Joeboy

I wonder if he's already chosen his number one or if it'll be a tight run fight between them for it.

Keeper annoucement in the next two hours according to Scott Mullen on twitter.

I know both of his appearances for the first team thus far have been wide midfield, but Adam Livingstone is a left back by trade. Whether he can launch an assault on the first team next season, I really don't know, haven't seen him enough to judge. Left back is a signing priority for me though, as I wouldn't want too many eggs in either basket next season.

With Cadden and Frear primarily used in wide positions last season, the signing of Tanner and the fact that Gordon, MacLean and Hastie all featured in the first team last season, you'd be inclined to think it would be best for all if Thomas moved on.

Two rumours! That singular tweet from a Coventry unofficial fansite twitter about Bigirimana on Friday morning proved to be true as well. The only other thing I could find at all online regarding that was an article from 2015 saying that we had just missed out on him and Vuckic to Rangers. Don't think we'll be signing Tanner as a striker per say and I'd expect him to play as a 10 or a right winger, judging by his stats on transfermarket and I'm not sure we're signing him with a reliance on goals. In the past we've seen the likes of O'Brien, Humphrey and Ojamaa offer great attacking contributions without much in the way of goals so it'll be all about what he brings to the team as a whole. The early business encourages me as I think it means we are getting first choice targets. Time to crack on now on goalkeepers, a left back and one, possibly two centre backs. Then a striker or two if Moult, Bowman and Blyth exit as expected.

For those who are concerned that Fisher only started scoring towards the end of the season, if you look closer at his stats, most of his nine starts came in that spell. In the time when he wasn't scoring, he was getting 10 minutes here, 15 minutes there off the bench. It strikes me at a glance as a player who had to wait for his chance and then when he got it, he took it. Scoring the amount of goals he did in a terrible team is credible as well, especially as he scored double what Billy McKay, a previously established striker at this level, did in the same team. I'd also take Ripley back in a second, but as others have said, I imagine he has much bigger fish to fry. Probably just a lazy rumour, given Robinson took him to Oldham last year.

I'm astonished we signed Bigirimana to be honest, thought it would be paper talk. I think he'll be a cracking player for us having seen a fair bit of him already. A real coup for us. Alex Fisher scoring 8 goals in 9 starts last season is also very promising. He had similar gametime to Bowman, who only managed two. Very happy with our first business!

I'd love us to sign Bigi. Good on the ball and good tackler. Be prepared for plenty of posts about praising the lord if he does sign!

And Bobby Donnelly at centre half. Given how slow he was as a teenager, playing full time, I dread to think what pace he runs at now.

What sticks out for me is going up to Inverness in the game Vigurs scored a late winner (one of very few times I viewed Vigurs in a positive light), a fully fit Ainsworth was on the bench as we played Fraser Kerr on the right wing. That was in his most consistent season as well.

I wouldn't touch Gavin Gunning with a ten foot bargepole, a headcase who, even after all that's happened, seems to have a jumped up opinion of his own ability. Law was an honest professional and a decent enough right-back, but he's a downgrade on Tait and I definitely wouldn't sign him as backup.

I see the Evening Times haven't managed to get a version of word that's got spelling and grammar check then!

Scott McDonald was born in 1983. How can he be over 35? I thought with all that changing of cash in your taxi you'd be half decent at basic arithmetic.

I think Moore got really unlucky with us. Getting injured on the penultimate game of the 2013/14 was such poor timing, with Anier about to depart, there were times in that first part of the 2014/15 season I think he could have added something. Virtually by the time he was fit again, we had McDonald and Sutton, with Erwin about to come to prominence so opportunities were limited. The needless signings of Robinson, Fletcher and Clarkson deprived of an earned chance to be a backup striker the following season as well I'd say.

Essentially those numbers I put in above count winning free kicks and penalties we directly score from and the likes of Frear's shot drawing Faddy's goal.

That puts him 5th behind Moult (20), McDonald (14), Frear ( 8 ), Tait (7) in terms of direct involvement by my reckoning.

I think he only managed two assists this season: 1. McDonald v Ross County (4-1) 2. Cadden v Dundee (2-3) So direct involvement is at 13% of league goals.

I suppose it's a game of opinions, but I'd have to disagree regarding how we've used him in his second spell. Whilst I think Baraclough using him in the number 10 role was miles out, I think at the stage of his career he's at now, he works best as the more withdrawn member of a front two. In his first spell, he was nippy and often benefited from playing on the shoulder of the last man, but now that he's not as pacy as he once was, I think there's times where he's been in pockets playing intelligent passes that he wouldn't if he was up by the last man. If anything its testament to him that he's been able to adapt his game in his twilight years to a style more suited to his age.

McDonald has been an amazing player for us over two spells. I thought it was harsh that he didn't seem to get much attention on the lap of honour as presumed fairwells to Moult and Lasley took precedence. Perhaps it's maybe the difference in perceived personality that does it- McDonald perhaps comes across as more selfish and moany than Moult or Lasley, who both seem like the supporters dream but I still thought he deserved more fanfare. I think in some ways he'll be harder to replace than Moult, I think Moult really flourishes alongside him and has missed him on the odd occasion he's been out. Most players we hold in high regard in recent years have been in teams from the right end of the table but McDonald will mainly be remembered for his exploits keeping us in the division. Particularly in the malpas season and when he was instrumental returning in the play off season. Hope he goes outside of Scotland wherever he moves, as it's never nice to see a player you hold in high regard play against you. Can't be many other players who have hit double figures in five different seasons for us.

Whilst I don't think he has set the world alight this season, I think your post is incredibly hyperbolic. A bonkers signing? Considering signing players from the conference seems to be a route that we were/are taking, I don't think it's incredibly bonkers to sign a guy who has consistently netted double figures in the division. I thought he was really good against Hamilton Accies in September, when he made three out of Moult's four goals. After that it soon became clear that despite McGhee's best efforts, it wasn't practical to play him, Skippy and Moult in the same team and when those two are basically our stand out players, he was going to be the one taking the hit. Him coming in off the back of Johnson going was us signing the wrong man, in the wrong position, at the wrong time. I don't think he's brilliant, but I think there are some attributes that could be harnessed into a decent player. I won't lose any sleep if he goes, but he's the only one in that list that I wouldn't give up on just yet.

Shocked that this thread didn't get a bump over the weekend after his latest return to the starting line up lasted less than an hour...

Just for the record, I am in no way claiming to be in the know Someone told me (I won't clipe his username) on the way back to the car after the game on Tuesday night. I didn't even ask him what his source was. Hence why I added it's all rumours and hearsay.

Absolutely- it would be criminal if the difference between him signing it or not was Lee Lucas' weekly wage- for example.

Story goes that he was tabled a one-year extension, which he was keen to sign, but asked for his wage to match that of the highest earners at the club, which they didn't oblige with. All rumours and hearsay though!

A clean slate this summer for me: Out of contract: Samson- release, no explanation required Ainsworth- unplayable one in seven games, ineffectual the other six. Move on. Griffiths- the one player I'm not actually sure about, but I'd rather a more experienced keeper anyway. Lasley- stalwart, legend, quite often our best option at centre mid this season, but time to try and replace him. Only register if he's in a coaching role. Chalmers- release, no explanation required. Lucas- release, chocolate. Jules- end loan, no explanation. Moore- release, terrible luck with injuries but he'd have broken through by now. McFadden- no harm in registering him if he's assistant, but I suspect he won't be. Ferguson- release, too old to play 20s and at best not ready for the first team. McDonald- would love to keep, but we obviously now know that's not happening. Pearson- The fact this spell has either shown him on a major decline or continuously injured tells me we shouldn't offer a nearly 35 year old a deal. Under contract: Heneghan- Ended the season with two very good games, but if we could get a fee for him given he's only got a year left, I'd be laughing straight to the bank. Moult- Clear to see he is away, just hope it's not to them. Blyth- if somehow we could get him off the wage bill, I'd let him go. Clay- With Campbell at times leapfrogging him and McHugh due to return to midfield, I wouldn't be averse to allowing him to go either. Thomas- Seemed to have an up and down time at QOTS, but is running out of time to make an impact here and with other young wide players in MacLean, Hastie and Gordon about I wouldn't be against letting him go. Watt- Hasn't set the world alight on lower league loan spells and with reported ideas above his station, I wouldn't be against an exit for him either. So far my feelings towards Robinson have varied from sympathy to criticism, but with all of the above to deal with, now might be the time he earns his keep and deserves to be truly judged.