dunning1874

I recall you having similar thoughts about our appointment of Jonatan Johansson, who did of course turn out to be an absolute donkey. It's possible you're just inclined to think someone who had an excellent playing career is always going to be a good manager when that evidently isn't the case. As for who's done better with Forest Green than Ferguson - it's only 2 seasons ago Rob Edwards won them the League Two title - literally every manager they've ever had. His record makes Gus MacPherson look good. He took over in a difficult situation, but he made them considerably worse.

You could take Ferguson being at Stair Park on Saturday as simply going to watch his son who's on loan at Forfar, but a more cynical person might wonder what conversations he had with McKinnon.

Scot Gardiner in making appointment based on finding the staunchest candidate shock. Plenty of managers fail in their first job then learn from their mistakes and improve over time, but Ferguson really was an absolute catastrophe at Forest Green. One win and three draws in 18 games. I'd be terrified if we'd appointed him, put it that way.

As we still have a fit left back and Lewis Strapp has never been anything other than a left back or left wing back, signing him would solve nothing. I'd rather him than Broadfoot at centre back right enough, but I'd also rather bring Millen out of retirement or play Bearne there at this point. He's not suspended. It's 6 bookings for a suspension and he's on 5.

Imrie in the Courier saying it's a suspected dislocated knee for O'Connor. That's an absolute disaster if it turns out to be the case, if we have another month or two of Broadfoot in the team we'll be cut adrift.

You can't recall players outside the window, he's there until January. This is the reason we really have to be dropping Broadfoot even if it means someone out of position at right back, because I can't get away from the conclusion that whether it's been a deliberate tactical decision or just something naturally happening in games, it's being done to cover Broadfoot's lack of pace. He could be flawless in every one on one battle he has with an attacker, win every header and never give the ball away in possession, but that isn't going to change. Wilson, Blues or McGrattan at right back might all have shockers or get roasted by a winger as a result of being unfamiliar with the role, but none of them require that systemic change to be accommodated in the team and as you say, it's making us so passive compared to last season.

Fifteen goals conceded in six games is appalling. We have to hope O'Connor is just a wee knock and he's fine for next week. Assuming we don't see French again for a while we'll just have to make do with one of Blues, McGrattan or Wilson at right back. They're all a far less bad option than having Broadfoot on the pitch - he should only play if there is absolutely no alternative and needs to be sent back to the Lowland League as soon as we can make a signing.

Well that lasted long. Bearne is so far out of his depth at this level it's hard not to feel sorry for him, just shouldn't be anywhere near this standard.

The build up to that booking, fucking hell. He's even worse than Sean McGinty.

O'Connor injured as well now, fucking hell. Wilson at right back.

It's reasonable to point out how bad Baird has been today and generally this season, but we know Baird is capable of being a solid centre back at this level with O'Connor beside him. Whichever way you look at it, you can't get away from Broadfoot being the problem.

Them having "more resources" is also not a remotely sustainable state of affairs. Their higher spending than ours is entirely based on throwing substantial six figure sums on a bonfire every single season - the Scottish Cup run last year has only enabled them to keep the wolves from the door in paying off some of the debt to directors rather than putting them on a stable footing for years to come. In reality, they have considerably smaller crowds than Morton, are a never ending shambles off the park and unless they fluke promotion before then will likely be in administration within the next 3 or 4 years which will see them sink further. Even in the hypothetical and dramatic scenario that Imrie is scunnered with consistently working with the lowest budget in the division, this has irreparably damaged his relationship with the board and he is therefore willing to jump at whatever sideways move he can get, going to Inverness would still be a downright stupid thing to do. Even if he's not happy with Morton off the park, that would be frying pan into the fire.

A challenge to find a journalist who's even more of a bellend than McCall to write that piece, but they managed it with Kevin McKenna. An insufferable dickhead. His nephew is shite as well, which is why he was released by Queen of the South in the summer, having been pretty much bombed out after Bartley took over when they were eighth, and hasn't found a club yet. He is of course the player who collided with 'The Edge' on that glorious day in Grangemouth.

Great point in a game where a defeat was expected. Vital to stop the rot with two winnable games coming up and hopefully that's hopefully a big confidence boost going into that.