Gareth_Glasgow

My notes from the AGM:
Formalities:
Accounts accepted, directors re-elected and auditors re-appointed
Accounts:
Directors loans have been repaid shortly after year end using the parachute payment – no interest was charged and there is not expected to be a repeat of the cash flow issues this year.
Depreciation is calculated as a percentage of the build cost of the stadium, but maintenance in an on-going project rather than building up a reserve to offset this.
Excluding depreciation the club broke even.
Sale:
There are expressions of interest all the time, there is 'nothing on the table of any interest at the moment'– the directors are ‘just looking for their money back’.
Access:
Currently awaiting a grant to enable higher level seating for disabled supporters.
Club is currently in breach of equalities act, as vehicle access is restricted.
Manager:
This will be our 5th manager in 2 years, the Board are not in a rush, have to get the appointment right.
Have had 30-40 applicants already, most with little or no experience.
Alex Miller will take charge in the interim (working without a contract), but doesn’t want the job – club wont promote from within – looking for serious experience.
Playing staff:
There is some budget for players, but will mainly need to move players on to bring in new players, the board will not go into debt to improve the squad.
Manager is entirely responsible for signings, he controls his budget – board don’t advise – if the manager wants scouts or additional coaches, it comes out of his budget.
Currently no bids for any of our players.
We have a 33% sell on clause for John McGinn.
Players trained more under Ian Murray than any other manager the board had seen – players we happy with the training on a Sunday – this was introduced on the back of medical advice (warm down/recover).
Commercial initiatives:
Number of initiatives on-going, Car parking, Conferencing, Supporters’ bar but always keen to look at new ideas, this is why Thistle is being played on a Friday night and experimenting without segregation, also trialling early bird pricing.
Other:
Board generally in favour of League Cup changes, would like to see more football player in summer months without a complete switch to summer football.
BBC alba deal is not good for championship clubs, only £3k per game screened, we should not have any further home games on Alba this season.
Meeting closed at 6:45pm

If the story is true that the team were given extra days off over the international break then that in itself is a sacking offence for the manager!
That's Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp after beating Man City 4-1. Clearly he didn't decide as half his squad would be away to give the rest some time off.
John Rankin was on Sportsound the other night and said Dundee United would normally give them a few days off over the international break but "given the situation we are in" big Mixu cancelled that and had them in working harder. (And a 2-1 defeat to St Johnstone is a great result for them actually!)
In general I don't understand how Scottish footballers find it acceptable to train a few mornings a week and call themselves full time pros. I know you can overtrain and over exert yourself but surely Alex Miller has been brought in to coach these guys on the technical side of the game and help make them in to one strong unit? Given the current performances and lack of basic ability in passing, moving, holding any form of shape, they should be doing 12 hour shifts every day!
I honestly find it all very confusing. Guys like Shankland, Baird and Mallan are at a point where if they knuckle down they could end up in England making 10 to 30k per week in the not too distant future. Shankland was breathing out his arse after 50 minutes!
We've got a great training complex, a great coach in now, and a team in need of a lot of work. Surely the past couple of weeks would have been a great time to get down to some hard work?

And so it begins...
Have you learned nothing from watching Krnny McLean then John McGinn get abuse from our own "supporters" whilst often playing out of position in amongst a team of shit... only to move on and receive adulation from others when supported and helped to play to their potential?

So if we got shot of Goodwin and brought in more players like howieson and carswell we'd be better off is that what he's saying makes sense now

Goodwin is the only player in the midfield who looks like he cares.
For anyone to suggest or infer we'd be better off if he wasn't there is barking mad. He's our best player every week.

Bear with me on this one, before laughing me out of town.
If Jim continues to impress, I genuinely wouldn't be surprised if Mixu were to make enquiries come January.
Mixu feels his Utd squad are too young, and a bit naive. Two things Jim ain't. He is also used to a bottom of the table scrap (albeit last season didn't manage to scrap quite enough).
Jim is a leader, and United lack that type of player. Rankin is experienced, and can play in a similar position, but if we turn the corner and climb the table, and Jim features prominently, nothing would surprise me. He is fit, has commitment, and has proved he can screw the nut.
Oh, and all that coming from a (former) Goodwin sceptic - in the context of this season at any rate.

Goodwin is essential to our hopes. He has been absolutely magnificent this season in a struggling side. Murray should ne offering him an extension now. If he doesn't then there is a conspiracy. Jim did wrong before but you can't doubt his ability not his passion for our club. If others had the same determined approach we wouldn't have 2 wins from 11 and be languishing in.the second tier of Scottish football. Our club in a league like this struggling is a bloody disgrace

Unfortunately I have to concede defeat on this one. I have always been 100% behind Thommo but unfortunately I've seen enough this season to draw the conclusion that this is simply a season too far. At the start of the season I commented that if he plays up top with someone else, goals will come. Unfortunately, not only aren't goals coming but he doesn't seem to be able to get himself into that goalscoring position that he was so good at in his career for us. It's not as if we don't create, it's something we do ok with in a lot of games, it just seems he's no longer there or thereabouts when the chances drop. He played well against Rangers, but again I can't recall him having an effort at goal.
Shankland has to come back in now for me. Yes you'll get people saying that he's not proven and they are right, but he's started 3 or 4 matches and found the net twice. 15-20 minutes here and there will do the guy no good at all.

Jim Goodwin was outstanding again today. Well done Sir! Loved the wee mid air control of the ball with the outside of the foot. I think he did too judging by the smile on his face and the demonstration of it seconds later to his team mates. Well done Jim Goodwin on another fine performance.

Goodwin is the best player in the Champipnship.

Carswell done f**k all when he came on. Shuffled back a few time but never put in a tackle nor marked anyone. Agnew had his best game for us in midfield but we seriously need a decent central midfielder to support Goody or fill in when he isn't playing. And a booking for his first foul in the game? Totally shite decision. I was listening to the radio while at the game and even the commentators were surprised at the decision.

I'll comment all I like. I've been going home and away for 21 years and if I choose to miss a f**king match, it's my prerogative.

Hope not.

When was the last time Thommo scored, out of interest. I see he starts ahead of Shankland again today (Someone who has twice as many league goals in about 20% of the game time Thommo has had).

Thought I might have to change my 'top man' when it looked like he was away in the summer.
Glad I haven't. We've finally got a proper defence in behind Jim so he can play the crucial, pivotal holding role properly, without worrying about 1) the clusterf**k behind him and 2) whether he's going to be moved backwards to join the clusterf**k.
Jim

*bump*
I doubted Jim.
I thought he was a bit of a liability.
I am delighted to be proved a fool. By all accounts (and the account of a friend whose judgement I hold in great regard), he is a very decent guy.
COYS!
Legend!

Yes Jim had flaws in his game but I f**king love him, just look at the way he wins freekicks, always talking to teamates, all the other supporters and players hate his guts, which he just brushes off and it distracts them from their game, most teams in Scotland would love him in their team.

Special mention for Goody tonight especially when we went down to 10 men. Hopefully he is now back in the team as his experience and attitude are sadly lacking with the midfielders around him.

Thanks Stu
There have been plenty of fans moaning that Goodwin and Teale were appointed coaches ahead of Thompson and how it was a slap in the face for Thommo etc. When Craig was binned and Teale was appointed with DLII as his number two again we got the same outcry about Thommo being overlooked. When Teale was binned again their were calls for Thommo to take over as manager in some quarters, and when Murray was appointed people were saying Thommo should be appointed as his No.2 or a coach and that it must be a priority to re-sign him as a player.
The same people saying Goodwin is on a downward spiral with his own form a bad influence and too critical of younger players seem quite happy to overlook Thommo's form or his spearing of McGinn and habit of throwing poles towards younger players at training.
I'd agree that Goodwin is not as effective as he was in season 2 of Danny Lennon's time as manager, but I think the second half of last season showed that he looks like he has dealt with his indiscipline on that pitch, and I think he can do a job for us this season. I find it puzzling that Goodwin is being cited as one of the main causes for us getting relegated... and would accept that 4 suspensions in 1 season did not help, but the recruitment policy in both transfer windows and weak squad, bad management, lack of goals throughout the season, awful home record were not all down to Goodwin and his form. Stevie Mallan and Kenny McLean's half season were the only bright spots in a season where Kello, Naismith, Kelly, McAusland, Goodwin, McGinn, Thompson and even Gregg Wylde all looked worse footballers than in the previous season.

Not that outlandish considering some of the nonsense about Thompson's nose being out of joint because he wasn't a coach and folk trying to manufacture a rift between the current manager and Goodwin and Thompson.
Murray today: "His will to win is up there with any player I have ever known but he has not caused the slightest problem in the dressing room or around the club."
And: “Since I’ve come in his head has been screwed on. As a manager I can’t speak highly enough of him.”
Now, I appreciate that falls into "Well, he would say that wouldn't he?" territory but can we please wait until there's a bit more to substantiate theories of a rift or fears that Murray doesn't trust them and thinks they're after his job than two guys not playing in a few games?
Full interview at: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/saint-winner-boss-ian-murray-6283164

Is Goodwin out of favour with some fans because Tommy Craig selected him ahead of Thommo for a coaching role, in the same way that John McGinn seemed to end up being the one the fans turned on after suing the club for being speared by Thommo? It's not Jim's fault that Tommy Craig gave him a 2 year deal as a player / coach, what was he supposed to say, no thanks I would like a 1 year deal and less security in the unlikely event that Tommy's reign as manager doesn't work out?
I'm not sure if Danny Lennon would have given Goodwin a 2 year extension when his contract was up, if Goodwin was one of those making life hard for DL in the dressing room. DL had a track record of moving senior players on when they were coming to the end of their shelf life at this level of football (DVZ, Mair, Murray).

There are fans who just don't have time for Goodwin and don't realize what he can bring to this particular young team.
Against Bradford Goodwin came on in the second half. What a difference in composure , tackling while he was the best passer of the ball by a mile in the Saints team. Fergie used Copland , Gus used Reilly, You need a digger between midfield and defence a battler , someone who talks and guides. We have that man sitting on a bench for me that is unbelievable and very short sighted from Murray.
The manager needs time to find the team he wants but he also needs experience in a young team. At the moment that experience is not being used sadly

There has been nothing in the first 2 games to suggest that we are a better team with Goodwin sat on the bench for 90 mins.

I love SMFC.I love Thommo.
BUT that doesn't mean I can't criticise.
Thommos total contribution to the 2nd half was to give away stupid foul after stupid foul and then greet when the ref penalised him.Yes,the ref had a poor game too but every free kick he gave against Thommo was justified.He is our most experienced player having played at the top level of the game but he needs to sort himself out attitude wise.
Sorry if this upsets a few of you but it's my opinion.

The referee didn't cost us the game, it was the poor performance of the players and poor tactics by the manager that did that. Several on here have blamed the ref in recent draws and defeats. We're becoming like the bigot brothers - "it's a conspiracy". Get real - were just not very good!