Ochil Views 2008-09

So, another season reaches it's conclusion fairly discreetly. It's unlikely season 2007/08 will live long in the memories of many Stenhousemuir supporters. Or if it does it is likely to be for all the wrong reasons. What everybody hoped would be a season which would prove be an appropriate legacy for the late Steve Burns, who tragically passed away prior to the start of the season, turned out to be anything but. Back in August though, hopes were high. The team had successfully overcome Arbroath and Forfar, coming away with two 1-0 victories. During those early weeks we also managed to produce creditable performances against two higher places clubs (Airdrie and Berwick) before finally coming unstuck. So hopes were high as we approached September. And then it all went wrong. The Shire came to town. Or up the road. And while I enjoyed the best Prague had to offer, Joe Savage returned to Ochilview and turned in a performance, no-one who had ever seen him play at our patch before, would have thought possible. In fact I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen him repeat the trick a few months later - twice. That of course was just small diversion on the Road to the Title. Montrose were next and surely we would get ourselves back on track. Again, I managed to miss the match and ending up watching the videprinter in horror, and embarrassment, as Montrose really did come to town and rode off into the sunset with all three points in their back pocket and their goal difference boosted by a one sided 4-0 victory. Again, it was a returning "hero" who did most of the damage. John Baird this week. David McFarlane couldn't make it a hat-trick of former fans favourites coming back to haunt us. In actual fact, everything was OK again because we beat Dumbarton 2-1. One the face of it this is a good result away from home. However, this season Dumbarton proved themselves to be quite honking, and anyone who was anyone was taking three points from them. Sure enough, the next two matches resulted in two more humiliating defeats, including a 7-0 pasting from East Fife, where the "champions to be" managed to breach our rearguard 7 times during 45 horrific 2nd half minutes. It was all too much for Campbell Money, who resigned (before he was pushed?) straight after the match. The reality was that two months in to the season, the team was looking even more frail than it had done in the last days and weeks of Des McKeown's reign. At that time I didn't think it could get any worse, but Money's team managed to prove me wrong. Unfortunately. The new man arrived (John Coughlin) in a blaze of glory. His first match in charge saw us get a creditable draw at Arbroath. Hooray. The only was is up I thought. The following week we faced Threave Rovers in the Cup. An opportunity to get some much needed confidence amongst the squad as we run up a cricket score in a confidence boosting victory; I thought. The reality was that it was about to get worse before it was going to get better. The defeat at Threave was just the worse. However, eventually Coughlin managed to turn round the team’s performances. The football wasn’t exactly scintillating but at least nobody was scoring 7 goals, in one half, against us. In actual fact, the number of matches where the margin of victory or defeat was only one goal was staggering. We didn’t hammer teams but nor did we get hammered. This seems to be the way of it with Coughlin’s teams. Which is fine as long as you are doing well. In the period up to March, we managed to get ourselves into a position where we were hot on the heels of the top 4, challenging for a play off spot. During this period we managed to beat East Fife twice and were the “form team” in the division. The play offs looked a formality. And then something went wrong. The last quarter of the season when we should have been entering the play offs as the team on the way up, we turned in some of our most insipid performances of the season. The match at Arbroath for me was so disappointing. In a game where the team, and the support, should have been up for it, there was no sense of anticipation or general excitement about the club. The team turned in an abject performance against a truly abysmal Arbroath team. Despite dominating possession for long periods we failed to create any chances of note and ended up losing 1-0. The next match against Dumbarton was probably worse, and thereafter the season drifted away. The season ended with a ludicrous result, winning 5-1 away to Elgin. Coughlin fielded a team of youngsters and players committed to next season, which on the face of it should bring a degree of excitement about our chances. Indeed, even before his hat-trick, Robert Love looked a decent prospect. Hopefully, we can secure the services of the better players from this season (obviously!) - Alistair Brown looks an excellent keeper despite a shakey start and the defence has been dependable. Hopefully we can keep the majority of these players for next season. Midfield and up front are a different kettle of fish altogether. A lack of creativity and general support meant that we didn’t score enough goals, or create even enough chances. This is the biggest challenge for next season. As ever, we will go into the new season with confidence - and I do think Coughlin will have as good a chance as anyone - but it remains to be seen whether he can gel a winning team. The reality is that , with the exception of East Fife, from top to bottom, the teams have been much of a muchness. I expect it will be the same next season, perhaps more so, so a lot will depend on the manager and his ability to get most out of the squad. Players happy playing on plastic pitch would be a start! So to end it all, the best way to reflect on any year/season is with a list. So here goes… Player of the year: Craig McEwan Worst player of the year: Difficult one, but I’m afraid John Dillon contributed zip as far as I could see. Why play him on the left when he can’t kick the ball with his left foot. He’s right footed, right? Honourable mention for Steve Hampshire who came with a big reputation and was a big disappointment. Goal of the season: Willie Lyle - home v East Fife (I really thought when that one went in that we were going to do something special) Game of the season: 4-3 The Shire (away), closely followed by the two East Fife wins. In truth, the season was a bit of a chore and there were very few highlights on which to reflect. Worst game of the season: Threave Rovers. Opposition player I would be happy to sign (realistically): Andrew Brand (The Shire)

Small, but perfectly formed

Saturday’s defeat at Stranraer confirmed another season in the basement division. Depressing though it is, at least we are not Gretna. It was only a small consolation, when they were merrily rubbing our nose in the dirt each time we played them, that no sooner would they reach the peak, than they would slip back down the other side a lot quicker than it had taken them to get to the top. So it has come to pass. So while it was always inevitable that it would end in tears, hopefully it has proved to be a salutary lesson to all the so called smaller clubs that they are “smaller” for a reason, and the only way to climb the leagues is through living within your means and not relying on a sole benefactor. This season, East Fife may well have enjoyed a successful season but as soon as their financier gets bored/ runs out of money/ dies, then they need to beware. For me the biggest mistake Gretna ever made, was getting promotion to the SPL. Once they reached the SPL and started incurring costs in a different stratosphere from the level incurred at an SFL club, it meant that when Mileson withdrew his funding they had much further to fall (i.e. the mountain they had just climbed was so much taller than any they had scaled while in the SFL); so that when they eventually hit the bottom at the end of this season, the bump is likely to be terminal. Hopefully East Fife won’t make the same mistake. While it is great for a period, clubs that are bankrolled by one individual, need to be careful how far they extend themselves. If Willie Gray walks from East Fife tomorrow, it is likely they could survive in the 2nd division, or for that matter the 1st division, but the SPL is a different matter. For me, much as I would love Stenhousemuir to achieve promotion to the 2nd, and who knows, maybe even the 1st division, I sincerely hope that it is only done through developing the club, while only spending the money it has earned, and not relying on any single person’s deep pockets. It really ought to be possible to produce a championship winning team with the right manager and squad of players without breaking the bank. I just wish we would do it soon.

To stay or to go?

The season, unfortunately, would appear to be tailing off. As an eternal optimist, I will not give up hope of reaching the play-offs whilst it remains mathematically possible, but thoughts will inevitably turn to next season.

With regard to which players should be kept on, my attitude has always been that it is useless throwing out the baby with the bathwater: at our level, the sheer turnover of players from one season to the next is a major barrier to success. I would also stress that even if our current poor form continues, this season has been far from a write-off. We have a capable new manager in charge; next season he will have his own players at his disposal; and crucially, he has already proved (most notably in the period between November and February this season) that he can get Stenhousemuir playing some decent stuff.

Far be it from me to comment on every player in the squad, but I have a few points to make. Ally Brown seems a capable keeper, and is probably worth keeping unless we could get Willie McCulloch back. Willie was easily the best keeper in this league, yet will not be first choice for East Fife next year; I fear, though, that he may be tempted by another second division club. In terms of numbers, defence is perhaps our weakest area, but we are not without quality: McEwan has been outstanding this year, whilst Lyle's remarkable versatility makes him an essential part of the squad.

In the centre of midfield, Ferguson and Bucket are already under contract, whilst the wide midfielders - Hamilton and Dillon / McLaughlin - should, in my view, also be kept on. If, with better players around them, they continually fail to apply themselves, then they should be freed NEXT season - but they must first be given a chance. All of them, and especially Ross Hamilton, are confidence players whose quality can be a great asset. Up front, Hampshire is perhaps in the same category, though admittedly I have seen less of him, and he would ideally be backup to Dalziel and, if it is humanly possible for the club to persuade him to stay, Harty.

Which leaves us with the youngsters, with regard to whom I can only echo some comments made on the forum recently. If there are youngsters who are up to the task, they should now be given a chance. If those same youngsters have shown attitude problems at any point, now is the time to let bygones be bygones. I understand the importance of discipline, but I nevertheless believe that these players could be terrific assets in a more successful team. I would certainly like to see Rhys Galloway in the team for the remaining games: he is an excellent young player, but next season he will have formidable competition from incoming left back Chris McGroarty. Rhys at least deserves a chance to put himself in consideration.

In the meantime, roll on Stranraer, and in Coughlin we trust.