BobBev Posted February 15, 2005 Author Share Posted February 15, 2005 Taken from “The Times Online†– November 14th 2004 Millionaire With The Midas Touch Follow the signpost to the Sunday market, turn right at the rundown social club and there, sitting among the potholes and puddles outside Raydale Park, is what looks suspiciously like an Aston Martin. In a town renowned for its runaway marriages, the first of which was conducted there more than 250 years ago, the one between Brooks Mileson and Gretna Football Club is perhaps the most incongruous yet. After a couple of years together, what started as an affair and escalated into something of a whirlwind romance has become a way of life these past few months, but still they make an odd couple. Gretna, until two seasons ago an impoverished part-time club padding around in the Unibond League, could not in their wildest dreams have imagined that they would be swept off their feet by a multi-millionaire, given a facelift and promised a place in Scotland’s top flight. Mileson, though, has his sights set on the SPL, an ambition that has had the curtains twitching in Gretna and beyond, as though his unlikely courtship of the club were something to be ashamed of. Yesterday, on his 57th birthday, his team beat Peterhead to claim leadership of the Third Division, but after selling two of his businesses last month, a deal that netted him £36m, they are wondering what a man like him is doing with a club like this. He, after all, was making his way up the rich lists long before he cashed in on the accident-management and credit-hire businesses he had built from scratch. He still owns “seven or eight†companies, and is in the process of buying “two or three†more. Gretna, meanwhile, were playing in the Carlisle and District League until 1982, joined the Scottish Football League only two years ago, and attract attendance figures that would barely fill their benefactor’s wallet. Quite how they will fill the 6,000 capacity stadium he plans to build them remains a mystery. Mileson has heard all the stories, the claims that he will sell their humble abode to a housing developer, the rumours that his investment is the product of a bet between sugar daddies. When he mischievously told one reporter that Harrods were planning to build a new branch on the site, the newspaper printed the exclusive. “They try to think up ways of knocking it, of finding an angle, instead of just saying, ‘Here is a guy from a council estate in Sunderland who loves football’. People are suspicious. They want to know why. They will not accept that I just have a love of the game at grassroots level.†His track record bears that out. He supports Carlisle United and, despite failing in a long-running bid to buy out Michael Knighton two years back, he refuses to rule out the possibility of a future takeover. “Whether or not it happens, it will not affect Gretna,†says Mileson, who last month donated £25,000 to the United Trust, and promised to give another £1 for every further £1 raised. They need £300,000 to secure the shareholding they seek in the parent company. The Roman Abramovich of the non-league scene, Mileson has sponsored “40-odd clubs†in the north of England, from Scarborough and Whitby Town to Penrith and Workington Reds. He has been president of Whitby since the 1980s and, when they won the FA Vase at Wembley in 1997, he was so excited that he agreed on the spot to a plea for sponsorship from Mike Amos, chairman of the stricken Northern League. The deal commits him for the rest of his life and, through a trust, his children ’s lives. “He could have asked me for my wife that day, and I would have given her to him†he says. Mileson can accept it when people call him eccentric. He is, it seems, the patron saint of lost causes, although his health could do with rising from the ashes. As well as his faded denims, he wears a ponytail and goatee, rises at 4am every day and by bedtime has smoked 100 cigarettes. “More, if I can stay up long enough,†he says. “I started smoking at 48. Somebody had to. Everybody else was giving up. But I very rarely drink, and for days on end I forget to eat. I live on Marlboro and Lucozade.†What he cannot accept, as a practising Christian, are doubts about his honesty. He moved into the Gretna area eight years ago when Arnott Insurance Group, a company he sold in 2000, was thriving north of the border. Familiar with the club from their days in the Northern League, he attended their first match in the Scottish Third Division, and was hooked. “When people question my integrity, when people say, ‘Why is he doing it, what’s in it for him? ’ I resent that. My wealth, to use that awful word, has been created by dealing with the man in the street, and this is my way of putting something back.†Mileson identifies with people who have nothing, but who refuse to accept their lot. He was brought up on the Pennywell council estate in Sunderland, and was among a family of seven in a two-bedroomed house. He and his brother used to take turns going out because they had only one pair of wellingtons between them. Not long after his first encounter with Rowan Alexander, Gretna’s manager, he knew they would become friends. “I came to understand just what he had done to keep this club going, what he had sacrificed personally. He built some of the stands, mowed the grass and paid some of the kids out of his own pocket. I admire that. I’m enjoying helping Rowan, and others like him at the club, to fulfil their dream.†Alexander’s employer is a romantic, a dreamer, a guy who learned early in his life that nothing was impossible. At the age of 11, when he and six of his mates were larking about in a quarry, Mileson was trapped under an avalanche of sand, the base of his back broken and his hips displaced. The trauma would give him nightmares for the next 20 years, and still haunts him to this day. “I will never forget the ambulance taking me through the fields, and the people telling me that I would never walk again,†he says. “I thought, ‘No bugger’s going to tell me I can’t walk’, so when my mum and dad were in bed I used to get up through the night and drag myself round the furniture. Eventually, I was given a zimmer frame and, after about a year, I was able to walk. Then they said, ‘Well look, you’ll have to wear built-up shoes because of the difference in your hips, and you won’t be able to participate in sport’. To me, it was like they were saying, ‘OK smart arse, you can walk, but you won’t be able to run’.†So Mileson resolved to become a runner and, at the age of 20, won a bronze medal in the event that would later become the world junior cross-country championship. After that, he gave up, his point proven. “The day I stopped running was the happiest of my life. I hated it. When I was 17, I was running 100 miles a day. I used to run through ploughed fields to build up my strength. Sometimes, because I had damaged a kidney in the accident, I trained so hard I was peeing blood. I was in agony at times. I did it because I wanted to prove not only that I could participate in sport, but that I could be good at it.†Mileson still endures pain in his back and legs, and for the last six years has suffered from ME. In a disturbing flashback to his youth, there are times, he says, when he can barely climb the stairs. “What you can’t do with this disease is give in to it. You have to fight it. When you stop and rest, that’s when it hits you. The good thing about my lifestyle is that I live on adrenaline. If you’re getting a buzz out of things, it helps you overcome it.†Mileson gets his kicks out of Gretna, even though some find it strange. By way of explanation, he cites the example of a former business partner, who bought a £2m yacht with his share of their profits. “Nobody said anything about that, except, ‘Great, good for him’. Well, what’s the difference? This is my enjoyment. He bought something that would last him for 10 or 15 years. I’ve bought something that will last forever.†His philanthropy is rewarding too. He used to sponsor Allison Curbishley, the Scottish 400m runner, and recently pledged £25,000 to Carlisle athlete Jordan Fleary. Under his ownership, Gretna have taken a stand against drugs, against racism, and are engaged in a community project to “get kids off the streetsâ€. The 100 acres of land where he lives in nearby Blackford double as an animal sanctuary, where he keeps ostriches, emus, wallabies, parrots, racoons and monkeys. If they are on peanuts, the same cannot be said of his staff. Estimates vary as to how much Mileson has invested in Gretna. First, he wiped out their debt, then he tidied up the ground, re-laid the pitch and went full-time with a host of players from higher divisions. David Bingham rejected a one-year deal with Premier League Inverness Caledonian Thistle to head for the border. The squad have been promised that, if they are top of the League at Christmas, they will be taken to La Manga for a mid-season break. Next season, a new 4,000-capacity stadium will be in place, ready to be upgraded for the Premier League, a development that would take its total cost to around £3m. All of which has prompted a degree of resentment. If rival managers are not complaining that their players have been tapped, they are deriding the resources at Alexander’s disposal, as though it were somehow immoral. Scottish football, perhaps, has been bruised too often by ambition, as Dundee, Livingston and Motherwell will testify. The suspicion is that Gretna’s transformation is too good to be true, and that with a population of 2,705, eventually they will be unable to sustain themselves. Without Mileson, they will have only a millstone. He insists that they are in it for the long haul, til death do they part. “We’re not Rangers or Celtic, nor will we ever be. We’re just a nice, little professional club who try to do things properly. Of course they can’t sustain themselves. Of course there is no population, but I’ve never walked away from anything in my life. I won’t say, ‘OK, I’ve done that, I’m bored, now let’s go and do something else’. No matter where I go, or whatever happens, I will always make sure Gretna are looked after.†Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Taken from “The Times Online†– November 14th 2004 Millionaire With The Midas Touch Follow the signpost to the Sunday market, turn right at the rundown social club and there, sitting among the potholes and puddles outside Raydale Park, is what looks suspiciously like an Aston Martin. In a town renowned for its runaway marriages, the first of which was conducted there more than 250 years ago, the one between Brooks Mileson and Gretna Football Club is perhaps the most incongruous yet. After a couple of years together, what started as an affair and escalated into something of a whirlwind romance has become a way of life these past few months, but still they make an odd couple. Gretna, until two seasons ago an impoverished part-time club padding around in the Unibond League, could not in their wildest dreams have imagined that they would be swept off their feet by a multi-millionaire, given a facelift and promised a place in Scotland’s top flight. Mileson, though, has his sights set on the SPL, an ambition that has had the curtains twitching in Gretna and beyond, as though his unlikely courtship of the club were something to be ashamed of. Yesterday, on his 57th birthday, his team beat Peterhead to claim leadership of the Third Division, but after selling two of his businesses last month, a deal that netted him £36m, they are wondering what a man like him is doing with a club like this. He, after all, was making his way up the rich lists long before he cashed in on the accident-management and credit-hire businesses he had built from scratch. He still owns “seven or eight†companies, and is in the process of buying “two or three†more. Gretna, meanwhile, were playing in the Carlisle and District League until 1982, joined the Scottish Football League only two years ago, and attract attendance figures that would barely fill their benefactor’s wallet. Quite how they will fill the 6,000 capacity stadium he plans to build them remains a mystery. Mileson has heard all the stories, the claims that he will sell their humble abode to a housing developer, the rumours that his investment is the product of a bet between sugar daddies. When he mischievously told one reporter that Harrods were planning to build a new branch on the site, the newspaper printed the exclusive. “They try to think up ways of knocking it, of finding an angle, instead of just saying, ‘Here is a guy from a council estate in Sunderland who loves football’. People are suspicious. They want to know why. They will not accept that I just have a love of the game at grassroots level.†His track record bears that out. He supports Carlisle United and, despite failing in a long-running bid to buy out Michael Knighton two years back, he refuses to rule out the possibility of a future takeover. “Whether or not it happens, it will not affect Gretna,†says Mileson, who last month donated £25,000 to the United Trust, and promised to give another £1 for every further £1 raised. They need £300,000 to secure the shareholding they seek in the parent company. The Roman Abramovich of the non-league scene, Mileson has sponsored “40-odd clubs†in the north of England, from Scarborough and Whitby Town to Penrith and Workington Reds. He has been president of Whitby since the 1980s and, when they won the FA Vase at Wembley in 1997, he was so excited that he agreed on the spot to a plea for sponsorship from Mike Amos, chairman of the stricken Northern League. The deal commits him for the rest of his life and, through a trust, his children ’s lives. “He could have asked me for my wife that day, and I would have given her to him†he says. Mileson can accept it when people call him eccentric. He is, it seems, the patron saint of lost causes, although his health could do with rising from the ashes. As well as his faded denims, he wears a ponytail and goatee, rises at 4am every day and by bedtime has smoked 100 cigarettes. “More, if I can stay up long enough,†he says. “I started smoking at 48. Somebody had to. Everybody else was giving up. But I very rarely drink, and for days on end I forget to eat. I live on Marlboro and Lucozade.†What he cannot accept, as a practising Christian, are doubts about his honesty. He moved into the Gretna area eight years ago when Arnott Insurance Group, a company he sold in 2000, was thriving north of the border. Familiar with the club from their days in the Northern League, he attended their first match in the Scottish Third Division, and was hooked. “When people question my integrity, when people say, ‘Why is he doing it, what’s in it for him? ’ I resent that. My wealth, to use that awful word, has been created by dealing with the man in the street, and this is my way of putting something back.†Mileson identifies with people who have nothing, but who refuse to accept their lot. He was brought up on the Pennywell council estate in Sunderland, and was among a family of seven in a two-bedroomed house. He and his brother used to take turns going out because they had only one pair of wellingtons between them. Not long after his first encounter with Rowan Alexander, Gretna’s manager, he knew they would become friends. “I came to understand just what he had done to keep this club going, what he had sacrificed personally. He built some of the stands, mowed the grass and paid some of the kids out of his own pocket. I admire that. I’m enjoying helping Rowan, and others like him at the club, to fulfil their dream.†Alexander’s employer is a romantic, a dreamer, a guy who learned early in his life that nothing was impossible. At the age of 11, when he and six of his mates were larking about in a quarry, Mileson was trapped under an avalanche of sand, the base of his back broken and his hips displaced. The trauma would give him nightmares for the next 20 years, and still haunts him to this day. “I will never forget the ambulance taking me through the fields, and the people telling me that I would never walk again,†he says. “I thought, ‘No bugger’s going to tell me I can’t walk’, so when my mum and dad were in bed I used to get up through the night and drag myself round the furniture. Eventually, I was given a zimmer frame and, after about a year, I was able to walk. Then they said, ‘Well look, you’ll have to wear built-up shoes because of the difference in your hips, and you won’t be able to participate in sport’. To me, it was like they were saying, ‘OK smart arse, you can walk, but you won’t be able to run’.†So Mileson resolved to become a runner and, at the age of 20, won a bronze medal in the event that would later become the world junior cross-country championship. After that, he gave up, his point proven. “The day I stopped running was the happiest of my life. I hated it. When I was 17, I was running 100 miles a day. I used to run through ploughed fields to build up my strength. Sometimes, because I had damaged a kidney in the accident, I trained so hard I was peeing blood. I was in agony at times. I did it because I wanted to prove not only that I could participate in sport, but that I could be good at it.†Mileson still endures pain in his back and legs, and for the last six years has suffered from ME. In a disturbing flashback to his youth, there are times, he says, when he can barely climb the stairs. “What you can’t do with this disease is give in to it. You have to fight it. When you stop and rest, that’s when it hits you. The good thing about my lifestyle is that I live on adrenaline. If you’re getting a buzz out of things, it helps you overcome it.†Mileson gets his kicks out of Gretna, even though some find it strange. By way of explanation, he cites the example of a former business partner, who bought a £2m yacht with his share of their profits. “Nobody said anything about that, except, ‘Great, good for him’. Well, what’s the difference? This is my enjoyment. He bought something that would last him for 10 or 15 years. I’ve bought something that will last forever.†His philanthropy is rewarding too. He used to sponsor Allison Curbishley, the Scottish 400m runner, and recently pledged £25,000 to Carlisle athlete Jordan Fleary. Under his ownership, Gretna have taken a stand against drugs, against racism, and are engaged in a community project to “get kids off the streetsâ€. The 100 acres of land where he lives in nearby Blackford double as an animal sanctuary, where he keeps ostriches, emus, wallabies, parrots, racoons and monkeys. If they are on peanuts, the same cannot be said of his staff. Estimates vary as to how much Mileson has invested in Gretna. First, he wiped out their debt, then he tidied up the ground, re-laid the pitch and went full-time with a host of players from higher divisions. David Bingham rejected a one-year deal with Premier League Inverness Caledonian Thistle to head for the border. The squad have been promised that, if they are top of the League at Christmas, they will be taken to La Manga for a mid-season break. Next season, a new 4,000-capacity stadium will be in place, ready to be upgraded for the Premier League, a development that would take its total cost to around £3m. All of which has prompted a degree of resentment. If rival managers are not complaining that their players have been tapped, they are deriding the resources at Alexander’s disposal, as though it were somehow immoral. Scottish football, perhaps, has been bruised too often by ambition, as Dundee, Livingston and Motherwell will testify. The suspicion is that Gretna’s transformation is too good to be true, and that with a population of 2,705, eventually they will be unable to sustain themselves. Without Mileson, they will have only a millstone. He insists that they are in it for the long haul, til death do they part. “We’re not Rangers or Celtic, nor will we ever be. We’re just a nice, little professional club who try to do things properly. Of course they can’t sustain themselves. Of course there is no population, but I’ve never walked away from anything in my life. I won’t say, ‘OK, I’ve done that, I’m bored, now let’s go and do something else’. No matter where I go, or whatever happens, I will always make sure Gretna are looked after.†Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMDave Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 First-rate Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blues do the double Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 i`m currently playing as gretna in my 4th season and i am sitting at the top of the spl and doing well in the uefa cup after winning the scottish cup last season.my team is gk per morten kristensaen 150k rb christoffer andersson 800k lb simone padoin 1.5m cb naldo 1m cb lee wilkie free cm david dunn free cm freddy guarin 1m cm papa boba diop free fc freddie kanoute free fc john carew free fc spinesi free Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrone the Magazine Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Good start bob and good luck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian of Nazareth Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">animal sanctuary, where he keeps ostriches, emus, wallabies, parrots, racoons and monkeys. If they are on peanuts, the same cannot be said of his staff. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> Wonderful opening. Is that true about Mileson or just creative imagination? Either way, good luck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HD Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 i thought it said Gang Green I was about to leap in with my J-E-T-S! Jets! Jets! Jets! gl bb Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 15, 2005 Author Share Posted February 15, 2005 Thanks chaps - I can't take any credit for the opening though, it really does come from the Times. I originally saw the article in the paper and clipped it out as I thought that it could make a great basis for a story. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 July 2004 So that’s the real-life situation at Gretna. But FM2005 has let me roll back time to July 2004 and Rowan Alexander is no longer in charge at Raydale Park – I am. And what do I find on my arrival? Well, as far as backroom staff are concerned there was not too much to shout about. I have 42-year-old Davie Irons as my Assistant and he is also on the playing staff; Billy Bently is my sole Physio and Mark Ferguson forms the entire strength of my Scouting operation. Clearly reinforcements are required so one of my first actions is to post a few ads in the Job Centre. On the playing front there are over 35 players on the books and it will certainly take some time to sort out the wheat from the chaff. There are a number of experienced campaigners on the books. Alan Main is a very experienced keeper having played previously for Dundee United and St. Johnstone. Right back Derek Townsley includes Motherwell and Hibs on his CV. Midfielder Danny Lennon has experience at Partick, Raith and Hibs. Midfielder Stephen Cosgrove is a product of the Man United youth system and forward David “Bingo†Bingham has had stints with Inverness Caledonian, Livingston, Dunfermline, Forfar and St. Johnstone in his long career. Financially the club is in excellent shape, as you might expect. The bank balance is a healthy £1.8M with over £900K available in the transfer budget and over £14K a week allocated to wages. The Chairman has made it clear that he expects us to win the Third Division title and with the level of investment he has made this is a reasonable goal. There are a number of friendly games already arranged on my arrival – too many for my liking so some are immediately cancelled. But I can do nothing about the trip to Yeovil on my first day officially in charge. Settling on a simple 4-4-2 formation and taking advice from my assistant Irons on team selection, I record a 2-1 defeat on my debut. Ten days later we played Celtic Reserves and gained a 2-0 win with a fairly decent performance. We finished pre-season preparations with a good turnout to watch the visit of Leeds and a reasonable performance in our 2-0 defeat. Our season opener involved a trip to Berwick in the Challenge Cup and after an exhausting 120 minutes of goalless football we squeezed through on penalties. It’s still early days but many of the senior players looked like they can do a job for us this season. Authors Note It has taken me some time to get into FM and this is my first proper attempt at a game so I’m really not sure how long it will last. I am running 5.0.2 with the full English and Scottish leagues. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 August 2004 We had a fortnight to wait before our opening league match and during that time we concentrated on sharpening up the players on the training pitch and making sure that they started to understand the basic formation that I wanted to play. I set the team up in a 4-1-3-1-1 style – essentially a 4-4-2 but with one midfielder pulled back to guard the defence and one forward playing in a slightly withdrawn position. We also started strengthening both the playing squad and the backroom staff. The Job Centre ads had brought in a very good response and I was able to boost our backroom significantly. Current Assistant Davie Irons was happy to step down from the coaching staff and I was lucky enough to be able to bring in the highly experienced Tommy Craig (53) as my new Assistant. All in all we brought in 7 new staff members Coaches Alan Robertson (51) John McLaughlan (41) John Bell (28) from Albion Rovers Scouts Robert Watt (37) from Albion Rovers Julian Carrera (32) Physios Steve Lock (34) from Forest Green Peter Lake (47) from Kettering On the playing side we sealed a deal with Newcastle to bring 20-year-old central defender Peter Ramage in for a fee of £55K. At that point the lad was on loan at Hartlepool but he would come to Gretna at the start of next January. Sunday 8th The big showpiece south of the border took place today and Manchester United and Arsenal battled out the Community Shield. Looking at the highlight that night it seemed a pretty tame affair with United running out 2-1 winners. Wednesday 11th Rangers were in action in the Champions League 3rd qualifying round taking on Dinamo Bucharest at Ibrox in the first leg. After a quiet first half Rangers got into their stride after the break, scoring three goals in the last 20 minutes to put them in pole position to qualify for the group stage. Thursday 12th Dunfermline started their European campaign with a trip to Moldova to play Tiligul. They came back with a good 2-1 win in the first leg and should be in good shape to progress. Saturday 14th Matchday One in the Scottish Third Division and we had quite a journey up to Peterhead. It turned out to be a frustrating day as we failed to break down the highlander’s stubborn defence. This despite the fact that we played against ten men for the entire second half after the home side had midfielder Scott Robertson sent off. We created enough chances to get the win but just didn’t hit the target often enough. We did look pretty solid at the back though with keeper Alan Main and Man of the Match Derek Townsley impressing. A 3-1 win for Stenhousemuir over neighbours East Stirling gave them the early lead in the division, heading Cowdenbeath, East Fife and Queen’s Park on goal difference. Saturday 21st Queen’s Park were our first visitors of the season and the team was in good spirits after their win last weekend. We expected them to play a pretty standard 4-4-2 formation and I was hopeful of getting a win under our belts. Well I was once again to be disappointed as we played out another 0-0 draw. Again we looked fairly firm at the back and created some presentable chances up front but the words “ cow’s backside†and “banjo†come to mind regarding our finishing. None of our half dozen or so scoring attempts so much as bothered the visiting keeper and already it looks like we needed to find a consistent goalscorer. East Fife took over at the top of the table after they won their needle match at home to Stenhousemuir with an impressive 3-0 scoreline. Wednesday 25th Rangers finished off the job in Romania by holding Dinamo Bucharest to a goalless draw in the second leg of the Champions League qualifier and took their place in the lucrative group stages. They were drawn in Group A alongside Valencia, Lyon and Leverkusen, a tough looking proposition for Alex McLeish and his team. Martin O’Neill would feel that his Celtic side didn’t have it any easier as they were placed in Group E with Real Madrid, Chelsea and Rosenborg. Thursday 26th Dunfermline moved into the first round proper of the UEAF Cup with a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Tiligul to give them a good 5-2 aggregate victory. All of the goals came in the first half and the Pars were able to take their foot off the gas and cruise through the second period. Friday 27th Champions League holders Porto defeated Valencia in the European Super Cup in Monaco, but it took a penalty shootout to decide the game after the score was tied at 1-1 after 90 minutes. Saturday 28th We travelled to Montrose still looking for our first win of the season and when veteran striker Andy Smith found the net twice in the first half it looked like we would get what we were looking for. But an uncharacteristic fumble by Alan Main shortly after the restart allowed the home side to equalise and our misery was complete when they squared the game with ten minutes remaining. I wasn’t too happy with our capitulation and there is no way that we should have let that lead slip, but such is football. The leadership of the division changed hands yet again with Peterhead taking over following their 3-1 defeat of hapless East Stirling. Tuesday 31st Our first win of the season came in a competition where quite honestly I would have been happier if we had lost. The Challenge Cup wasn’t high on my list of priorities and the visit to Stenhousemuir was more of a nuisance than anything else. I put out as many second string players as I could and after a scoreless first half the veteran Davie Irons fired us ahead. We were two minutes from victory when the home side scored to force extra time. With no further goals forthcoming in the additional half hour we went to a penalty shootout where we squeezed through 4-3. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 17, 2005 Author Share Posted February 17, 2005 September 2004 Wednesday 1st Peterhead boss Iain Stewart won the managerial plaudits for August and his team certainly look like they will be in the promotion mix come the end of the season. After scoring all four goals in his team’s 4-2 defeat of Albion Rovers, experienced Montrose forward Steven Kerrigan won the Player of the Month and 19-year-old centre back Shaun Molloy of Queen’s Park did enough to get the vote as Young Player of the Month. Tuesday 7th We faced Cup action once again, this time in the League Cup, as we entertained visitors Ross County from Division One. We took a while to get into our stride but once we got going we caused the First Division outfit no end of problems. The first half ended scoreless but Andy Smith fired us ahead just after the restart. Midfielder Mark Boyd doubled our advantage on the hour and Man of the Match David Bingham secured the win with 20 minutes remaining. County scored a late consolation but the 3-1 win was a terrific morale-booster and was fully deserved. There was one other notable giant killing act in the first round when Peterhead had an excellent 3-0 win at First Division Raith. Our win set us up for a visit to SPL side Motherwell and a chance to see how we get on playing with the big boys. Wednesday 8th Scotland’s World Cup qualifying campaign got off to a poor start with a 2-1 defeat by Slovenia at Hampden Park. Despite taking an early lead through Kenny Miller, Berti’s boys failed to build on their advantage and conceded an equaliser before the break. The winner came just 6 minutes from time and it would now be an uphill struggle to challenge for a playoff position. Saturday 11th The visit of Albion Rovers on Matchday 4 gave us our first win of the season courtesy of a second-half goal from Jamie McQuilken. The 29-year-old was on loan from St. Johnstone until the end of this year and he was my first choice on the left side of midfield. With Peterhead only able to draw at Stenhousemuir, East Fife went back to the top of the table after their defeat of Cowdenbeath and we moved up to 4th. The bad news was an injury to David Bingham – a sprained ankle that meant a 4-week layoff. Tuesday 14th We entertained First Division opposition in the 3rd round of the Challenge Cup as Clyde came to Raydale Park and my second string pulled off an excellent 3-1 win. We went behind early on but knuckled down and really made a game of it. Veteran striker Ian Stevens was a thorn in the side of the opposition all night, scoring the equaliser a few minutes before half time. Earlier his trickery in the box had earned us a penalty but full back Lee Maddison failed to convert. Our good play continued after the break and late goals from Davie Irons and substitute Andy Smith gave us the win. Keeper Alan Main was named Man of the Match for his string of fine saves that kept us in the game and he was turning out to be one of our most consistent performers. Rangers began their Champions League group games with a disappointing 1-0 defeat at home to Leverkusen. They conceded an early goal and despite having the better of the game they were denied by the excellence of the visiting keeper, much to the frustration of the fans and players alike. Wednesday 15th Celtic had slightly more success in their Champions League opener, drawing 1-1 at home to Rosenborg. But given that this game probably represented their best chance of three points it was nonetheless a disappointing result for the hoops. Thursday 16th The 1st round of the UEFA Cup saw a couple of Scottish teams in action. Dunfermline had a decent 3-1 win at home to Maccabi Haifa. Having fallen behind on the half hour, David Hay’s team fought back well and should be favourites for the return leg. Hearts suffered a 2-1 defeat at Portuguese side Maritimo but the away goal could prove vital for Craig Levein and his team. Saturday 18th It was too early in the season for any game to be a title decider but the visit of leaders East Fife was certainly a big game for us – a win would signal our intentions for the season and a defeat would be a big knock-back. As it turned out we got neither as the game ended in a 1-1 draw. We didn’t play particularly well but we still made the best part of a dozen chances and yet the visiting keeper was rarely troubled. The Fifers took the lead early in the game when we failed to deal with a corner. We equalised shortly before the break when Danny Lennon fired home his first of the season. We had the better of the second half but our finishing was pretty poor and we failed to capitalise on our opportunities. With Peterhead losing, a 3-1 win at home to East Stirling allowed Montrose to take over at the top of the table. Saturday 25th We had another trek up north today as we faced Elgin in Matchday 6. After a goalless first 45 minutes Brian Wake, who has been replacing the injured Bingham, scored his first of the season to give us the lead. We were seeing more of the ball and creating most of the chances but our inability to turn chances into goals cost us a win. The home side equalised on a rare foray upfield and we had to settle for yet another draw – our 5th in 6 league games. Tuesday 28th We faced divisional rivals Peterhead in the Semi Final of the Challenge Cup. I once again fielded my second string and they once again came up with a win, triumphing in a penalty shootout after a gruelling contest. Young centre back Martin Bell gave us the lead after 20 minutes when he headed home a neat free kick from midfielder Ian Cummersky, who later gained Man of the Match honours for his performance. The visitors equalised in stoppage time at the end of the first half. With no further scoring in normal time, not the extra 30 minutes, it all came down to the dreaded penalty lottery. Our lads held their nerve best and we took our place in the final. In the Champions League Celtic suffered a 3-1 defeat at Chelsea, the home side gaining their second win to top Group E. The Celts prop up the rest and would do well to progress from that position. Wednesday 29th We sealed a deal today to bring another young central defender to the club – 21-year-old Patrick McCarthy will join from Man City at the turn of the year after a £55K fee was agreed. Rangers boosted their Champions League hopes with a fine 1-0 win in Lyon, the only goal of the game coming from Zurab Khizanishvili from the penalty spot. Thursday 30th Hearts crashed out of the UEFA Cup, losing 3-1 in their home leg against Maritimo. A nightmare start saw the visitors three goals ahead inside the first ten minutes and the tie was effectively over. Captain Steven Presley scored a late consolation but the 5-2 aggregate defeat was a huge disappointment to the Tynecastle faithful. Dunfermline suffered a similar fate despite holding a 3-1 lead from the first leg as they lost 3-0 in Israel, Maccabi Haifa triumphing 4-3 on aggregate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMDave Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by BobBev: Thanks chaps - I can't take any credit for the opening though, it really does come from the Times. I originally saw the article in the paper and clipped it out as I thought that it could make a great basis for a story. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> I didn't realize it was all actually true Great article though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 18, 2005 Author Share Posted February 18, 2005 October 2004 Friday 1st Henry Hall of Montrose lifted the Manager of the Month award and saw his young central defender Neil Stephen take the Young Players gong and the senior prize went to Elgin’s left winger Andy Roddie. We closed another transfer deal too with 21-year-old left midfielder Ciaran Ryan agreeing a £65K move from Bolton. Saturday 2nd The visit of East Stirling gave us a golden opportunity to get a much-needed win and we were in total control of the game. But with 70 minutes on the clock the game was still scoreless and we badly needed some inspiration. It came in the shape of substitute Ryan Baldacchino and his arrival transformed the game. His pace and control caused havoc in the visitor’s defence and he scored the only goal of the game with 5 minutes remaining. Peterhead moved back to the top of the table after their 3-1 win at Queen’s Park and we remained 5th but were just three points off the pace. Wednesday 6th We travelled to Fir Park to play Motherwell in the 2nd round of the League Cup and I put out as strong a team as I could. We battled hard all game entering the last ten minutes the score was still even. But then the home side scored what everyone felt would be the winning goal. They hadn’t counted on our fighting spirit though and within a minute we were even again when midfielder Mark Boyd latched on to a long clearance from Main to fire home. Tiring rapidly we held on for the remaining few minutes to force extra time. I threw on as many fresh pairs of legs as I could to shore things up and we made it through the extra half hour still on terms before just missing out in the penalty shootout. It was a brave performance by the lads and we certainly did ourselves proud. Saturday 9th The national team were in action and gave their World Cup campaign a huge boost with a 3-1 win at home to Norway. The Scots recovered from a one-goal deficit to gain a crucial win that re-kindles their hopes of getting into the playoffs. Wednesday 13th Scotland travelled to Moldova for their 3rd game in their qualifying group and conceded a late equaliser to deny them a vital win. They were now in 4th place in the group but had played a game less that the teams above them. Saturday 16th For the trip to Stenhousemuir, David Bingham had recovered sufficient fitness to make the trip but he would not be risked in the starting eleven but was named amongst the substitutes. We had the better of the opening exchanges and Andy Smith gave us the perfect start with a goal after just two minutes. But the home side started to make inroads into our defence and equalised on the half hour. Worse was to follow when they took the lead a few minutes before half time. I made a few changes during the break, both enforced and voluntary. Smith was struggling with a knock so he was replaced by Stevens. David Holdsworth was being run ragged in the centre of defence so I brought young Martin Bell on instead. The final change was to replace a struggling Baldacchino with Bingham. This left me no further options for the second period but the changes seemed to do the trick and we looked much sharper. Stephen Cosgrove scored a well-worked equaliser with around 20 minutes remaining. Then 10 minutes later Stevens was tripped in the area and the referee decided that it was a professional foul and the culprit was dismissed. Full back Lee Maddison converted the resulting spot kick to complete our recovery and give us a 3-2 win. Mark Boyd was voted Man of the Match for his sterling performance in our midfield. Tuesday 19th Celtic returned from the Bernabeu with a respectable 1-1 draw in the 3rd of their Champions League group games. They took the lead midway through the first half with a John Hartson goal but Real Madrid pegged them back just before the break through David Beckham. Wednesday 20th Rangers moved to the top of their group after an excellent 1-0 win at Valencia. Shota Averladze fired them in front after quarter of an hour and they could thank keeper Stefan Klos for the win as his Man of the Match performance kept the Spaniards at bay for the remainder of the game. Saturday 23rd We travelled to Glasgow for our game at bottom of the table Queen’s Park confident of a win and we got off to a good start with a goal from Stephen Cosgrove inside the first ten minutes. By my estimate we went on to have a further 20 scoring efforts, almost all of which failed to hit the target. Fortunately our opponents were poor and rarely troubled us at the back and we got the win that I expected. I am pleased that we are making chances but concerned about our inability to put them away. East Fife and Peterhead both drew their games and the win kept us in third but we closed the gap to just one point. Saturday 30th Our goal-shyness showed no signs of improvement when we entertained Cowdenbeath but at least in this game we were hitting the target. This time it was visiting keeper Andy Carlin, later voted Man of the Match, that was our problem. We finally got the winning goal in stoppage time when substitute Baldacchino, on for a tiring Bingham, fired home after a neat interchange on the edge of the area. Peterhead dropped points in a 3-3 draw at Albion Rovers and only goal difference now kept us behind leaders East Fife. Sunday 31st Ayr manager Mark Shanks became the first managerial candidate of the season as he paid the price for his team’s poor showing in the Second Division. According to the press, St. Johnstone Assistant Manager Jim Weir is favourite to replace him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 19, 2005 Author Share Posted February 19, 2005 November 2004 Monday 1st With our 100% league record last month it was no great surprise when I received the Manager of the Month award with midfielder Mark Boyd also recognised on the playing side. Albion Rovers youngster Paul McManus took the junior prize. Tuesday 2nd Rangers did the double over Valencia and their 1-0 win in Glasgow has moved them to the top of their group and into pole position to go through to the knockout stage. Wednesday 3rd Celtic are not faring as well as their neighbours and they failed to overcome Spanish opposition, losing 2-0 to Real Madrid at Celtic Park. Beckham and Figo did the damage, both scoring in the first 15 minutes. The big upset of the night in the 3rd round of the League Cup was the defeat of Premiership side Kilmarnock who lost 3-1 at Second Division Forfar. Sunday 7th Having taken us all the way to the final it was only fair that the second string should take to the pitch when we faced East Fife in the Challenge Cup. After a very good 3-0 win I was wondering if I should play that lineup for the rest of the season! Davie Irons, Ian Cummersky and John Hore all got their names on the scoresheet, allowing captain for the day Alan Main to proudly lift the cup. Tuesday 9th Peterhead manager Iain Stewart, never one to miss a chance of sounding off for the press, has been telling anyone who will listen that his team will win our forthcoming encounter. I decided to maintain a diplomatic silence, preferring instead to use his comments to gee up the players and let them do my talking on the pitch. Wednesday 10th Unfortunately the players failed to rise to the challenge and we lost a tight game by the narrowest of margins, Peterhead winning 1-0 to move to the top of the table. Even though I knew it had to come sometime it was still a disappointing way to lose our unbeaten record. Sunday 14th It was a busy day on the job front today with Clyde manager Billy Reid and Dundee United boss Ian McCall both dismissed. With United propping up the SPL it was no great shock to see a change and there are a host of big names being linked with the club. Walter Smith is the bookies favourite but Gordon Strachan, Craig Brown and Kevin McAllister are all in the frame. Saturday 20th There was a huge upset in the League Cup today with Airdrie United beating Rangers 2-1 in the 3rd round. A full-strength Rangers side took an early lead but the home side fought back bravely to complete a major giant killing act. Tuesday 23rd Celtic’s penultimate Champions League group match finished all square as they fought out a 2-2 draw at Rosenborg. The came back from a goal down to take the lead but the Norwegians made a comeback of their own to secure a point. Chelsea and Real Madrid both secured their qualification and the Celts now need a good result in their last game to grab a UEFA Cup slot. Wednesday 24th We bounced back from the disappointment of our first loss of the season with a decent 2-0 win at home to Montrose. Stephen Cosgrove and David Bingham were both on target in the first half but with slightly more accurate finishing then we would have had a much more flattering scoreline. Rangers and Leverkusen played out a goalless draw in Germany, a result that ensures they both qualified from their Champions League group. Saturday 27th Our winning streak proved to be short lived as we returned from our visit to Albion Rovers on the wrong end of a 2-0 scoreline. With a number of key players rested, their replacements failed to perform to the level I had hoped. Our opponents leapfrogged above us into 2nd as we dropped down a place. Sunday 28th Just a ay after leading his team to victory over us, Albion boss Kevin McAllister was unveiled as the new Dundee United manager. Tuesday 30th Recently sacked by Clyde, Billy Reid quickly found new employment when it was announced that he had been instated as the new Ayr United boss. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 20, 2005 Author Share Posted February 20, 2005 December 2004 Wednesday 1st Keith Wright of Cowdenbeath was November’s Manager of the Month with his own John-Paul Kelly and Joe Boyle of Albion Rovers taking the playing honours. Friday 3rd East Fife manager Jim Moffat attempted to engage me in a war of words prior to our forthcoming meeting, stating that his team was confident of beating us but I refused to be drawn and did not respond. Saturday 4th On this occasion, the players responded positively to the goading of Moffat and we put in a fine performance at East Fife. Stephen Cosgrove calmed the nerves with an early strike and we dominated the remainder of the half but with no further goals to show for our efforts. I was concerned that we would allow the home side back into the game but I need not have been concerned. Further goals from David Bingham and substitute Ian Stevens gave us a fine 3-0 win and with other results going our way we moved to the top of the table for the first time this season. After the game I couldn’t resist a comment to the local paper explaining that it was clear that we had out-thought our opponents and were tactically superior on the day. Sunday 5th Clyde announced the appointment of former Crawley Town boss Francis Vines as their new manager. Tuesday 7th Having already qualified for the next stage, Rangers tasted defeat in their final Champions League group game, losing 1-0 at home to Lyon. Wednesday 8th Celtic gained their first win in their Champions League group, an early goal from Henri Camara enough to beat Chelsea 1-0 in Glasgow. The result allowed them to take 3rd place in the group and with it a UEFA Cup spot. In the League Cup, Airdrie were unable to repeat their giant killing exploits of the previous round and lost their Quarter Final at Hearts 3-0. Friday 10th Porto triumphed in the Inter-Continental Cup, beating Once Caldas of Colombia 1-0 in Yokohama. A crowd of over 70,000 was treated to an open and entertaining game with Porto captain Vitor Baia excelling in goal and lifting the Man of the Match award as well as the trophy. Saturday 11th The 1st round of the Scottish Cup took place today and a couple of results were worthy of note. Non-league Coldstream knocked out East Stirling with a 1-0 win at Firs Park and Stenhousemuir had a good 3-1 win at Second Division Arbroath in a game where three players received their marching orders. After the 2nd round draw was completed we found that we would face a home tie against non-league Buckie Thistle. Wednesday 15th Our problems in front of goal re-surfaced in the game at home to Elgin as once again we dominated the game but failed to turn chances into goals. After a scoreless first half we took the lead through Jamie McQuilken but as the game wore on I was increasingly concerned that we would pay for not taking our chances. When the visitors got the ball in the net with five minutes remaining my fears were confirmed – until I saw the referee’s assistant signal for offside that was. Buoyed by our lucky escape we immediately went on the offensive again and scored a deserved second through Ian Stevens to ensure a 2-0 win. Saturday 18th We travelled to bottom of the table East Stirling confident of gaining a win despite having to make some changes to our starting eleven to rest a few players. Once again we enjoyed a lot of possession and got into good scoring positions on a number of occasions but failed to convert. We were gifted an early goal when Lee Maddison converted from the penalty spot but I continued to be concerned that a one-goal margin did not give any room for error. Fortunately late strikes from substitutes Richard Prokas and Ian Stevens put a gloss on the scoreline, the 3-0 win being a fair reflection of our dominance. Wednesday 22nd We were never in any trouble at all during our Scottish cup-tie at home to Buckie Thistle and ran out easy 6-0 winners. Striker Ian Stevens had just turned 38 but he was enjoying a good season and certainly relished his hat trick. Stephen Cosgrove, Mark Boyd and Richard Prokas all got their names on the scoresheet as well as we chalked up a record win for the season thus far. We were presented with another home tie in round three and we will welcome the visit if Second Division outfit Stirling Albion. Thursday 23rd Albion Rovers have appointed Jim Weir as their new manager having tempted the 35-year-old to leave the coaching staff at St. Johnstone to try his hand at management. Saturday 26th With the players still on a high after our win in the Cup our trip to Cowdenbeath started very brightly with Bingham and Boyd both scoring inside the first quarter of an hour. But when Stephen Cosgrove received his second yellow card midway through the first half the warning bells started to ring. His absence seemed to go unnoticed at first and we moved further ahead through Ian Stevens on 39 minutes. But the home side were starting to exploit the extra man and the pulled a goal back shortly before half time. They started to exert increasing pressure in the second period as we found it increasingly difficult to keep our shape and we were really under the cosh. We conceded again with 15 minutes remaining and then let in a 3rd with just seconds of normal time remaining. The 3-3 draw was disappointing given the size of our lead and even with ten men we should have been able to hang on for the win. Thursday 30th It was a hectic day today as I dealt with a number of administrative tasks, chief amongst them being a number of contract renewals for players whose current deals would expire in the summer. Ian Cummersky, David Bingham, Lee Maddison, Alan Main, Derek Townsley and Martin Bell were all offered new deals. I also finalised the signing of young striker Joe Savage from Stenhousemuir for a modest £2K and he would be on board when the transfer window opened in a few days. I also took time to peruse the league table and have a review of our progress up to this point. It was great to see the team at the top of the table and, despite conceding three goals in our last match we still had the best defensive record in the division. But I was still concerned about our lack of goals and I hoped to be able to bring in some reinforcements to help in this area in the next month. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | GRETNA | | 17 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 24 | 12 | +12 | 33 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | East Fife | | 17 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 16 | +10 | 31 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Cowdenbeath | | 17 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 27 | 20 | +7 | 29 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | Peterhead | | 17 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 26 | 24 | +2 | 28 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Albion | | 17 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 28 | 22 | +6 | 24 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | Stenhousemuir | | 17 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 21 | 26 | -5 | 21 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | Queen's Park | | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 19 | 21 | -2 | 20 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | Montrose | | 17 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 25 | 30 | -5 | 16 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | Elgin | | 17 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 24 | -11 | 16 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | East Stirling | | 17 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 33 | -14 | 14 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre> On the playing front Mark Boyd was our highest-rated player thus far, with young Ian Cummersky an able deputy in midfield and the veteran Danny Lennon was influential playing just in front of the back four. Ian Stevens was our highest scorer with 8 goals in all competitions and was now my first choice starter up front. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spav Posted February 20, 2005 Share Posted February 20, 2005 Another top effort Bob. I really enjoy the particlar way in which you write your stories. You've got me hooked on another one right here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 21, 2005 Author Share Posted February 21, 2005 Thanks Spav - glad you're enjoying it. January 2005 Saturday 1st The monthly awards saw your truly gain the managerial plaudits with Queen’s Park pairing of 36-year-old Paul Harvey and 19-year-old Shaun Molloy lifting the playing honours. Jamie McQuilken returned to St. Johnstone at the end of his loan period and we immediately opened negotiations to bring him back in for the rest of the season. Our four new arrivals all turned up at Raydale Park – defenders Peter Ramage and Patrick McCarthy, left-sided midfielder Ciaran Ryan and striker Joe Savage. Ryan went straight into the starting lineup for the visit of Stenhousemuir, with Savage taking a seat on the bench. Ryan made an impressive debut, setting up Bingham for the opening goal with virtually his first touch and going on to gain the Man of the Match award. Bingo went on to score a second midway through the first half and Mark Boyd wrapped up our 3-0 win before half time. Monday 3rd St. Johnstone rejected our loan offer for McQuilken, leaving us very short of cover on the left side of defence and midfield. Saturday 8th I expected a tough game when we visited Peterhead and that’s exactly what we got. The home side were all over us in the early stages and opened the scoring inside 10 minutes. Fortunately Ian Stevens struck back almost immediately but this did little to subdue the onslaught. On 20 minutes we went behind again but Stevens found another equaliser on the half hour. There was no further scoring but no shortage of incident. Cosgrove suffered another sending off after arguing with the match official following a booking but we were somehow able to hang on for the 2-2 draw. Saturday 15th Our Scottish Cup campaign continued with a visit by Stirling Albion and we kept our run going with an excellent 4-1 win. The victory was all the more impressive for the fact that we played the last 20 minutes with a man short after left back Lee Maddison was sent off. Danny Lennon opened the scoring early on with a beautifully placed free kick and Ian Stevens doubled our advantage from the penalty spot before half time. The visitors pulled a goal back on the hour mark and when Maddison was dismissed for a professional foul I feared the worst. But after a hasty re-shuffle we conspired to score twice more through Mark Boyd and substitute Joe Savage. The 4th round draw set us up for a visit to First Division opposition, either Hamilton or St. Mirren depending on the result of their replay. Wednesday 19th We hosted Queen’s Park in a midweek league match and got off to a bad start when Alan Main was caught out early on after a speculative shot took a huge deflection off centre back Andy Aitkin and looped into the net. We came back strongly though and Ciaran Ryan scored his first goal for the club ten minutes before half time to square the game. Minutes later Ian Stevens was denied what would have been the winning goal by an offside call. The 1-1 draw allowed chasing East Fife to close the gap to one point. We also found out that we will travel to St. Mirren in the Cup after they won their replay with Hamilton. Saturday 22nd For the visit to Montrose I took the risk of playing a pair of debutant centre backs with Ramage and McCarthy both making their debuts. The gamble paid off as they played well together, McCarthy impressing sufficiently to gain Man of the Match honours. New striker Savage opened the scoring early on and we held that slender lead for the bulk of the game. With 15 minutes remaining Bingham gave us some breathing space with our second goal, and as it turned out we needed the cushion as the home side scored ten minutes later. Coupled with a defeat for East Fife, the 2-1 win moved us four points clear at the top of the table. Saturday 29th Ian Stevens was the star of the show when we entertained Albion Rovers in our final game of the month. He was on target twice to take his goal tally for the season to 13 and even at 38 he remains a deadly finisher. We still hold a 4-point lead over East Fife and if we can keep our form together we have every chance of gaining promotion at the end of the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 22, 2005 Author Share Posted February 22, 2005 February 2005 Tuesday 1st Queen’s Park supremo Billy Stark pipped me to the monthly award for Janaury but our own Ciaran Ryan took the young player honour with Elgin City’s David Hind snagging the senior prize. Striker Martin Cameron, out since the start of the season with a serious knee injury, started back in full training today. His return will boost our strike power but it he will need to be eased back into action very gently after such a long layoff. Saturday 5th Despite getting off to a dream start in the trip to Elgin with an early goal through a Lee Maddison penalty, our inability to score goals cost us three points as we allowed the home side back into the game. They scored twice in the second half to inflict an undeserved 2-1 defeat and I was none to happy with my players. David Bingham was missing through injury and we seem to lack an adequate replacement for the veteran forward. Sunday 6th There was another managerial casualty in Scotland today as Dumbarton dispensed with the services of Brian Fairley. Saturday 12th Our Scottish Cup tie at St. Mirren was a closely fought affair and we were the equals of our more illustrious opponents for most of the game. After a goalless first half we were caught napping after the restart and conceded what turned out to be the only goal of the game. Monday 14th Cowdenbeath boss Mickey Weir, who has taken his team to second place in our division and made them genuine promotion challengers, was rewarded for his efforts by being offered the Dumbarton position. His new club sit in mid-table in the Second Division and are hoping that the new manager can transform their fortunes. Wednesday 16th Martin Cameron made his first start of the season in the home game against strugglers East Stirling as we rang the changes and rested most of our first team. He came through the game unscathed but looked understandably rusty after his long layoff. We got off to a nightmare start, conceding a goal in the first minute and spent the rest of the game trying to retrieve the situation. We finally equalised through Derek Townsley with just three minutes of normal time remaining. With managerless Cowdenbeath winning we now head the table on goal difference and need to get back into winning habits. Thursday 17th Celtic were in UEFA Cup action but will be none too happy with the result of their tie as they were held 1-1 in the home leg by Zaragoza of Spain. Stilian Petrov opened the scoring in the first minute but they failed to push home their advantage and conceded a vital away goal in the 77th minute. Saturday 19th The crucial promotion clash at home to East Fife turned into a war of attrition as an over-zealous match official threatened to turn the game into a farce. Mr. McKendry flashed the yellow card no less than 10 times, 7 of which were in our direction. Stephen Cosgrove got two and we lost him after an hour. I took off Bingham and brought on Richard Prokas to play on the right of midfield. Within 20 minutes the replacement had been booked twice himself and we were down to ten men. We were desperately defending a one-goal lead given to us by Joe Savage after 20 minutes and we somehow were able to hang on for the win. With Cowdenbeath losing 3-1 at Peterhead our victory took us three points clear of our nearest challengers. Wednesday 23rd Rangers face an uphill battle to make further progress in the Champions League after they lost their home leg 2-1 to Ajax. Thursday 24th Celtic’s European adventure came to an end in Spain as they lost 1-0 on the night to Zaragoza to go out of the UEFA Cup 2-1 on aggregate. Saturday 26th Joe Savage kept his place in the first eleven for the trip to Stenhousemuir and he rewarded us by scoring the only goal in a very tight contest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 23, 2005 Author Share Posted February 23, 2005 March 2005 Tuesday 1st Elgin City boss David Robertson was voted Manager of the month for February with his own Alex Bone recognised as Player of the Month and Bobby Duncan of Peterhead taking the junior award. Wednesday 2nd Everyone at Raydale Park was in shock when we heard about the dreadful injury suffered by Joe Savage during a routine training session. A horrible collision with a goalpost has left the youngster with a fracture skull and he will require a long period of rest and rehabilitation to recover. Saturday 5th It was first versus second when Cowdenbeath came to town for a game that would have a major bearing on the final promotion places. Ian Stevens regained his starting place in tragic circumstances and the team were determined to do their best for their badly injured comrade. A pretty even contest was decided after half an hour when Ciaran Ryan scored what proved to be the only goal of the game. With Peterhead and East Fife both failing to win their games we now had a very useful cushion between ourselves and the chasing group. Sunday 6th There was sensational news from Glasgow today – Celtic manager Martin O’Neill was sacked. With the Hoops 8 points behind deadly rivals Rangers in the title race, the Celtic board had decided that they needed a new man in charge. Everton manager David Moyes is rumoured to be their favoured replacement but Joe Kinnear, Ian McCall and Mark McGhee are also in the running. Wednesday 9th The sackings continue apace as Arbroath dismissed Harry Cairney and Stenhousemuir dispensed with the services of Des McKeown. Both of their teams were struggling in their respective divisions and the two men suffered the fate that awaits all football managers. Rangers bowed out of the Champions League after a 2-0 defeat at Ajax left them with a disappointing 4-1 aggregate defeat. Saturday 12th We entertained promotion challengers once more as Peterhead came to Raydale Park. Ian Stevens was on target twice in the first half to give us a half-time cushion. The visitors pulled a goal back with just over 10 minutes remaining but a goal from the excellent Derek Townsley a few minutes later sealed an excellent 3-1 win. Townsley, voted Man of the Match for his performance, had been replacing the ill-disciplined Stephen Cosgrove for several games. I moved him up from right back to play on the right of midfield and played young Martin Bell in defence, both to good effect. Cowdenbeath suffered another defeat and we opened up a 9-point gap at the top of the table. In the Quarter Finals of the Scottish Cup, our conquerors St. Mirren pulled off a shock 3-1 win over Dundee United to move into the last four. Thursday 17th Sacked by Alloa a month ago, Tom Hendrie has been named as the new Stenhousemuir manager. Saturday 19th We made a couple of changes for the trip to Glasgow to play Queen’s Park. Boyd and Maddison were both struggling with training injuries so Cummersky and Gavin Skelton came in to the starting eleven. After a fairly nondescript start to the game we shot into a two-goal lead just before half time with Stevens and Cummersky scoring within minutes of one another. The home side looked stronger after the break and they reduced the deficit on 51 minutes. As we tired late in the game we seemed to lose concentration and Alan Main was forced into action on several occasions and we paid the price when the Spiders equalised deep into stoppage time. Sunday 20th The first senior trophy of the season was decided today with Celtic recording a narrow 2-1 win over Hearts in the League Cup Final. In a fairly dire contest all of the goals came in the first 25 minutes and the 50,000 plus at Hampden Park didn’t enjoy much of a spectacle. Thursday 24th Celtic announced the appointment of former Everton manager David Moyes as the new man in charge at Parkhead. The fans will be hoping that the 41-year-old can turn the team’s fortunes around although it is probably too late to close the gap on Rangers this season. Saturday 26th Like most of the rest of the country the players and staff at Gretna were glued to the TV to watch Scotland in their World Cup qualifier in Italy. But we had little to cheer about as our lads put in a pretty poor performance and the Italians were comfortable 2-0 winners. The result dropped us to 4th place in the group and dented our hopes of a playoff place. Sunday 27th Some of the Scottish Sunday papers have been touting our midfielder Mark Boyd as a strong candidate for the Division Three player of the season and I would certainly see him as a contender after his splendid form for us this season. The 23-year-old Englishman has been one of our most consistent performers and would be a deserving winner. Monday 28th Former Ayr manager Mark Shanks, out of work since October of last year, is the new man in the hot seat at Arbroath. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 24, 2005 Author Share Posted February 24, 2005 April 2005 Friday 1st Jim Weir of Albion Rovers was the proud recipient of the Manager of the Month for March with East Stirling midfielder Sean McAuley and Elgin City’s Adam Nelson taking the playing awards. On the same day we had a blow on the playing front when key midfielder Ciaran Ryan suffered a broken arm in training and would likely miss the rest of the season. Saturday 2nd With injuries and suspensions we had 6 of the first team squad unavailable for the visit of Montrose. Our old goal-scoring problem came back to haunt us with a vengeance as the majority of our scoring opportunities failed to hit the target. We were caught with a sucker punch midway through the first half when the visitors broke upfield to score and that was enough to give them a frustrating 1-0 win. We were fortunate that our rivals didn’t make up too much ground and we still have an 8-point lead over Cowdenbeath. Friday 8th Former Gretna boss Rowan Alexander was named as the new manager of Second Division Alloa. Saturday 9th We travelled to Albion Rovers needing a win to steady the nerves as we couldn’t afford to keep dropping points as we had been recently. An eventful game saw Ian Stevens give us the lead after 20 minutes but then we lost Townsley and Bell to injury in the next 10 minutes. When Baldacchino limped off with 20 minutes remaining I was getting really worried but a late goal from substitute Andy Smith sealed a 2-0 win and three very valuable points. Sunday 10th With his team struggling in 7th place in Division One, Falkirk manager John Hughes became the latest managerial candidate. Friday 15th East Fife manager Jim Moffat was sounding off in the papers again, stating that he didn’t want to see us gain promotion and that his team would beat us the next day. I responded that I was pretty confident that we would be going up – I hope I don’t get proved wrong! Saturday 16th The boys were fired up for the trip to East Fife I can tell you. We started very positively and by half time we had established a two-goal lead thanks to Danny Lennon and Ian Stevens. The home side came out for the restart full of spirit, their manager having obviously given them a fair old pep talk in the dressing room. They quickly pulled a goal back but we re-established our two-goal cushion through Stephen Cosgrove. But as the game wore on we tired rapidly and conceded two goals in a nightmare three-minute spell. A cracking match finished honours even but having built a good lead we should really have held on for the win. Sunday 17th The Scottish Cup Final will be contested between Celtic and Kilmarnock after they both won their respective Semis. Killie fell behind to a determined St. Mirren side but came back strongly to win 2-1. Celtic had a narrow 1-0 win against Livingstone in a match in which neither side showed much in the way of attacking invention. Thursday 21st Already thinking towards re-building the squad for next season, I agreed a deal with Albion Rovers to sign 21-year-old midfielder Joe Boyle for £9K. With Danny Lennon now 36 I am hoping that Boyle will provide good cover for the key position in front of the defence. Saturday 23rd We went into the game against Elgin knowing that a win would guarantee us promotion to the Second Division. It was a game that we never looked like losing as the visitors failed to create a scoring chance for the entire 90 minutes. On the other hand our lack of a killer touch up front meant that we never really looked like winning it either. When Gavin Skelton received his second yellow card on 77 minutes it looked like our luck was out. But with less than 5 minutes remaining Townsley got free on the right, sent in a teasing cross and Bingo Bingham was there to head home. The 1-0 win ensured that at worst we would finish as runners-up and next season we would be playing Second Division football. Wednesday 27th Falkirk have appointed 36-year-old David Wilson as their new manager, having prised him away from Ljungskile in the Swedish lower leagues. Saturday 30th With just three games left to play we knew that if we could win at bottom club East Stirling then the Third Division title would be almost certain. But going a goal behind after 10 minutes certainly wasn’t in the game plan. For the next 70 minutes we subjected the Shire to intense pressure, doing everything but score. With 7 minutes remaining we finally got the goal we deserved when Townsley fired home a free kick via the defensive wall. A win for Cowdenbeath also confirmed their promotion but if we could get one point from our next two games then we would secure the league title. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 25, 2005 Author Share Posted February 25, 2005 May 2005 Sunday 1st Cowdenbeath manager Keith Wright took the managerial honours for April with his own Calvin Shand recognised as Young Player of the Month and Martin Bonnar of Queen’s Park lifting the senior award. I have to confess to feeling a twinge of satisfaction when I heard the rumours concerning East Fife boss Jim Moffat – his board are apparently losing patience with him and his days might be numbered. Saturday 7th With our final game of the season involving a trip to Cowdenbeath in a week’s time I would much rather that the title was decided today at home to Stenhousemuir. The Blue Brazil are in great form and I would not be totally confident of avoiding defeat there. A cagey first half was enlivened by a goal shortly before the interval – unfortunately it went the wrong was as far as I was concerned with the visitors taking the lead. Luckily centre back Andy Aitken found an equaliser within ten minutes of the restart when he powered home a Bingham corner. The visitors had a man sent off on the hour and I urged our players forward, looking fro the win. But with time running out a draw was on the cards until up popped Bingo to net a late winner. As things turned out a point would have been more than enough as Cowdenbeath suffered a shock 4-0 defeat at Albion Rovers. Saturday 14th With nothing left to play for our game at Cowdenbeath was almost surreal as both sides almost totally cancelled one another out. Neither keeper was unduly troubled for the entire 90 minutes and it was one of the tamest 0-0 draws that I have seen. Monday 16th The divisional awards were announced today and I was pleased to see that Mark Boyd was indeed voted Player of the Year. I received the Manager of the Year award and Townsley, Maddison and Boyd were all picked for the Team of the Year. Wednesday 18th Favourites Porto lifted the UEFA Cup, beating rank outsiders and surprise finalists Zaragoza 2-0. Sunday 22nd Centre back Patrick McCarthy received a call-up to the Ireland U-21 squad for their forthcoming matches against Israel and the Faeroe Islands. Wednesday 25th Real Madrid were crowned champions of Europe after they beat Inter in a tense Champions League Final. The match finished all square at 1-1 after extra time and Madrid held their nerve to win the dreaded penalty shootout. Saturday 28th Celtic enjoyed further cup success with a 2-1 defeat of Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup Final. Henri Camara and Bobo Balde were on target for the Celts before Craig Dargo pulled a goal back for Killie. Sunday 29th The transfer budget for next season has been set at a generous £600K but I have no plans to spend too much of that in one go. Monday 30th Young forward Gary Cohen has returned from his season-long loan spell at Workington. I am looking forward to seeing how he will do as a replacement for the ageing Bingo. Tuesday 31st I spent quite some time going over the past season, starting with the various playing stats for the squad. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Name | Apps | Gls | Ast | MoM | Pas | Tck | Drb | Sh T | Av Rat| | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Ciaran Ryan | 13 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 76% | 1.51 | 1.67 | 40% | 7.46 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Mark Boyd | 38 (2) | 6 | 13 | 4 | 83% | 1.14 | 0.66 | 38% | 7.42 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | David Bingham | 34 (1) | 8 | 8 | 4 | 84% | 1.03 | 2.06 | 40% | 7.31 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Derek Townsley | 35 (2) | 3 | 3 | 4 | 76% | 3.05 | 0.68 | 35% | 7.30 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Danny Lennon | 36 (1) | 3 | 3 | 1 | 81% | 2.17 | 0.43 | 10% | 7.27 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Ian Stevens | 25 (11) | 18 | 7 | 3 | 89% | 0.40 | 0.70 | 58% | 7.25 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Lee Maddison | 36 (1) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 75% | 3.40 | 0.41 | - | 7.24 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Martin Bell | 29 (1) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 70% | 3.31 | 0.30 | - | 7.23 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Alan Main | 46 | - | 1 | 1 | 49% | - | 0.04 | - | 7.20 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Andy Aitken | 41 (1) | 1 | 1 | - | 70% | 2.20 | 0.15 | - | 7.19 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Stephen Cosgrove | 27 (2) | 6 | 4 | 1 | 80% | 2.49 | 1.95 | 35% | 7.17 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Simon Ruddick | 7 (1) | - | - | - | 70% | 1.13 | - | - | 7.13 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Patrick McCarthy | 16 | - | 1 | 1 | 81% | 3.25 | 0.19 | - | 7.13 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Peter Ramage | 2 | - | 1 | - | 74% | 1.00 | - | - | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Marc Cleeland | 5 (2) | - | 2 | - | 67% | 0.88 | - | - | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Richard Prokas | 7 (8) | 2 | 2 | - | 71% | 2.67 | 1.44 | - | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Mark Birch | 7 (1) | - | - | - | 68% | 1.92 | 0.51 | - | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Gavin Skelton | 6 | - | - | - | 72% | 2.05 | 0.17 | - | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Ian Cummersky | 7 (10) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 86% | 0.65 | 0.44 | 46% | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Martin Cameron | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.00 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Andy Smith | 16 (8) | 6 | 1 | - | 85% | 0.59 | 0.52 | 41% | 6.92 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Joe Savage | 4 (5) | 4 | 1 | - | 86% | 0.61 | 0.61 | - | 6.89 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | David Holdsworth | 11 | - | - | - | 69% | 2.08 | - | - | 6.73 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Davie Irons | 8 (13) | 3 | 1 | - | 78% | 1.29 | 0.74 | 47% | 6.67 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Ryan Baldacchino | 16 (7) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 80% | 1.45 | 2.64 | 37% | 6.65 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | John Hore | 8 (5) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 78% | 1.95 | 0.80 | - | 6.62 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | David Wylie | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre> New signing Ciaran Ryan was a big success for us and it was a pity that his season was cut short by injury. Mark Boyd was excellent in midfield and Derek Townsley performed well both at full back and on the right of midfield. The veterans, Bingham, Lennon and Stevens all performed well and all were rewarded with a one-year contract extension. In fact Stevens ended as our top scorer with 18 goals. Lee Maddison played fairly well at left back and Martin Bell proved successful on the right of defence after his switch from the centre. Alan Main was our only ever-present, never missing a game all season and playing consistently well – he too has been given a one-year extension. Next I perused the league table at length. Scottish Third Division <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | GRETNA | 36 | 19 | 13 | 4 | 53 | 28 | +25 | 70 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | P | Cowdenbeath | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 35 | +17 | 63 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Peterhead | 36 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 57 | 49 | +8 | 58 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Albion | 36 | 17 | 4 | 15 | 57 | 42 | +15 | 55 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | East Fife | 36 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 40 | 34 | +6 | 53 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Montrose | 36 | 13 | 6 | 17 | 53 | 54 | -1 | 45 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Elgin | 36 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 42 | 52 | -10 | 44 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Queen's Park | 36 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 39 | 46 | -7 | 42 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Stenhousemuir | 36 | 11 | 9 | 16 | 39 | 52 | -13 | 42 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | East Stirling | 36 | 4 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 72 | -40 | 21 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre> Defensively we had the best record in the division and that was definitely the key to the title. Our goalscoring wasn’t as bad as I had perceived but if we could have tucked away a few more chances then we would have wrapped up the title earlier in the season. I then took some time to check out the tables from the other divisions, just to check on the final standings. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Scottish Premier League | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | Rangers | 37 | 23 | 5 | 9 | 71 | 46 | +25 | 74 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Celtic | 37 | 19 | 12 | 6 | 70 | 45 | +25 | 69 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Dundee | 37 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 63 | 55 | +8 | 55 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Hearts | 37 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 55 | 54 | +1 | 53 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Dunfermline | 37 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 50 | 54 | -4 | 52 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Motherwell | 37 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 54 | 57 | -3 | 45 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Kilmarnock | 37 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 51 | 54 | -3 | 47 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Aberdeen | 37 | 13 | 8 | 16 | 47 | 55 | -8 | 47 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Inverness CT | 37 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 51 | 60 | -9 | 44 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Hibs | 37 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 49 | 62 | -13 | 43 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Livingston | 37 | 11 | 9 | 17 | 47 | 55 | -8 | 42 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | R | Dundee Utd | 37 | 9 | 8 | 20 | 45 | 56 | -11 | 35 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Scottish First Division | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | St. Johnstone | 36 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 56 | 43 | +13 | 64 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Queen of Sth | 36 | 19 | 6 | 11 | 58 | 49 | +9 | 63 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Partick | 36 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 54 | 49 | +5 | 56 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Clyde | 36 | 16 | 7 | 13 | 50 | 46 | +4 | 55 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Raith | 36 | 16 | 6 | 14 | 51 | 48 | +3 | 54 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Falkirk | 36 | 14 | 7 | 15 | 42 | 50 | -8 | 49 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Ross County | 36 | 15 | 3 | 18 | 53 | 53 | 0 | 48 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Airdrie Utd | 36 | 13 | 5 | 18 | 52 | 51 | +1 | 44 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | R | St. Mirren | 36 | 12 | 7 | 17 | 49 | 57 | -8 | 43 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | R | Hamilton | 36 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 41 | 60 | -19 | 30 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Scottish Second Division | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | Stirling | 36 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 56 | 46 | +10 | 57 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | P | Brechin | 36 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 57 | 42 | +15 | 56 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Dumbarton | 36 | 16 | 7 | 13 | 52 | 51 | +1 | 55 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Forfar | 36 | 16 | 6 | 14 | 50 | 48 | +2 | 54 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Berwick | 36 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 53 | 51 | +2 | 52 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Stranraer | 36 | 14 | 9 | 13 | 53 | 51 | +2 | 51 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Alloa | 36 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 56 | 56 | 0 | 50 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Ayr | 36 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 50 | 57 | -7 | 47 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | R | Morton | 36 | 11 | 7 | 18 | 46 | 60 | -14 | 40 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | R | Arbroath | 36 | 12 | 3 | 21 | 40 | 51 | -11 | 39 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre> Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 26, 2005 Author Share Posted February 26, 2005 June 2005 Saturday 4th With the players and staff all starting a well-deserved break, I settled down to watch Scotland’s World Cup qualifier at home to Moldova. The home side played well and pretty much dominated play only to see the visiting keeper repel all of their scoring efforts. But with ten minutes remaining the boys at last got the goal they deserved when Steven Thompson of Rangers was on hand to sidefoot home a rebound for a crucial three points. Sunday 5th The paperwork came through today for the transfer of Joe Boyle from Albion Rovers and although the lad himself was on holiday, he is now officially a Gretna player. Tuesday 7th Patrick McCarthy gained his 4th U-21 cap when he came on as a half time substitute in Ireland’s 2-1 defeat by the Faeroe Islands. Wednesday 8th Scotland rekindled their World Cup hopes with a fine 1-0 win in Belarus, Paul Dickov of Blackburn scoring the only goal of the game in the 3rd minute. The win lifted the Scots up to second in their group, one point ahead of Slovenia. Monday 20th I was somewhat surprised to learn that veteran striker Ian Stevens was voted the Supporters Player of the Year, figuring that Mark Boyd or even club captain Bingham would have gotten the nod. Wednesday 22nd The board have set their target for the season and have informed me that they expect to be promoted from the Second Division. Ambitious – certainly. Achievable – not without bringing some new blood in. Thursday 23rd I started a bit of a clearout of the playing squad as I released several players who were very close to the end of their contract. Off went veterans Davie Irons, Andy Smith and David Wylie along with unwanted reserves Brian Gilfillan and Daniel Grainger. July 2005 Sunday 3rd Reserve keeper Craig Summersgill was released on a free transfer as the 19-year-old was never going to feature in my plans. Monday 4th I got one over on my old adversary East Fife manager Jim Moffat when I stole his best scout, Donald MacKay. Saturday 16th The season kicked off early for Hearts and Dunfermline as they tasted action in the Inter-Toto Cup. The Edinburgh side suffered a 3-1 defeat in the home leg to Boavista but the Pars are in better shape after winning 2-1 at Bochum. Tuesday 19th Scout Julian Carrera has discovered a young striker who looks interesting as a free signing and I feel that 20-year-old Rob Elvins is worth bringing in. Wednesday 20th A training injury to David Bingham disrupted our pre-season preparation and he was ruled out for several weeks with a broken shoulder. Friday 22nd We have had several reserve players on the transfer list for some time with no interest so today I terminated the contracts of goalkeeper David Mathieson, defender Ryan McGuffie and striker Kenny Deuchar. Saturday 23rd Inter-Toto time again and Hearts were unable to retrieve their tie, losing 2-1 in Portugal as Boavista racked up a comfortable 5-2 aggregate. But Dunfermline made progress, a 1-1 draw at East End Park enough to take them through against Bochum. Tuesday 26th New signing Elvins will miss the first month or so of the season after suffering strained knee ligaments in training. Wednesday 27th Celtic were in Champions League action in the 2nd qualifying round and were disappointed to concede an away goal to Albanian opposition, winning 2-1 at home to SK Tirana. Dunfermline took a step nearer to the UEFA Cup when they won in Finland, beating FC Lahti 1-0. Saturday 30th We began our defence of the Challenge Cup with a visit to Peterhead and I took the opportunity to put out a strong team to start to give my first choice players some match fitness. We took the lead through Mark Boyd but I wasn’t best pleased when we conceded two soft goals to go into the break a goal down. Worse was to follow as we conceded again and crashed out 3-1. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 27, 2005 Author Share Posted February 27, 2005 August 2005 Monday 1st The bookies released their promotion odds today and I was surprised to find that we were priced at 5-4, just behind joint favourites Hamilton and St. Mirren. I was contacted by a journalist to ask if I felt that the current squad was strong enough to gain promotion. I responded that if we could avoid injuries to key players ten it was achievable. Tuesday 2nd We made two signings today to strengthen our goalkeeping. Veteran former Hearts player Henry Smith came in as goalkeeping coach. The 49-year-old spent a season at the club a few years ago and he has also been registered as a player to provide some backup. At the other end of the age spectrum Greg Kelly is an 18-year-old prospect who could turn out to be a decent player. He was released by Aberdeen in the summer and we will see how he fares in the youth team. Wednesday 3rd Despite suffering the shock of conceding an early goal, Celtic recovered well in their Champions League tie, winning 3-1 in Albania to record a 5-2 aggregate over SK Tirana. There was Inter-Toto action too as Dunfermline won 2-0 at home to FC Lahti to go through to one of the three finals. Wednesday 10th Both halves of the Old Firm were in action in the Champions League tonight in the 3rd qualifying round. Celtic had a good 2-1 win at Basel and Rangers also were victorious, 2-0 at Red Star. In the Inter-Toto Dunfermline had a tough draw against Tottenham and acquitted themselves well in the first leg, holding the Premiership side to a 0-0 draw. Thursday 11th Kilmarnock managed a 2-1 win at home to MyPa of Finland in the 2nd qualifying round of the UEFA Cup but might yet regret conceding a late away goal. Saturday 13th Our league campaign began with a trip to Dumbarton and although Bingham was back in full training he was nowhere fit enough to even put on the bench. There wasn’t much to choose between the teams in terms of possession or chances but they took advantage of their opportunities better than we did and they won 2-1. We didn’t do a lot wrong as far as I could see, although I would have to say that Alan Main could possibly have dealt better with their second goal. After the game Dumbarton manager Mickey Weir was quick to talk to the press, crowing about his team’s win and casting doubts on our promotion credentials. I made a fairly low-key response echoing my belief that we still had a decent chance of going up. Monday 15th Striker Martin Cameron surprised me today by asking to be placed on the transfer list. Not one to have unhappy players in the squad I agreed to his request. Saturday 20th Bingo was back in the starting lineup for the visit of Alloa but it was the performance of Mark Boyd in midfield that was the catalyst for our good 2-0 win. It seems that Mickey Weir’s comments have spurred the lad on to greater efforts and he was immense today. Having created the first goal for Ian Stevens and scored the second himself he was fully deserving of his Man of the Match award. It was also comforting to see Alan Main put in a solid display after looking somewhat shaky in our first two games. Sunday 21st I had another transfer request put on my desk today as young centre back Peter Ramage asked for a move. Wednesday 24th Both Rangers and Celtic built on their victories in the away legs of the Champions League games by winning at home to move into the group stage. Celtic beat Basel 2-0 and Rangers recorded the same scoreline over Red Star. However Dunfermline fell at the final hurdle in the Inter-Toto, slumping to a 3-0 defeat at Spurs. Thursday 25th Kilmarnock progressed in the UEFA Cup as a 1-1 draw in Finland took them to a 3-2 aggregate win over MyPa. Friday 26th Porto held their nerve to win a penalty shootout against Real Madrid in the European Super Cup. The game finished tied at one apiece at the end of normal time but the UEFA Cup holders saw off their Spanish neighbours in the penalty lottery. Saturday 27th Alan Main earned his corn in the trip to Forfar, pulling off a string of fine saves to keep us in the game. The 0-0 scoreline favoured us somewhat as the home side made most of the running. The good news was that we could welcome back Joe Savage after his serious head injury. He took a seat on the bench but came on for the last 15 minutes in place of Bingham. Hamilton recorded their 3rd straight win to confirm their status as promotion favourites and we are one of a host of teams on four points. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spav Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 Well done on the Division 3 Championship. The season after a promotion is always a good test of a side's abilities. I'll be following your Division 2 form closely, Bob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorg Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Its good to see that you are replicating real life, apart from Kenny Deuchar of course! I live about 20 mins from Gretna so it is interesting to read how they are getting on, liking it so far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 3, 2005 Author Share Posted March 3, 2005 Thanks chaps. Jorg - I may have missed a trick with Kenny. I didn't realise that he was scoring for fun IRL and as he hadn't done much in the reserves I decided to let him go. September 2005 Thursday 1st It was no surprise to see Hamilton boss Allan Maitland win the Manager of the Month with his own Scott Tunbridge taking the senior player award. The Australian striker has found the net 4 times in his team’s 3 league games thus far. Young Cowdenbeath striker Liam Buchanan took the junior prize having scored three times in three league games. Saturday 3rd Scotland did remarkably well to hold group leaders Italy to a goalless draw at Hampden in their World Cup qualifier, a result that keeps them in the runners-up spot in the group. Tuesday 6th As coincidence would have it we had to make the long trip north to Forfar once again for a League Cup tie. I fielded the second string to give them a run out and they were unfortunate to lose 2-1. Wednesday 7th Scotland were in World Cup action again and suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat in Norway. Despite the loss they remain second in the group with two games remaining. Saturday 10th We put in our best display of the season so far at home to Berwick, enjoying a good deal of the ball and creating a good number of chances. Captain Bingham finally gave us the lead with 25 minutes remaining but ten minutes later we were caught in the break and conceded an equaliser. With time running out we grabbed a stoppage time winner when Bingo scored again to give us a deserved win. Tuesday 13th Celtic got off to a dreadful start in their Champions League group, suffering a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at Benfica. Wednesday 14th Rangers suffered an almost identical fate to that of their great rivals when they too returned from Portugal defeated, Porto winning 3-1. Thursday 15th There was more bad news for the domestic game in The UEFA Cup. Dundee entered the competition in the 3rd qualifying round and lost 2-1 at home to Deportivo whilst Kilmarnock recorded an identical scoreline in their home tie with Levski of Bulgaria. Saturday 17th We seem to be starting to find our feet now and we put in another good display at Stranraer and had we put our chances away we would surely have won. As it was Ian Steven’s first half goal was cancelled out late on and we had to settle for a 1-1 draw. Saturday 24th A fit-again Rob Elvins made his first start of the season and he marked his debut with the equalising goal in our 1-1 draw with St. Mirren. The visitors took an early lead but for most of the game we matched them all over the pitch and on chances created we could have won. Tuesday 27th Rangers suffered another crushing defeat in the Champions League, losing 3-0 at home to Inter as the Italian giants showed their class. Wednesday 28th Celtic saw an improvement in their fortunes with a good 2-0 win at home to Rosenborg to give their Champions League hopes a boost. The 2nd round of the League Cup produced one major upset as Third Division Montrose recorded a stunning 3-1 win over SPL side St. Johnstone. Thursday 29th Dundee and Kilmarnock both bowed out of the UEFA Cup prior to the group stages. Dundee lost 2-0 at Deportivo for a 4-0 aggregate defeat but Kilmarnock put up quite a fight in Bulgaria. The game finished 2-1 in their favour, the 3-3 aggregate meaning that extra time was required. Unfortunately Levski found the winner in the second extra period to win the tie overall. Friday 30th It has been a busy month for the coaches as we have had a number of free agents in on trial and after an initial assessment we have agreed contracts with the following. Scott Bannerman (26) – a former Hibs and Morton player, he can play at the back or in midfield and is primarily right sided. Simon Rusk (23) – released by Boston United he is a similar player to Bannerman but tends to operate on the left. Steven McGregor (20) – spent a season at Stenhousemuir before being let go and will provide cover in central midfield. Steven Hampshire (25) – the former Dunfermline player had spells at Brechin and East Fife and is a hard working forward. Nicky McDonald (19) – released by Dundee United the youngster might develop into a decent midfield prospect. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMDave Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 All the best in the Second Division. Still a very enjoyable read Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fergusdacat7 Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 Really enjoying Bobev. Good luck in div 2. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 4, 2005 Author Share Posted March 4, 2005 Thanks a lot chaps[/b] October 2005 Saturday 1st St. Mirren manager Gus McPherson was voted Manager of the Month for September as his team began to look more like promotion contenders. Ayr swept the playing awards with veteran striker Paul Ritchie and young winger Ryan Wilkie taking the honours. We entertained the team in 3rd place and manager Billy Reid tried to exert some pressure with a claim that his side were confident of a win. The game itself was a close encounter indeed and the loss of striker Elvins after half an hour was crucial. We failed to take our chances and were made to pay when Ayr top scorer Ritchie got the only goal of the game. Saturday 8th Young keeper Craig Gordon was apportioned most of the blame for Scotland’s 3-2 defeat at home to Belarus in their critical World Cup qualifier. The 22-year-old, who now plays his football at Mallorca in Spain, was singled out for criticism after he conceded twice in the first 20 minutes. The Scots fought back to square the game but a late penalty condemned them to a defeat that virtually kills off their chances of a playoff place. Wednesday 12th Scotland’s World Cup fate was sealed when they slumped to a 2-1 loss in Slovenia. Italy were comfortable group winners and Norway took second place and entered the playoffs. Saturday 15th Our visit to newly promoted Cowdenbeath ended in disappointment as, despite outshooting our opponents we once again failed to score and suffered a 2-0 defeat. Elvins picked up a knock for the second game in succession and replacement Savage was none too effective. With Bingham struggling with a training injury, Hampshire came in for his first start but he too picked up a knock and will miss a week or so. Tuesday 18th Rangers suffered their 3rd defeat in three games in the Champions League, losing 2-0 at Werder Bremen and they prop up the rest with little hope of progression. Wednesday 19th But for the heroics of young keeper David Marshall, Celtic’s 1-0 defeat at FC Bayern would have been considerably heavier. The 20-year-old was in sparkling form between the posts and was rightly commended as Man of the Match. Saturday 22nd We travelled to bottom club Alloa really needing a win to get our confidence back up but it would have to be obtained without Bingham and Hampshire, both players on the injury list. So Gary Cohen was drafted in from the reserves for his first start of the season. He certainly impressed and has made a claim for a more regular role in the team. We got the win we needed, Ciaran Ryan scoring both goals in our 2-0 victory. Saturday 29th We entertained runaway leaders Hamilton today and I was pretty pleased with the result. We outplayed them for the majority of the game and with a bit more composure in front of goal we could have gained an impressive win. As it was Ryan’s early goal was cancelled out midway through the first half and we had to be content with a 1-1 draw. Sunday 30th There was a high-profile managerial sacking today when Hearts fired manager Craig Levein. His team were struggling in 10th place in the SPL and the press speculation suggests that Walter Smith heads the list of potential replacements. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 6, 2005 Author Share Posted March 6, 2005 November 2005 Tuesday 1st Ray Stewart of Forfar was October’s Manager of the month after lifting his team to 2nd place in the table. His own young left back Adam Gross and midfielder Pat Keogh of Hamilton received the playing awards. Celtic restored a modicum of pride in the Champions League by holding FC Bayern to a 1-1 draw in Glasgow, although once again they relied on keeper Marshall to hold on to the point. They still have hopes of qualifying but a UEFA Cup slot looks more realistic. Wednesday 2nd Rangers also had success at home to German opposition, gaining their first points in the group with a 2-0 win at home to Werder Bremen. Given that those two will be fighting out the UEFA Cup place then it could be a crucial win for the Gers. Saturday 5th The visit of Dumbarton presented us with a very nice 2-0 win courtesy of goals from Cohen and Stevens. If our attack could be that productive every game we would surely be challenging for promotion rather than in 4th place, ten points behind Hamilton. Mind you the leaders had a major hiccup today, going down to a 5-1 thumping at Cowdenbeath. Sunday 6th Ross County were the surprise winners of the Challenge Cup, beating fancied Dundee United 2-0. Saturday 12th The first legs of the World Cup playoffs took place today with Bulgaria winning 2-1 in Bosnia, Norway gaining a good 3-1 victory in Russia and Georgia doing well to get a 1-1 draw in the Czech Republic. Wednesday 16th The bookies were right – Walter Smith is the new man in charge at Hearts. Having been out of the game for some time the 57-year-old is said to be delighted to have day-to-day involvement in football once more. The final World Cup qualifiers from Europe were decided – Bulgaria built on the first-leg lead with a 3-1 home win, a 2-2 draw was good enough for Norway and the Czechs won 2-0 away from home to go through. Saturday 19th I expected a hard game when form team Forfar came to town so our 2-1 win was a real bonus. We played pretty well and young Cohen has made a difference to the team. So much so that Bingo is going to find it difficult to get his place back. Steven Cosgrove made his first appearance of the season as a substitute and he netted what proved to be the winner in the second half. We were a goal to the good by that time as Stevens had scored in the first period. But the visitors pulled one back and Cosgrove’s goal proved vital. Cowdenbeath continued their assault on Division Two defences with a 6-1 defeat of Alloa and Hamilton slipped to their second successive defeat when they lost at home to Dumbarton. Tuesday 22nd Rangers were involved in an enthralling contest against Porto in their Champions League group. Playing at Ibrox, they mounted a fantastic fightback to recover from 3-1 down, scoring four unanswered goals to win 5-3. After an appalling start in the group they now look set to at least get a place in the UEFA Cup and could even grab the second qualification place. Wednesday 23rd Unfortunately for them, Celtic were unable to emulate the exploits of their great rivals as they faced Portuguese opposition in Glasgow and Benfica were comfortable 3-0 winners. They now must avoid defeat in their final game at Rosenborg to clinch 3rd place and a UEFA Cup spot. Saturday 26th We made the relatively short journey to Berwick in good spirits and returned feeling slightly fortunate that we had gained a point. The home keeper kept our attack at bay with some fine saves and had his teammate Lee Howlett not struck the bar with his penalty just after half time then he would have gained his team a useful win. As it was the game ended scoreless but not for the want of trying on both sides. A 3rd successive defeat for Hamilton and a surprise loss for Cowdenbeath is keeping the table competitive and we remain 4th, three points outside the promotion places. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 8, 2005 Author Share Posted March 8, 2005 December 2005 Thursday 1st I was surprised to say the least when I was presented with the Manager of the Month award for November. Player of the Month was central defender Robbie Horn of Berwick and striker Liam Gibb of Forfar was again the recipient of the Young Players award. Saturday 3rd We played quite poorly in our home game against Stranraer, not showing any attacking fluency and creating very few scoring opportunities. The visitors were solid at the back and broke forward to some effect, profiting when one of our attacks broke down to score the only goal of the game. An injury to Ciaran Ryan didn’t help our cause and we will miss a game or two with a strained neck. Sunday 4th It came as a shock when I was informed that Northampton Town of League Two in England were interested in talking to me about their managerial vacancy but I had no hesitation in turning down their offer as I was in no hurry to move away from Gretna. Tuesday 6th Celtic failed in their attempt to secure 3rd place in their Champions League group as they suffered a poor 2-1 defeat at Rosenborg. Wednesday 7th A thumping 4-0 defeat at Inter ruined any lingering hopes Rangers had of taking the runner-up place but they did manage to finish 3rd and fell into the UEFA Cup safety net. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">GROUP A | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Q | CSKA Moscow | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 7 | +3 | 12 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Q | PSV | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 11 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Valencia | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 6 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Paris | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 5 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| GROUP B | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Q | FC Bayern | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 14 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Q | Benfica | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 10 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Rosenborg | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 6 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Celtic | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 4 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| GROUP C | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Q | Chelsea | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 2 | +8 | 15 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Q | Juventus | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 4 | +7 | 15 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Anderlecht | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 12 | -4 | 4 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Fenerbahçe | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 17 | -11 | 1 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| GROUP D | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Q | Arsenal | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 15 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Q | Milan | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 9 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Leverkusen | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 11 | -5 | 4 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Panathinaikos | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | -7 | 3 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| GROUP E | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Q | Roma | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 4 | +8 | 12 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Q | Barcelona | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 9 | +2 | 9 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Liverpool | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 7 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Lyon | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 13 | -11 | 2 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| GROUP F | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Q | Inter | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 | +15 | 18 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Q | Porto | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 11 | +1 | 9 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Rangers | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 15 | -7 | 6 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Werder Bremen | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 12 | -9 | 3 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| GROUP G | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Q | Banik Ostrava | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 6 | +3 | 12 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Q | Ajax | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 7 | +3 | 11 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Club Brugge | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 11 | -2 | 7 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Young Boys | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 13 | -4 | 4 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| GROUP H | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Q | Man Utd | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 4 | +9 | 16 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Q | Sporting | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 8 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | R. Madrid | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Wisla | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 12 | -9 | 4 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre> Saturday 10th We played the majority of the game at St. Mirren against ten men after young midfielder Gary Gillespie was sent off just ten minutes into the game. Despite our advantage we made heavy weather of it and the 3-1 win flattered us a little. The fact that Alan Main was voted Man of the Match indicated just how active the home attack was. We took the lead after half an hour when Townsley scored his first of the season but were pegged back before half time. Ian Stevens put us back in front shortly after the restart when he intercepted a poor backpass to round the keeper and score. He made the game safe with 20 minutes remaining with a classic route one goal – he ran on to a long kick from Main before controlling the ball and firing home. Saturday 17th With Ayr boss Billy Reid having been mouthing off in the papers once more about how his team will put a dent in our promotion hopes, it was doubly satisfying to record a 1-0 win over them on their own turf. Ian Stevens got the only goal of an even contest and Alan Main once again showed his worth with another very good performance between the sticks. Wednesday 21st Our Scottish Cup campaign was over before it began after we suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat at home to Dumbarton. I altered the team completely, filling it with second choice players to give them some playing time. Sadly they didn’t gel – not too surprising really given that they are not used to playing with one another. What was disappointing though was that not one of the players stood out as worthy of challenging for the first team which gives me cause for concern. Saturday 24th Dunfermline manager David Hay was given an early Christmas present by his club but unfortunately for him the sack he received did not contain any presents! After an excellent 4th place finish last season, the Pars sat just one point off bottom and Hay has paid the price. Monday 26th I’ve never been a fan of the Boxing Day fixture but at least today we played at home with Cowdenbeath, the other promoted team and surprise promotion challengers, the visitors. Keith Wright has done a great job with his team again this season and I knew that we would have a tough game. 39-year-old Ian Stevens has seen off the challenge of the young bucks and he once again underlined his importance to us by scoring both goals in our excellent 2-1 win. It was a very valuable win and moved us into a promotion place for the first time this season. 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BobBev Posted March 9, 2005 Author Share Posted March 9, 2005 January 2006 Sunday 1st Mickey Weir of Dumbarton took December’s managerial award with his own forward Roy O’Donovan our own Ian Stevens lifting the playing awards. Wednesday 4th We started the new year with an away game at leaders Hamilton, an encounter that would speak volumes of our ability to make a serious push not just for promotion, but also for the league title. The runaway leaders in the early part of the season, they have been dropping points recently and with 5 defeats they have actually lost a game more than we have. We were just three points behind them going into the game and I didn’t want the gap to move to six. As it turned out, Hamilton looked a shadow of the formidable team that we saw at the start of the season and we racked up a very good 3-0 win. Mark Boyd, David Bingham and Ian Stevens all scored as we outshot our opponents 3 to 1 and we moved to the top of the table on goal difference. Friday 6th We have managed to avoid too many injuries to first team players so far but today left back Lee Maddison turned his ankle in training resulting in a nasty sprain that will sideline him for a month or so. Saturday 7th Having clawed our way to the top of the table we could find ourselves quickly dislodged if we don’t get a win at Dumbarton. Mickey Weir isn’t my biggest fan and his side are something of a bogey team for us, having won two out of our three encounters this season. I had to make a few changes to rest some tired legs and it showed as we lost 2-0. Perhaps my lack of confidence transmitted itself to the players for we didn’t play with our usual style. But having checked the other results things didn’t look so bad as both Hamilton and Cowdenbeath could only draw. The table was becoming very congested and any of the top 7 could be in the mix at the end of the season. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Hamilton | 19 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 31 | 24 | +7 | 33 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | GRETNA | 19 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 23 | 15 | +8 | 32 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Cowdenbeath | 19 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 31 | 22 | +9 | 29 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | St. Mirren | 19 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 27 | 22 | +5 | 29 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Dumbarton | 19 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 23 | 29 | -6 | 29 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Forfar | 19 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 30 | 20 | +10 | 28 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Berwick | 19 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 26 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Stranraer | 19 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 19 | 22 | -3 | 23 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Ayr | 19 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 23 | 24 | -1 | 21 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Alloa | 19 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 10 | 39 | -29 | 8 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre> Saturday 14th We had a weekend off because of Scottish Cup games and even though our own participation was well and truly over I still took time to follow the results. The biggest surprise was the defeat of First Division Falkirk by Highland League club Forres Mechanics with a 2-1 scoreline. I also notice that a couple of SPL teams bit the dust – Inverness Caledonian lost 2-1 at home to Queen of the South and Motherwell suffered the same fate in their tie with Airdrie United. Sunday 15th In spite of his Cup success Queen of the South boss Ian Scott was booted out by Chairman David Rae. After challenging for a place in the SPL last season, their current 6th place in the table wasn’t good enough for the Board. According to the press speculation I am the favourite for the position so perhaps I’ll get a phone call. Monday 16th Having kept fairly clear of injuries for a while that trend seemed to be on the decline as impressive centre back Patrick McCarthy fractured his jaw in training and required at least a 3-week layoff. A groin strain for Derek Townsley completed a double whammy and he would be missing for a fortnight. Thursday 19th I was given a difficult decision to make when Leyton Orient submitted a £5K bid for midfielder Mark Boyd. His contract expired in the summer and negotiations on a renewal have collapsed as his wage demands are way too high. Our Chairman may be a millionaire but he has put in place a strict wage structure and we have no room for manoeuvre. I finally concluded that we should accept the offer as we would almost certainly lose him in the summer anyway. The risk was that his absence would derail our promotion bid but I hoped that we had enough cover to ensure that didn’t happen. Saturday 21st The visit of bottom club Alloa should have been a guaranteed three-pointer but I have to say that we made heavy weather of it before scraping a 1-0 win courtesy of a goal from Stephen Cosgrove. Sunday 22nd The Celtic Board are clearly desperate for quick success and despite being in charge for less than 12 months, manger David Moyes was shown the door as his team are 3rd in the SPL, five points behind deadly rivals Rangers. Friday 27th Celtic have wasted no time in appointing a new manager with former FC Kobenhavn boss Hans Backe taking up the challenge. It remains to be seen how long he will last but I suspect that unless his team can overhaul Rangers to capture the title he will go the way of his predecessors. Saturday 28th A bright start in our game at Forfar was undone when we conceded shortly before half time. We looked a bit tired in the second half as we struggled to get back on terms but we played some decent football. Unfortunately we conceded a second with some poor defending of a corner right at the end of normal time. Bingham pulled a goal back in stoppage time but it was too little too late and we suffered a 2-1 defeat. Ian Cummersky played well in midfield and I can’t say that the loss was due to Boyd’s departure. Sunday 29th Having started the season as promotion favourites, St. Mirren’s failure to live up to expectations has spelt the end of the road for manager Gus MacPherson. They sit in 7th place and would need quite a turnaround if they are to rescue their season. Tuesday 31st Former Southampton manager Gordon Strachan has been unveiled as the new Dunfermline manager. A popular appointment amongst the fans, he will be hoping to make an immediate impression and get his team moving in the right direction. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorg Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Should be an interesting run-in. Have you been at all tempted by any of the job offers? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 14, 2005 Author Share Posted March 14, 2005 I have been tempted Jorg but I'm staying put for the moment February 2006 Wednesday 1st Neill Watt of Stranraer lifted the Manager of the Month award after his team won three of their four league games in January. Berwick midfielder Gordon Forrest was Player of the Month and Ayr centre back John Knox took the junior prize. Saturday 4th A sluggish performance at home to Berwick ended scoreless as for some reason neither side was able to create much going forward. The loss of two points dropped us out of the promotion places and Forfar moved above us. Wednesday 8th St. Mirren have appointed a new manager as former Stafford Rangers boss Patrick Darkey takes over. Saturday 11th I decided to make a couple of changes for the trip to Stranraer bringing Gary Cohen in to play behind the front man and introducing Steven Cosgrove into central midfield. Cohen did make a difference and he scored both goals in our 2-0 win. A defeat for Forfar at leaders Hamilton moved us back into second place. Rangers crashed out of the Scottish Cup, suffering a 4-1 mauling at Hibs. Kilmarnock lost 2-0 at home to First Division Raith and the brave Forres Mechanic dream was ended 3-1 at St.Johnstone. Wednesday 15th There was another managerial candidate as former Gretna boss Rowan Alexander was dismissed from Alloa with his team rock bottom of Division Two. Thursday 16th Rangers made up for their Scottish Cup disappointment with a terrific win the UEFA Cup, beating Athletic Bilbao 4-1 in the home leg of their tie. Dado Prso netted a hat trick in a 15 minutes spell in the first half to stun the visitors. Friday 17th Alloa wasted no time in appointing a new manager with former Southport boss Gary Crosby taking charge at Recreation Park. Saturday 18th Despite creating a number of good scoring opportunities in our game at home to St. Mirren, visiting keeper Allan Creer kept his goal intact with some excellent saves and the game ended goalless. With Forfar gaining a 3-2 win in their big game at Dumbarton they move above us again on goal difference. Although we had the meanest defence in the division, goalscoring remained a problem for us and our goals for column was on of the lowest in the league. If we could find more success on that front without weakening our defence then we would have a great chance of going up. Monday 20th I finally got the rumoured phone call from Queen of the South Chairman David Rae asking if I would be interested in the vacant managerial position in Dumfries. I have to confess that I gave it some serious consideration but decided to stay put and see if we couldn’t secure a spot in the First Division. Thursday 23rd A 1-1 draw in Bilbao was more than enough for Rangers to move into the next round of the UEFA Cup. Saturday 25th During the visit of relegation-threatened Ayr we once again faced a goalie in fine form as Lee Robinson made some great stops to keep his team in the game. We finally got the winning goal with less than 5 minutes remaining when Gary Cohen was picked out superbly by Lennon, sprung the offside trap with the timing of his run and fired powerfully home. Sunday 26th Following the sacking of Raith manager Claude Anelka I was approached by several journalists suggesting that I was the favourite to replace him and asking for my reaction. I decided that a simple “no comment†was the best answer at this point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 15, 2005 Author Share Posted March 15, 2005 March 2006 Wednesday 1st Forfar’s Ray Stewart was the deserved recipient of another managerial award with Hamilton left winger Ricky Waddell and Dumbarton midfielder Roy O’Donovan taking the playing awards. Saturday 4th Outplayed and outthought – that was the story of our trip to Cowdenbeath. After a goalless first half during which the home side threatened to score on several occasions, we suffered a truly miserable second 45 minutes. Not that we didn’t get forward ourselves, but our finishing was dire with not a single attempt on target all afternoon. If I can’t do something about our lack of goals then our promotion challenge could well collapse. Thursday 9th The UEFA Cup is now at the last-16 stage and Rangers chances of progression took a dip following a 1-1 draw at home to Deportivo. Friday 10th The rumoured approach from Raith materialised today when I was offered the vacant managerial post. After some consideration I turned down the offer, preferring to stay at Raydale Park, at least for the time being. Saturday 11th The visit of leaders Hamilton was probably our biggest game of the season so far – a defeat would seriously dent our promotion prospects whilst a win would not only be a great confidence booster but would also put us back in the thick of the title challenge. Striker Brian Wake has been showing some decent for in the reserves and getting amongst the goals so I decided to give him a start in an attempt to rejuvenate our faltering attack. This proved to be a good decision in that he scored our only goal of the game. The problem was that the visitors scored twice themselves and we lost 2-1. The defeat dropped us down to 4th place and allowed Cowdenbeath to jump into the second promotion spot. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Hamilton | | 27 | 16 | 4 | 7 | 44 | 30 | +14 | 52 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Cowdenbeath | | 27 | 13 | 6 | 8 | 48 | 29 | +19 | 45 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Forfar | | 27 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 44 | 31 | +13 | 44 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | GRETNA | | 27 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 29 | 22 | +7 | 43 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre> Queen of the South have landed themselves a place in the Semi Finals of the Scottish Cup with a 1-0 defeat of Raith and they joined SPL sides Hibs, Celtic and Livingston in the last four. Thursday 16th Rangers bowed out of the UEFA Cup after a 2-0 defeat at Deportivo. Saturday 18th The fixture list contained a couple of key games today as Cowdenbeath hosted Hamilton and we entertained Dumbarton. Fortunately both games ended in our favour – an early goal from Wake gave us a 1-0 win and Hamilton took the points with a 2-1 victory. This lifted us up a place at the expense of Cowdenbeath and a win for Forfar moved them up to second place. Yet another defeat for Alloa confirmed their relegation and with only 8 points they are on target for a new Division Two record. Steven Cosgrove was a key figure for us in the game and he now seems to be settling in to the central midfield position and making a good replacement for the departed Boyd. Sunday 19th Livingston were having a great season in the Cup competitions and they secured the first significant trophy in the history of the club with a 2-1 defeat of Celtic in the League Cup Final. They fell behind to a Chris Sutton goal early in the game but fought back superbly to get the win. Their goalscoring heroes on the day were winger Edgaras Chesnauskis and striker Marc Libbra. Thursday 23rd Billy Stark has confirmed rumours that he will be leaving Queen’s Park to take up the reins at Queen of the South. Saturday 25th Brian Wake was suspended for the trip to Alloa and replacement Rob Elvins scored the only goal of the game in our 1-0 win. Our opponents didn’t play like a team that was already relegated and had the converted their first-half penalty then the result could have been quite different. But we missed a spot kick of our own in the second period when Ciaran Ryan had his attempt saved. The penalty save wasn’t the only contribution that Alan Main made and his Man of the Match award was recognition of his contribution to the win. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 16, 2005 Author Share Posted March 16, 2005 April 2006 Saturday 1st Hamilton boss Allan Maitland landed the March managerial award after he arrested his team’s slide and got their title challenge firmly back on course. Midfielder Gordon Forrest of Berwick and young centre back Ryan Townsend of Forfar won the playing awards. Every game was vital from now on and today was no exception with second place Forfar the visitors. It was clearly a must-win match for us if we were to maintain our promotion challenge. Alas, a very tight game ended in a 1-0 defeat and we dropped down to 4th place. This was not well received by the Board and given their expectation of promotion they made it clear that we had to turn things around, and quickly. Saturday 8th Having had my card well and truly marked, the trip to Berwick could well be the last that I take with the team – anything short of a win could well seal my fate. We had been working on a few tactical ideas during the week to try to open up the opposition a little more and today it all seemed to click. The boys really went out and played for me and we ran out 5-1 winners with easily our best performance of the season. Nicky McDonald was on fire, creating four of our goals, Rob Elvins scored twice with Gary Cohen, Andy Aitken and substitute Steven McGregor bagging one each. Sunday 9th Having silenced the Board, at least for the time being, the sackings of Billy Reid by Ayr and Mark Shanks by Arbroath both served as a clear reminder that the job tenure of a football manager can be brought to an end very abruptly. Wednesday 12th Queen’s Park announced that Jim Blyth would be leaving his position as Assistant Manager at Halifax to take over as their new boss. Saturday 15th After such a good performance the previous week I decided against making an changes to the team for the visit of Stranraer. It was too much to expect a repeat of last week but nonetheless the 1-1 draw was a disappointment, and with the top two having a goalless draw in their meeting we missed a great chance to close the gap. The table remained very tight but with only four games left to play we were running out of matches. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Hamilton | | 32 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 52 | 37 | +15 | 60 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Forfar | | 32 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 51 | 34 | +17 | 55 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Cowdenbeath | | 32 | 15 | 8 | 9 | 53 | 33 | +20 | 53 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | GRETNA | | 32 | 15 | 8 | 9 | 37 | 25 | +12 | 53 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | Dumbarton | | 32 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 48 | 45 | +3 | 52 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre> Sunday 16th Hibs finally ended the great cup run of Queen of the South when they won their Semi Final 2-1. The underdogs gave the favourites a scare with a goal after two minutes but the Premiership side were too strong and the fought back for the win. Wednesday 19th In the second Semi Final Livingston came back from a goal down to Celtic to take a 2-1 lead but a Didier Agathe strike 20 minutes from time squared the scores and the two will go to a replay. Saturday 22nd We travelled to St. Mirren with one change to the team – John Hore coming in on the left of midfield instead of Ciaran Ryan. I was hoping to use John’s pace to trouble the home defence but he wasn’t a huge factor in the game. It was Lee Maddison’s set piece ability that was key to our fine 3-0 win as he tucked a way two free kicks in the first half. Rob Elvins scored the third to give us a comfortable half time advantage that we were able to maintain without too many scares at the back. Other results went in our favour with Cowdenbeath losing and Forfar drawing and we were now in 3rd place behind the highlanders on goal difference. Sunday 23rd Celtic gained a 2-1 win over Livingston in their Scottish Cup replay and booked their place in the final with Hibs. Monday 24th There was another managerial casualty today as Peterhead boss Iain Stewart was asked to pack up his desk and be on his way. Wednesday 26th English teams have had great success in the Champions League this season and made up three of the four teams in the Semi Finals. Chelsea had a resounding 4-0 win at home to Arsenal in the London derby but Man United have it all to do in Rome after a 1-1 draw with Roma. Thursday 27th Both of the UEFA Cup Semis featured Spain v. Germany encounters with Leverkusen winning 1-0 at Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid beating Schalke 04 2-0. Saturday 29th In our trip to Ayr we were facing a team staring relegation in the face and with no manager in charge so I was confident of getting a win. But you never know in football and a cornered animal is often at its most dangerous. I brought Ciaran Ryan back in for this match and it proved to be a good decision as he scored twice in our fine 4-0 win. He also laid on a goal for Rob Elvins and was voted Man of the Match. Lee Maddison added a late 4th with a trademark free kick to give our goal difference a boost. The scoreline proved to be enough to lift us above Forfar and into second position. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 May 2006 Monday 1st Dumbarton have been on good form recently and manager Mickey Weir won the April award on the back of four wins out of five. His young centre back Stuart Wall won the junior player’s award with our own Lee Maddison triumphing in the senior version. Wednesday 3rd A goalless draw at Highbury was more than enough for Chelsea to reach the Champions League Final. Their opponents will be Roma after the tightest of games against Man United. The home side took the lead with half an hour remaining but United equalised with just minutes remaining to force extra time. With no further goals forthcoming the tie was decided on penalties with the Italians triumphing. Thursday 4th It will be an all-Spanish, and indeed an all-Madrid, final in the UEFA Cup. Real lost the away leg at Schalke 2-1 but went through 3-2 on aggregate with Michael Owen scoring their crucial goal in the 90th minute. Atletico produced a great fightback in Leverkusen, winning 3-2 on the night to go through on away goals. Friday 5th Former Queen of the South boss Ian Scott has been unveiled as the new man in charge at Peterhead. Saturday 6th Our penultimate game of the season is at home to Cowdenbeath, our fellow promotees to this division. Their own promotion challenge has faltered recently and they are now out of the race but they could still have a big say in who actually goes up. With our final game at Champions-elect Hamilton, it is crucial that we get maximum points today. We struggled in the first 45 minutes, looking ragged and out of sorts, but we still reached the break a goal to the good. Gary Cohen took advantage of some confusion in the visiting defence following a Cosgrove throw and lashed the ball home right at the end of the half. Boosted by that we played much better in the second period, and Man of the Match Cohen was on target again to give us an invaluable 2-0 win. The other key results have set up a nail-biting conclusion to the season – Hamilton had a shock 4-1 defeat at St. Mirren and Forfar beat Ayr 3-0. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | Hamilton | | 35 | 19 | 7 | 9 | 55 | 41 | +14 | 64 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | Forfar | | 35 | 17 | 11 | 7 | 58 | 37 | +21 | 62 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | GRETNA | | 35 | 18 | 8 | 9 | 46 | 25 | +21 | 62 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre> The state of play now meant that if we won at Hamilton then we would be promoted – otherwise we were depending on Forfar’s result at home to Berwick. Saturday 13th We would face our final challenge without one of our most influential players as centre back Andy Aitken had not recovered from a training ground injury in time to make the team so Peter Ramage would have to start. We played really well in the first half and got off to a great start when Cohen scored inside the first quarter of an hour. Elvins came up with a second on 25 minutes and we were looking really good. But within a few minutes of the restart Ramage was caught out for pace when a long clearance went over his head and he hauled back a Hamilton player. The referee decided that he was the last man and off he went – down to ten men with 40 minutes remaining. I sacrificed Cohen to bring on Simon Ruddick in defence and we settled down to try to hold on. The home side began to exert some pressure but we held firm and looked capable of breaking upfield. With 20 minutes remaining we witnessed that rare event, a Cosgrove goal after a decisive break to put us 3-0 ahead. That’s the way the score remained and at full time I knew that we were promoted. When the result came in from Station Park, both sets of fans went wild – a 0-0 draw meant that we were unlikely champions and Hamilton took second place. Monday 15th It’s award time again and Martin Bell and Patrick McCarthy were both elected to the Second Division Team of the Year. I was surprised to find that I won the Manager of the Year and Berwick midfielder Gordon Forrest was Player of the Year. Wednesday 17th In the UEFA Cup Madrid derby, underdogs Atletico triumphed over neighbours Real, winning 2-1 in an open and entertaining game. Wednesday 24th Chelsea were crowned Champions Of Europe when they beat Roma 2-1 in a tense encounter in Rotterdam. All of the goals came in a dramatic closing 20 minutes with Ricardo Calvarho and Mateja Kezman the goal heroes for the Blues. Saturday 27th Favourites Celtic proved to be too strong for Hibs as they lifted the Scottish with a 3-1 victory to complete a league and cup double. Stilian Petrov fired them in front early in the game but Hibs struck back through talented youngster Garry O’Connor. Stephen Pearson put Celtic back in front ten minutes before the interval and John Hartson secured the trophy with a goal 15 minutes from time. Wednesday 31st I spent quite some time going over the past season, starting with the various playing stats for the squad. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Name | Apps | Gls | Ast | MoM | Pas | Tck | Drb | Sh T | Av Rat| |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Lee Maddison | 26 (1)| 3 | 1 | 1 | 75% | 3.62 | 0.27 | 52% | 7.44 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Martin Bell | 32 | - | - | 1 | 68% | 3.92 | 0.25 | - | 7.41 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Patrick McCarthy | 31 | - | - | - | 69% | 2.97 | 0.10 | - | 7.39 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Gary Cohen | 18 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 81% | 1.00 | 2.11 | 50% | 7.33 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Andy Aitken | 34 | 1 | - | - | 72% | 2.71 | 0.12 | - | 7.29 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Derek Townsley | 21 (3)| 1 | 5 | 1 | 81% | 1.95 | 2.05 | 19% | 7.17 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Ian Stevens | 24 (3)| 10 | 2 | - | 85% | 0.83 | 0.29 | 59% | 7.15 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Nicky McDonald | 10 (5)| - | 8 | 1 | 81% | 1.09 | 1.58 | 31% | 7.13 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Rob Elvins | 12 (5)| 8 | 4 | 1 | 87% | 0.59 | 0.67 | 50% | 7.12 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Danny Lennon | 28 (3)| - | 3 | - | 80% | 1.96 | 0.31 | 6% | 7.10 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Alan Main | 39 | - | 1 | 6 | 52% | - | 0.03 | - | 7.08 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Gavin Skelton | 13 | - | 1 | 1 | 67% | 2.69 | 0.08 | - | 7.08 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | David Bingham | 15 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 84% | 0.75 | 1.02 | 25% | 7.07 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Stephen Cosgrove | 19 (7)| 3 | 5 | 1 | 83% | 0.90 | 1.39 | 25% | 7.04 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Ciaran Ryan | 29 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 80% | 2.00 | 2.00 | 41% | 7.03 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Brian Wake | 2 | 2 | - | - | 87% | 1.15 | 1.15 | 60% | 7.00 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | John Hore | 7 (1) | 1 | - | - | 79% | 2.52 | 1.48 | 58% | 7.00 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Richard Prokas | 5 (1) | - | - | - | 68% | 3.43 | 0.38 | - | 7.00 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Joe Boyle | 11 (4)| - | - | - | 81% | 2.37 | 0.09 | - | 6.87 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Peter Ramage | 11 | - | - | - | 75% | 1.37 | - | - | 6.73 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Simon Ruddick | 2 (1) | - | - | - | 64% | 0.82 | - | - | 6.67 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Ian Cummersky | 4 (5) | - | - | - | 85% | 1.00 | 1.20 | - | 6.56 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Joe Savage | 0 (13)| - | 2 | - | 91% | 0.36 | 1.08 | - | 6.54 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Ryan Baldacchino | 5 | - | 2 | - | 81% | 1.65 | 3.30 | - | 6.40 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Steven McGregor | 0 (3) | 1 | - | - | - | 4.00 | 2.00 | - | 6.33 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Scott Bannerman | 3 | - | - | - | 65% | 2.00 | 0.40 | - | 6.33 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Steven Hampshire | 3 | - | - | - | 75% | 0.67 | 0.67 | - | 6.33 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Simon Rusk | 1 | - | - | - | - | 3.00 | 1.00 | - | 6.00 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Henry Smith | 0 (1) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.00 | |------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre> Full backs Maddison and Bell were two of our top players and with McCarthy and Aitken they made up a very effective back four. The veteran Alan Main had another good season between the sticks and our defensive record was second to none. Gary Cohen did well when he established himself and kept Bingham out of the team for the later part of the season. Ian Stevens still finished as our top scorer but Rob Elvins came through well. Next I perused the league table at length. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Scottish Second Division | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | GRETNA | 36 | 19 | 8 | 9 | 49 | 25 | +24 | 65 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | P | Hamilton | 36 | 19 | 7 | 10 | 55 | 44 | +11 | 64 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Forfar | 36 | 17 | 12 | 7 | 58 | 37 | +21 | 63 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Dumbarton | 36 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 53 | 50 | +3 | 57 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Cowdenbeath | 36 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 60 | 41 | +19 | 56 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | St. Mirren | 36 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 49 | 43 | +6 | 49 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Berwick | 36 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 40 | 42 | -2 | 49 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Stranraer | 36 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 42 | 50 | -8 | 43 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | R | Ayr | 36 | 9 | 7 | 20 | 39 | 59 | -20 | 34 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | R | Alloa | 36 | 3 | 4 | 29 | 23 | 77 | -54 | 13 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre> For the second season in succession we had the best defensive record in our division and once again that was a key factor in our success. Having flirted with relegation last season, Ayr had a terrible season and will be playing Third Division football next term. Hamilton bounced straight back to Division One although it was a close run thing with their final-day defeat. I then took some time to check out the tables from the other divisions, just to check on the final standings. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Scottish Premier League | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | Celtic | 38 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 68 | 38 | +30 | 79 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Rangers | 38 | 23 | 3 | 12 | 72 | 52 | +20 | 72 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Dundee | 38 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 62 | 49 | +13 | 63 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Hearts | 38 | 17 | 9 | 12 | 62 | 52 | +10 | 60 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Kilmarnock | 38 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 55 | 50 | +5 | 55 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Aberdeen | 38 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 50 | 53 | -3 | 54 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Motherwell | 38 | 17 | 5 | 16 | 56 | 56 | 0 | 56 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Hibs | 38 | 14 | 4 | 20 | 49 | 61 | -12 | 46 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | St. Johnstone | 38 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 46 | 54 | -8 | 45 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Dunfermline | 38 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 42 | 60 | -18 | 42 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Inverness CT | 38 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 44 | 63 | -19 | 37 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | R | Livingston | 38 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 41 | 59 | -18 | 33 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre> New manager Hans Backe captured the SPL title for Celtic at the first time of asking and added the Scottish Cup into the bargain. Winning the League Cup to deny Celtic a domestic treble was scant consolation for relegated Livingston. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Scottish First Division | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | Dundee Utd | 36 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 60 | 41 | +19 | 66 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Partick | 36 | 18 | 8 | 10 | 53 | 45 | +8 | 62 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Queen of Sth | 36 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 50 | 41 | +9 | 55 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Raith | 36 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 57 | 46 | +11 | 54 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Clyde | 36 | 15 | 8 | 13 | 51 | 52 | -1 | 53 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Falkirk | 36 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 53 | 50 | +3 | 48 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Airdrie Utd | 36 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 49 | 51 | -2 | 47 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Brechin | 36 | 11 | 7 | 18 | 38 | 54 | -16 | 40 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | R | Ross County | 36 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 51 | 58 | -7 | 39 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | R | Stirling | 36 | 7 | 10 | 19 | 43 | 67 | -24 | 31 | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre> Dundee United made an immediate return to the top flight and Stirling dropped back down after their promotion last year. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Scottish Third Division | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | East Fife | 36 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 52 | 29 | +23 | 70 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | P | Morton | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 54 | 38 | +16 | 63 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Queen's Park | 36 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 53 | 41 | +12 | 58 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Montrose | 36 | 17 | 3 | 16 | 52 | 45 | +7 | 54 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Arbroath | 36 | 15 | 8 | 13 | 43 | 49 | -6 | 53 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Albion | 36 | 14 | 8 | 14 | 47 | 48 | -1 | 50 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Stenhousemuir | 36 | 15 | 4 | 17 | 51 | 58 | -7 | 49 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Peterhead | 36 | 15 | 3 | 18 | 46 | 54 | -8 | 48 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Elgin | 36 | 9 | 5 | 22 | 39 | 56 | -17 | 32 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | East Stirling | 36 | 8 | 8 | 20 | 40 | 59 | -19 | 32 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|</pre> After threatening to get promoted for the last couple of years, East Fife go up as Champions and Morton bounce straight back as runners-up. East Stirling confirmed their status as the worst team in Britain for the third year in succession but only on goal difference this time so things are improving. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fergusdacat7 Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Good Luck in Div 2 Bobev Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spav Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 I think that fergus means Div 1. Good luck from me as well, Bob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 18, 2005 Author Share Posted March 18, 2005 Thanks chaps June 2006 Wednesday 7th With everyone at the club enjoying a summer break I can take some time out to enjoy the World Cup on TV. Not that I will have my feet up all the time as there are various playing contract issues to consider to say nothing about taking steps to bring some new blood into the team for our assault on the First Division. Tuesday 13th One of the highlights of the group stage was Ireland’s shock 2-0 defeat of holders Brazil. Keeper Shay Given performed brilliantly to keep a clean sheet and Jon Macken and Damien Duff provided the goals in the tournament’s biggest upset so far. Wednesday 14th Another South American giant suffered an upset when Argentina lost 1-0 to Senegal. Thursday 15th We secured our first new signings as centre back Stuart Wall joined from Dumbarton for a £20K fee. The 18-year-old was superb last season and is a player with bags of potential. Next to agree a deal was Berwick midfielder Gordon Forrest after another £20K fee was agreed. Monday 19th In a bid to improve our scoring prowess, experienced striker Dennis Wyness has agreed a move from Hearts for a nominal fee. Tuesday 20th The results of the voting for the Fans Player of the Year were released and I was pleased to see that Lee Maddison won the award. On the same day I was given my target for next season by the Board – all I have to do to keep my job is to avoid relegation! We also welcomed the first graduates from our youth programme – right back David Dick and winger John Gibson, both aged 15. The first of the qualifying groups for the World Cup knockout stages were sorted out this evening. In Group A Brazil beat Chile to go through and despite a 2-1 defeat to Costa Rica, Ireland also progress. Group B saw Croatia go through with a 100% record and with the remaining three teams all finishing equal on points, Argentina squeezed through on goal difference. Wednesday 21st There was nothing to separate England and hosts Germany in Group C and both go through with 5 points, England winning the group on goal difference. Holland topped group D with Iraq the surprise runners-up thanks to their shock defeat of the USA. Thursday 22nd Spain topped Group E with maximum points and a narrow 1-0 defeat for Wales allowed Turkey to overtake them and take second place whilst in Group F, Tunisia and the Czech Republic both progress. Friday 23rd Alan Main has announced that he will be putting his gloves away for good at the end of next season, so this campaign will be his last. In World Cup Group G, France and Bulgaria moved on whilst Italy and Portugal headed Group H. Saturday 24th A number of players have now left the club as they were either surplus to requirements or we could not agree a reasonable contract extension. These include Martin Cameron, David Holdsworth, Richard Prokas, Ian Stevens, Henry Smith, Kyle May, Joe Savage, Mark Birch, Marc Cleeland, Wyne Gordon and Simon Ruddick. But my heart got the better of my head in one instance when I agreed a one-year extension with David Bingham. That evening Brazil won the South American showdown, beating Argentina 2-0 and Ireland bowed out with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Croatia. Sunday 25th Hosts Germany moved into the Quarter Finals with a 2-0 win over Holland and England had an easy 5-0 win over Iraq. Monday 26th The squad clearout continued as Ryan Baldacchino and Ian Cummersky were also released. In the World Cup, Turkey beat Tunisia and Spain triumphed over the Czech Republic. Tuesday 27th France crashed out of the tournament, losing 2-0 to Portugal but Italy made progress with a 1-0 defeat of Bulgaria. Friday 30th The World Cup Quarter Finals began today and the hosts were eliminated on penalties by Brazil with Croatia beating England 2-0. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 20, 2005 Author Share Posted March 20, 2005 July 2006 Saturday 1st Portugal and Italy both moved into the World Cup Semi Finals beating Turkey and Spain respectively. Each game finished 1-1 after extra time and was decided on penalties. Tuesday 4th Brazil confirmed their status as tournament favourites with a 4-0 demolition of Portugal in the first Semi Final. Wednesday 5th Croatia provided a slight upset by beating Italy 2-1 in a tense encounter to become one of the smallest countries ever to reach a World Cup Final. Saturday 8th Italy gained some consolation for their failure to reach the final by beating Portugal 2-0 in the Third Place Playoff. Sunday 9th Brazil were crowned World Champions after a 1-0 defeat of Croatia in the Olympiastadion in Berlin tonight. Despite the deceptively narrow scoreline they dominated play from start to finish with Ronaldo scoring the decisive goal in the first half. Tuesday 18th The first game in our short pre-season warm up took place today with a visit from Aberdeen. Despite the 2-0 defeat it was a useful exercise as these games begin to get the players moving towards match fitness. Monday 24th The second and final friendly saw Rotherham visit and the game was much more open than the goalless draw would suggest. Young keeper Greg Kelly made his debut and performed very impressively. Tuesday 25th Another striker joined the club today when Dene Shields signed from Cowdenbeath for £22K. The 23-year-old has scored 20 goals in each of the last two seasons and if he can get anywhere near that for us he will be a bargain buy. Wednesday 26th Rangers were in action today in 2nd qualifying round of the Champions League and had a good 3-0 win at home to Kaunas of Lithuania. Saturday 29th Our first competitive match of the season is at home to Clyde in the Challenge Cup and despite being unable to field a few first choice players due to a slight lack of fitness we put in a decent performance with Scott Bannerman scoring the only goal in our 1-0 win. Monday 31st The bookies have Livingston as evens favourites to gain promotion with Partick, Raith and Falkirk also finding favour. At 25-1 they clearly view us as more of a relegation candidate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 21, 2005 Author Share Posted March 21, 2005 August 2006 Wednesday 2nd A 2-1 win for Rangers in Lithuania completed a 5-1 aggregate victory and took them to a place in the next qualifying round of the Champions League. Saturday 5th Our league campaign did not get off to the best of starts with a 3-0 defeat at Brechin. We toiled hard and I felt that with an own goal and a penalty involved, the 3-0 scoreline didn’t really reflect the balance of play. As well as losing the game, we also lost left midfielder Ciaran Ryan, out for a month with strained knee ligaments. Wednesday 9th The Old Firm were both in action in the Champions League tonight, Celtic winning 2-1 at home to FC Kobenhaven and Rangers suffering a 2-0 defeat in Monaco. Thursday 10th There was Scottish interest in the UEFA Cup 2nd qualifying round. Dundee got a 2-1 win at home to Israeli side Maccabi Petach-Tikva but Hibs were disappointed with their 3-2 loss at home to Jeunesse Esch of Luxembourg. Saturday 12th We bounced back from our opening day disappointment with a very good 2-0 win at Airdrie United with both goals coming from Gary Cohen. Unfortunately we suffered another injury problem with David Bingham out for two months with a torn hamstring. Saturday 19th We shrugged off the loss of Bingham with a good 1-0 win at home to Clyde. An excellent free kick from Lee Maddision in the first half proved to be the only goal of the game but had we got more of our scoring attempts on target then we could have had a more comfortable win. Wednesday 23rd A 2-1 win in Denmark was enough for Celtic to overcome FC Kobenhavn 4-2 on aggregate but Rangers crashed out after a bad 3-1 defeat to Monaco at Ibrox. Thursday 24th Hibs progressed in the UEFA Cup with a 3-1 win at Jeunesse Esch but Dundee were eliminated on penalties after losing 2-1 at Maccabi Petach-Tikva. Saturday 26th In our home match against Falkirk midfielder Nicky McDonald gave us the lead just before half time but the visitors fight back and equalise inside the last ten minutes. An evenly contested match ended all square at 1-1. Tuesday 29th A second string team was sent to Alloa for our Challenge Cup tie and were a little unfortunate to come back defeated. Dennis Wyness made his first start and scored early in the match but the home side struck back with two goals before half time. With no further scoring the 2-1 defeat eliminated us from the competition. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 22, 2005 Author Share Posted March 22, 2005 September 2006 Friday 1st After guiding his team to four successive wins, Livingston boss Allan Preston was a clear winner of the Manager of the Month for August. The goalscoring form of Emilio Jaconelli of Queen of the South gained him the senior player prize with Clyde winger Ryan Russell taking the junior award. Tuesday 5th We were draw against recent league opponents Falkirk in the League Cup and travelled to the new Falkirk Stadium with a full strength team. But we were under the cosh from the start with young keeper Greg Kelly needing to be at his best. He pulled off a great penalty save on the half hour bur was finally beaten before the break. We saw more of the ball after the interval and with less than 16 minutes remaining Nicky McDonald squared the game. Five minutes later striker Dene Shields scored his first of the season with a neat finish to give us an undeserved win. Wednesday 6th Scotland began their qualification campaign for Euro 2008 with a difficult game in Istanbul and a 2-0 loss to the Turks. Saturday 9th I was at a loss to explain just how we came back from Raith on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline as the team played well. The key difference was that the home side made the most of their chances whilst we failed to trouble the Raith keeper sufficiently. Tuesday 12th Celtic opened their Champions League group with a narrow 2-1 defeat at Arsenal, Thierry Henry scoring the winning goal with just three minutes of normal rime remaining. Thursday 14th In the UEFA Cup, Rangers had a narrow 1-0 win at home to Pasching of Austria whilst Hibs lost 2-1 in Bulgaria to Litex. Saturday 16th The visit of league leaders Livingston was always going to be difficult but we really didn’t do ourselves justice with a poor display, losing 1-0. We offered no attacking threat for the entire 90 minutes, barely managing a shot on target all afternoon. Saturday 23rd We travelled to bottom club Hamilton without midfielder Gordon Forrest and defender Lee Maddison, both injured during midweek training but at least winger Ciaran Ryan was fit enough to return to the team. Dene Shields gave us the boost of an early goal, scoring inside the first minute but within 20 minutes it was all square after Greg Kelly conceded a penalty. I couldn’t believe it when a second penalty was awarded against us early in the second half and we fell behind. A third goal a few minutes later was the final nail in the coffin and the 3-1 defeat left us just two points above the relegation places. Wednesday 27th I sent the second string out to face Dundee United at home in the League Cup and they put up a brave fight. United took the lead midway through the first half but we held on well to restrict them to a single goal at the break. With 20 minutes remaining Derek Townsley took advantage of a defensive muddle to fire home into an empty net to tie the scores but we couldn’t hang on and United scored a winner 10 minutes from time. In Europe Celtic had a great 4-2 win at home to Ajax in the Champions League. Thursday 28th Hibs crashed out of the UEFA Cup after a poor 3-0 defeat at home to Litex but Rangers made progress with a 3-1 win in Austria with all of their goals coming in the last 20 minutes. Saturday 30th A three-minute spell early in the first half of our game at home to Queen of the South produced three goals – unfortunately only one of them was ours, scored by Dene Shields. The striker did manage to score again shortly after the restart but the 2-2 draw felt like tow points dropped rather than one point gained. With Partick gaining a win we dropped into the relegation zone on goal difference. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 October 2006 Sunday 1st Clyde boss Francis Vines takes the managerial award for the previous month with Hamilton winger Ricky Waddell and forward Lloyd Young of Raith gaining the playing honours. Saturday 7th With a weekend off because of Euro 2008 qualifiers we enjoy seeing Scotland upset group favourites Portugal with a wonderful 1-0 win at Hampden. Wednesday 11th Thankfully Scotland managed to avoid a slip up in the long trip to Kazakhstan, securing a 3-1 win to hold second place in the group. Saturday 14th We had Gordon Forrest back in the team for the trip to Clyde but a good first-half performance was undone when Greg Kelly conceded a penalty. Fortunately we were able to strike back through Dene Shields before the break. Our top scorer found the net again with 20 minutes remaining and a third from Ciaran Ryan gave us some breathing space. The home side came back strongly though and hit the woodwork twice. But our luck held and the 3-1 win was our best performance for some weeks. Wednesday 18th Celtic’s Champions League hopes took a dent with a 2-1 defeat at home to Deportivo. Thursday 19th In the group phase of the UEFA Cup Rangers suffered a 4-1 humiliation in Feyenoord and will need to show a significant improvement in form if they are to reach the knockout stage. Saturday 21st Dene Shields kept up his recent scoring form with an early strike in the game at home to Partick but within a couple of minutes we went to sleep at the back and gave away a sloppy equaliser. Midway through the half Shields was on target again but once again we failed to hold the lead. Allowing the visitors to equalise before the break. There was no further scoring in the second half and the 2-2 draw gave us a welcome point but it really should have been three. Saturday 28th Ciaran Ryan was the hero in our game at home to Airdrie United, scoring twice in the last 20 minutes of the game. It had been a frustrating time up until then as we were well on top but struggling to translate chances into goals. The 2-0 win gave us a great boost and actually lifted us up to 4th place in a rather congested mid-table scrum. Tuesday 31st Celtic had another bad night in Europe, losing 2-0 at Deportivo in their Champions League group. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 24, 2005 Author Share Posted March 24, 2005 November 2006 Wednesday 1st Our good from last month gained me my debut managerial award in the First Division with Ciaran Ryan taking the senior playing honours and midfielder John Paul Grant of Clyde winning the young players award. That same night there were two shocks in the League Cup – Dundee lost 2-1 at Second Division Cowdenbeath and Hibs suffered the same fate at Division Three Albion Rovers. Thursday 2nd Rangers wonderkid striker Ross McCormack scored a 90th minute equaliser to give his team a 2-2 draw at home to Partizan in the UEFA Cup. The 20-year-old youth product has found the net 11 times in 19 starts this season and is rumoured to be attracting attention south of the border. Saturday 4th An own-goal by full back Gavin Skelton proved crucial in the game at home to Brechin as the visitors continued their pursuit of leaders Livingston. That apart there was nothing to choose between the two teams on the day. Sunday 5th Livingston underlined their position as the best team outside the SPL with a 3-2 defeat of underdogs Peterhead in the Challenge Cup Final. Saturday 18th When we went into the break two goals behind at Falkirk it looked like our mini-revival was over. A goal straight from the restart from Gary Cohen raised our hopes but it proved to be too little and we suffered a 2-1 defeat. As well as losing the match we also lost full backs Lee Maddison and Martin Bell to injury. Wednesday 22nd There is more disappointment for Celtic in Europe as they lose a thrilling game at Parkhead 3-2 to Arsenal. Three goals behind at the break, they came back strongly in the second half but fell just short of taking a point. Saturday 25th With Gary Cohen suspended David Bingham makes a return from injury for the visit of Raith and Bingo came up trumps, setting up Shields for the opening goal. With substitute Wyness adding a second after the break we got a very welcome 2-0 win to halt our slide. Thursday 30th Rangers picked up just their second point in their UEFA Cup group with a 1-1 draw at Banik Ostrava with youngster McCormack on target once more. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
suppitty Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 Great story! Love the format. By the way, in my game Hamilton established themsleves as a top half SPL team in a matter of years so watch out for them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Johnston Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 GO! Gretna GO! Great Story! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 26, 2005 Author Share Posted March 26, 2005 Thanks chaps. suppitty - Hamilton are doing OK as far as I remember but they are some way from making a real challenge to get to the SPL. December 2006 Friday 1st Brechin’s Dick Campbell was recognised as Manager of the Month with his own striker Chris Templeman and Martin Woods of Clyde taking the playing plaudits. Saturday 2nd We returned from leaders Livingston with a very creditable point after a 1-1 draw. The home side pressured us for long periods, especially in the second half after Dene Shields had sent us into the break ahead. They equalised on the hour mark but we defended stoutly and looked dangerous on the break. All in all a very satisfying performance from the boys and if we keep playing with this sort of spirit then we should certainly preserve our Division One status. Sunday 3rd Struggling Partick Thistle have dispensed with the services of manager Gerry Britton as they continue to bump along near the foot of the table. Tuesday 5th Celtic suffered another European mauling, losing 4-0 at Ajax in the Champions League to finish bottom of their group, missing out on the UEFA Cup safety net. Wednesday 6th We agreed a deal with Queen’s Park that will bring promising young keeper Cameron Bell to Raydale Park in the new year for a fee of £3K. Saturday 9th A David Bingham penalty after ten minutes gave us the lead at home to Hamilton and we created a number of good chances to extend our lead but were foiled by the visiting keeper on several occasions. We paid the price for not killing off the game when Hamilton equalised a few minutes from time to grab a 1-1 draw in a game that we should have won. Wednesday 13th Partick have announced that their new manager will be Steve Evans who will be leaving English League Two side Boston United to take over at Firhill. Thursday 14th In their final UEFA Cup group match Rangers get their first win with a 4-2 defeat of Nantes. As Partizan lost to Feyenoord the Glasgow side sneak into the knockout stage in third place in the group. With manager Alex McLeish under increasing pressure the win was enough to keep him in his job, at least for the time being. Friday 15th We agree another new signing for January as Rangers youngster Tom Brighton agrees a £7K move from Ibrox. I am hoping that the 22-year-old forward will add some punch up front. Saturday 16th Our game at Queen of the South is a pretty dire affair to be honest, with neither side showing much in the way of attacking invention. Between the two of us there was a total of one shot on target over 90 minutes – unfortunately that was for the home side and it resulted in a goal and a 1-0 win. At this point in the season a mere six points separates 3rd and 9th and we sit plumb in the middle on 20 points. Saturday 23rd My earlier optimism about avoiding relegation has taken a knock after our poor 2-0 defeat at Partick. We are now just two points outside the relegation zone, confidence is low and we are not in very good shape. Tuesday 26th With many players still tired after the last game I made a lot of changes for the trip to Airdrie United and I was pleasantly surprised to see us take a two-goal lead after half an hour through Rob Elvins and Scott Bannerman. The home side retrieved a goal before the break and completed their recovery in the second half to force a 2-2 draw. Wednesday 27th The Queen of the South board give manager Billy Stark an unpleasant Christmas gift by dismissing his from the club. Friday 29th There is little time lost in appointing a new manger at Queen of the South with former Stirling Albion boss Allan Moore announced as the new incumbent. Saturday 30th I was hoping to end the year with a win when Clyde came to visit and Lee Maddison got us off to a great start with a well-placed free kick after ten minutes. But the full back turned villain ten minutes later when he conceded a penalty to allow the visitors to square the game. Shortly after the restart Wyness put us back in front and on the hour mark we got a penalty of our own, which Maddison tucked away. Clyde put us under some pressure and keeper Greg Kelly made some crucial stops, his display later earning him the Man of the Match award. Our opponents scored a stoppage time goal to give me a nervous few minutes at the end of the game but we held on for a deserved, and needed, 3-2 win. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 27, 2005 Author Share Posted March 27, 2005 January 2007 Monday 1st Struggling Hamilton went unbeaten during December and, whilst still in the relegation zone, they were nonetheless rewarded with a clean sweep of the monthly awards through manager Allan Maitland and defenders Alan Reid and Alex McColl. Our two new signings came on board as well with both Bell and Brighton seemingly keen to get into action. Unfortunately keeper Bell arrived with a back injury picked up in training a few days before his move. Saturday 6th Our first game in 2007 was a trip to second place Brechin and although we created very little going forward we defended stubbornly and kept their attack at bay all afternoon. The scoreless draw wasn’t the best of viewing for the fans but I felt that it was a pretty useful point for us. Sunday 7th We secured a loan singing to give us more attacking threat with young Motherwell winger Ryan Russell joining for the remainder of the season. Monday 8th Chairman Brooks Mileson has told me that he wants to see us bring in what he called a “high-profile†player and that he would be prepared to make money available for the right man. Wednesday 10th I suspect that the Chairman did not have former Dundee United and Celtic midfielder David Hannah in mind but the 33-year-old is next to arrive at the club after a £1K fee was agreed with St. Johnstone. I feel that his experience will be valuable especially with stalwart Danny Lennon having picked up a nasty injury that will keep him out for a month. Saturday 13th We entertained Kilmarnock in the 3rd round of the Scottish Cup and soon found ourselves a goal down when Danny Invincible scored after 15 minutes. But after a nervous start we started to get into the game and I was pleased by the way we played ourselves back into contention, creating several presentable chances and forcing the visiting keeper into action. With just under 7 minutes remaining our perseverance paid off and Dennis Wyness netted an equaliser to force a replay at Rugby Park. The bad news concerned an injury to midfielder Gordon Forrest – strained knee ligaments will keep our reliable midfielder out for a month. Wednesday 17th The downside of going to a replay is that we have a lot of tired players and, in conjunction with a growing injury list of 7 players, we have to field a distinctly weakened side at Kilmarnock. We were under the cosh from the start and conceded three goals before half time. Debutant Tom Brighton then got himself sent off for stupidly kicking out at an opponent. After that we collapsed completely, the goals went raining in and the Premiership team ran out 9-0 winners. Saturday 20th Our confidence took a severe battering at Kilmarnock a few days ago but the performance at home to Falkirk went some way towards repairing the damage. Gary Cohen got us off to a fantastic start with a goal in the first minute. The visitors equalised after quarter of an hour but our heads didn’t drop and Wyness quickly replied. He scored again in the second half to give us a very valuable 3-1 win. Sunday 21st With his team sitting just above the relegation places in Division One, Raith boss Scott Thomson became a victim of supporter pressure today. Saturday 27th Raith played pretty well for a team without a manger when we visited them. We did OK ourselves too and despite the game ending scoreless there was affair amount of chances at either end and both keepers put in good performances. Sunday 28th With the transfer window now closed, the Chairman has withdrawn his offer of extra money, stating that he was disappointed that I had not acted. My reply was along the lines of – I tried but I couldn’t find a high-profile player that wanted to come to Gretna – not exactly what he wanted to hear. On the same day Alloa parted company with manager Gary Crosby. Monday 29th In a move that sent shock waves throughout Scottish football, Rangers have sacked manager Alex McLeish, citing “supporter unrest†as the reason. This despite the fact that the ‘Gers sit second in the SPL just two points behind Celtic. On the same day the Celtic board gave Hans Backe the dreaded vote of confidence – just exactly what is happening in Glasgow right now? Tuesday 30th Less than 24 hours after sacking McLeish, Rangers have appointed Roy Aitken as the new man in charge at Ibrox Park. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted March 28, 2005 Author Share Posted March 28, 2005 February 2007 Thursday 1st With a 100% record in the league last month, Airdrie United have hit top form and manager Sandy Stewart gained the monthly managerial award for his efforts. His own winger Thomas Hoey won the Young Player prize with Alex McColl of Hamilton taking the senior version. Saturday 3rd There’s nothing like a challenge at the start of a new month and the visit of league leaders and promotion favourites Livingston certainly provided that. I was delighted with the way the team responded and both sides put on an entertaining display for the fans. The attendance set a new club record and best of all, a goal midway through the first half from debutant Ryan Russell gave us a terrific 1-0 win. Saturday 10th If I was pleased with how we played against Livvy, my reaction to our performance at Hamilton was the exact opposite – an insipid display resulted in a 3-0 defeat and the loss of striker Wyness for several weeks with a groin strain. Thursday 15th Rangers have a tenuous grip in the UEFA Cup at best following their 2-0 defeat at Sporting. Saturday 17th My mood was hardly improved by events in our game at home to Queen of the South. Midway through the first half goals from Shields and Cohen had put us into a two-goal lead – by half time we were 3-2 behind! We got back on terms through a fluke goal from keeper Greg Kelly when his long clearance was misjudged. But the fun wasn’t over yet and we conceded a needless penalty to lose a nightmare game 4-3. Sunday 18th Staring relegation from Division Two in the face, the Forfar board have decided that the only course of action available to them is to fire manager Ray Stewart. Former Arsenal star Tony Adams has been unveiled as the new Alloa manager and sacked Queen of the South boss Billy Stark has been installed at Raith. Thursday 22nd Rangers have indeed exited the UEAF Cup after a 1-1 draw at home to Sporting, leaving European competition bereft of all Scottish involvement. Saturday 24th For the visit of Partick, Gordon Forrest returned to the team after injury but the star of the show was Ciaran Ryan, recalled on the left wing. The 23-year-old Irishman scored both goals in our 2-0 win and took Man of the Match honours into the bargain. Sunday 25th Peterhead manager Ian Scott has lost his job as his team languish in the lower reaches of the Third Division and Forfar have appointed the unknown Gareth Peters as their new boss. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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