MelvinBragg

Trust me, typing it was enough to give me chills...

Not a massive fan of Daley but if he is unquestionably McCall's worst signing, let"s compare him to other managers' worst signings. Brown - Casagolda Gannon - Moutouakil McGhee - Sheridan or Grabban (could make a case for Michael Fraser) Malpas - Molloy/Keegan/Elliot/take yer pick Butcher - Khemas/Sengewald Was Daley that bad...?

I'd argue even Daley contributed, particularly in his first season. Thinking of Aberdeen and St Johnstone away...

I think if we were to sign McManus then you'd have to think we'll be selling Hutchinson. So leaving us still looking for a right back or a centre half depending on where McCall wants to deploy Ramsden... If we can bring in Nielsen and Sutton that'll be four very decent signings. Reckon we'd then be looking for wingers...

Indeed. He'd have been mad to move for an extra £500 a week given we set up last season to play to his strengths but that's a wage hike hard to turn down. Surprised that Barnsley were still interested given they've just signed O'Grady, another striker whose strength is playing with his back to goal and bringing others into play...

Unless Aberdeen are planning on selling Vernon, it would seem a strange move for them after signing Zola...

Those 30 appearances, how many (particularly in Daley's case) were late sub appearances? To think that 10-15 minutes every couple of weeks would have developed Lawless better than playing week in week out for Thistle, irrespective of how good our side is, is laughable. With all due respect... Original point still holds. No point in wondering what might have been, no way to tell which of us is right on Lawless. The general point regards our developing our young players is one I can agree with. My concern is Carswell. Here we're talking about a guy who with Law leaving could've been playing week in week out but we've signed Lawson. Difference between Carswell and Lawless is the fact that Carswell actually has shown he can contribute...

Indeed. You can add McHugh to that list. McHugh has by my reckoning more goals than starts for Motherwell. Moore, by all accounts, did well at Cowdenbeath. Erwin was highly rated prior to injury problems. If even one of these guys can make the step up, then maybe we won't need to bring in two starting strikers...

The words "gamble" and "not proven" suggest it's not Sutton...

Slightly disappointing as he'd have been an excellent replacement for Higdon...

No point in wondering what might have been there. Form of Humphrey, Ojamaa and McFadden (and Murphy before him) would have ensured Lawless wouldn't have got any real game time with us last season. Aye, he could've had the minutes that Daley and Higginbotham had but what would that have amounted to? Had we kept him, it would only have stunted his development...

Apparently in the Express this morning that we've agreed terms with Gunnar Neilson...

Could live with McManus for Hutchinson if it meant a decent fee allowing us scope to bring a couple more players in...

Not sure, but the fact I'd even consider it is worrying..

God, no. Fans seem to have a real issue with us bringing former players back...

Scott Burns ran the story in the Express this morning that Sutton was the striker we were after. His track record isn't bad regards Motherwell...

6 goals in 72 appearances. How many of those appearances were 10 minutes or so at the end of a game? Say on average he gets 20 minutes every time he's on the field , that totals to 1440 minutes, or 16 full games. 6 goals in 16 games. Not Higdon-like scoring but not shabby either. Bear in mind that a lot of the time he's coming off the bench when things aren't going well, team aren't playing well so not an ideal situation to nab a goal. I'm convinced if you give the guy a run of starts, you'll get goals from him. Having said that, I don't think he'll get a run of games. I was surprised that he was offered a new contract as I don't think McCall rates him that highly...

I think you'll find the reason he's at Hearts is the fact he had a great season with us and they were moved to offer him more money than we could offer. Fact that he's not performed at Hearts? Frozen out by a couple of the managers there, not getting great supply and all the off the field stuff going on, these could be factors. Sutton would not be my first choice but let's not rewrite history here. He was a good player for us and that's how he ended up at Hearts. Would he score as many as Higdon did last season? No, but given Higdon scored more than most of our post war strikers managed in a season then it's hardly a criticism...

I think a Sutton/McHugh combination could be decent...

Not on Twatter, so don't know what's been said but if it's a current SPL striker who's a "familiar face" then Sutton is the only one I can think of. Would I want him back? He wouldn't be my first choice (I'd rather have Higdon or Lee Miller) but I think some people forget how effective he was for us. When I think of the 6-6 game against Hibs, as much as Jutkiewicz's goal, I remember Sutton and his attitude as reasons we didn't lose that game. So I wouldn't be distraught if he returned. Good solid pro. And we may need that kind of character next season if it's going to be more difficult than this one...

While I reckon you underrate Hateley, I'd tend to agree that the two players we'll miss the most are already away, to Birmingham and Preston. We had good performances without Humphrey as others have pointed out. But to replace his kind of terrifying pace will be more difficult than finding a solid right back who's good on the ball. And I say that as someone who thinks Hateley is a good player...

I think some of the stick is due to the rumours (true or not, I have no idea) that Hateley was one of the highest earners at the club, maybe even the top earner...

Was thinking Hamill for the vacant RB slot? Depends on how much Hearts can afford to hold out for fee wise for any player. Anything other than "nominal" and we can forget it...

Kirk for us..

Not wishing to be a vulture but anyone at Hearts worth having for a nominal fee?