THIS MONTHS MESSAGES
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29th May 2001 ERIC FISHER
It has been suggested on THE ONLY TEAM IN THE BIBLE SITE by a punter that in order to boost the attendances next season that we should bring a friend to Palmerston. This is an excellent idea in theory but unfortunately the last time I brought a friend to Palmerston we got hammered 7-0 by Livingstone and my friend has since never been back at Palmerston !!!!!!!
29th May 2001 STEFAN KACZMARCZYK
Yet again on the subject of strips...perhaps the acquisition of a market leading " brand" of strips which are also styled as a fashion accessory (e.g. like Manchester United's Umbro strip) - will lead to a higher number of shirt sales, and therefore commercial benefit to the club.

The potential spin-off from Nike branded items with the QOS logo, I believe, would be enormous and would also increase visibility of the Queens shirt within retail stores nationwide!

In terms of colour - I believe that we should stick to the traditional blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks with 2 white cadet stripes at the top!

We need to move with the times and get away from using the more recent "Buktaesque" strips from unreliable suppliers. Indeed, the last time QOS won promotion to the 1st Division in 1985/86 - umbro strips were the order of the day!!!
27th May 2001 SAM WALLER
hi

i support newcastle & queens so when i heard about the friendly in the summer I jumped at the chance of seeing it!

i was wondering if anyone knew at what time the X75 or 500 buses run between dumfries & gatehouse because i can easily get to dumfries on the train. The problem is getting to gatehouse of fleet from dumfries & gettin to the match fron gatehouse.

if anyone knows any times could they email me at sam_waller29@hotmail.com

cheers

its really important

sam
26th May 2001 SANDY ORR
Surely when we are bringing in £22,200 a year in shirt sponsorship (based on last years figures) fans should not be complaining about another change of strip. Popular as it may be, QoS do not make that much money from sales of replica tops.

We are losing £100,000 a year due to the fact that we are not meeting the 1800 crowd break even figure. The only way out of the hole is to attract more fans. However it is a vicious circle, how do we attract more fans until we are successful? I agree with the points that some fans make that it costs us every season for new strips, but we must remember that we need that cash to pay players, c'mon guys support the team instead of complaining how much it costs to be a Queen's fan!
25th May 2001 ERIC FISHER
According to press reports Queens are losing £100,000 year. As a shareholder I think I am entitled to ask WHERE IS ALL THE MONEY GOING? We still enjoy healthy gates and also a good income is received from TESCO. I suspect that some of our players are being paid serious money. If this is so I will be demanding 100% from the team in the forthcoming season and anything short of promotion will be viewed as under achievement and failure.
25th May 2001 EWAN LITHGOW
Why is it that if anybody has the temerity to criticise or disagree with Andy Murray then they are displaying "mean narrow-mindedness" but when Andy criticises others he is bravely "sticking his head above the parapet to be shot at"? Pots, kettles and black again, Andy?

One man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist and, just because Andy chooses to speak out against the "party line" (Eric Fisher) doesn't mean he's automatically in the right.

Andy has the same right to express his opinions and beliefs as the rest of us do but, if he chooses to put them here, he shouldn't be surprised if somebody, for instance me, takes issue with them. That's the principle of debate.

Keep "sticking your head above the parapet" if you want Andy, that is your right. But everybody else (even me) has as much right as you to take shots at it, that is their right.
25th May 2001 WACEK KACZMARCZYK
Yes, continuing on the subject of the AVEC kit used this season. I repeat what I have said many times on the message board, the shorts were a complete disaster and I know what I am talking about. Too long, too tight and too much out of date. The design and cut was not the best and bearing in mind the delivery problems that the club had at the start of last season getting the strips for the players, never mind the fans, it was a very bad deal.

To be ready for the start of the new season strips would have to have been ordered months ago so who knows the next offing or is it being kept a secret until the new shirt sponsor is declared ?

Are there any insiders who know the scoop ?

As long as we dont get sold any dodgy stock from the far east. I would hate to see Queens running out onto Palmerston next season wearing Nuke, adidos, Le Caq, Zara, Ombro or Reebik strips sold to Dick Shaw doon the Sands market!!
25th May 2001 BUSTER BATES
it seems with QoS annual shrip sponsorship fans have to buy a new strip to stay up to speed. this seems unfair when most fans complain when having to get one every 2 years. does no one agree with this?
24th May 2001 SANDY ORR
re. Eric Fisher - shirts. I disagree about the strips we used this season past. They were a hundred times better looking than that of the previous season. I was proud to wear them on holiday last September, and I will probably take them again in September this year even though I hope to have the new strips by then. One thing is for sure though, the strips will once again be completely different as the company which made last years went bust!

On the subject of the shirt numbers, I think you will find that these "silvery" style numbers were actually supplied by the league, as all SFL teams used them. I went to the recent St Mirren v Aberdeen game, if you think our numbers are hard to read then you should try reading St Mirren's. White on black and white and stripes. Impossible to read.
23rd May 2001 ANDY MURRAY
Thank you, Eric Fisher (May 12) for your assertion that there is NO more passionate Queens supporter than meself - although I think you are mistaken. There are MANY folk out there who would travel to the ends of the earth to watch the stiffs. I did for ages - but got throughly fed up doing so. My passion manifested itself in a column I penned for Dumfriesshire Newspapers for four years.

I think Eric's comment was prompted by a posting from D Brown, which appeared to suggest that I regularly abused the manager. I would vigorously deny EVER abusing the man.

My passion for Queens waned somewhat after the abuse I got for expressing honestly held beliefs in my column - soemthign I gave up because of the mean narrow-mindedness you get when you stick your head above a parapet.
22nd May 2001 SANDY BARCLAY
Re Sandy Orr... last I heard 'A Shot at Glory' has been pencilled in for a limited release run in August, but some of the bigger cinema chains aren't bothering with it. But that's according to the Daily Record, so how true it is is anybody's guess! Mark Knophler (Dire Straits) is doing the soundtrack... I can hardly wait....!
22nd May 2001 CHARLIE (TORONTO)
Every Sunday here in Canada we get the British football results in the paper. For some reason (the name probably caught my eye) I've been avidly following the ups and downs of Queen of the South over the past few years. Good luck to all their players and fans and best wishes for future success. Cheers.
21st May 2001 ERIC FISHER
May I make a passionate appeal to Ronnie Bradford that I hope the Queens strip for the forthcoming season is a lot better than last season. In my opinion the strip for last season was a DISASTER. The shorts were too long and the numbers on the back of the shirts were barely recognisable. Can the fans not have some input to what the new strip will look like?
20th May 2001 SANDY ORR
I know this has been asked before but..... When is the Robert Duvall film which had the pre-release name "The Cup" actually going to appear in cinemas, or even on TV? It is almost two years since scenes were filmed at Palmerston, and despite getting critical acclaim at film festivals there is no sign of it.

The last I heard, it was supposed to be getting released in time for this years Cup Final! Before that it was for Euro 2000. Perhaps now we will have to wait for World Cup 2002?
20th May 2001 WILLIE POOL
Welcome back to JT,although i am glad to see JC strengthening our defence and this does seem a good deal, particularly getting him on a 'free'. I just hope that JT will now not get booked or sent off as regularly as he did at Palmerston in his last term or whilst he was with Arbroath. I remember not too long ago reading their web-site and a lot of Arbroath fans thought he was a liability with the amount of suspensions he served. He also was suspended a lot in his last term at Palmerston. Although i do remember having a pint with him when we were away to Stenny once whilst he was suspended and he did admit that he loved playing for 'The Queens'. Once again Welcome Back Jim and please please please keep out of the ref's book and remain on ht epitch for as long as possible so that hopefully this season we can push for promotion.
18th May 2001 ERIC FISHER
FAO IAN OSBOURN

Yes Ian, Thompson is a fine acquisition however we are at least another 5 players short of a promption winning team. We need a left back,two midfielders,a winger and someone to support Nellie up front.
18th May 2001 GRAHAM McFADDEN
WELL DONE JC FOR SIGNING BIG JIM BACK HE SHOULD NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO LEAVE QUEENS.CAN ANYBODY SHED ANY TRUTH IN THE RUMOUR THAT GORDON HYSLOP OUR UNDER 16,S MANAGER IS LEAVING TO TAKEOVER THE CARLISLE UNITED YOUTH TEAMS .
17th May 2001 IAN OSBOURN
The signing of jt could be the final key to a promotion winning team next season

well done john connoly for last season and for bringing big jt back home
17th May 2001 GREGOR WILSON
Just to say well done J.C. Jim Thomson will be a great addition to the defence and the squad as a whole.

QUEENS FOR PROMOTION 2001/02!!!!!!!
17th May 2001 ROBBIE FEENIE
Brilliant news to hear Jim 'The Kaiser' Thompson is back where he belongs. Me and a few others, mainly simon 'the panther' millage were barracked for suggesting we get Thin Jim back. With more composure than Alan Hansen ever had I feel Jim Bob will help QoS promotion push.

Welcome back Jim and 'achtung achtung here comes The Kaiser!!!'
12th May 2001 ERIC FISHER
Re D. Brown.

There is no more passionate supporter of Queens than Andy Murray unfortunately because he does not TOW THE PARTY LINE he is frequently ridiculed for his open comments. I frequent the centre stand and usually sit to another passionate Queens supporter Davie Hewitt and on most Saturdays we seem to be the only people who cheer on the Queens. I have supported JC from the word go and will continue to do so however if certain players do not show commitment to the club I will vent my feelings towards them. We need eleven players who will feel proud to wear the QOS jersey and give one 100%.

COME ON THE QUEENS
12th May 2001 HAZEL HUME
I want to thank the Queens lads 4 speaking to me and my 2 sisters at the dance on the 5 may.I cant wait to c them all play next season although David Mathieson will be missed!Heres to next season lads,all the best!!!luv hazel.
11th May 2001 STEVE WHITBY
Hi Everybody

Imagine my surprise to see a Doonhammers website on the net !! I'm very happy to have found it and even more happy that support and interest in the Club has grown since I was last at a game 7 or 8 years ago. i hope to be able to come back for a visit this year and bring my son along to the club. He lives in Colvend still with his grandma and she won't take him to football. The nearest he gets is the Supermarket outside.

Anyway, I married a girl over here in Thailand and I run a small Chalet style hotel on the beach called Secret garden Bungalows. I am a rock and blues musician and our main income is from Live music on the beach every Sunday afternoon until 10 at night. if you want to come visit you're welcome to look up our website www.secretgarden.co.th My bar maybe the only one in Thailand with a Queen's scarf hanging up in it.

I hope to come up to the bar at the club at the beginning of the season and make some new friends and hopefully see a much improved team for next season.

This is a great website and keep up the good work. Thanks for getting everyone back in touch with the Club.

Bye for now
9th May 2001 KIRK DOBIE
I drove from Nottingham to watch only my second Queens game of the season, the other being at Hampden by coincidence

I am one of the long distance teletext fans who live and die watching Sky results and midweek goal flashes on TV. As a game I thought we were dreadful in the first half and only Peter W (a star performer who should be playing higher standard football) seemed interested. I awas also surprised by the lack of fans - where are they? the last game of the season for clubs at any level down here is a big event. I also feel that we ran out of something near the end of the season, when we might have gone up (results permitting) we finished very badly - can anyone explain the poor results in the last 6/7 games? Ps the pies were fine though
8th May 2001 D BROWN
Unlike Andy M. I will never be ashamed of being a Queens fan. However I do get embarrassed by the attitude of a very few regulars in the centre of the main stand who seem to get their kicks from abusing J C and the team. Seldom do we hear a thing from them unless it's to shout insults. Come on lads, you're meant to be supporters! Nobody could fail to see that the club has come a very long way in the last 12 months, and I'm sure that with the changes J C will make before next season this progress will continue. I am equally certain that it would help if the team were to get some real encouragement, lets save the insults for the Ref !
8th May 2001 K McP WILSON
JC has been quoted all season about how shocked he was when he watched the last four games of the last campaign. Not as shocked as me at the performance of Queens in the last four games of this season - one point from 12 and against the bottom four teams at that! finally finishing up in sixth place only six points of a relegation spot. Progress has been made but is has been pitifully slow and it is obvious that the team is just not good enough. Players must be moved on and better ones signed especially defenders - 30 goals lost at Palmerston is the worst record in Div. Two and JC must make this his number one task in the close season. Also a playmaker in midfield plus another striker to help Weatherson are needed desperately for to get promotion next season will be even harder. I don't think anyone will skate it like Partick but strong challenges will come from Alloa, Morton, Clydebank, Berwick Stranraer and Hamilton - it could be a very close contest believe you me and QOS will certainly need a much stronger squad than they have at the moment. One silver lining in the clouds over Palmerston was young Willie Gibson's display on Saturday. I hope he is nursed along very carefully by the management as he reminded me very much of Kevin (Ted) McMinn at the same age - Up the Queens

PS - I see in Monday's "Daily Record" JC is having second thoughts on the strength of his squad - thank goodness
7th May 2001 STEFAN KACZMARCZYK
On reflection, 2000/2001 has without doubt been a vast improvement on last season and JC has to be commended for his efforts. In my view, the "North-East" experiment has worked - which is evidenced by the fact that we have in Peter Weatherson a prolific goalscorer as well as other consistent performers in Sunderland, Atkinson and Nixon. It has to be remembered that for the above mentioned players, competing in the Scottish 2nd Division has been a major step-up in terms of required fitness levels and skill set - these players will improve with time (remember how Derek Townsley progressed having joined from Gretna).

For next season, there is a real need to get "bums on seats" at Palmerston - home matches ought to attract gates of 2-3000. In particular, school children and families need to be targeted with tactically priced admission. Livingston, Ross County and Inverness have proved that it can work and subsequently their attendances have vastly increased!!

Here's to promotion for 2001/2002!!

Enjoy the close season!
7th May 2001 ANDY PATERSON
1 point out of 12 against the 4 weakest clubs suggests a lack of motivation. I assume that some of the team are already resigned to being moved on during the summer. Does anyone know how much finishing 6th rather than 5th will cost the club financially?
6th May 2001 ANDY MURRAY
I was ashamed to call myself a Queens fan after watching the last couple of games at Palmerston, but give us more of the likes of young Willie Gibson who, although he looked about 12, showed a lot of promise. Give us another 10 Willies (as they say).
5th May 2001 ED WILSON
This season has certainly been better than last. Nonetheless we are clearly a long way short of promotion calibre. The reality is that while we missed a promotion place by 12 points we ended up only 6 points above QP in the relegation zone. Much work to be done before next season.
4th May 2001 NEIL HAY
Neil, send your email address again please via the message submit button as we have the answer to your question but your email address is incomplete.
4th May 2001 ALASTAIR GORDON
Well, anyone who read my question about Stuart Gordon and replied, thank you. I wanted some past stories of him. For any of those who wondered, he is my father. Anyway, tomorrow, lets get a couple of goals and hopefully not concede any against Queens Park and lets end the season on a high note

Up the Queens!
4th May 2001 ERIC FISHER
I am in total agrement with K Mc P Wilson - at last someone who talks some sense at last - which is unusual for this site. The strip is absolute rubbish. You cant make out the numbers. The shorts are too long. Lets have a smart strip that the supporters can identify with.
2nd May 2001 K McP WILSON
Another sad performance at Forfar and a really weird line-up with Walklate in the centre of defence in place of Nixon who had a stinker at Stirling. To be honest neither look the grade and a centre-half is desperately needed next season along with about seven others at least. The present staff is just not up to Scottish Div. Two standard if Queens want success which has eluded us for over 10 years now. Personally I think the north-east revolution is over and only Weatherson, Atkinson and maybe Sunderland are worth keeping although the latter doesn't score goals (1 in over 230 games). Hopefully Queens will treat Saturday's game as a cup final and not sit back in their comfort zone as they owe it to Forfar to try their very best even if it means relegating the "Spiders". Away from the football side is there any chance of getting a decent football strip next season, using a bit of imagination even basic blue and white can look nice. Two years ago the kit fell apart and last year's suppliers went bust leaving lots of fans without the shirts they ordered! It was a very basic design anyway and lets get back to Queens original badge as the present badge on the shirt is absolutely terrible - over to you directors - Up the Queens
2nd May 2001 ERIC FISHER
There is only one word to describe Queens display against Forfar - ABSOULUTE GARBAGE.

It's FIFTEEN YEARS since we had a competitive team at Palmerston and JC will of course be given time but I myself remain pessmistic.
2nd May 2001 KEN GRIER
Lets get real about next season ... another shocking performance against Forfar tonight , the third consecutive game in which we have underachieved and yet another second half collapse . We have no prospect of promotion unless we have an entirely new defence , at least 1 wide man that can beat defenders and cross , plus someone else to take the pressure off up front from Merrick . Only Jamie Campbell , The Elephant Man and the superbly talented John O'Neill passed muster tonight . JC the team really let a large and long-travelled support down badly . Please cut out the deadwood in the above positions and lets see fresh faces that are up to it , the Managements attitude towards making the neccessary changes is commendable lets see it through .

Roll on next season but first lets have a great win on Saturday to savour thru the close season.
1st May 2001 ROY NICOL
A constant comment from fans is about vocal support at games . Being a long distance fan I have seen three games this season , Clydebank 1-1 , Airdrie 1-3 , and Stenhousemuir 1-3 . I watch a fair bit of football in England but I thought Queens fans were quite noisy against Clydebank and Airdrie but very quiet against Stenhousemuir . At my local club , that is Stockport County , the announcer has a 'roving microphone' and he walks up to the stands from the pitch and gees up the crowd before the game and at half time .This works really well and would suggest this idea is tried . But does the present announcer have the 'necessary bottle' to do it !!!!

Most home crowds are much quieter than away supporters .Its the same situation all over the UK .I don't think Queens fans are much different than any others , but they could do with beefing up a bit !
1st May 2001 GRAEME CLIVE
One of the reasons the crowd was poor against stenny was that a lot of qos fans were on their way to poland for the scotland game.
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