Time to Move On From Butland & Souttar

We can't keep making excuses for Butland and Souttar. Their form and confidence have dipped, and the squad needs reinforcements — especially at centre-back and in goal.

Goalkeeper doubts

To be fair, no one wants to panic-buy a keeper, but you can see why the frustration is loud. The argument isn't just personality — it's performance. The claim that Butland's shot-stopping has dropped off a cliff is the sort of blunt take you'll hear on the terraces and, honestly, it's not coming from nowhere. Fans point to games like Falkirk before the split where three shots led to three goals. Whether you accept that specific example or not, the underlying worry is clear: when we dominate possession the keeper still has to command his box and organise a high defensive line.

Where Souttar fits

Souttar divides opinion. Some see a player who does well in dogfights — the sort of defender who digs in when we're pinned back. Others see a defender who's made mistakes since returning from injury and who lost his place to Djiga under Rohl. That tension is why calls for more cover make sense. We're short at centre-back, and there's merit in targeting one experienced signing and a younger centre-half to grow into the long-term spot when Fernandez eventually moves on.

Squad balance and the Devlin debate

The Barron versus Devlin chat is another pet subject. The view here is that Rohl didn't want Barron out and that Barron is actually younger than Devlin, so the idea Barron was discarded for personality reasons doesn't stack up. As for midfield pieces, folk mention free options and leadership as priorities — the argument being we'd rather add someone who steadies the dressing room than sign for the sake of depth. If a spot is only for a squad player, many would rather it go to a youngster with upside.

At the end of the day this isn't clever analysis; it's common sense seen from the stands. If certain players aren't part of the long-term solution, it's better everyone knows now and we prepare properly for next season.

Written by DJB_Ranger: 10 July 2026