then, but looking back everything just fell into place at the right time.
“St Mirren will also hold a piece of my heart because of that. It was the best time of my career, and I have the fondest of memories.”

Saints fan co commentates.
Celebrates like a fan
Saints fans berate Saints fan for celebrating goals and a performance that were a joy to watch.

How very dare he[emoji23]

Absolutely superb goals even better than they looked "in the flesh". You don't get many of those to the pound. As for the guys commentating they are fans, no doubt most of us were reacting the same way. I commend their thoroughly partisan enthusiasm.

Amen!

You'll have no forum left at this rate 
Thought the turning point yesterday was when we realised that neither of their fullbacks could defend. Morgan and Stelios overlapping was great to see, thought Reilly was great. McGinn and McShane can almost stroll it at this level. 
On Samson - he did well overall, distribution could be improved, job for Langfi... err, aye.
With the style of football we play, we're going to score plenty and lose a few too. At least it's fun to watch!
Onwards to Greenock

Happy days...
 

To be fair, if Stelios was an opposition player, to a man we'd detest him. He's an utter bastard, always up to something to get under the skin of the opposition. I wouldn't be surprised if he drew the red card yesterday by saying something or doing something to warrant a response. 
As it is though, I love the guy. We need a nasty side and Stelios is definitely our bad boy. A constant annoyance as a personality and no shortage of talent. What a guy. 

We need you to stop talking shite.

If it's like primary school, you're the annoying wee shite who never shuts up and keeps repeating himself to get on his classmates nerves. 

£55 4 course lunch with wine
£24 Padded Seating
£10 Half Time Refreshments
£30 Alcoholic Refreshments

One thing I am missing and that a don't put a cost to is meeting the players and management after the game.

If people don't want to go along for any reason that's their choice.

IMO it is worth every penny and I'm looking forward to it on Saturday.

You wouldn't need a three course lunch at Saporito, you've got enough chips on your shoulder to feed the whole f------g crowd!

Absolutely. Of course my first thought was what negative spin will Shull put on this. Don't Drink, shout, enjoy the drums, Stay in  SMISA, enjoy hospitality or openly support JR & JF because if you do that makes Shull a better class of fan than you. Is Victor Meldrew your hero? 
Then I thought happy thoughts. Train to Paisley, Bull inn, More pints than my recommended daily limit . wee walk to the ground, sing song song, cheer on the Saints, watch Falkirk getting pumped. Few more pints, something to eat and after spending a few quid bolstering the Paisley Ecomony head back to NB happy in the knowledge JR is at the helm. 

All you "Jack Ross must go" guys bad News. Personally I'm Delighted
 
Jack Ross: St Mirren manager & assistant James Fowler sign new contracts
 
 
37 minutes ago From the sectionFootball Sharethis page Jack Ross guided St Mirren to Scottish Championship safety after taking over last season St Mirren manager Jack Ross and his assistant James Fowler have signed new three-year deals with the Paisley club.
The duo joined the struggling Buddies in October 2016, ultimately securing their Scottish Championship status.
Ross' team also reached the Challenge Cup final, losing to Dundee United, and the Scottish Cup last eight, where they lost to eventual winners Celtic.
"We are delighted to get these deals completed," St Mirren chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick said.
"Jack and James are two highly thought of young coaches and have done a tremendous job since coming in last season. The club has lacked a bit of stability over the last few years so it's great to get these contracts agreed. We are really excited to see what happens in the season ahead."

You want him to tell lies? 

I was half expecting Shull to start one! 
Word is going round social media so I'm sure the ground will be rocking for this one

3-1 the buds, Reilly, Morgan and Stelios with our goals