There’s a familiar pattern on boards and in the stands: a player emerges, we declare them the next big thing, and the chant of optimism rolls on. It’s the same refrain — Olsen, Chermiti, Barron, Souttar, Tav, Martin — and it keeps repeating because deep down we’re all doing the same thing. We want to believe. And to be fair, who wouldn’t?

The endless "new X" conveyor

Supporters latch on to a name because hope fills the gaps where certainty doesn’t exist. A few good games, a flash of something, and suddenly a player is the answer to all our questions. You can see why: it’s simpler to hope that one man will change the lot than to dissect every structural issue. That’s not lazy; it’s human. We’ve seen it before and we’ll see it again.

Hope versus hard fact

There’s nothing wrong with wanting Martin to have been a success or wishing Souttar to become the defensive rock we need. Likewise, dreaming of a 25+ goal striker or Olsen finding form is natural. The danger comes when opinions harden into facts. Fans can be passionate, and that passion sometimes turns into certainty — which shuts down proper debate. Remember: an opinion is different from evidence. The two don’t always line up, and that’s fine.

Keep believing — but keep perspective

Being hopeful doesn’t make you daft. Wanting the RB and captain to drive us on to the title is what being a fan is about. But accept that others will see things differently. That doesn’t make them wrong either. Truth is, I’d rather be wrong if it means we win the lot. So we keep believing, we argue politely, and we cheer the lads on. It’s messy, sometimes blinkered, but it’s ours. Keep the faith — and keep the conversation honest.

Written by MrPotatoHead: 27 June 2026

Tags: squad