Ross Stewart

[Willo of Whiteley]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

I wonder if Stewart was (one of) the player(s) who wasn't happy with Tonda staying at the helm, due to 'spygate'...?

If I remember correctly, it was reported that "almost all" the players gave their backing to Tonda continuing at the 'summit meeting' they had with Dragan... 

I doubt it.

Let him go.

If he gets crocked before he finds a new club then his career is absolutely done!

We’ll replace him with better, that’s the encouraging thing.

It was a low bar.

£8m transfer fee, for a player that was injured for two and a half years and rinsed us of rehab and wages? No, I’m not bothered.

[CSA96]

Just now, Chez said:

maybe, but he had pace, height and finishing ability which is a rare combination. Also, we may have to pay a transfer fee for his replacement, which restricts spending elsewhere. A new signing will itself be a gamble (they all are). At least with Ross we knew he could actually play. Big hole left in our strike force. We looked like we were well set there...

True, but he has none of those things if he isn't on the pitch. Availability is the best ability, or whatever it is they say. I would've been pretty nervous about trying to get through a 46-game season with just Ross and Larin. Soon as Ross went down (which he would've at some point) Larin would've been getting absolutely flogged

[kwsaint]

Just now, Maggie May said:

Let’s not go down the Boro route and hold a grudge against everyone we think has done us wrong. I think this is the best move for all parties. 

Can I hold a grudge against Boro?

[Chez]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

I wonder if Stewart was (one of) the player(s) who wasn't happy with Tonda staying at the helm, due to 'spygate'...?

If I remember correctly, it was reported that "almost all" the players gave their backing to Tonda continuing at the 'summit meeting' they had with Dragan... 

I'd of thought being seen as second choice behind Larin, not seen as good enough for a PL contract and perhaps most impotrantly, the opportunity to earn more elsewhere would be the main reasons...but who knows?

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Whilst a little disappointing, he has to think of himself and his family. He's not getting any younger and probably wants more security than we were willing to offer. Would be stunned if he didn't end up anywhere other than Scotland. Think Hearts is his most likely destination.

[Maggie May]

3 minutes ago, kwsaint said:

Can I hold a grudge against Boro?

Yes.

[East Kent Saint]

2 minutes ago, Chez said:

maybe, but he had pace, height and finishing ability which is a rare combination. Also, we may have to pay a transfer fee for his replacement, which restricts spending elsewhere. A new signing will itself be a gamble (they all are). At least with Ross we knew he could actually play. Big hole left in our strike force. We looked like we were well set there...

He spent most of the time injured ,  the fact that he had a short period playing part of the final few matches last season doesn't mean he is worth resigning .  If he was kept on he would no doubt be out injured again . 

[obelisk]

Other forwards are available, many of whom can actually stay fit for a season. Move on.

[Saint Matty 76]

Definitely a shame. He’s a good player when fit and I’d have liked to have seen him commit to us given the patience we showed, but that’s football.

[Chez]

1 minute ago, CSA96 said:

True, but he has none of those things if he isn't on the pitch. Availability is the best ability, or whatever it is they say. I would've been pretty nervous about trying to get through a 46-game season with just Ross and Larin. Soon as Ross went down (which he would've at some point) Larin would've been getting absolutely flogged

He had a bad run of injuries, but that doesn't mean he is injury prone for the rest of his career. That said, the club certainly had to be very careful about overplaying him and that does hamstring you somewhat. If we sign the right guy, then we could be in a much better position, but from what I saw of him last season, there aren't too many that can do what he can and are willing to play in the championship. Downs was obviously a big failure, but I guess Larin worked out well. 

[Chez]

6 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Whilst a little disappointing, he has to think of himself and his family. He's not getting any younger and probably wants more security than we were willing to offer. Would be stunned if he didn't end up anywhere other than Scotland. Think Hearts is his most likely destination.

Really? Wouldn't their budget for wages be pretty small compared to ours?

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

4 minutes ago, Chez said:

Big hole left in our strike force.

Aren't you forgetting Downs will be back off loan 🤔

We don't know how the contract negotiations went and what we offered him, but Ross was likely to be second choice and is made of glass so hopefully we have a suitable replacement in mind. Thought his touch is better than Larin so overall a bit disappointed he's left. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Disappointing to see any of a side doing so well leave. The rotation with Larin was good for everyone.

Frustrating, because an additional cost of Spygate is now what we have to spend on a new striker. Unless we go with what we have.

A few mixed emotions.
Ralph's side needed help. SR smugly dismissed concerns, got played, and got us relegated. Had they sense, Stewart would never have been here.
Stewart was injured when we got him, and already a risk.
We then spent the next few seasons knowing we couldn't rely on his fitness, while the club relied on his fitness. He was just taking up a spot in the squad.
SR brought in Downs, who was so poor that Still played Ross 3 times in 8 days, breaking him again.
It's only this last spell that's reminded us of his effectiveness. Had it been more injuries, then we'd have let him go, looking back on it as a poor risk taken.

Like employees on secondment, or at risk, leaving decisions can cost you those people. We were offering Ross no security on getting promotion.
Had we got promotion, the club may have let him go. When his team have seen a loophole, they have used that. Both sides looking out for themselves.
With his injury record, I don't begrudge Ross looking for as much as he can. The highest sum, with the most security is his priority. It may be over very quickly.

[Chez]

3 minutes ago, obelisk said:

Other forwards are available, many of whom can actually stay fit for a season. Move on.

yeah, Downs was fit all season. Availability is the best form of ability. At last we get to speculate on striker signings all summer assuming the club don't think Archer's career is back on track after his slight uptick in form and Swansea goal?

[LuckyNumber7]

8 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Whilst a little disappointing, he has to think of himself and his family. He's not getting any younger and probably wants more security than we were willing to offer. Would be stunned if he didn't end up anywhere other than Scotland. Think Hearts is his most likely destination.

Agree with most of that, but I doubt he'll end up at Hearts. Their recruitment is based on Tony Bloom's Jamestown Analytics which focuses on finding unknown hidden gems. Ross doesn't fit that profile at all, plus his wages would probably be too expensive.

Could see him at Rangers or Celtic, but Rangers have already signed Shankland.

[Chez]

1 minute ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

Aren't you forgetting Downs will be back off loan 🤔

We don't know how the contract negotiations went and what we offered him, but Ross was likely to be second choice and is made of glass so hopefully we have a suitable replacement in mind. Thought his touch is better than Larin so overall a bit disappointed he's left. 

Yeah, Downs, BBD and Archer in fact. We are well stocked with strikers who offer less than the one-game-in-two-Stewart. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 minute ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

Aren't you forgetting Downs will be back off loan 🤔

We don't know how the contract negotiations went and what we offered him, but Ross was likely to be second choice and is made of glass so hopefully we have a suitable replacement in mind. Thought his touch is better than Larin so overall a bit disappointed he's left. 

With Downes, BBD, Archer and Larin, we have filled the usual forward places. Not to mention any youth players deemed good enough. Exciting times ahead!

[Lee On Solent Saint]

1 minute ago, Chez said:

Really? Wouldn't their budget for wages be pretty small compared to ours?

Maybe. But over a longer term contract it might have made a difference. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

2 minutes ago, LuckyNumber7 said:

Agree with most of that, but I doubt he'll end up at Hearts. Their recruitment is based on Tony Bloom's Jamestown Analytics which focuses on finding unknown hidden gems. Ross doesn't fit that profile at all, plus his wages would probably be too expensive.

Could see him at Rangers or Celtic, but Rangers have already signed Shankland.

Hearts do need to replace Shankland as you say. Maybe with no transfer fee involved they think he represents a good punt. With European football too he might be attractive for his experience. No idea what Celtic's front line is like but they could do a lot worse if he stays fit

[Fabrice29]

Don’t really see the need for the ‘ungrateful’ narrative personally. Lads got a short career, made even shorter by his terrible luck and him and his advisors probably have had a whiff of something better for them that we’ve offered. 

He doesn’t owe us anything, he got given a contract here and it hasn’t worked out due to injuries but it’s not like it was an incredibly selfless act for us to continue to rehab him and chuck him in last season when fit. Just as we don’t owe him to offer him the best deal he’ll get just because he scored some goals for us last season. 

Good luck to him. 

[Chez]

9 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Maybe. But over a longer term contract it might have made a difference. 

Hearts total wage bill is about £16m, maybe a fraction more. Ours was about £80m in the 23/34 championship season. It might have been lower this time around, but still a different world. I doubt Hearts pay anyone more than about £5k a week. Two years at Saints on £20k a week would equal 8 years there.

Edited 1 hour ago by Chez

[EssEffCee]

46 minutes ago, Dman said:

He's a bit of a wanker really, isn't he. 

Been absolutely useless for us for the best part of 4 years to then fuck us over on a technicality. 

Hopefully he comes back from the US with a serious injury preventing him from signing for another club. 

Wishing a serious injury on him? Really?

Weird cunt.

[BotleySaint]

I'll be more concerned about this if we dont sign a suitable replacement. 

I do feel he owes us for getting his career back and making it to the WC. Must have something better on the table already.

[saintant]

1 minute ago, EssEffCee said:

Wishing a serious injury on him? Really?

Weird cunt.

Agree that's completely out of order.

[saintant]

Just now, BotleySaint said:

I'll be more concerned about this if we dont sign a suitable replacement. 

I do feel he owes us for getting his career back and making it to the WC. Must have something better on the table already.

Maybe we've got someone better lined up and Ross wasn't in our plans. Who knows.

[trousers]

7 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Don’t really see the need for the ‘ungrateful’ narrative personally. Lads got a short career, made even shorter by his terrible luck and him and his advisors probably have had a whiff of something better for them that we’ve offered. 

He doesn’t owe us anything, he got given a contract here and it hasn’t worked out due to injuries but it’s not like it was an incredibly selfless act for us to continue to rehab him and chuck him in last season when fit. Just as we don’t owe him to offer him the best deal he’ll get just because he scored some goals for us last season. 

Good luck to him. 

Yep, I think this is where I am, all things considered and taking the emotion out of it 👍🏻

[EssEffCee]

I find it hard to believe that anyone on here would do anything but look for the best possible deal for themselves in his situation.

This could well be his last career contract given his injuries and age and the idea that he should take a worse offer because of 'loyalty' is complete nonsense.

There is no loyalty in football except from fans to club. None.

And we certainly didn't treat his injuries out of a sense of loyalty to him, we had no choice to and were doing it to benefit ourselves.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

9 minutes ago, Chez said:

Hearts total wage bill is about £16m, maybe a fraction more. Ours was about £80m in the 23/34 championship season. It might have been lower this time around, but still a different world. I doubt Hearts pay anyone more than about £5k a week. Two years at Saints on £20k a week would equal 8 years there.

Fair enough. You seem to know more about Hearts than I do. 

[Jack]

This will look like good business if he pings a hammy again playing for Scotland. It’s a shame but he’s never been fully fit and doubt he ever will be, we only got a tune out of him by having a like for like striker to play half the minutes for him, and that’s not the best business really. Shame as I wanted him to stay, but he could so easily be on the treatment table for the length of any contract we gave him. 

[bangkoksaint]

I’m expecting him to reveal his new club quite soon. Big roll of the dice to have nothing lined up straight away. 

[Dman]

16 minutes ago, EssEffCee said:

Wishing a serious injury on him? Really?

Weird cunt.

Not just an injury, a really serious one. 

[Hatch]

my money is on Ipswich as his next club

[VectisSaint]

Think people may be reading too much into this. Yes he's out of contract so to all intents and purposes he's gone, but think there may be more to come on this, but nothing will happen until Scotland exit the WC (so quite soon 😉). Those slagging him off as being disloyal etc need to consider the facts (as known), the Club has not apparently covered itself in glory over Ross, albeit with mitigating circumstances. I know one thing we need someone like Stewart, mush as I like Larin he won't play 46.games in a season.

[CSA96]

17 minutes ago, EssEffCee said:

I find it hard to believe that anyone on here would do anything but look for the best possible deal for themselves in his situation.

This could well be his last career contract given his injuries and age and the idea that he should take a worse offer because of 'loyalty' is complete nonsense.

There is no loyalty in football except from fans to club. None.

And we certainly didn't treat his injuries out of a sense of loyalty to him, we had no choice to and were doing it to benefit ourselves.

We also could've triggered his option sooner if we wanted to be loyal with him, even if we were a PL club and didn't really have much use for him in 2026/27. We were hedging our bets and our safety net fell through

Good post, it is what it is and it's fine for things to not be right for either party to sign something

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

34 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

With Downes, BBD, Archer and Larin, we have filled the usual forward places. Not to mention any youth players deemed good enough. Exciting times ahead!

Damn. Forgot BBD is back as well. Maybe SR will think that's enough forwards.

I've not given up totally on Archer. With Larin performing a Che Adams like role and Archer running off him, there's still a chance that will work. Wasn't it against Norwich (albeit their second eleven) when Archer and Ross teamed up well?

But BBD and Downs? Seriously? We need someone else.

[S-Clarke]

I didn't want the club to put all their eggs in the Ross Stewart basket last summer (they did), but equally I didn't want them to do it this summer either, as you still can't truly trust him to remain fit. I can understand the clubs prerogative in not wanting to commit too heavily, the guy didn't play for almost 2-3 seasons in his 4 years with us. Even this season, whilst contributing, it has been punctuated with injury breaks and early subs - we were always walking on egg shells with him.

From his point of view he's entitled to go shopping elsewhere and see if he can get a longer deal for security, but I can't see him anywhere other than Scotland.

This now gives us a clear opening to replace and provide Larin with equal competition again. I enjoyed the rotating approach of these two in the 2nd half of last season, so let's hope we get someone equal to make a similar impact. (I'm discounting Downs as he's not a footballer)

[Mozz]

15 minutes ago, Hatch said:

my money is on Ipswich as his next club

I'd go Hearts.

Ambitious, in CL qualifiers next season and have just lost their main striker (Shankland) to Rangers.

[saintant]

9 minutes ago, Mozz said:

I'd go Hearts.

Ambitious, in CL qualifiers next season and have just lost their main striker (Shankland) to Rangers.

Can't see Hearts being in a position to pay him more than us.

[Challenger]

1 hour ago, kwsaint said:

Can I hold a grudge against Boro?

And that Bailey bloke still ?

[ecuk268]

Is it possible that Tonda could do something with Downs to make him into a half-decent player?

BBD seems to have done Ok at Derby and scored goals for Blackburn, maybe he'll improve here under a different coach.

We still need to strengthen whatever happens to those two.

[Ken Tone]

1 hour ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Whilst a little disappointing, he has to think of himself and his family. He's not getting any younger and probably wants more security than we were willing to offer. Would be stunned if he didn't end up anywhere other than Scotland. Think Hearts is his most likely destination.

Do you think Hearts will pay more than us?

[saintant]

2 minutes ago, ecuk268 said:

Is it possible that Tonda could do something with Downs to make him into a half-decent player?

BBD seems to have done Ok at Derby and scored goals for Blackburn, maybe he'll improve here under a different coach.

We still need to strengthen whatever happens to those two.

Tonda is good but he's not that good!

[ally_uk]

Ahwell shit happens onwards, 

Dragan time to get the cheque book out and sign a younger big unit up top.....

That should smooth over the shit finish to the previous season 🤣

[Saint Scott]

1 hour ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Whilst a little disappointing, he has to think of himself and his family. He's not getting any younger and probably wants more security than we were willing to offer. Would be stunned if he didn't end up anywhere other than Scotland. Think Hearts is his most likely destination.

Yeah, Hearts seems likely with Shankland moving to to Rangers