Kmcalpin

I'm very much of the same view. A successful forum needs all manner of views. It's important not to be an echo chamber. Some posters are optimists and some are pessimists. Most are somewhere in between. All views should be welcomed providing they adhere to message board rules.

IF Balmer and Halliday leave, I'd expect 2 midfielders and 2 central defenders to be brought in. As things stand, we're one light in both areas.

Presumably on loan? Certainly he doesn't sit well with our current style. I wouldn't want to offload him though until a replacement was in the door.

Dylan Wells seems to be highly rated by the club, but hasn't featured at all this season. Does anyone know if he's out with a long term injury. Radio silence from MFC.

He strikes me as being a penalty box player end of, although admittedly his service has been poor so far. We either have to adapt our game to suit him, or he's moved on. I can't see JBA changing our style to accommodate one player. His one saving grace is that our midfield and "support" strikers have yet to start firing on all cylinders.

I wonder if they are season ticket holders at Parkhead. If so, you'd think Celtic would be reviewing their status, irrespective of any potential banning orders.

How did Reece McAlear play on Saturday?

The window "slams" shut a fortnight today and I suspect we'll see some business done by then.

Does anyone know the attendance yesterday? St Johnstone has been reluctant to release any figures.

Disappoined not to see this incident on the highlights. Don't know why it would have been edited out. As Richard Tait will tell you, its quite possible to win a foul and still be yellow carded for simulation. Great pass by Elliot Watt for our gaol.

Rumours of Callum Hendry incoming. May just be a load of hot air though.

A good win today in difficult circumstances. Saints are flying high in the Championship and, according to a BBC pundit, would be expecting to score a few goals today. Another clean sheet for us and we progress. Young Zander McAllister also made his debut. On the debit side we really do need to beef up our attack, but the manager knows that.

Zander McAllister or Luca Ross?

We have taken on young lads from Hamilton's Academy?

Hale is not the type of signing we have tended to make in recent years. Ross County are wanting an inflated fee for him but will be panicking that he runs his contract down. Our money is better spent elsewhere.

Would agree with that, although I'd add McLeish. Harri Kampmann did half a job very well - he got shot of a lot of dross. However he couldn't rebuild the squad.

Ah that explains your view. I've seen both Coyne and Pettigrew play and I'd pick the latter every time although Coyne was a great striker. Would Pettigrew make my best ever 11? No. He wouldn't even make the bench. That's no slight on him, just a reflection of the quality of the competition. We have had some world class players down the years.

Everyone is entitled to their choice but what was your opinion of Willie Pettigrew?

Yes. Quite how much and when I don't know but the club has to grasp this nettle at some point. A policy of sticking plasters and avoidance won't cut it long term.

I'll resist going back to the 1960s as that would complicate matters considerably and make my choice more difficult. But here's my selection: Ruddy Nijholt McVie McCart Wark Davidson O'Donnell McLaren Cooper Pettigrew Graham Subs: McRae W Watson Van der Gaag Kipre MacKinnon Russell Millar Coyne

or parents.

Well done to young Lennon and I really hope he does well in Italy. Certainly the world is at his feet. He certainly left with a great deal of class. A real role model for young players and it also speaks volumes for our Academy. Sometimes it pays a promising youngster to stay with us for an extra year or perhaps two, before moving onto to bigger things. I've never been one to fawn over departed players but I'll be keeping an eye open for him.

Put a modest amount into the playing budget (say <£500k); place some in our contingency fund to secure the future of the club; spend the rest on upgrading training facilities/infrastructure (a loose definition: urgent repairs, stadium upgrading, new stadium fund whatever). The Club Directors will have a very good idea of the risks and rewards as you'd expect. I'm happy to leave it to them.

Scottish Sun reporting a fee of £4.75m plus add ons.

Yes. My greatest concern is lack of firepower. Whilst I do like our current brand of football, I also like to see us hit the net a few times. We do seem to be utterly toothless.