The January 2023 transfer window thread

[RandomGuy]

22 minutes ago, Rob said:

I'm sure I heard on the radio a while back that the Covid shutdown had caused problems in the progress and the development of young players within many clubs in terms of them being ready to step up. It had basically set them back. I don't know how much there is in that but I agree that we have a massive squad and I'd much rather we have some of our younger players on the bench with an eye on the future and try to get them minutes when they can. At the moment it looks like there is no way in for them.

John Robertson was one who reportedly lost out due to Covid. Cant remember the reasons given for it though but lack of reserve fixtures also brought up.

Id rather see young players playing regular at a suitable level then stuck to our bench, or even worse stuck in our stands like Max.

Alex Ferguson seems to have been touted as the next star for a long time now. Not 100% sure how hes doing at East Fife but hes playing virtually every week, and thats a good thing for a 19yo. Ideally he'd get a step up to Championship next season maybe, then onto us.

[Rob]

1 hour ago, RandomGuy said:

John Robertson was one who reportedly lost out due to Covid. Cant remember the reasons given for it though but lack of reserve fixtures also brought up.

Id rather see young players playing regular at a suitable level then stuck to our bench, or even worse stuck in our stands like Max.

Alex Ferguson seems to have been touted as the next star for a long time now. Not 100% sure how hes doing at East Fife but hes playing virtually every week, and thats a good thing for a 19yo. Ideally he'd get a step up to Championship next season maybe, then onto us.

Well yeah this. Just meant that it seems about time we gave some a chance, get them on the bench and get them some minutes. Agree if there is no chance of getting any game time they should be out developing elsewhere.

[blueheaven]

14 hours ago, RandomGuy said:

John Robertson was one who reportedly lost out due to Covid. Cant remember the reasons given for it though but lack of reserve fixtures also brought up.

Id rather see young players playing regular at a suitable level then stuck to our bench, or even worse stuck in our stands like Max.

Alex Ferguson seems to have been touted as the next star for a long time now. Not 100% sure how hes doing at East Fife but hes playing virtually every week, and thats a good thing for a 19yo. Ideally he'd get a step up to Championship next season maybe, then onto us.

The loan system has worked pretty well for us but I do always feel one big drawback is that young players aren't at the club and available to step in when an opportunity arises. If we have an injury crisis, we can't just give a chance to a youngster from the reserves (as we used to when Callum Davidson was a young player), because we have no reserve team and our best youngsters are off with other clubs.

Guys like Max and Ballantyne are basically all left fighting to try to make an impact with us during pre-season/League Cup games and if they don't make a huge impact they're basically stuck in the stand or sent back out on loan again.

 

[RandomGuy]

2 hours ago, blueheaven said:

The loan system has worked pretty well for us but I do always feel one big drawback is that young players aren't at the club and available to step in when an opportunity arises. If we have an injury crisis, we can't just give a chance to a youngster from the reserves (as we used to when Callum Davidson was a young player), because we have no reserve team and our best youngsters are off with other clubs.

Guys like Max and Ballantyne are basically all left fighting to try to make an impact with us during pre-season/League Cup games and if they don't make a huge impact they're basically stuck in the stand or sent back out on loan again.

 

Yeah it must be a hard balance to get right.

Ideally they make such an impression on loan that they cant be left out once they return. From memory thats what Clark/Kerr/May had. Steady progress through loans until they were part of the first team plans.

I dont think anyone is near that just now (Sinclair maybe?) so loans are better. Parker/Ferguson/Max the closest but none played above League Two.

Edited February 4, 2023 by RandomGuy

[R.B.B:- Adz]

At least we are not Motherwell - they are this season’s Dundee.

[PSJ.84]

Says a lot about them and their midfield that I think that’s probably a decent signing 

[R.B.B:- Adz]

Second loan attempt of Michael O’Halloran falls through in the space of 3 weeks. Really feel for him as he just wants to get out and play football. 

[mainstand]

12 minutes ago, R.B.B:- Adz said:

Second loan attempt of Michael O’Halloran falls through in the space of 3 weeks. Really feel for him as he just wants to get out and play football. 

why are they falling through. player and club demands or other issues

 

[pezza70]

1 hour ago, mainstand said:

why are they falling through. player and club demands or other issues

 

Who were the two clubs,  were they not prepared to pay his wages or injury issues ?

[R.B.B:- Adz]

43 minutes ago, pezza70 said:

Who were the two clubs,  were they not prepared to pay his wages or injury issues ?

Hamilton and Partick Thistle allegedly.

[pezza70]

Wow I was expecting smaller clubs when there were issues with the loan falling through.

[Cagey]

Time is running out and we are not getting game time for players not getting a game for Saints. Also not getting anyone off our huge wage bill.

[mainstand]

4 hours ago, Cagey said:

Time is running out and we are not getting game time for players not getting a game for Saints. Also not getting anyone off our huge wage bill.

huge?? i think we are still well enough run to have controlled our expenditure to ensure the wages are within budget.

[R.B.B:- Adz]

30 minutes ago, mainstand said:

huge?? i think we are still well enough run to have controlled our expenditure to ensure the wages are within budget.

Loan deals don’t often tend to take much off the wage bill anyway tbh, unless it is likely to become a permanent deal.

[Widge]

2 hours ago, mainstand said:

huge?? i think we are still well enough run to have controlled our expenditure to ensure the wages are within budget.

Yeah, but then Cagey couldn’t use that to suit his agenda for a moan about literally everything to do with saints. 

[Scott1884]

On 2/4/2023 at 1:11 PM, R.B.B:- Adz said:

At least we are not Motherwell - they are this season’s Dundee.

Hammell was sacked on Saturday so I hope thenew manager wants him

[blueheaven]

14 hours ago, mainstand said:

huge?? i think we are still well enough run to have controlled our expenditure to ensure the wages are within budget.

I think you have more faith in the people currently running the club than I do. The wage bill has got to be significantly higher than it was four or five years ago when Tommy was routinely being told he couldn't sign anyone at all (despite having a significantly smaller squad).

I can't remember us ever having so many first team players who can't even make the bench (and the bench is pretty big now too).

Pair all that up with our poor league position, our poor performance in cups, our failure to sell anyone since Kerr/McCann left and the general cost of living crisis, and I reckon we'll be seeing some pretty significant losses revealed over the next year or two.

[Cagey]

13 hours ago, Widge said:

Yeah, but then Cagey couldn’t use that to suit his agenda for a moan about literally everything to do with saints. 

Yeah but it's not moaning ,it's pure economics. The minimum these players will be on is £50 grand multiply that by the squad will give you nearly £2 million. Add back room staff ,office staff and director of operations and Roddy etc along with youths. Income equals season tickets and pay at gate and funerals. No additional income from cup runs and maybe league position.

I am worried. Hope that £5 million in the bank does not include the 2.6 million loan from SG..

[pezza70]

50 minutes ago, Cagey said:

Yeah but it's not moaning ,it's pure economics. The minimum these players will be on is £50 grand multiply that by the squad will give you nearly £2 million. Add back room staff ,office staff and director of operations and Roddy etc along with youths. Income equals season tickets and pay at gate and funerals. No additional income from cup runs and maybe league position.

I am worried. Hope that £5 million in the bank does not include the 2.6 million loan from SG..

Throw in the maintenance of the pitch that has to be a very sizeable expense too

[garydavidson]

1 hour ago, Cagey said:

I am worried. Hope that £5 million in the bank does not include the 2.6 million loan from SG..

It probably will, but was it not closer to £1.4 million? https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202100213841/

"As Scottish Premiership clubs operate on different scales, their losses and additional costs as result of Covid-19 public health rules varied. As a result, seven applicants were offered credit facilities of £1.818 million (£20 million divided by 11). The other four applicants were provided with credit facilities for smaller amounts – their credit facilities were capped at the amount of their losses and additional costs as a result of Covid-19 public health rules. This approach resulted in around £1.4 million of the initial £20 million fund remaining unallocated."

Rangers got £3.2 million. 

Edited February 14, 2023 by garydavidson

[mainstand]

2 hours ago, garydavidson said:

It probably will, but was it not closer to £1.4 million? https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202100213841/

"As Scottish Premiership clubs operate on different scales, their losses and additional costs as result of Covid-19 public health rules varied. As a result, seven applicants were offered credit facilities of £1.818 million (£20 million divided by 11). The other four applicants were provided with credit facilities for smaller amounts – their credit facilities were capped at the amount of their losses and additional costs as a result of Covid-19 public health rules. This approach resulted in around £1.4 million of the initial £20 million fund remaining unallocated."

Rangers got £3.2 million. 

No the accounts for year ending 2021 show they received an interest free loan repayable over a 21 year period of £2.6m application-pdf

[garydavidson]

8 hours ago, mainstand said:

No the accounts for year ending 2021 show they received an interest free loan repayable over a 21 year period of £2.6m application-pdf

Shhhhh the Scottish government clearly don't know that 😅

[garydavidson]

On 2/13/2023 at 10:43 AM, pezza70 said:

Who were the two clubs,  were they not prepared to pay his wages or injury issues ?

Seems like the sacking might have put an end to it for Partick: https://insidefutbol.com/2023/02/12/ian-mccall-was-working-on-st-johnstone-raid-before-partick-thistle-sacking/594921/

[mainstand]

On 2/14/2023 at 11:35 AM, garydavidson said:

It probably will, but was it not closer to £1.4 million? https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202100213841/

"As Scottish Premiership clubs operate on different scales, their losses and additional costs as result of Covid-19 public health rules varied. As a result, seven applicants were offered credit facilities of £1.818 million (£20 million divided by 11). The other four applicants were provided with credit facilities for smaller amounts – their credit facilities were capped at the amount of their losses and additional costs as a result of Covid-19 public health rules. This approach resulted in around £1.4 million of the initial £20 million fund remaining unallocated."

Rangers got £3.2 million. 

But in March 2021 they then gave another £5m which was split between 7 clubs. 

[R.B.B:- Adz]

A good move for Max Kucheriavyi 

https://www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk/news/article/max-kucheriavyi-heads-to-falkirk-on-loan