January 2025 Transfer Window


Northern saint

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Updated squad list ...

 

Goalkeepers 

Andy Fisher - 2025 - on loan from Swansea City

Kyle Thomson - 2025(?) - on loan at St Andrews United

Josh Rae - 2026

Ross Sinclair - 2026

Craig Hepburn - 2027

 

Defenders/wing backs

Sam Curtis - 2025 - on loan from Sheffield United

Zach Mitchell - 2025 - on loan from Charlton Athletic

Barry Douglas - 2025

Sam McClelland - 2025

Oludare Olufunwa - 2025

Bayley Klimionek - 2025 - on loan at Civil Service Strollers

Liam Parker - 2025 - on loan at Cove Rangers

Joe Ellison - 2025

Scott Bright - 2025(?) - on loan at Brechin City

Bozo Mikulic - 2026

Daniels Balodis - 2026

Andre Raymond - 2026 - on loan at Dunfermline Athletic

 

Midfielders/wingers

Max Kucheriavyi - 2025

Matt Smith - 2025

Cammy MacPherson - 2025

Sven Sprangler - 2025

Graham Carey - 2025

Drey Wright - 2025

Elliot Watt - 2025 - on loan from Burton Albion

Stephen Duke-McKenna - 2025 - on loan from Harrogate Town

Alex Ferguson - 2025 - on loan at Forfar Athletic

Arran Cocks - 2025 - on loan at Jeanfield Swifts

Ben McCrystal - 2025 - on loan at Berwick Rangers

Jason Holt - 2026

Jonathan Svedberg - 2026

Josh McPake - 2026

Fran Franczak - 2026

Taylor Steven - 2026

Victor Griffith - 2026

Aaron Essel - 2027

 

Forwards

Nicky Clark - 2025

Benjamin Kimpioka - 2025

Stevie May - 2025 - on loan at Livingston

Jackson Mylchreest - 2025

Adam McMillan - 2025

Adama Sidibeh - 2026

Uche Ikpeazu - 2026

Makenzie Kirk - 2026

 

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Arrivals

Andy Fisher from Swansea City (loan)

Sam Curtis from Sheffield United (loan)

Daniels Balodis from FK RFS

Zach Mitchell from Charlton Athletic (loan)

Elliot Watt from Burton Albion (loan)

Stephen Duke-McKenna from Harrogate Town (loan)

Jonathan Svedberg from Halmstads BK

Victor Griffith from C.D. Árabe Unido

 

Departures

Lewis Neilson (returned to Hearts, end of loan)

Kyle Cameron (returned to Notts County, end of loan)

Connor Smith to Hamilton Accies (undisclosed fee)

David Keltjens (released, signed for Ironi Tiberias)

Jack Sanders (to MK Dons, £150,000 approx)

Brodie Dair (to Fulham, £150,000 approx)

Bayley Klimionek to Civil Service Strollers (loan)

Kyle Thomson to St Andrews United (loan)

Andre Raymond to Dunfermline Athletic (loan)

Arran Cocks to Jeanfield Swifts (loan)

Alex Ferguson to Forfar Athletic (loan)

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2 hours ago, Linky said:

I think that's really harsh on Raymond, who is a decent player and just needs more time playing in this league. Hope that's not the end for him

yeah i really enjoyed watching him play. a player that gets you on the edge of your seat when he skins his man. a wee bit like that marcelo from real madrid a few years ago. definitely not a left back as people on here have rightly pointed out, not in our league

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Still contracted next season.

Goalkeepers 

Rae    Sinclair.  Hepburn.

Defenders.

 

Mikulik.     Balodis.    Raymond

 

Midfield 

 

Holt. Svedberg. McPake.  Franzak.  Steven.   Griffith. Essel.

 

Forwards.

 

Sidibeh.  Ikpeazu.  Kirk.

27 out of contract or loans ended.

Simo or Gus will have to be busy on the summer

Some might be re-signed but not many.

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Bloody hell

If we go down then this squad will be very different, if we stay up I hope we might be able to get a few of the lads on loan on a permanent contract 

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16 hours ago, stevensan said:

Andre Raymond has joined Scottish Championship outfit Dunfermline

Bizarre decision considering the lack of defensive cover, but Simo seems to prioritise not giving the ball away over being able to defend, which leaves us wide open at the back at time, with no cover on the bench.

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42 minutes ago, Rafa said:

Bizarre decision considering the lack of defensive cover, but Simo seems to prioritise not giving the ball away over being able to defend, which leaves us wide open at the back at time, with no cover on the bench.

Are you saying Raymond makes us better defensively?

Or is this constant moaning about Valakari on here something deeper and you're just giving daft opinions as part of that?

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49 minutes ago, Rafa said:

Bizarre decision considering the lack of defensive cover, but Simo seems to prioritise not giving the ball away over being able to defend, which leaves us wide open at the back at time, with no cover on the bench.

You realise that this makes no sense? 
 

It’s giving the ball away that leaves you wide open at the back… and it was something Raymond did on many occasions.

Simo has undoubtedly improved us defensively, both with signings and coaching. That’s now 4 clean sheets in 7 games.

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I am really surprised to see Raymond go out on loan, I would have liked to have seen him as left wingback in this better defence. Douglas hasn't got the speed or engine to get up and down that left side and when Wright has played there, it hasn't suited him as he's all right footed. I also thought Raymond was a good crosser.

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Just now, Golden Wonder said:

I am really surprised to see Raymond go out on loan, I would have liked to have seen him as left wingback in this better defence. Douglas hasn't got the speed or engine to get up and down that left side and when Wright has played there, it hasn't suited him as he's all right footed. I also thought Raymond was a good crosser.

Think the issue is the better defence comes from Raymond not playing.

If Valakari looked at the Dundee as a tipping point, so reviewed the previous months games and the goals we conceded, then he'll have seen multiple examples of Raymond either being lazy getting back and causing issues, or ball watching and leaving runners. The 2nd goal Dundee scored against us in January a clear example where his man is 4 yards goalside of him and taps the ball home while Raymond is stood ball watching the whole move.

You see similar moments with Essel and Matt Smith in that period too.

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16 hours ago, blueheaven said:

Updated squad list ...

 

Goalkeepers 

Andy Fisher - 2025 - on loan from Swansea City

Kyle Thomson - 2025(?) - on loan at St Andrews United

Josh Rae - 2026

Ross Sinclair - 2026

Craig Hepburn - 2027

 

Defenders/wing backs

Sam Curtis - 2025 - on loan from Sheffield United

Zach Mitchell - 2025 - on loan from Charlton Athletic

Barry Douglas - 2025

Sam McClelland - 2025

Oludare Olufunwa - 2025

Bayley Klimionek - 2025 - on loan at Civil Service Strollers

Liam Parker - 2025 - on loan at Cove Rangers

Joe Ellison - 2025

Scott Bright - 2025(?) - on loan at Brechin City

Bozo Mikulic - 2026

Daniels Balodis - 2026

Andre Raymond - 2026 - on loan at Dunfermline Athletic

 

Midfielders/wingers

Max Kucheriavyi - 2025

Matt Smith - 2025

Cammy MacPherson - 2025

Sven Sprangler - 2025

Graham Carey - 2025

Drey Wright - 2025

Elliot Watt - 2025 - on loan from Burton Albion

Stephen Duke-McKenna - 2025 - on loan from Harrogate Town

Alex Ferguson - 2025 - on loan at Forfar Athletic

Arran Cocks - 2025 - on loan at Jeanfield Swifts

Ben McCrystal - 2025 - on loan at Berwick Rangers

Jason Holt - 2026

Jonathan Svedberg - 2026

Josh McPake - 2026

Fran Franczak - 2026

Taylor Steven - 2026

Victor Griffith - 2026

Aaron Essel - 2027

 

Forwards

Nicky Clark - 2025

Benjamin Kimpioka - 2025

Stevie May - 2025 - on loan at Livingston

Jackson Mylchreest - 2025

Adam McMillan - 2025

Adama Sidibeh - 2026

Uche Ikpeazu - 2026

Makenzie Kirk - 2026

 

-------

 

Arrivals

Andy Fisher from Swansea City (loan)

Sam Curtis from Sheffield United (loan)

Daniels Balodis from FK RFS

Zach Mitchell from Charlton Athletic (loan)

Elliot Watt from Burton Albion (loan)

Stephen Duke-McKenna from Harrogate Town (loan)

Jonathan Svedberg from Halmstads BK

Victor Griffith from C.D. Árabe Unido

 

Departures

Lewis Neilson (returned to Hearts, end of loan)

Kyle Cameron (returned to Notts County, end of loan)

Connor Smith to Hamilton Accies (undisclosed fee)

David Keltjens (released, signed for Ironi Tiberias)

Jack Sanders (to MK Dons, £150,000 approx)

Brodie Dair (to Fulham, £150,000 approx)

Bayley Klimionek to Civil Service Strollers (loan)

Kyle Thomson to St Andrews United (loan)

Andre Raymond to Dunfermline Athletic (loan)

Arran Cocks to Jeanfield Swifts (loan)

Alex Ferguson to Forfar Athletic (loan)

Thats some list plus Josh Rae at Raith Rovers.

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18 minutes ago, Golden Wonder said:

I am really surprised to see Raymond go out on loan, I would have liked to have seen him as left wingback in this better defence. Douglas hasn't got the speed or engine to get up and down that left side and when Wright has played there, it hasn't suited him as he's all right footed. I also thought Raymond was a good crosser.

Raymond might not even get much game time as the new manager has brought in 7 or 8 new players in January and said Raymond was competition for existing left back.

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3 hours ago, RandomGuy said:

Are you saying Raymond makes us better defensively?

Or is this constant moaning about Valakari on here something deeper and you're just giving daft opinions as part of that?

No I am saying we need defensive cover.

Yeah you are right Valakari has taken is rock bottom of a shiity league he is great.

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3 hours ago, PerthSaint01 said:

You realise that this makes no sense? 
 

It’s giving the ball away that leaves you wide open at the back… and it was something Raymond did on many occasions.

Yeah lets try with 11 players who don't give the ball away but cant defend and see how that works

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I like Raymond - he was good going forward, a good crosser, and gave us a different dynamic on that left-hand side. Don't think he was ever going to work as a left-back but I'd have liked to see how he'd have worked out as a left winger. I'd probably favour him over Taylor Steven as an option from the bench too. But I'm willing to trust that he wouldn't have just vanished from the squad without reason. If Simo felt his attitude or skillset weren't the right fit for what he's trying to do, I'm OK with accepting that. I think he'll be a cracking player for Dunfermline.

I'm really only surprised we didn't see more departures before the end of Feb. I'd have thought Championship clubs going into the final stretch of the season would have very happily bolstered their squads with guys like Essel, Smith and Kucheriavyi.

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2 hours ago, Cagey said:

I hope Simo is not cutting off his nose to spite his face in freezing out Benji , Raymond and Essel.

Isn’t that more the style of Davidson, McLean and Levein? I think Simo is more likely to have justifiable reasons for his actions than, in particular, Davidson did.

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4 hours ago, andrew said:

Isn’t that more the style of Davidson, McLean and Levein? I think Simo is more likely to have justifiable reasons for his actions than, in particular, Davidson did.

Heard that Brechin want Levein and Kirk back as the managers after yesterday s sacking of Paddy Cregg

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  • blueheaven changed the title to January 2025 Transhttps://www.weareperth.co.uk/wapforum/index.php?/topic/35239-january-2025-transfer-window/fer Window
  • blueheaven changed the title to January 2025 Transfer Window
On 2/28/2025 at 4:41 PM, Linky said:

I think that's really harsh on Raymond, who is a decent player and just needs more time playing in this league. Hope that's not the end for him

Sounding positive from the manager in the Courier https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/st-johnstone/5193794/st-johnstone-simo-valakari-andre-raymond-dunfermline-loan/

It lines up with what Random pointed out about moments of lapses on concentration.

 

“In some moments he can be excellent, in others he can switch off.

“That’s why we recommended that he goes out to play week in, week out and to learn from this to play more disciplined football.

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4 hours ago, Cagey said:

Don't know the Saints team but they were defeated 4-1 by 4 Allan Forrest goals in a bounce game yesterday.

Courier reporting "Makenzie (Kirk), Aaron (Essel), Daniels (Balodis) and Dukes (Stephen Duke-McKenna) are all away with their countries".

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