I'm fed up with the constant sniping about Blair Sturrock from certain supporters with chips on their shoulders.
If you've actually been paying attention this season you'll have spotted how Sturrock contributes: the way he has the vision to switch play, the way he stretches defences with his movement, his link-up play, his hardwork off the ball and his general football intelligence. This all makes us a better team.
The vast majority of our support have now accepted what he offers, he even gets his name chanted occasionally, which given the scepticism that treated his arrival, is one of the more noteworthy achievements of the last decade (I think Kevin Maher may be the only other player to have won over a sceptical crowd).
Don't believe me: have a look at the stats.
Has made 25 league starts.
Of those 25 we've won 13, drawing a further 5 games. That's 44 points from 25 games, or the equivalent of about 81 points over a full season.
In the 7 games he hasn't started, we've won a grand total of ZERO, drawn three* and lost four. That's three points in 7 seven games. Over a course of a season that is approximately 20 points.
Despite this, he seems (like SUFC) to have no credit in the bank in certain quarters. One off display and the snipers are back out. He'll shut them up for a couple of games with influential displays, but all it takes is for a couple of mistakes and the goodwill is gone and they'll be back on his case, suggesting he should be dropped.
So his critics should ask themselves why we are a better team with him in it, why the vast majority have now accepted him? Yes, the reason Sturrock is in the side is because his father is the manager but it isn't nepotism, it's because his father is a bloody good coach who has instilled a far greater understanding of football into his son than you are sadly ever going to have with your closed minds. I'm not saying he's a perfect footballer; he certainly has his flaws (like all players), but unless you are also willing to acknowledge the attributes he currently brings to the side then you're really not worth wasting my time arguing with and are no better than Barna Blue.
He might not be my player of the season so far, but he's quite possibly top 3. Well done Blair. Keep it up.
*It's even worth noting that of those three draws, Blair Sturrock came on as sub in two of them when we were trailing and helped us equalise.
If you've actually been paying attention this season you'll have spotted how Sturrock contributes: the way he has the vision to switch play, the way he stretches defences with his movement, his link-up play, his hardwork off the ball and his general football intelligence. This all makes us a better team.
The vast majority of our support have now accepted what he offers, he even gets his name chanted occasionally, which given the scepticism that treated his arrival, is one of the more noteworthy achievements of the last decade (I think Kevin Maher may be the only other player to have won over a sceptical crowd).
Don't believe me: have a look at the stats.
Has made 25 league starts.
Of those 25 we've won 13, drawing a further 5 games. That's 44 points from 25 games, or the equivalent of about 81 points over a full season.
In the 7 games he hasn't started, we've won a grand total of ZERO, drawn three* and lost four. That's three points in 7 seven games. Over a course of a season that is approximately 20 points.
Despite this, he seems (like SUFC) to have no credit in the bank in certain quarters. One off display and the snipers are back out. He'll shut them up for a couple of games with influential displays, but all it takes is for a couple of mistakes and the goodwill is gone and they'll be back on his case, suggesting he should be dropped.
So his critics should ask themselves why we are a better team with him in it, why the vast majority have now accepted him? Yes, the reason Sturrock is in the side is because his father is the manager but it isn't nepotism, it's because his father is a bloody good coach who has instilled a far greater understanding of football into his son than you are sadly ever going to have with your closed minds. I'm not saying he's a perfect footballer; he certainly has his flaws (like all players), but unless you are also willing to acknowledge the attributes he currently brings to the side then you're really not worth wasting my time arguing with and are no better than Barna Blue.
He might not be my player of the season so far, but he's quite possibly top 3. Well done Blair. Keep it up.
*It's even worth noting that of those three draws, Blair Sturrock came on as sub in two of them when we were trailing and helped us equalise.