JerryDungle wrote:

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/st-johnstone/5421377/josh-fowler-st-johnstone-sign/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

Really can’t for the life of me understand why we’re not all over this. 19 goals for Queen’s Park already this season. And it’s not like we’re flush with goal scorers. The ambition at this club is at an all time low.

 
Was thinking the exact same thing.

There was a time when the club would have got this lad.
Now it's more likely we'll take a punt on a Kazakhstan guy who's been playing 3rd tier football in Bulgaria and may not even settle in Dundee. But will get a 2 year deal.

PS No offence to Kazakhstan or Bulgaria but ....

Stillliving wrote:

He may turn out to be the next Ruaridh Paton, would also was a regular scorer for Queens Park.

 
True.

Or the next Andy Robertson!

I get what you're saying, at our level nearly every signing is a bit of a gamble.
For every Zak Sapsford there's a goalie too.

Fergivicious wrote:

According to the Courier pod, the keeper is on a 6-month contract with an option to extend for a further 2 years. Doesn't seem like the club is too confident in him, either. I think the club would rather sign a player with no other club interest. It's like we fear a bidding war because we don't want to pay a penny over market value or the club's perceived value of the player.

 
Every signing we make at our level is a gamble,we dont have the money for sure things. It's just a fact that folk need to get their heads around unfortunately.  I dont know if he’s gonna be any good or not tbh but I'm gonna give him the chance to show what he can do, the bar set this season has not been a high one has it? The deal makes perfect sense to me tbh

Listening to Jim Goodwin's pre-match press conference there for the Hearts game.

Usual deflating stuff.

Expects no more transfer business in the way.

But when asked if out going's admits that players could leave, and then further says that players who aren't playing enough could depart i.e. Dolcek and Eskesen.

In what way are we leaving this transfer window stronger? Bar perhaps (hopefully) the Goalkeeping position.

If Ferry leaves (and i think he will) then you are gambling on Farrugia being as good.

Every other position in the team will be the same. In fact we'll have less options if others depart.

This club seriously lack ambition these days. The club stagnating badly under Mark Ogren.

Arabdownsouth wrote:

Fergivicious wrote:

According to the Courier pod, the keeper is on a 6-month contract with an option to extend for a further 2 years. Doesn't seem like the club is too confident in him, either. I think the club would rather sign a player with no other club interest. It's like we fear a bidding war because we don't want to pay a penny over market value or the club's perceived value of the player.

 
Every signing we make at our level is a gamble,we dont have the money for sure things. It's just a fact that folk need to get their heads around unfortunately.  I dont know if he’s gonna be any good or not tbh but I'm gonna give him the chance to show what he can do, the bar set this season has not been a high one has it? The deal makes perfect sense to me tbh

 
St Johnstone just spent 120K today on the Queen’s Park young striker. Scottish championship spending bigger than us.

It’s absolutely pathetic and embarrassing.

RogerTheAlien wrote:

Arabdownsouth wrote:

Fergivicious wrote:

According to the Courier pod, the keeper is on a 6-month contract with an option to extend for a further 2 years. Doesn't seem like the club is too confident in him, either. I think the club would rather sign a player with no other club interest. It's like we fear a bidding war because we don't want to pay a penny over market value or the club's perceived value of the player.

 
Every signing we make at our level is a gamble,we dont have the money for sure things. It's just a fact that folk need to get their heads around unfortunately. I dont know if he’s gonna be any good or not tbh but I'm gonna give him the chance to show what he can do, the bar set this season has not been a high one has it? The deal makes perfect sense to me tbh

 
St Johnstone just spent 120K today on the Queen’s Park young striker. Scottish championship spending bigger than us.

It’s absolutely pathetic and embarrassing.

They just took in more than double that for Sidibeh and even if Fowler would be a gamble at Premiership level he’s shown he can score at championship level and promotion will be worth a lot more than £120k so it’s almost a risk free signing for the johnnies 

Last edited by Mr X (29/1/2026 10:19 pm)

Somewhere in this discussion is the question of scouting.
Maybe deserves a thread of it's own one day.

I get that things have changed but there was a time when a scout would go to a youth game or a lower league game and identify talent.
If he saw a prospect he would go back and watch him several times.
Once sure he had identified a player he thought would be a good signing he would report back to the club manager be it Jerry Kerr or Jim McLean.

The question would then be asked, eg you've seen this Andy Roberston laddie several times you say, what makes you think he's going to be a first team player at Dundee United? You realise he was rejected by Celtic?
The answer was usually I've been right many times before, I think you should sign the boy. Just my advice by the way but I think I know a player when I see one.

This tried and tested recruitment procedure seems to have gone in the bin, to be replaced by a video from down under with player metrics and analytics underneath. 2 year contract, there you go.

Last edited by redford_must_score (29/1/2026 11:45 pm)

David_Blunkett wrote:

I seen a wee video the other day, boy was a super duper analyst, had all the facts, figures, stats.

X player was great gonna be a star...sign him up!

Then he went and watched him a couple of times and he was rotten, stats alone are a decent stating point, your eyes don't lie.

We've all been at games this season we dominate possession, have more efforts on goal, corners, passes, cover more ground, but it's pish chances, corners hit the first man, all the passes were sideways or back etc

The game never felt like the list of stats would suggest.
 

 
Analytics and videos can never describe a player's character.

Last edited by redford_must_score (30/1/2026 11:34 am)

RogerTheAlien wrote:

Arabdownsouth wrote:

RogerTheAlien wrote:

 
St Johnstone just spent 120K today on the Queen’s Park young striker. Scottish championship spending bigger than us.

It’s absolutely pathetic and embarrassing.

 
They haven't got the massive debt pile that we have, we are where we are unfortunately. Not saying I'm happy about it but there's also fuck all I can do about it so might as well just accept the situation and hope the Yank sells up at some point and we get someone in with a clue.

 
If you accept mediocrity, that’s what we will become.

 
So what's our choices then?

Fergivicious wrote:

Arabdownsouth wrote:

RogerTheAlien wrote:

 
If you accept mediocrity, that’s what we will become.

 
So what's our choices then?

To not accept mediocrity? I think that's what everyones getting at. I can appreciate where you're coming from, but as I've said previously, the club and its transfers have put the season, which was once looking promising, into a precarious place. This isn't an 'our' or 'I' choice; it's Utd signing a keeper that we knew had the potential to be a bomb scare, and not having a plan B. It's using all your loans on players, some of whom you can't even terminate. This isn't about dosh, it's about getting it wrong and not being willing or good enough at your job to have a way out. I'm also not against Goodwin, nor do I think we'd get anyone better in. Utd have (I'm sure Alan Temple said) the 5th largest budget in the Prem. If you get something wrong, like a GK, you must rectify it, and yes, that may mean spending dosh you dont necesarily have. But it's that and top 6 (you'd hope) or languishing down the bottom half, wondering if you'll get pulled into a relegation fight. 

 
Ok so you're not for accepting the reality of our situation,  what's your plan to change it? That was my actual point.

Because if it's the Conway approach of just fucking moaning constantly on a message board and not even trying to enjoy the better moments then I just dont see the point? Life is bigger than that surely? We all have a moan and I do plenty myself but I still try to enjoy the better moments too. In reality,how many actual good seasons have we had since our glory days of the 80s? Not really all that many in truth is it? In 2010 I lost my mother,my job and my marriage but that day at Hampden with 28000 other joyful Arabs was still one of the best days I've had. But it's been pretty slim pickings most seasons for the last 30-40 years and this season is just another one of those. As United fans all we can do is enjoy the highs when they come.

P.s. I'll still be calling for Goodwins head tomorrow night if we lose of course 🤣

Last edited by Arabdownsouth (30/1/2026 4:19 pm)

redford_must_score wrote:

If you think about it the vast majority of football fans across Scotland and England have never seen their club lift a trophy and likely never will.
They support the club because they love it, whether that be Doncaster Rovers,  Stockport County, Partick Thistle, whatever.

There have been missed opportunities this season, yes, mistakes by our coach, yes, and clearly some risk taking with recruitment. So we face a season of consolidation after enjoying a better season last year.

Is that what people are moaning about?
If so maybe you should become a glory hunter and head to Parkhead. That would make you a glory hunter, not a football fan.
Football fans support their team because it's in their DNA. They accept there will be more disappointments than Cup wins.

Keep the faith. Better days lie ahead.

 
Exactly mate 👍

But just to be clear,if we lose on Saturday the cunt gets sacked right? 😋

Last edited by Arabdownsouth (30/1/2026 5:23 pm)

redford_must_score wrote:

If you think about it the vast majority of football fans across Scotland and England have never seen their club lift a trophy and likely never will.
They support the club because they love it, whether that be Doncaster Rovers, Stockport County, Partick Thistle, whatever.

There have been missed opportunities this season, yes, mistakes by our coach, yes, and clearly some risk taking with recruitment. So we face a season of consolidation after enjoying a better season last year.

Is that what people are moaning about?
If so maybe you should become a glory hunter and head to Parkhead. That would make you a glory hunter, not a football fan.
Football fans support their team because it's in their DNA. They accept there will be more disappointments than Cup wins.

Keep the faith. Better days lie ahead.

This is pretty much my take on football.  I was born in Dundee, no choice in that.  I had some choice in becoming a United fan, but the alternative would have meant waiting until I was old enough to go on my own to watch the Dees.  Fortunately I chose the former.

Now it just so happens that aged 55 I saw some of the best football from my team that (bar the Old Firm and Aberdeen) that just about any Scottish football fan will ever see following their team.  As a teenager I just thought that was what football was all about.  Of course there were Hampden horrors but then '94 and '10 brought later glories.

Truth be told however, we've been mediocre pretty much the whole of this millennium and a little bit before.  We've pretty much always had the 5th best budget, but very rarely have we been the 5th best or better in that time.  Is that not the definition of mediocre (or probably in some years a bit more shit than that).

That's why we need to enjoy the small wins.  Trips to Europe.  Beating the old firm.  Competing at our weight.  Yes I want us to win things, but at the start of the season you need to be realistic.

The alternative would have been waiting for the Dees.  I would have seen my team win nothing.  I would have had to celebrate a top six finish like it was winning the cup.  I would have had to live in their shadow for pretty much all of my life.  I'll take mediocre over shit any day.

Enjoy what we've got.  Enjoy top league status and support staying there.

Arabdownsouth wrote:

Finn Seemann wrote:

redford_must_score wrote:

If you think about it the vast majority of football fans across Scotland and England have never seen their club lift a trophy and likely never will.
They support the club because they love it, whether that be Doncaster Rovers, Stockport County, Partick Thistle, whatever.

There have been missed opportunities this season, yes, mistakes by our coach, yes, and clearly some risk taking with recruitment. So we face a season of consolidation after enjoying a better season last year.

Is that what people are moaning about?
If so maybe you should become a glory hunter and head to Parkhead. That would make you a glory hunter, not a football fan.
Football fans support their team because it's in their DNA. They accept there will be more disappointments than Cup wins.

Keep the faith. Better days lie ahead.

This is pretty much my take on football.  I was born in Dundee, no choice in that.  I had some choice in becoming a United fan, but the alternative would have meant waiting until I was old enough to go on my own to watch the Dees.  Fortunately I chose the former.

Now it just so happens that aged 55 I saw some of the best football from my team that (bar the Old Firm and Aberdeen) that just about any Scottish football fan will ever see following their team.  As a teenager I just thought that was what football was all about.  Of course there were Hampden horrors but then '94 and '10 brought later glories.

Truth be told however, we've been mediocre pretty much the whole of this millennium and a little bit before.  We've pretty much always had the 5th best budget, but very rarely have we been the 5th best or better in that time.  Is that not the definition of mediocre (or probably in some years a bit more shit than that).

That's why we need to enjoy the small wins.  Trips to Europe.  Beating the old firm.  Competing at our weight.  Yes I want us to win things, but at the start of the season you need to be realistic.

The alternative would have been waiting for the Dees.  I would have seen my team win nothing.  I would have had to celebrate a top six finish like it was winning the cup.  I would have had to live in their shadow for pretty much all of my life.  I'll take mediocre over shit any day.

Enjoy what we've got.  Enjoy top league status and support staying there.

 
Probably the post I've resonated with most of yours Finn. I'm a wee bit older but whilst I was born in Dundee we moved south when I was about 4/5. My family moved back to Dundee in 79 so until then I had no real knowledge of either Dundee club. Like you I made the right choice and the rest as they say is history. I feel lucky and privileged that I was able to enjoy that golden spell but as we've all mostly agreed successes have been few and mediocrity has been plentiful since then. I still get a buzz every time we win though and feel upset when we lose, the life of the football fan eh?

I feel sorry for my son.  Spent all of his young life in Edinburgh and now off to Uni in Glasgow.  Massive Arab, my fault!