I reckon we're destined for third with Hearts taking the title, and while that sounds grim I can't help feeling oddly positive about next season. There's a weary sort of hope that comes with repetition.

Why third feels inevitable

Look, it's not optimism so much as realism. We've been a player-trading club for years, and that tends to shape results. You can see how a squad built for resale struggles to find consistency week in, week out. That said, finishing third would be predictable rather than catastrophic. It's the same circle and fans have grown used to the pattern — frustration, resignation, then planning for the next window.

Money, windows and the inevitable churn

In my head we somehow net around £50m from sales next summer. Again, it's a guess — one of those fan reckonings — but the point isn't the exact sum. It's what we do with it. As things stand we'll devote a chunk to projects, a fair wedge on loans, and the rest gets swallowed by the usual running costs. That buys hope rather than certainty. The risk is always that the big picture stays the same: young players arrive, some flourish, others are moved on when a profit looks tidy.

Leadership, clichés and the managerial merry-go-round

There was a laughable imagined scenario about Tav remaining captain but starting on the bench and the vice picked by a fan in a lucky dip — that's sarcasm, yes, but it's the kind of gallows humour supporters use. We joke about mottos like "we will learn from this" because it feels like we've heard it before. Maybe Danny stays. Maybe a new name arrives in November. Maybe the chairman praises our "fighting spirit" in May as we finish third again. It's cynical, but that cyclical instability is something fans notice.

To be fair, I'm not trying to blame anyone personally. This is how supporters might see the last six years — tired, a bit amused, and still holding on to the idea that next season could be the one that finally feels different.

Written by Windy: 21 June 2026

Tags: transfers spfl opinion tactics