THIS MONTHS MESSAGES
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30th April 2000 RICHARD ISAACS
Can someone please answer me a question? I keep seeing league tables that have Hamilton with 41 points (including today's) and QOS in 10th place. Have Hamilton had their points re-instated or not? It not, what is the likelihood of them getting them back? Living in Southampton, I get things second-hand. What is the latest news? Surely the SFA cannot keep up hanging on tender hooks about whether we will go down or stay up until the appeal is held?
30th April 2000 DANIEL McDONNELL
Well lads, I came here because we here at Dundalk FC in Ireland are in the same position as you are, although ours is not so spectacular. We are in Division One of our League, and two teams go directly up and one via playoff. We finished fourth, missing out on third by one point. However the team that came third fielded an ineligible player earlier in the season. More to the point, they forged the signature on his registration form to beat the 5pm Friday deadline to play that weekend as he was stranded elsewhere. The League rules state that is an automatic deduction of three points and they lost the points for the game he played in. This happened in OCtober, and after appealing Kilkenny the team in question got their three points back with ONE match left and suddenly jumped ahead of us. The FAI, the biggest joke of an organisation broke their own rules, and the decision was made by a friend of Kilkenny Football Club. So the story has gone on and we took Kilkenny and the League to court. That process is ongoing, a decision is to be made on Tuesday. So all I can say that being in a similar position, don't give up ! If you finish last take the SFA to court, do anything to stop the injustice from happening. I hope that in both cases justice is done
28th April 2000 KEN GRIERS
Pre-match nerves and all that but.......a genuine last minute plea to everyone that cares about Queens to turn up to the Hamilton match and to repeat the outstanding vocal backing that inspired the team last Saturday at Arbroath . To the players , just give us what you gave us last weekend as tomorrow is about the spirit and character you showed last week , no rehearsals we've got to win and we will !!

I for one will shout myself hoarse cheering the team on I hope that you all will too !
28th April 2000 GARY BELL
As a follower of Ashington Football Club I must congratulate you on your appointment of John Connolly and Ian Scott as your management team. In the two years the lads spent at the Colliers they have brought in some quality players, won us our first trophy in 19 very long years and took us on an unbeaten run of 19 games this season. Whilst sad to see them go I would like to wish them both all the best and I am sure they will bring you a team to be proud of. I hope that you stay up this term and that John and Ian can make a real go of it up there. Say hello to the Ashington lads coming to the game on Saturday.
28th April 2000 WACEK KACZMARCZYK
To Alex Wilson, I sensed a tired but loyal soldier in your last mail. I do not blame you. The Accies saga has aroused more discussion in factory canteens around Scotland rather than the debate about Dick Advocat's recent hair gain.

Alex, keep up your regular contributions to the message board because it is your brand of opinion and counter opinion that makes its such good reading and stirs up the otherwise sleepy support.

As for this Saturday's match v Hamilton its only another league game. So, Queens, get intae them. Come on you Queeennss !!
28th April 2000 ROBBIE 'FIREBALL' FEENIE
sorry that's chihuahua ( the power of the net!)
28th April 2000 ROBBIE 'FIREBALL' FEENIE
I wish everyone would relax about the relegation dowg fight. Once we trounce Accies tomorrow and Stenny and/or Stirling lose both there remaining fixtures all we have to do is go up in droves and drive QoS onto victory against Alloa who are already promoted. No problemo. I'll be at palmerston wearing my Houdini tattie sack wrapped in chains. Come on QoS bark like an Afhan and get in to those Chee Wah Wah Accies. Awooga !!!
27th April 2000 SIMON MILLAGE
Am i the only one who hopes that Hamilton go down? before that i was hoping that Airdrie would go bankrupt and that would save us. We got thrown a life line by the decision on Hamilton, and i for one hope that they do go down instead of us. I am not going to pretend to be upset by the seemingly "its just not cricket" attitude of some of the queens support.

Its a dog eat dog world out there and we have to have bigger teeth.
27th April 2000 STEVE HALLIDAY
Is it me or is the Accies website a nightmare to find? I found some rubbish but not what I was looking for

Can anyone help with the address

Steve, click on the links icon on the first navigation bar on this site and scroll down to the Hamilton section, it's the only one listed.
27th April 2000 ALEX WILSON
To Wacek, I admire your confidence that we will "waltz" through the Third Division, and yes I hopefully will still be there supporting next season, but I think we will be lucky if the gates stay around 500 in the Third Division even if, God willing we get a winning team, and I can't see a lot of our players, especially the young "sellable" ones staying to play in that league. When I started watching Queens the average gate at Palmerston was 5,000 and I have watched it die away with great sadness. Everybody is showing great sympathy to the "poor" Hamilton players but nobody seems to care that our players will have the same problemms in the Third Division. Ah well, at least it perked up the end of the season! This will be my last comment on this fiasco, the pain of being relegated twice in the space of 3 weeks is just too much.
27th April 2000 ALEX WILSON
To Sandy Orr, as I said, I feel that every message to the Hamilton website that offered sympathy or succour, and was from a Queens supporter, merely strenghthened their case and "betrayed" our position. I'm sorry if the expression "Judas" was too strong for you, I thought it was a topical Easter reference! If you look at the Hamilton website, you will find references to Queens "playing crap" and other comments about us deserving to go down, or staying up being a "hollow acheivement", etc., and I feel this all lends hope to Hamilton. I feel the big mistake the SFL may have made was putting a definate figure on the penalty, i.e. 15points. If they had just said you're relegated, and before I'm jumped on, that possible scenario had been well considered in the press before the SFL meeting, Hamilton would have had no figure to focus on and attempt to get reduced. As it is, I've just heard on the Border News that the SFA appeals committee will now meet on Monday , after Queens have played Hamilton to consider the appeal. We are now 8points behind Hamilton with 2 games to play and I fear we will become the only team in history to be relegated twice in the space of 3 weeks. Is there anything more painful they can do to us?
27th April 2000 GEOFF LEONARD
The suggestion that any Queens fan who felt a degree of sympathy for Hamilton supporters must be a "Judas" is both facile and infantile. It serves only to further undermine an already shaky argument, and does not represent a constructive contribution to the debate. If Queens do yet go down, it won't be the fault of those who felt embarrassed by a blatant injustice.
26th April 2000 GORDON ORR
Congratulations to John Connelly and Ian Scott who take up their new posts at Palmerston, even though I do not know much abought them as they currently manage a team two leagues below Gretna. Anyway who knows they might just do the trick. I hope the players that they do bring in are good enough to play in the Scottish league, and not sub standard ones from the North East of England lower leagues who are looking for a quick buck. Why do Queens not look closer to home, and bring in more players from Annan Athletic, Aitken and Leslie are examples of the talent to be had, and Queens could do worse than sign Paul Lawrie and Toby Paterson who are both Dumfries boys desperate to play at Palmerston and would give 100% for the jersey. Any way fingers crossed for Saturday and Monday.
26th April 2000 KEIR JOHNSTON
Wishfull thinking like Alex Wilson's will get us nowhere. Queens could beat Stirling or Stenie anyway. GOOD LUCK QUEENS!
26th April 2000 WACEK KACZMARCZYK
Alex Wilson is out of order referring to some Queens supporters as 'Judas' .His comments and summations re. the Hamilton situation are similar to players diving in the box looking for the inadequcies of dodgy refs happy to give them a penalty. What I would call the' something for nothing' philosophy.

This season, yet again, Queens have been so inconsistent that it beggars belief. This kind of approach does not work in the 2nd division and for that reason we are perilously close to' genuine' relegation.

Yes, we all clapped our hands at the SFL decision last week but we all know it is wrong. Yes, Alex, you are right. The SFA will recommend the reversal of the decision and Hamilton will survive. Whether Queens go down is still at the hands of the team in its last remaining games. We do not want SFA, SFL et al deciding our fate because it is the present management that have to fix the serious problem of our inconsistencies.

If Queens go down, and contary to what many fans think, it is not the road to oblivion. There is living proof, Arbroath.

Fans will support a winning team regardless of which division. We all know that Queens will waltz through the 3rd Division if it happens. That means bigger gates and more cash coming through the turnstiles. I don't know if Alex can remember back to the bad old days of the 60's and 70's when Queens seemed to always miss the promotion boat by a few points or play like donkeys in the last 6 games. It paid not to get promoted !

Whatever the outcome over the next week or so I will still support Queens even if it means a trip to Peterhead.

The speed at which Ronnie Bradford has announced the appointment of the Ashington duo as the new management team suggests a lot has been going on behind the scenes. I wonder who influenced the decision to go to the north east of England for a manager ?

As long as they are ' on the ball ' and have the know-how to keep us in the top half of whatever division, then that is going some of the way to completing the unfulfilled ambition.

Alex, join me on Saturday in giving a standing ovation to the Hamilton team when they run out at Palmerston, for their actions in trying to fight against their injustices deserves applause and not condemnation.

Credit to Ronnie Bradford for reducing prices on Saturday. Lets pray for a sunny day !
26th April 2000 SANDY ORR
I'm raging - two points.

First, I'm not angry that Hamilton are getting an appeal, and perhaps being saved and Queens' being relegated. What I am angry about is the fact that late on Thursday afternoon Hamilton officials claimed that they were not happy with the decision, but would NOT appeal. By Saturday morning they were "considering" an appeal, but would "wait and see". Surprise, surprise, Saturday evening, following Hamilton's defeat, and Queen's win, they will now definetly appeal. Surely they should have appealed before the game, or accepted the punishment? I just wonder if they have employed the services of PR guru Max Clifford, they are certainly getting enough publicity.

Second, Alex Wilson, what are you going on about? I have not read comments from any "Judas" Queen's fans on Accies' website. I have read a few saying how sorry the way things have worked out, and how the Hamilton board is to blame. None actually denouncing Queens. To call any Queen's fan a "Judas" is an outrage, we have some of the most loyal supporters in the country, were you there to see them in their glory on Saturday? As far as am concerned any person who stands up and say's "I'm a Queen's fan" is a true supporter, even if it is only to visit our website once in a while, or to look for the score in the Sunday papers. The last thing we need right now is a division amongst fans.

Lets all get behind Queens' on Saturday, bring your friends, family, even your Grannies. This is the most important game of all time.
25th April 2000 ALEX WILSON
I fear the behind the scenes work by Hamilton is about to bear fruit, it has just been on the Scottish news that Hamilton will have their 15 points reinstated before Saturday, pending the result of an SFA appeal.On visiting the Hamilton website, they already know the composition of the appeals panel, and the sinister news is that one of Partick Thistle's Board is a representative of the League clubs. As far as I am aware, Partick benefit to the tune of 50,000 pounds a year from renting out Firhill to Hamilton, so it can hardly be described as a neutral panel, since one of the their members clubs financial security is on the line here. It is Easter, and all the Judas QOS "supporters" who supplied Hamilton with support and succour because they felt "embarrassed" can know look back with a feeling of satisfaction that they have helped send Queens down, probably to oblivion, in the next 5 years!
25th April 2000 NEIL CREIGHTON
I've just heard on Sky Sports that George Rowe has quit as co-manager and in my opinion this is a wise decision. I hope that Ken Eadie will proceed to do the same and next season we can get a recognised manager in that can start building our squad again and forget about relegation.

In my opinion Georges performances on the park have gone dramatically down hill this season and hopefully without the burden of management on his mind he might be able to get back to his old self next season.

Finally I would like to say I agree with the directors cutting prices for Saturdays game because a large majority of the supporters have stood by the tam through thick and thin this season.
25th April 2000 SANDY ORR
I have been scouring the newspapers and teletext this morning, over the news that George Rowe has requested that his management contract is not renewed in the summer. By my understanding of it, it seems that Geordie will stay as a player, is this correct? I hope so, he is 100% a Queen's man, and if we can hold on to Andy Aitken as well, we will start next season with a solid centre of defence.
25th April 2000 ED WILSON
I have no doubt that the current media campaign will result in at least some reduction in the penalty given to Hamilton. We therefore MUST aim to beat them on Saturday as well as win at Alloa to render any decrease in penalty meaningless as far as QOS are concerned. Call me paranoid but it just seems too good to be true as things currently stand. Well played at Arbroath especially the frequently maligned Mark Weir who was excellent.
25th April 2000 NEIL CREIGHTON
The song played before the game on Saturday should be a recent Queens fans favourite, the theme tune from the Great Escape because if we havent had one, Who has?
25th April 2000 LOYAL ROYAL
I've been sent here from a bloke called steve H. who is a queen of the south and reading fan.

He's told us to check out your website so i have. (not bad) i now have officially decided that i will make qos my first scottish team. I reackon some of your lads should come check out the reading website steve has provivded above and go to interaction index then discussion board and to a message board saying ANYTHING ELSE thats where you will find our lads.cheers good luck in div 2.
25th April 2000 GORDON ORR
This may sound hypocritical, but how on earth can the SFL justify a 15 point deduction for the accies for not playing one particular game at Ochilview. A 6 point deduction is harsh. I like other South fans feel that the Queens may not be out of the woods yet, but the question on our part must be answered if the SFL say ok we were wrong, its only a 6 or 9 point deduction, then they cannot relegate Queens after ensuring them of survival. The whole escapade makes the SFL look like amatuer cowboys running a local pub league. Unfortunetly Queens deserve to be relegated, even though we have our house in order off the field. The management team of Rowe and Eadie do not enspire my confidence. I stand near to the dugouts and every opposing Manager is shouting and beaming with enthusiasm eg Cooper, Dawson, McLaren - Has Ken Eadie lost hos tongue??

Anyway a clearout for next season is a must - 2nd or 3rd Division. Harsh but true!
25th April 2000 MARTIN DUBBERM
Greeting from Reading at the request of Steve H. Magnificent win for the Royals today despite having ten men for the whole second half, (ex Celtic Peter Grant sent off). Seriously, put all your available cash on Reading for next year's title. We were second bottom at Christmas and are now joint 9th.

Forgive the ignorance but what did Hamilton do to be deducted 15 points??
24th April 2000 STEVE HALLIDAY
To make the most of the spirit of this website in spreading the QOS message far and wide, may I wish all Queens fans a happy new season in Div 2.

Especial wishes to my brother Robert, an ardent fan, serving in Pristina, Kosovo.

AS an exile dowm here I have also become a passionate supporter of Reading Football Club and would like to highlight the website addreses fro them. The first is the official one and is www.readingfc.co.uk. and the second is the unofficial (but much better) at www.royals.cx.

Lets see how many Queens fans can leave a message and see if we can forge some links.

I shall be encouraging Reading fans to do the same.

Let's show that we are much better and bigger than recent form suggests
24th April 2000 SCOTT DUFFY
Hamilton going down.

Queens staying up.

Reduced ticket prices for a game.

This is Queens best week ever in the history of Q.O.S.
24th April 2000 JOHN McBURNIE
Beureucratic mayhem, no ground, relegation and Darren Henderson plays for you, sometimes life plays you a nasty hand.

People have been talking about "pride" in Queens concerning the weekend's events. As an exiled Doonhammer I have felt nothing but shame as people have been commenting on my team's good fortune. If this had happened in any other industry, that is a ridiculous penalty for strike action, then bedlam would break loose. But, yet, as usual in the wonderful world of football a different set of rules apply.

If we are to take pride from this, then lets do it by getting a bumper crowd at the cheap prices on saturday and prove on the field that we are better than Hamilton and build for next season. Lets just hope no appeal goes through and do something next year. Come on Queens, use this fortune as an incentive.
24th April 2000 STEVE HALLIDAY
I agree with Alex Wilson.

Even if you don't like the situation we are Queen's fans and should be glad we stay up and gun for promotion next year.

Don't be spineless. Life is life!
24th April 2000 NIGEL WOOD
Relief or what (it's a funny old game of two Halves) etc etc. Sorry to the Hamilton team and supporters the news by the in england comes in short and spurios bursts however now that we have now the breathing space, let's consolidate and put our team where they belong Up,Up,Up. Thanks again for your Website and my wee taste of hame.
24th April 2000 STUART CARROLL
Re. Alex Wilson.- Congratulations on winding up the Accies fans(on the Accies web site) before next weekends game.

PS Are you the same Alex who plays the tunes at Palmerston on matchdays ? If so please play a BRODIE track on Saturday.

Cheers
24th April 2000 STEVIE COOPER
The only team in the bible. It's Easter, Queens are dead and buried....then resurrection! Spooky or what?!
23rd April 2000 DAVID MAIN
David has requested that this message be reproduced here, it has already been sent to the Hamilton Accies Fans Forum.

With respect, the majority of Queen of the South fans are bemused and embarassed by the whole fiasco, and I put a message to that effect on your forum as soon as I heard the news. There is an obvious exception(s?), but check out the Queens site.

However, the whole farce has now affected the division and I cannot see how an appeal can be successful. The 15pt penalty has affected and will affect all games after the imposition of the penalty, and it would be even more of a nightmare if, after the season was over, the league were to reconsider the level of the penalty whilst sitting looking at the final league table.

For instance, would Stenhousemuir have won yesterday if there had been no penalty? It could be argued that with the pressure right off, the team relaxes and plays better? Did the new manager blood somebody they wouldn't otherwise have done? Would they have set their stall out for a draw if it had still matterred?

Queens can still catch Stirling. Stirling could say they would have killed the game yesterday at 1-1 if a point guaranteed survival.

If Accies had been deducted three points, they would still have been catchable, but draws would suffice. Would you have played different against Ross if only a point was required.

In other words, Thursday's decision potentially affected the approach to at least three of the games. (I am assuming Queens had to go for three points under either scenario!)

This is the mess we now find ourselves in. Without prejudging the last two games of the season, if the league are considering the appeal, they will no longer be looking at a potential situation, but will be deciding simply whether Accies or AN Other are to be relegated, using what criteria nobody knows. OK, it is likely Queens will be AN Other, but it is no longer fair on any side.

My solution would be to either relegate Hamilton or to play a 12 team Second division next year (therefore letting in two more new teams which is another issue). I personally am inclined to the latter, but sadly the decision will not be made by people like me. What a mess.
23rd April 2000 RYAN SCOTT
thank you god finally we are not about to go down and stay up at the last game of the season.as a queens fan i feel exstatic my friend and i keep on singing and dancing.finally I can be proud of my home team thank you god.
23rd April 2000 ALEX WILSON
Were still going to have to beat Hamilton next week to get a 10 point gap between us, because I'm certain they will be lobbying behind the scenes to get assistance from their Glasgow cronies to reduce the 15 point fine. I would not be surprised if there was a reduction in the sentence, the central belt Mafia look after their own.
23rd April 2000 ALEX WILSON
I see from Hamilton's unofficial web site that the club are going to appeal against the 15 point deduction, so all you people out there that are feeling "guilty" and slagging Queens off on the Hamilton site for not being good enough will maybe get your wish and see Queens relegated yet. Call yourself Queens supporters?
23rd April 2000 STEVE HALLIDAY
Survival it is then!

Onwards to next season!!

Sorry Accies but this division wasn't big enough for both of us!
22nd April 2000 STEVE HALLIDAY
I have a cunning plan

Strategy for next season.

Pay every other team to strike for one game each and they all start on -15 points. The league will be ours
21st April 2000 EWAN McNAUGHT
It looks like Queens have been saved from relegation by the benevolent intervention of the Scottish League. Hamilton's punishment seems very draconian. Maybe Queen's and Stenhousemuir have friends in high places. However even if we do avoid what would have been a fully merited relegation (let's forget this rubbish about Queen's players being too good to go down/ underperforming etc. - up until yesterday the league table didn't lie. Last is exactly where we deserved to be) the bottom line is we need to clear out most of the playing staff and start again. In a year of league reorganisation when only one club would be relegated from a mediocre second division Queen's weren't good enough to play their way out of last place all season. Losing quality players pre-season and replacing them with third division standard personnel contributed greatly to our plight. Sure we have facilities which are the envy of most second division and some first division clubs but the team on the park is what counts and ours has been lamentable. With three teams coming up from the third we would have found ourselves in the bottom eight of existing football league clubs in Scotland, a fate which seemed unthinkable in the post-Harkness era until this season. A radical change in personnel is needed next season (playing, and dare I say it, managerial). I hope we don't let our recent good fortune obscure that issue.
21st April 2000 CRAIG BEATTIE
As a life long Queens fan nothing would make me happier than to see them stay up, however on a purely footballing basis only. Hamilton may now be relegated because of something which has nothing to do with what happens betweeen 3pm and 4:45 on a saturday afternoon. Lets face it, before this happened we looked certain to go down, why?, because we hadn't won enough games. Now the issue of relegation could be decided not by what happens on the park - as it should be - but by a bunch of suits in Glasgow. Most of us would agree that the Hamilton players had every right to strike after the terrible way they were treated by the board, they were left with no other choice and the game was replayed so where was the real harm done? I think that Hamilton should have been deducted three points for that game and made to pay the costs of the replay. Instead, as usual it is the fans who ultimately lose out, they have watched their team play well enough to stay up only to see them knocked to the bottom of the league. Relegation and Promotion should be decided on the park and nowhere else, if you are the poorest team - which we are - then you deserve to go down, instead the better team may be relegated. As usual football has lost out to money matters yet again. I would love to see Queens stay up but only if they had played well enough to do so. I hope Hamilton stay up and if that means we go down then we must accept that we were the poorest team over the whole season and maybe justice will have been done.
21st April 2000 DAVID MAIN
I have mixed feelings re the 15 pt deduction. Elation that it will probably ensure we stay up, but embarassment as I cannot see the logic behind it.

I hope we battle on and finish above Stennie.
21st April 2000 SANDY ORR
Let's thank our lucky stars that we have another chance, but we are by no means safe yet. Hopefully the leagues decision will boost our travelling numbers on Saturday. A big support behind the team is required, as is a better performance from the team. I hope we all rise to the occasion, because if we get a result at Arbroath, it will make it easier against Accies next week.

I hope Accies fans aren't to downhearted about the SFL decision. if they are looking for scapegoats then it is their board of directors, and not the players or the SFL, that they should direct their anger.
21st April 2000 ALEX WILSON
Re your league lifeline headline, Stenhousemuir can still go down if Hamilton win their last 3, Queens win their two away, and Stenhousemuir lose 3 on the trot! Just joking (I hope!) about Hamilton winning their three...

Thanks Alex, I've altered the report, next time I'll use a calculator!
21st April 2000 MANO
Had a great day at wembley Stoke won the sheild in front of 75,000,now to make my season stoke to go up and the "doonhamers" to stay up, is it possible OF COURSE IT IS. Whats a stoke fan doing supporting q.o.s? its that man from scotland Ian Black, if anyone knows him please tell him Mano's been on. And yes i have actually seen a game and they won 2-1 LUCKY BOY EH. SEE YA
20th April 2000 SCOTT DUFFY
God has answered our prayers. Can we stay up?

Scott
Doonhamer on
wrong side of
border
20th April 2000 STUART GRAHAM
Was I hearing things or are Hanilton really getting 15 points deducted? Seems harsh but I am not complaining and the truth is a fine would have bankrupt them. We had better not get too cocky though as on current form they could still catch us. Can they appeal or anything? Lets win the remaining games to make sure and gain some confidence for next seasons promotion charge!
20th April 2000 RUSSELL JAMES CAMPBELL
I've just read teletext at 1745 hours.

Has the miracle happened. Now 4 points clear of The Accies with 3 games remaining and we play them at Palmerston next Saturday.

Yes, the massive deduction of 15 points for not travelling to Larbert a few weeks ago !!!!!!

Saving grace I hope and pray !!!
20th April 2000 ANDY COWAN
Alex Wilson

I wish I knew!!! I really do.

I can understand that you thought I was covering something up, but unfortunately I wasnt. I dont know enough about the ins and outs of the club to comment on happenings off the field. Also, unfortunatley, I have not been able to get to many games this season so I cant really comment on things on the field.

I was merely pointing out the striking similarities of the last two seasons and suggesting that there must be a reason why we have found ourselves at the bottom of the table again.

Believe me, if I knew what the problem was, I would have been on the phone to Palmerston quicker than Paul Harvey to a contract signing.

I wish I could be there to support the team for the last few matches, but I shall be cheering them on from in front of the tv.

Come on you Queens!!
19th April 2000 ROBBIE FEENIE
After last nights Stenny score maybe Queens do have a outside chance of staying up, 3 wins on the bounce with Stenny losing 2/3 will see us safe, it's not impossible so come on Queens and lets get right behind them when we have win up at Recreation Park. Failing that I'll take Liverpool,Celtic and Queens as a treble bet on next seasons championships!!
18th April 2000 RUSSEL JAMES CAMPBELL
Well, well !!!!

Queens are almost relegated. The warning signs have been there for a few seasons now. Rescued last season by a turn around last New Year until the season's end.

The writing is on the wall now. Lilley, McAllister and Townsley escaped in time to better themselves and fulfill their potential ( Townsley's talking in the press today about going to Europe next season with the Well !! )

If Stenny defeat The Accies tonight it's almost done and dusted save a miracle !!!!

As an earlier letter stated, they will probably play for a draw tonight right enough. Wait and see !!!

Let's look at next season's travelling line up probability for Division 3 :

Brechin City, Peterhead, Elgin City, Albion Rovers, Montrose, Dumbarton, East Fife, Cowdenbeath, East Stirling & Queens. Oh dear !! Oh dear !!!

The point is - Will our best players leave after likely relegation and leave us with a worst chance to regaining 2nd Division status ??

All players should remain for next season. After all, it's their fault and they should help to regain promotion.

A new millenium - a lower division looms !!
18th April 2000 ALEX WILSON
Andy Cowan - Makes you wonder what? Spit it out man! To what are you attributing the blame? There must be something or somebody that you consider is the main cause of this problem? Let's hear it!
17th April 2000 ALEX WILSON
Call me cynical, but I'll be very surprised if Stenhousemuir and Hamilton don't stagemanage a draw tomorrow so that both their sets of players benefit and more or less finish Queens chances off. In which case the bankruptcy of Airdrie may be our only salvation.
17th April 2000 ED WILSON
Well things are looking pretty hopeless now. The whole season has been dreadful. We have never had anything like a settled team and by my calculation have used an amazing total of 30 players this season. The starting 11 at Alloa last week contained only 2 players (Kerr + Mallan) from the starting line-up in our first competitive match v Arbroath in the CIS cup. The squad was not ready in August and this combined with our all too familiar indiscipline has meant a season of turmoil with no consistency of selection. All we can do now is hope for a miracle. It isn`t over till the fat lady sings but she is certainly at the stage of final rehearsal by now..
17th April 2000 ANDY COWAN
RE Richard Isaacs

If your prediction comes true then it is unlikely that we will be facing Berwick as they look odds-on for promotion.

However, it was your other comments that troubled me. As has been discussed on these pages at great length, we did not sell off our best players. Without going into details already done to death here, the players who left, left of their own free will and the club could do very little to stop them due to the circumstance surrounding there departures.

This may seem like a cop-out of sorts, but we have to be realistic and realise that Queens cannot pay large wages and cannot offer the full time football that some of our better players wanted (ie Townsley). The young players who left have gone on to bigger and better things and really as a club Queens should be applauded for allowing them to do so. Im sure I speak for all Queens fans in congratulating Jamie McAllister for his nomination for young player of the year. What would he have achieved if he hda stayed at Queens this season, he certanliy wouldnt have played at Hampden twice thats for sure, and what would Queens have gained if he had moved out of contract? A fraction of what we got allowing him to go off-season, I'll bet.

My point is, that it was inevitable that we would lose players, and its not surprising which ones we lost, but it doesnt indicate a lack of ambition from the club, or any failing within the club, it is a sad fact that EVERY small club has to live with. Its unfortunate that we were unable to bring in quality players earlier in the season.

However, the players we have/had were good enough to beat Alloa in the cup at the start of the season and good enoungh to run Hearts very close, but for some reason could not compete in the league. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Last season we reached a cup final early on while bottom of the league. Perhaps there is some deeper set problem within the club, but it does seem strange that two seasons running we have grossly under-achieved in the league with players who by most peoples admition are as good, if not better, than most in the 2nd Division.

Makes you wonder, doesnt it?
16th April 2000 RICHARD ISAACS
Like many other correspondents on the site, I too do not wish to be the doyen of doom. However, a 3-0 home defeat, when we are clambering for our very survival almost looks like we have given up the ghost. I do not suppose for one minute that we have, it's just that it is now the middle of April, we are five points adrift of ninth place, and Stenhousemuir have a game in hand over us. OK, they got hammered 7-0 today, but we need to win to make their defeats count. For me, it will be a travesty if we get relegated, but if you sell your best players pre-season while everyone else is building their squads up, then we were always in the danger. Prove me wrong, QOS, please. However, I think it's Albion Rovers, Montrose and Berwick Rangers for us next season.
15th April 2000 BRIAN McKIE
I went to Palmerston today hoping to see a Queens team fighting for thier 2nd division lives but instead witnessed the worst team in 20 years ever to have graced Palmerston.It looks almost certain that it will be 3rd division football next season and for quite a few seasons after that if this is the best we can put out on the park.It will be interesting to see who got the internet fan club man of the match award for this game as not one of them deserved a vote apart from maybe Andy Aitken.
15th April 2000 JUSTIN HAINING
I think that it is about time we all realised we are going to go down this season.

I will be very sad when this happens as we will lose a lot of our best talent when this happens. David Matheson, Andy Aitken, Bryan Caldwell, Dennis Boyle & the rest.

I hope we try and keep them for next season but we can't complain if they all leave as other clubs in higher leauges will try for them.

I hope we try and keep Dennis and Brian the most, as I was playing a Football mamager game and these two players were the key for me getting Q.O.S. to the Premier Division in season 2002/2003.
14th April 2000 BRIAN CLARK
I do not want to sound the profit of doom, however we will need to win our last four games to have any chance of staying up this year!

I also agree with a lot of other supporters that the personal abuse of some players like Boyle against Stirling and Adams against Alloa is DISGRACEFUL and must stop!!!!!

These are two of our best and most consistent players! Was it not Adams who scored both our goals and got us a valuable point on the previous Saturday?
13th April 2000 POLL
Greetz from a QotS supporter in Holland.Hope to see ya all for a drink.

cheers
13th April 2000 PAUL KENNETT
Hi there,

Just to say there's a bunch of us planning to visit your match against Ross County on Saturday. We're a mixture of Wimbledon and Crystal Palace fans, who are on holiday in Kirkcudbright for a week.

Needless to say we'll be supporting your team for the day.
12th April 2000 SANDY ORR
Paul Haining: You suggest Denis Boyle shouldn't play for us again, due to his alleged reaction to some rather unsavoury, foul and prolonged abuse that he received on Saturday. I wonder how you would react in the same circumstances? Denis Boyle is only eighteen and it is understandable how a young player can be provoked into showing a so called fan exactly what he thought of his comments.

I wonder if you were at Alloa tonight, when both Adams and Ken Eadie came in for some terrible abuse? Charlie is a bit older than Denis, and managed to laugh off the abuse, but again it was prolonged and completely unconstructive. There seems to be a trend at the moment of abusing particular players on the pitch for no apparent reason other than the abuser has an unhealthy dislike for his victim. This cannot go on, how can we hope to attract players to Palmerston, or indeed re-sign them, if we have a reputation for this? Until this kind of abuse off players stops, then we can expect more gestures from players. If you give abuse, then be prepared to receive it.
11th April 2000 STEFAN KACZMARCZYK
With 5 games remaining its winner takes all!

Its imperative that we have 4000+ fans at the remaining home matches (perhaps incentivise Doonhamers to attend in some way?)- and even greater numbers to supplement our 1st class away support!

Carlisle United stayed up last season because they had 7500 people supporting them at the death - we will need the same to drive the team on!!

We can do it!!
11th April 2000 STEVE BIRD
I have followed Queens for thirty years but due to my location support Wolverhampton Wanderers. Any chance of the Doonhamers giving us a friendly.

O'h by the way I was Wolves mascot "Wolfie" before they sacked me!!! have Queens got a mascot?

http://www.onceawolvesolf.homestead.com
11th April 2000 DAVID MAIN
Re Dennis Boyle, I agree with Alex Bomphray and Ewan Lithgow on this. I was sitting near the chap doing the shouting and it wasnt very constructive. I would have thought Boyle is the sort of player we want to keep (do the players read this site?!?)

I felt Queens came back well at the end, despite being overrun earlier when it just wasn't going right.

I thought the double substitution made a big difference, credit to the management as most of the fans (me included) wanted to see Adams off and Dickson left on!

Ally McMillan very good when he came on, maybe something to prove after his lay-off.

See you all at Alloa (should web-site users identify themselves at games so I can recognise all the names I keep seeing here?)
11th April 2000 PAUL HAINING
I WAS NOT AT THE GAME ON SATURDAY BUT IF DENIS BOYLE DID WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE DONE THEN I THINK HE SHOULD NOT PLAY FOR US AGAIN,HE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A VERY GOOD PLAYER BUT IF THATS IS HIS ATTITUDE THEN I THINK WE SHOULD JUST GET RID OF HIM.ALSO WELL DONE TO CHARLIE ADAMS AS HE HAS BEEN TAKING ALOT OF STICK LATELY.

JIM BOB KERR IS WRONG TO WRITE WHAT HE DID BUT WHY IS EWAN LITHGOW HAVING A POP AT RANGERS WITH HIS "FORCES OF DARKNESS ,BLUE DIVISION" COMMENTS,RANGERS CANT HELP IT IF CELTIC AND THE REST OF THE SPL ARE NOT UP TO IT.
10th April 2000 WALT ADAMSON
Just wondering if there's anyone from the Glasgow area travelling to the Alloa game on Tuesday night with space in their car? If there's any chance of a lift, my e-mail address is 9505170a@student.gla.ac.uk and I should be contactable on it throughout the day.

Thanks
10th April 2000 PHILLIP MILLER
as an exiled doonhamer i feel that perhaps the club should try and lure jan molby away from kidderminster and bring him to palmerston. surely the great dane is the answer to all our prayers.
10th April 2000 IAN RAFFEL
Looking at the league table, it would be rather useful if Hamilton did have three points deducted after the strike. The League need to act quickly on this one (not something they're noted for!) so that the situation is clear. They won't give any points to Stenhousemuir, surely?
10th April 2000 ALEX BOMPHRAY
Stuart Carroll-Denis Boyle maybe didn't have the best of games yesterday, but I personally wouldn't object to him 'giving the finger' to whoever was abusing him.It certainly wasn't all the Queens fans as most of them are more constructive with their support rather than shout foul mouthed abuse.

On the other hand, maybe the referee would have deserved such abuse, as, apart from his obvious ignorance of timekeeping, his general performance was appalling. If he had given the foul on Hawke in 18 minutes it is unlikely that Stirling would have scored their first goal, possibly sent the player off as last man, and totally changed the course of the game.

Queens made a load of chances and failed to take most of them-it's vital that we do so on Tuesday to keep us in with a fighting chance of staying up.

Come on Queens, we can do it.
10th April 2000 EWAN LITHGOW
re Stuart Carroll

I can't condone Dennis Boyle doing what he did but I don't think he gave the "one-fingered salute" to the Queens fans at Stirling. He gave it to one particular individual who spent quite some time shouting specifically at him and informing him that he was "a disgrace" and "unfit to wear the shirt". This is not my definition of a supporter and, as far as I could tell, he wasn't getting anyone to join in with him. He obviously had a personal dislike for Dennis and decided to let him know from the word go. So the boy cracked eventually and responded, big deal! I think most of us would if, no matter what you did, some idiot was standing 20 yards away telling us how "crap" we are. Dennis has actually been one of our better players over the last 10 games or so and, although he wasn't so good on Saturday, he has done nothing to deserve the vicious attack he received.

While we are on the subject of gestures, can I say how disappointed I was that when Stirling put the ball out to allow treatment to an injured player we didn't return the ball to them and instead went on the attack and nearly scored. I accept Albion's players seemed to go for a lie down on the ground quite often but there's no need for us to resort to poor sportsmanship no matter how serious our position.

However, I do agree with Stuart about the referee's timekeeping on Saturday. There were a number of lengthy stoppages during each half and yet he added only a minute or two to the second half and no time at all in the first half.

Finally, I think we can well do without "Up the Rangers" type messages on the site. I'm sure they have their own site where they can leave messages congratulating each other on another season of out-doing "the Celtic" in their two team money championship. Having said that, nice to see both Jamie McAllister and David Lilley in the Aberdeen side which beat Hibs today to earn the right to play the "Forces of Darkness - Blue Division" in the Final.
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