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.