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Tedious dirge, but fair play to Dunning for not being bored into submission.

A 33 year old whose peak of his career has been one stand out season at this level? It's a no thanks from me.

No reason we shouldn't be aiming for 5th in the interim. Difference between 8th and 5th is about fifty grand, give or take.

It's the latter. A more active style of supporter as seen at many clubs. Formed the group themselves, painted etc and their own cost (with club permission) and sell merch to raise funds for displays etc. https://cowshed.bigcartel.com/

Yeah, it's easy to get sucked into the 16 game unbeaten run and think we were actually brilliant for half a season, but in reality breaking it down to the league we were brilliant for a third of it and appalling for two thirds. You don't deserve the playoffs if you're that bad for that long, and that we were in title winning form for a third of the season and have still ended up miles off the playoffs shows how dependent we've been on a few individuals to raise the level of the players around them in that run. There are some players who've played less in the two bad runs and were nearly ever present when we were good, along with others whose performances haven't really dipped in the bad runs compared to the great December-February run, but ultimately what having a dreadful two thirds of the season means is that there are several players who've had far more bad games than good ones over the season. Last season we had more than XI players who had far more good games than bad, this time that hasn't been the case for a comfortable majority of the squad and that's why we've regressed overall. The out of contract cohort of that underperforming group should be getting moved on if we want to improve next season.

Wee shame Inverness beat 1-0 Ferguson absolutely seething. Very pleasing. Some wonder saves from Dabrowksi.

Has the makings of them getting beat after apparently downing tools Inverness are a minging club along with Queens Park it's a shame they can't both go down.

The fact that Boyd was handed a 2 year deal so we could have been stuck with him for another year had he not chucked it easily pushes him into the worst spot.

The young lads deserve a lot of praise for their efforts. You just hope they keep it going and become hooked on the club.

It's the fixed starting point because it's when Muirhead lost form and the whole discussion is about his contribution from the point he lost his form. Including his unquestionable positive contribution before that date would therefore be irrelevant, because no one is questioning that he was very good earlier in the season. Moving the start date forward would make no sense because it is still when his ongoing spell of poor form started. You know this. I would avoid criticising someone for causing a tedious back and forth through a stubborn refusal to admit they're wrong with the incorrect use of statistics if the various claims I'd made in a thread included: 21 year old Michael Garrity is about to turn 24, a fact you didn't address when your error was pointed out Muirhead never plays on the right when he'd played on the right three days prior to you making that claim, a fact you responded to by moving the goalposts to claim Muirhead only starting on the right once all season is irrelvant, an argument you then dropped and failed to address when the fact of his other starts on the right was pointed out at your request None of the fringe players have shown they can make as many contributions to goals as Muirhead, then when it was demonstrated that one of the fringe players competing for a place had in fact been involved in as many goals since Muirhead's form deteriorated despite less time on the park, you pivoted to: Claiming Muirhead's 10 starts in that time period prior to Friday's game was the same thing as Garrity's 3 starts and 7 sub appearances when Muirhead had more than double the amount of time on the park, and finally now with every actual footballing argument expended you're reduced to semantics about what constitutes recent form. People get things wrong all the time, which certainly includes me being too harsh on Muirhead recently enough. You can quietly accept that you were objectively factually incorrect on any or all of these points and stop digging at any time.

That's some ball from Blues on his left foot.

We can't have both better quality and a bigger squad within a sustainable budget. We will have to choose between one or the other, and I'd be prioritising quality because the potential benefit is much higher. We have had squad options during the slump in the final part of this season but combined with starters, they simply didn't deliver. That's not a numbers issue.

Much better first 15 minutes of the 2nd half but out with that it was pretty grim. Amazing how bad the first touch of most of the players is. Quitongo did well and Mullen was great 1st half. Championship football confirmed but overall a really disappointing season. Still stand by that it's time for a bit of clear out.

Indeed. Although at the same time, just...thank f**k for that win today. What a bonkers season.

Hope Raith pump them tonight

RB signed on loan from the Govan girners. Has never played, apparently got injured during a pre game (v Airdrie in September, I think) warm up and has never been seen since. Think he went back up the road on January.

Despite being a disappointment, French is safely out of the running for worst signing having at least contributed consistently to our winning run. Steven Boyd has that honour wrapped up and Jamie McDonald would be easily ahead of French too, he’s suffered from a combination of bad form, lack of sustained fitness and possibly just an overall lack of remaining ability for this level. Giving Harkness a free pass on the assumption we haven’t paid his wages since the injury, which is a total guess. Honourable mentions for goal of the season are Garrity’s volley against Airdrie, Muirhead’s second against Ayr and Muirhead’s tap in against QP at cappielow.

POTY: Mullen. Its nice to know we've a relatively safe pair of hands in the goal, although Oakley and Wilson are a close second. Mentallest decision of the year: Sending Alex King on loan again.

Totally forgot about that. Bullet dodged. I assume he got some kind of payoff but nothing close to the entirety of his contract.

Wilson POTY, difference between him in the team and out of it is striking. Mullen, Oakley, Strapp, Muirhead making up the rest. If we have a young player of the year (23 and under) it's Mullen (22 years old) by a mile. McGrattan and Garrity are the only other real contenders and neither comes close. Goal of the season the obvious Goatley strike. Best signing, Wilson but only because he's been here all season. Strapp otherwise. I could see the case for both. Boyd worst signing by a country mile. French has been a disappointment and should not be retained (if he's even available) but he's not even the player most directly responsible for sloppy goals conceded. Boyd on the other hand didn't fit in from day one and was a waste of a wage completely.

Over 100 of the "COWSHED" silk scarfs sold, some world wide.

I can't agree with anyone saying Muirhead and Crawford shouldn't be here next season. One is our top goalscorer while the other who hasn't been at his best this season with the ball has worked his arse off in every game he plays and has been unlucky not to chip in with a few goals. We absolutely need to upgrade some positions and improve strength in depth which is a challenge but we shouldn't be throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Strapp(Keep) Hopefully we can keep as for me he is the best LB in the championship however I suspect he may have better offers and might be off. Oakley(Keep) Same as Strapp got to try and keep as he offers so much but I suspect he will have offers elsewhere. Muirhead (Keep) His goal record over the past few years speaks for itself, threat from set pieces and can do something out of nothing, he has improved a lot since Imrie has been here albeit his work rate and attitude can be questioned sometimes. Gillespie (Release) Have never particularly rated him good for penalties other than that I don't see what he offers. Crawford (Keep) Puts in a shift every game okay this season hasn't been his best in terms of the end product and that must improve but for me I would keep him. Waters (Release) Attacking wise he offers nothing, he is okay defending but even if strapp doesn't stay we should be looking better. Power (Release) Had a good season but his legs are gone. Broadfoot (Release) Legs are gone get rid. McGrattan (Release) Not impressed when he had been in the team and not really developed like I thought he would. Garrity (Keep) Young, energetic and has made an impact since coming back from loan needs to improve his consistency but there is a player in there. O'Connor (Keep) Solid defender at the level hasn't improved again as much as I thought he would have considering how good he was last season but overall I think he has done well enough to justify a deal. Quitongo (Release) - Injury prone and for me the final ball and goal return isn't great either, can't fault effort but too much of a risk. Blues (Keep) - Never understand the hate he seems to get from certain people. He has improved a lot since Imrie has came in, can play a number of positions and always puts a shift in I wouldn't be starting him but good enough to be a squad player.

There’s a lot I agree with regarding ruthlessness in squad building, but binning Garrity at the end of this season would be madness. He’s a young, low earner on a sharp upward trajectory whose strengths are not replicated anywhere in our squad and will be incredibly difficult to find externally, certainly not without significant cost. He’s already contributing goals and assists at championship level and with Mcgrattan presumably moving aside he should be challenged to move up the pecking order, not out the door.

Seems a fair comment from Ferguson, frankly. When you're already relegated your mental state simply will change, you can't help it. "Downed tools" is maybe a little harsh because these guys are still professionals and will want a contract at Arbroath or elsewhere, but they're not going to have the fire that they would if survival was still possible.