Scottish Championship ins and outs - summer 2018
- Published
Benjamin Siegrist, goalkeeping coach Neil Alexander and Matej Rakovan (right) have joined Dundee United
Dundee United indicated they mean business as the summer transfer window opened and manager Csaba Laszlo appears to have been given funding designed to ensure they do not spend a fourth season in the Scottish Championship.
The Romania-born Hungarian has utilised his knowledge of football on the Continent to secure goalkeepers from the top flight in Switzerland and Czech Republic.
He also moved quickly to sign four players from their potential title rivals and that has been a theme of the summer, with players switching jerseys between Championship clubs.
Willo Flood looked likely to be in opposition to United following his Tannadice release only to leave Dunfermline Athletic after just nine days, the Irish midfielder using a clause in his contract to take up a lucrative deal with Bali United in Indonesia instead.
Thomas O'Ware has switched from Morton to Partick Thistle
The Pars' other headline-grabbing business was bringing the Longridge brothers together for the first time in their senior careers - forward Louis switching from Falkirk and his defender brother, Jackson, leaving promoted Livingston.
Like the younger Longridge, midfielder Josh Mullin and centre-half Gregor Buchanan also turned down the chance to stay with the Premiership-bound West Lothian outfit, joining Ross County and Greenock Morton respectively.
Falkirk manager Paul Hartley has shown his determination not to flirt with relegation again and among his signings are four players with international experience - Lithuanian striker Deimantas Petravicius, from Motherwell, Northern Ireland midfielder Paul Paton, previously of Plymouth Argyle, Cyprus midfielder Dimitris Froxylias, who left Dumbarton, and Scotland Under-21 midfielder Ruben Sammut on loan from Chelsea.
Promoted part-timers Alloa Athletic have brought with them the second top scorer in League One last season - Alan Trouten from Albion Rovers - while Ayr United have kept faith with most of the squad that won the third tier.
Alloa Athletic
Manager: Jim Goodwin
Last season: 3rd in League One
Prediction: 10th
In: Liam Dick, defender (Dumbarton); Chris Henry, goalkeeper (St Mirren); Alan Trouten, midfielder (Albion Rovers); Greig Spence, forward (Raith Rovers); Adam Brown, midfielder (Airdrieonians); Zdravko Karadachki, midfielder (Edinburgh City); Ahmed Aloulou, forward (Dundee Futsal Club). Loan: Dario Zanatta, forward (Heart of Midlothian); Liam Burt, midfielder (Rangers); Sam Roscoe, defender (Aberdeen); Connor Shields, forward (Sunderland).
Out: Daryll Meggatt, defender (East Fife); Craig McDowall, goalkeeper (East Fife); Alan Cook, midfielder (Stenhousemuir, loan to permanent); Kris Renton, forward (Cowdenbeath); John Cunningham, forward (Albion Rovers); Steven Smith, defender (Albion Rovers); Adam Martin, forward (Queen's Park); Ronan Kearney, forward (Albion Rovers); Dylan Monaghan, midfielder (Albion Rovers); Christopher Wylie, goalkeeper (Albion Rovers); Sean Fagan, midfielder (Albion Rovers); Craig Malcolm, defender (East Kilbride); Garry Fleming, forward (Kilwinning Rangers); David Galt, midfielder; Frank McKeown, defender; Ryan Hoggan, defender. Loan ended: Jamie McCart, defender (Celtic); Callum Crane, defender (Hibernian); Jordan Kirkpatrick, midfielder (St Mirren); Ross Stewart, forward (St Mirren); Callum Smith, forward (Dunfermline Athletic).
Ayr United
Manager: Ian McCall
Last season: 1st in League One
Prediction: 8th
In: Laim Smith, defender (Heart of Midlothian); Daniel Harvie, defender (Aberdeen); Andy Murdoch, midfielder (Greenock Morton). Loan: Ross Doohan, goalkeeper (Celtic).
Out: Paddy Boyle, defender (Peterhead); Lyle Avci, goalkeeper (Stranraer); Jordan Hart, goalkeeper (Queen's Park); Craig Reid, defender; David Waite, defender. Loan ended: Jack Ruddy, goalkeeper (Wolverhampton Wanderers). Loan: Stuart Faulds, midfielder (Largs Thistle).
Dundee United
Manager: Csaba Laszlo
Last season: 3rd
Prediction: 3rd
In: Rachid Bouhenna, defender (Alger); Christoph Rabitsch, midfielder (Wolfsberger); Matej Rakovan, goalkeeper (Vysocina Jihlava); Frederic Frans, defender (Lierse); Craig Curran, forward (Ross County); Adam Barton, midfielder (Partick Thistle); Callum Booth, defender (Partick Thistle); Benjamin Siegrist, goalkeeper (Vaduz); Nicky Clark, forward (Dunfermline Athletic); Paul Watson, defender (Falkirk); Fraser Aird, midfielder (Dunfermline Athletic); Yannick Loemba, midfielder (Adana Demispor); Sam Wardrop, defender (Celtic). Loan: Pavol Safranko, forward (Aalborg).
Out: James Keatings, forward (Hamilton Academical, undisclosed); Scott Fraser, midfielder (Burton Albion); Willo Flood, midfielder (Dunfermline Athletic); Mark Durnan, defender (Dunfermline Athletic); Jordie Briels, midfielder (Oss); Grant Gillespie, midfielder (Raith Rovers); Brett Long, goalkeeper (East Fife); Cammy Ballantyne, defender (Dumbarton); Graham Taylor, midfielder (Edinburgh City, loan to permanent); Scott McDonald, forward; Bilel Mohsni, defender; Paul Quinn, defender; Emil Lyng, forward; Logan Martin, midfielder; Dominic McMeekin, midfielder; Logan Martin, midfielder. Loan ended: Anthony Ralston, defender (Celtic); Sam Stanton, midfielder (Hibernian); Harry Lewis, goalkeeper (Southampton); Thomas Mikkelsen, forward (Ross County); Brandon Mason, defender (Watford); Craig Slater, midfielder (Colchester United). Loan: Tam Scobbie, defender (Partick Thistle); Lewis Toshney, defender (Arbroath); Scott Allardice, midfielder (Dumbarton).
Dunfermline Athletic
Manager: Allan Johnston
Last season: 4th
Prediction: 4th
In: Robbie Muirhead, forward (MK Dons, undisclosed); Danny Devine, defender (Partick Thistle); Miles Hippolyte, forward (St Mirren), Jackson Longridge, defender (Livingston); Louis Longridge, forward (Falkirk); Mark Durnan, defender (Dundee United); Joe Thomson, midfielder (Celtic); Tom Beadling, defender (Sunderland, loan to permanent); Aidan Connolly, midfielder (York City). Loan: Faissal El Bakhtaoui, forward (Dundee); James Vincent, midfielder (Dundee); Malaury Martin, midfielder (Heart of Midlothian); Aidan Keena, forward (Heart of Midlothian).
Out: Willo Flood, midfielder (Bali United after arrival from Dundee United); Dean Shiels, midfielder (Derry City); Nicky Clark, forward (Dundee United); Fraser Aird, midfielder (Dundee United); Callum Morris, defender (Ross County); Declan McManus, forward (Ross County); Joe Cardle, midfielder (Fylde); Nat Wedderburn, midfielder (Raith Rovers); Michael Paton, midfielder (Dumbarton); Conner Duthie, midfielder (Stenhousemuir); Jason Talbot, defender (Cowdenbeath); Jean-Yves M'voto, defender; Scott Lochhead, midfielder; Aaron Splaine, midfielder. Loan ended: Daniel Armstrong, midfielder (Wolverhampton Wanderers). Loan: Callum Smith, forward (Arbroath).
Falkirk
Manager: Ray McKinnon
Last season: 8th
Prediction: 6th
In: Deimantas Petravicius, forward (Motherwell); Leo Fasan, goalkeeper (Kilmarnock); Dennon Lewis, midfielder (Watford); Tom Dallison, defender (Brighton & Hove Albion); Dylan Mackin, forward (Livingston, undisclosed); Paul Paton, midfielder (Plymouth Argyle); Mark Russell, defender (Greenock Morton); Dimitris Froxylias, midfielder (Dumbarton); Tom Owen-Evans, midfielder (Newport County, undisclosed); Patrick Brough, defender (Morecambe); Scott Harrison, defender (Hartlepool United); Rees Greenwood, midfielder (Gateshead). Loan: Ruben Sammut, midfielder (Chelsea); Zak Rudden, forward (Rangers); Andy Irving, midfielder (Heart of Midlothian); Dan Turner, forward (Port Vale).
Out: Paul Hartley, manager; Craig Sibbald, midfielder (Livingston); Tom Taiwo, midfielder (Hamilton Academical); Cameron Blues, midfielder (Livingston); Paul Watson, defender (Dundee United); Louis Longridge, forward (Dunfermline Athletic); Sean Welsh, midfielder (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Peter Grant, defender (Plymouth Argyle); Robbie Thomson, goalkeeper (Raith Rovers); Rory Loy, forward (Dumbarton); Alex Harris, midfielder; Scott Shepherd, forward. Loan ended: Alex Jukubiak, forward (Watford); Conor Hazard, goalkeeper (Celtic); Ryan Blair, midfielder (Swansea City); Andrew Nelson, forward (Sunderland); Reghan Tumilty, midfielder (Ross County). Loan: Kevin O'Hara, forward (Stenhousemuir).
Greenock Morton
Manager: None
Last season: 7th
Prediction: 9th
In: Charlie Telfer, midfielder (Almere City); Ryan Skully, goalkeeper (Partick Thistle); Reghan Tumilty, defender (Ross County); Gregor Buchanan, defender (Livingston); Jim McAlister, midfielder (Blackpool); Connor Bell, forward (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Denny Johnstone, forward (Colchester United); Rory McKeown, defender (Warrington Town); Kyle Thomson, midfielder (Loyola Ramblers). Loan: Kerr Waddell, defender (Dundee); Ross MacLean, forward (Motherwell); Scott Tiffoney, defender (Livingston).
Out: Jim Duffy, manager; Ray McKinnon, manager; Scott Tiffoney, defender (Livingston, undisclosed); Ricki Lamie, defender (Livingston); Jai Quitongo, forward (Partick Thistle); Thomas O'Ware, defender (Partick Thistle); Gary Harkins, midfielder (Queen of the South); Andy Murdoch, midfielder (Ayr United); Michael Doyle, defender (Queen of the South); Mark Russell, defender (Falkirk); Ross Forbes, defender (Dumbarton); Conor Brennan, goalkeeper (Brechin City); Jamie McGowan, goalkeeper (Dumbarton); Jai Quitongo, forward; Luca Gasparotto, defender. Loan ended: Frank Ross, midfielder (Aberdeen); Gary Fraser, midfielder (Partick Thistle); John Baird, forward (Inverness Caledonian Thistle).
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Manager: John Robertson
Last season: 5th
Prediction: 1st
In: Jamie McCart, defender (Celtic); Angus Beith, midfielder (Heart of Midlothian, player swap); Sean Welsh, midfielder (Falkirk); Tom Walsh, midfielder (Dumbarton); Shaun Rooney, defender (Queen of the South); Jordan White, forward (Barrow); Matheus Machado, midfielder (Red Bull Brazil); Donald Alex Morrison, midfielder (Point). Loan: Cammy Mackay, goalkeeper (Rothes).
Out: Jake Mulraney, midfielder (Heart of Midlothian); Iain Vigurs, midfielder (Ross County); Connor Bell, forward (Greenock Morton); Gary Warren, defender (Yeovil Town); John Baird, forward (Forfar Athletic); Collin Seedorf, defender; Zak Elbouzedi, midfielder.
Partick Thistle
Manager: Alan Archibald
Last season: 11th in Premiership
Prediction: 5th
In: Cammy Bell, goalkeeper (Hibernian); Brice Ntambwe, midfielder (Lierse); Jai Quitongo, forward (Greenock Morton); Thomas O'Ware, defender (Greenock Morton); Craig Slater, midfielder (Colchester United); Sean McGinty, defender (Torquay United); Aaron Lennox, goalkeeper (Raith Rovers); Jack Storer, forward (Birmingham City); Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo, forward (RNK Split); Souleymane Coulibaly, forward (unattached). Loan: Shea Gordon, midfielder (Motherwell); Dan Jefferies, defender (Dundee); Max Melbourne, defender (West Bromwich Albion); Tam Scobbie, defender (Dundee United).
Out: Tomas Cerny, goalkeeper (Aberdeen); Ryan Edwards, midfielder (Heart of Midlothian); Steven Lawless, midfielder (Livingston); Paul McGinn, defender (St Mirren); Danny Devine, defender (Dunfermline Athletic); Adam Barton, midfielder (Dundee United); Callum Booth, defender (Dundee United); Ryan Scully, goalkeeper (Greenock Morton); Kevin Nisbet, forward (Raith Rovers); Gary Fraser, midfielder (Forfar Athletic); John Kelly, defender (Forfar Athletic); Mark Lamont, midfielder (Clyde, loan to permanent); Abdul Osman, midfielder; Martin Woods, midfielder; Mustapha Dumbuya, defender; Neil McLaughlin, forward. Loan ended: Conor Sammon, forward (Heart of Midlothian): Baily Cargill, defender (Bournemouth). Loan: Lee Duncanson, defender (Albion Rovers).
Queen of the South
Manager: Gary Naysmith
Last season: 6th
Prediction: 7th
In: Gary Harkins, midfielder (Greenock Morton); Michael Doyle, defender (Greenock Morton); Josh Todd, midfielder (St Mirren, loan to permanent). Loan: Adam Frizzell, midfielder (Kilmarnock); David Norman Junior, midfielder (Vancouver Whitecaps); Callum Semple, defender (Sheffield United).
Out: Shaun Rooney, defender (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); John Rankin, midfielder (Clyde); Derek Lyle, forward (Peterhead); Ross Fergusson, forward (Annan Athletic); Dan Carmichael, midfielder; Jesse Akubuine, midfielder; Jordan Marshall, defender. Loan ended: Dom Thomas, midfielder (Kilmarnock); Myles Beerman, defender (Rangers); Nikolay Todorov, forward (Heart of Midlothian); Kyle Cameron, defender (Newcastle United); Joe Thomson, midfielder (Celtic); Curtis Lyle, goalkeeper (Kilmarnock); Josh Todd, midfielder (St Mirren).
Ross County
Managers: Steven Ferguson and Stuart Kettlewell
Last season: 12th in Premiership
Prediction: 2nd
In: Don Cowie, midfielder (Heart of Midlothian); Ross Stewart, forward (St Mirren, undisclosed); Keith Watson, defender (St Johnstone); Jamie Lindsay, midfielder (Celtic, loan to permanent); Harry Paton, midfielder (Heart of Midlothian); Stelios Demetriou, defender (St Mirren); Iain Vigurs, midfielder (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Callum Morris, defender (Dunfermline Athletic); Declan McManus, forward (Dunfermline Athletic); Josh Mullin, midfielder (Livingston); Brian Graham, forward (Cheltenham Town).
Out: Alex Schalk, forward (Servette); Christopher Routis, defender (Servette); Jason Naismith, defender (Peterborough United, undisclosed); Thomas Mikkelsen, forward (Breidablik); Craig Curran, forward (Dundee United); Reghan Tumilty, defender (Greenock Morton); Andrew Davies, defender (Hartlepool United); Blair Malcolm, midfielder (Cowdenbeath, loan to permanent); David N'Gog, forward; Tim Chow, midfielder; Aaron McCarey, goalkeeper; Mark Fodden, goalkeeper. Loan ended: Harry Souttar, defender (Stoke City); Greg Tansey, midfielder (Aberdeen); Max Melbourne, defender (West Bromwich Albion); Mattias Kait, midfielder (Fulham). Loan: Greg Morrison, forward (Elgin City).