THIS MONTHS MESSAGES
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31st July 2000 HUGH McLACHLAN
GOOD LUCK QUEEN'S FOR 2000.

HERE'S HOPING YOU ARE STILL UNDEFEATED WHEN I RETURN FROM VACATION ON AUGUST 8.
31st July 2000 IAN BLACK
SPEAKING TO EX QUEENS PLAYER JEFF MACLEAN ON THE PHONE TONIGHT ,HE WAS TELLING ME HE HAD JUST SIGNED FOR WELSH CLUB BARRY TOWN FULL TIME AND IS PLAYING IN EUROPE NEXT WEEK V BOAVISTA IN THE UEFA CUP.GOOD LUCK TO JEFF ,A PLAYER THAT SHOULD STILL BE WITH QUEENS IF HE HAD BEEN GIVEN A CHANCE.
31st July 2000 COOTER
BEST OF LUCK TO THE NEW MANAGEMENT AND PLAYERS AT STENHOUSEMUIR ON SATURDAY AND FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON
31st July 2000 BRUCE WRIGHT
On Saturday the Doonhamers Travel Club bus left Dumfries Academy at 11:45 and duly arrived at Penrith at 12:45. However it then took us another 45 minutes to find the ground! At one stage we ended up on the old road back to Scotland. Hopefully Jim McCormick and his team know how to get to Stenny on Saturday! I believe the directions were on the Website but apparently not many fans have access to computers. Still a good day out and the potato-meat pies were excellent. Queens played OK but Scottish Division Two opposition must be better than Penrith! Don't forget we were unbeaten in pre-season friendlies last season - they are only good for getting fitness levels up and "bonding" the side.

Good luck to John, Ian and the squad for the season. (Globe Inn, High Street, QOS Supporters Club).
31st July 2000 RUSSEL CAMPBELL
Very refreshing to read about a convincing winning result before the league starts up again on Saturday.

Let's hope that the promise shown pre season continues into the league & cup campaigns.

Roll on Larbert..........
27th July 2000 PAUL
If you're interested, Alex Nesovic has been on trial with Republic of Ireland premier division side Finn Harps and is set to sign for them
27th July 2000 BOB SHARP
is your current manager the same one that used to manage Annbank juniors in AYRshire?
27th July 2000 BRUCE WRIGHT (QOS Programme)
Re game on 26th - Wigton called off late on Wednesday morning, unable to get team due to holidays etc.
26th July 2000 GEOFF LEONARD
What happened to the match with Wigtown? The item under NEWS posted on July 24th suggested it should have been tonight.
26th July 2000 JOHN KEMPSELL
i like many of you out there ,are hoping that queens make a push towards the first division ,as i feel we have the potential to achieve this and surely this must be our aim this season,lastly i would like to wish the club and the loyal supporters all the best for the coming season and ill hope to catch afew games myself all the best the exciled doonhamer,
25th July 2000 ALEX WILSON
Anybody know what's happened to two players mentioned on June 2nd, Stephen Pickering and Stuart Heppell? I know Heppell played at the Annan tournament but I don't know if Pickering has appeared yet.
25th July 2000 NIGEL STEVENSON
A quick note just to say what a great website you have and good luck to the boys this season. We hope to get up and cheer you on at least once this season.

A couple of other points.

When does the Ally McCoist film that was partly made at Palmerston Park come out?

When is Andy Thompson going to be signed up - we need a goal scorer like him.

If you want an away fixture next season try my local side Gainsborough Trinity - The Blues

Any other QOS fans local to us email me and we can possbily get togther for a chat.

Bye for now
Gainsborough's QOS fan club Nigel and Kirsty Stevenson - Click here to email us.
24th July 2000 PETER BROWN
Dear all, I have become a regular Q of S fan due to a very good friend of mine who once lived in our shores. I believe he was helping out last season and I cannot get hold of him. If anyone knows or sees George Hannah please let him know that another Q of S fan has arrived (Jack) and we wish him to contact us.

Many thanks in anticipation,
24th July 2000 SHAUN BARTLETT
Hello QOS

Great to come across your web site. In the past six month's or so I have been truly p**d off, in that we've visited my father-in-law in Dumfries and walked along by the river etc, whilst Queens have not had a game on. With the floodlights poppong over the buildings I've even been desperate to wander around outside the empty stadium, but her-indoors hates football. Still now that Stevie Mallan is away, will it be worth a visit in the future, though all theses guys from the North of England, might produce a surprise or two??

I'm a St Johnstone season ticket holder who's currently p**d of at losing one the best young centre-half's in Britain - Danny Griffen to the Arabs.

I run a unique Scottish Fantasy Football League called "STILL LIFE". Now in its 8th year, it is unique in that it has covered in depth, every senior Scottish team during that time, from Albion Rovers to Partick Thistle to Rangers. To be honest it probably favours non Old-Firm fans, as their knowledge of Scottish Football overall is usually better than the typical fairweather glory-hunting blue nose, who as a rule generally lost outside planet Ibrox. Covering virtually every senior player in the country, a strike force of Clyde's Brian Carrigan & Forfar's Stevie Milne last season, would have been much more expensive and, had more potency than Dodds & Wallace. (Obvious star players in "STILL LIFE" from Queens last season included Aitken, Mallan, Warren Hawke (christ I remember seeing him play for Berwick & Morton) George Rowe, Adams, Duncan (is he the ex-Albion player?), Dickson (again, is he the ex-Brechin goal-scorer), and Hodge (an Arbroath fan described him to me last term as a complete joke/donkey etc - but then is that rich coming from a Lichtie?).

For less than the cost of your match pie, you assemble your own exclusive squad at regular auctions. Nobody else has the same players as you. Simply phone, fax or e-mail your starting eleven every Saturday morning, and recieve between 3-6 pages of stats the following mid-week. Unlike the newspaper lottery versions where nobody ever knows the 'alleged' winners, you can actually speak to, have a beer with or whatever, with your fellow managers. Culminating in an end-of -season trophy presentation, it's much more realistic because it realises there's much more to Scottish Football than the SPL and the Old-firm. If you're interested, please e-mail me back on shaunyshaun@talk21.com or phone me on 01738 628355.
21st July 2000 DAVID MAIN
I note Andy Thomson is still at Gillingham even though they have signed two new strikers and Andy is looking for a move back to Scotland.

I also note he scored both their goals in their first friendly of the season which they won 2-0.
21st July 2000 GORDON ORR
As a Queen of the South supporter, I feel it is my duty to again inform John Connolly and his staff of a player that Queen of the South should attempt to sign immedietly. Tonight, I was at Cliftonhill to watch Albion Rovers take on St Mirren in a pre season friendly. I was at Cliftonhill to along with a friend of mine to watch Ryan McGuffie play for St Mirren. It breaks my heart to see a 19 year old Dumfries boy play for St Mirren, who is currently at Annan Athletic on the doorstep of Queen of the South. Ryan played the first half at right midfield and the second half at right wing back and for 90 minutes absolutely strolled through the game. With Carlisle,and Crewe Alexandria both very interested in Ryan, and St Mirren set to offer him a contract, it seems scandelous that he will slip through the net, in what could eventually be a great investment. Although I know Ryan I'm not a good friend of him and I'm certainly not representing him I'm making a recomendation as a true Queen of the South supporter on a player who would certainly be an asset. Mr Connolly if you do not know or have not seen him play it would be very much in your interest toenquire about him before it gets too late. But youre the Manager, not me.
21st July 2000 RUSSEL CAMPBELL
In reply to David Main.

I also noticed that Queens were quoted at 20 to 1 for the league title this season, however, I cannot believe they are rank outsiders of all the league teams. I do hope that Connolly & Co can deliver to prove the bookies wrong.

David,

Did Queens not make a good start to the 85-86 campaign ? After all, they were just pipped by The Pars when Leishman was taking Dunfermline Athletic up through the Scottish Leagues.

It's just a pity that Queens failed at that time to do te very same.

Hopefully, with new promise Queens can perhaps do something now.
21st July 2000 ANDY COWAN
I fell I must apoplogise to everyone in North Shields for any comments about their ground or town.

I listened to idle gossip and repeated something which turned out to be completely untrue.

The ground was a very tidy place, and the home fans could not have been friendlier.

I was wrong about this game and personally would be happy to go back next season

...if only for the fish and chips down on the quay!!

On the subject of the result being on the website ... I cannot believe that anyone could critise someone who runs the site single-handedly, in their own time and for no reward, the first time a result is late. Were you all waiting for something to go wrong? I'm sure Colin would never say himself, but I know the reason he wasnt able to put the result up, and if there was ever a good reason this would be it. Maybe some people out there (including me) should start thinking before they shout their mouths off about things they know nothing about.

I've learned my lesson and I hope some others (you know who you are) have too.

It may interest you to know that Colin isnt the only one to be criticised for not updating their site, only the email I recieved was rather more abusive. I had to point out that my life does not revolve around the internet and unfortunately I do sometimes have other things to do, like travelling back from North shields for one.

It really made me wonder why I bother, I only hope it hasnt had the same effect on Colin, as I doubt there are many out there who would be prepared or able to put the time and effort into the site he has.

Quick answer to another question, apparently Arbroath train in Perth, so George Rowe and Stevie would actually be travelling less than coming to Dumfries.
21st July 2000 SANDY ORR
re. Alex Wilson.

If you were so desperate to know the score, why weren't you at the game? There was a supporters bus organised, and about 30 to 40 Queen's fans made the effort to travel to North Shields. If you couldn't make the game surely the easiest way to find out the score would be to phone a Travel Club committee member, Jim McCormick's phone was almost non-stop during the game as fans who couldn't make it phoned for updates. We are right bang in the middle of the holiday season, so it is hardly surprising that only one website managed a report. I think you would do well to remember that all the websites are run by fans who get no wages or benefits from producing them. If this had been a company site, then I think you would have cause for complaint, however as this site in particular is updated almost daily, and the other two on a regular basis, I don't see your point.

It's also worth pointing out that at least one Scottish Premier side (Dunfermline) has no official site. I'd like to see you do better Alex!

Keep up the good work Colin, Stuart and Andy!
16th July 2000 HELEN HEPPELL
This is to let anybody who does not know the score of the gane against North Shields, that it was a 0-0 draw.
16th July 2000 JIM KIRK
To Alex Wilson:

With all due respect "take a pill". Colin does a fine job on the website! Just because your up and about at 4am does not mean the web will be up-dated. In fact it was stated, the game report would be posted on Sunday. It was a pre-season game hardly a cup final. Have a nice day!
16th July 2000 BRIAN McKIE
It is 10:55 on Sunday 16th July and I had to go to Stuart Mclarens unofficial site to find out the score from the North Shields game.I would have thought that the score could have been posted on this site before now.
16th July 2000 ALEX WILSON
It is now 4am on Sunday morning, 11 hours after the match against North Shields, and I still don't have a clue what the score was, so much for the wonders of the internet! What is the point of having a website, when a one legged runner could have come back from Newcastle quicker than a result could be tapped into a computer? Why don't you get a grip, and learn to use the power of the internet and treat what's left of your supporters to fast information instead of having to wait 4 days until the Standard may deign to give any information, after they have had an interview with the last management team of course!
15th July 2000 RICHARD ISAACS
I have not been onto the site for a while, and have just popped in to see if any pre-season matches had been played (we get forgotten on teletext). I also wondered whether we had signed anyone for this season, only to see that Stevie Mallan, probably our leading player as his Player of the Year tag suggests, has been sold. I have a distinct sense of deja vu, as we kept selling players before the start of last season and look where it left us. Could some answer my query about who we have signed and who has been sold, as I need to know whether Queens are going to have another season like last year, so I can shore up on my defences when my mates take the mickey following another heavy defeat.
15th July 2000 COLIN LIND
What's the score with Stevie Mallan and George Rowe? The Standard reports that they are leaving because of John Connolly insisting that all training will be done at Dumfries,but a week later they have both signed for Arbroath which is even further away,so either Stevie and George are conning the Queens support and using it as an exscuse to get out when they see the personnel changes for the incoming season or in fact they have been sacked. Whatever the reason, I hope the decision does not come back to haunt Queens and Bryce,Thomson,Rowe & Mallan don't score against Queens. Perhaps future contracts should include a clause which prevents players being transferred to teams in the same division. Here's hoping that there is a dramatic change in Queens fortunes in the coming year,the Queens support deserve it. Roll on Aug5th!!It's about time Queens gave Stenny a thrashing!!
15th July 2000 JIM KIRK
The new strip looks like a winner! Let's hope the team also play in a classy and confident manner.
15th July 2000 ANDY PATERSON
To Ewan and his fellow gamblers, To put the 20/1 odds you are talking about in perspective, I got 28/1 at the start of last season,but after the poor start you refer to you could get 66/1 by about november. I suggest you hold onto your money until we're bottom again and hope for one of those storming finishes that Queens sometimes come up with.
15th July 2000 RUSSEL CAMPBELL
Sorry to read in the news bulletins about Stevie Mallan leaving Queens. Was he not due a testimonial this season ? Oh Well !! It appears that "The Red Lichties" like signing The Doonhamers Want Away Squad, with George Rowe also joining them this month. He's just had his testimonial season right enough !! Although Mallan was a great servant to Queens since joining from Clyde, he did have a few lapsed seasons whilst with the club although he was top goalscorer for most of the seasons. He had to follow Andy Thomson which was a hard act to follow !! Hopefully any replacement will fill his boots without much of a problem ?
15th July 2000 RUSSEL CAMPBELL
It is refreshing to read two extremely different line ups for the first two friendly matches this season. It's good to see a new manager is injecting some new blood and enthusiasm into this Sleeping Giant and giving youngsters the chance as well. A trophy already this season !! Things can only get better I reckon. We must have quite a strong squad by the looks of it for this season so let's hope the new manager can mix youth with experience along with the new arrivals.
14th July 2000 ANDY COWAN
RE Ed Wilson

While I agree that the manager should be allowed to prepare his squad as he sees fit, I have to disagree that assuming Queens should beat the likes of North Shields and Penrith easily, is niave. I, like all Queens fans, want success for the club and I dont think a team of the same standard of Annan, etc, would bring the success we all crave.

I admit my knowledge of non-league and North east football is very limited, but I doubt that the standard is that comparable to what Queens will face in the 2nd division. Taking some of the best players from these leagues, as Queens have done and as Clyde did from the juniors very succesfully last season, hopefully will work, but there is no getting away from the fact that Queens SHOULD beat these teams.

I also agree that pre-season results can be fairly meaningless and it is the performance and preperation that is important and Im sure John Connely has done his homework about potential opposition come the start of the season.

Maybe Im just upset about only having one home game and having to put my life in danger in a North Shields council estate (thats a joke BTW, I dont want to offend anyone from the north-east!!)
13th July 2000 EWAN LITHGOW
I can't argue with the sentiments of your posting but, speaking as one who has watched Queens regularly only since 1985, I can still think of two seasons with excellent starts.

In that 1985/86 season, Queens and Manchester United were the last two unbeaten sides in the UK with Queens not losing until November 9th. We were eventually promoted as runners up to Dunfermline.

Also, in 1993/94, the last season of the old 14 team Second Division, we were top of the division as late as mid-October before fading away to finish 5th.

Still six seasons with poor starts in a row though!

Right, I'm off down to Hill's with my £20.
13th July 2000 CHRIS MILLAR
We've just spent a day or so in your part of the world. Mein Host at the B&B we stayed in is a season ticket holder at Palmerston; in partial thanks to him (and his wife) for a great night and breakfast, may I wish Queen of the South a terrific season. Being a poor benighted sassenach, I support Portsmouth in the English First Division (we're so far south we call London players dirty northern b******s). Maybe one day, we'll meet in European competion. Until that day, my best wishes.
12th July 2000 DAVID MAIN
I notice Queens are at 20-1 at William Hills, much better than Ladbrokes. Does anyone know of better odds?

Of course, putting money on Queens to win the league (as I have done in each of the last ten years!?!) is like a second marriage, ie the triumph of optimism over experience.

Nevertheless, once more I eagerly await the start of another season. I feel encouraged by the changes, it must make us a real unknown quantity in the division.

Can anyone remember the last time Queens made a really good start to the season? I can't, but I've only been watching them since 1966.
12th July 2000 ED WILSON
Re Andy Cowan.

I think it is a bit naive to assume that we can easily beat NE England non-league teams. I doubt if their standard is much different to our own. I seem to remember that we played Aberdeen last pre-season,albeit a very youthful Dons side. We beat them and then proceeded to make our usual disastrous start to what proved to be a terrible season. Let the manager prepare the team as he wishes. He will be judged on results once the season proper is underway.
12th July 2000 GORDON ORR
Well done Queens for a good start to the Pre Season. Having gone to Galabank on both Saturday and Sunday, I was fairly impressed with the new set up, and am reasonably optamistic for the new season. It is a brave step by Mr Bradford and his board in going in a totally new direction but who can blame him, as we simply have done nothing in the past few years, with getting Scottish players that no one else wants. The one pleasing aspect that shone threw is that all the players look "up for it," and as most fans will appreciate there is nothing worse than watching a team that are not giving 100%.

I think it is right that George Rowe has left the club, if only due to internal politics, it cannot be easy staying at the same club where he has been boss. Tommy Bryce only lasted one game at Thistle after getting the sack. Can I also pay tribute to the service that Stevie Mallen has given Queens over the past 7 years, in my opinion he has always been a 100% man and although he scored some great goals and missed some horrendous sitters, he always played for the jersey. Sorry Arbroath but he has had his best days in a blue jersey.

If i can make one last point to John Connolly, yeah most of his North East signings look good although only early days, but I do hear that Queens are still wanting 3 or 4 new faces. Although I dont profess to be a football expert, I do regularly watch local teams in midweek or if I cannot get to a Queens away game, I'll watch Annan or occasionally Gretna. Queens could do a lot worse than sign Annan trio Ryan McGuffie, Paul Laurie and bring back Kevin Proudfoot. All three are Dumfries boys who I'm sure would love to play for Queens. Mr Connolly please get in there before other teams, as especially Ryan McGuffie is one player who will not be playing his standard of Football for much longer. We don't want to be seeing him against us saying "Why is he not at Palmerston?"
11th July 2000 SEAN CRILLEY
I am a 14 yr old living in Carlisle, although I am a season ticket holder for Middlesbrough, I love Queen Of The South as my scottish team. Although I often get bullied at school because of this as my mates' scottish teams are Rangers, Celtic etc. I am proud to be a Queens fan...in Scotland at least but i have to admit that the team has gone down hill since i watched my first game (9/11/96 vs Berwick Rangers, Queens won 2-1).

We had some wonderful players and we can't seem to keep hold of them. I realise that clubs like Queens need to make money but in the interests of the club and fans, surely we should keep hold of our good players....what remains of them anyway. If we done this then we could in my theory, go on to better things and make more money as a club so what I am saying is that in the long - run, it might be more of an essential benefit to the club in the financial aspect and the playing aspect as Queens are a sleeping giant and are certainly worthy of first division status. COME ON QUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENS!!!
11th July 2000 ANDY COWAN
RE Alex Wilson

Were you not at Annan on Saturday? Mark Weir played a great game and scored a hat-trick ... what more do you want from a left sided winger?

I agree with you on you other points, there is promise there but still a lot more questions than answers.

Lets hope things improve the more games they get under their belt.

Quick point, does anyone else agree with me that the pre-season opposition leaves a lot to be desired. I appreciate that with the managers contacts it was inevitable that some of the games would be in the N.East, but while Elgin city are playing Aberdeen we have the prospect of finding a public park, in an allegedly rough housing estate, in North Shields that even the club dont know where it is!! Personally, I cant see what the manager hopes to find out about the players, playing teams that Queens should beat comfortably.

Anyway, enough of being pessimistic ... roll on the start of the season!
11th July 2000 BRUCE WRIGHT
I personally wrote to Palmy last season recommending Ryan McGuffie, (Annan), player of the tournament last weekend to Queens. I was told by RB that Queens coaches did not fancy him. His brother Russell was at Palmy last term but disappeared half way through the season and also turned up at Annan. Both have now went on a week's trial to St. Mirren while Carlisle are chasing Ryan.
10th July 2000 SIMON MILLAGE
Great words from Scot Carrick i fully support what he is saying. The WWW is the only medium queens use for communication let us branch out and discover the power of Border News.

News on Neso: I hear he was training with Queens last week. Could be he is close to making a return, now the way is clear with the departure of Rowe. The fans of Dumfries need a hero and the man Neso has all the qualities to be that hero. Bring him back.

Unlike Mr Carrick I am sad to see Rowe go, not just that it was a bust up that triggered it, but because he invested a lot in the club. Super sub Rowe McDangerHead - He could always come on in the last 5 minutes and score with a high ball in from a corner.
10th July 2000 ALEX WILSON
Well that's our first glimpse of some of the new players, and although it's a difficult task to ascertain how they will compare to the opposition in the Second Division I think there is a lot of promise already to build on. However, I think that a lot of thought is required to get the benefit of Warren Hawke's aerial ability. He will win almost 90% of any balls pumped up to him in the air, but we really must try and get some more support for him from his knockdowns, it was the same problem last year, there is not enough support from the midfield, and the ball just gets cleared back up towards our defence. I would like to see our defence backline push up the field more, maybe trying to enforce an offside trap, this hopefully would force our midfield further up the park to support the front two. I think we need to find a midfield "general" from somewhere, I don't think there is anyone in the squad yet who can "run" the game from midfield, in other words we still need to find a replacement for Tommy Bryce, sorry to harp on that name again, and can't we find an out and out winger from somewhere? Someone who can get to the byeline on a regular basis to cross the ball for Warren's undoubted heading ability? Of course it's sod's law that Warren missed a "sitter" in the second half with his head from the only cutback cross! I also hope that Hepple who played on Sunday was suffering from a real "off" day because judging by his performance he will not be the answer to the left side midfield position. However, there was a lot of promise from some of the players so I hope we can build on that and that my criticisms are taken in good spirit.
7th July 2000 SCOT CARRICK
Qos really should start thinking more about their media relations and the appointment of a pr officer. All summer we have been subjected to the latest news from brunton park, with even Annan and Gretna usurping us in the Standard and on Border Tv. This website is the only decent source of info. and all it would take to boost a bit of profile would be the odd weekly press release. We have signed loads of new players but due to this lack of info. even I can only name about one and as for putting a face to these new names I bet there will be fans at christmas who still don't have a clue. We have built a young fan base here but the kids and the not so young need heroes or at least players to get behind and until the club actually starts thinking about this we could lose supporters this season with the loss of stevie mallan. Its great to get rid of rowe, he is well past it and I will always remember him as the man who kicked out Nesovic, bring back the Super Serb.
5th July 2000 DEREK CONNELL
There is a film called The Cup showing in Derby for one night only on 12th July. Doeas anyone know if this is the Robert Duval version, or is there another film by the same name?

Derek, the Robert Duvall movie has now been retitled "The Road to Glory" but as yet a release date has not been announced. The film you refer to, The Cup is a totally different movie, although still about football, you can find out more about it by clicking on this link The Cup.
4th July 2000 ANNIE
I hope to be in scotland for the 26/12 game @ queens park - do they really play their home matches @ hampden park as stated on their website or are they taking the p***?
4th July 2000 NEIL STEPHEN THOMAS
spent my last 25 footballing watching years supporting ashington fc my home town club and following the fortunes of `queens,.also i am the co-editor of the ashington fanzine THE PIT PONY EXPRESS.(NEW EDITION OUT NOW).i will be travelling up to annan to see how the ex.ashington lads get on against whitehill welfare and see if i can get that pint out of john connolly.he says he owes me one.
4th July 2000 STEVE LEWIS
Well, what irony. I happen to be in Cumbria for my girlfriends best mates wedding, and QOS play in Penrith on the same day. What a shame it's not on the 30th, then I could have gone to my first match.

Oh well such is life. I'll have to try and come up for a match later in the season.
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2nd July 2000 SANDY ORR