A Warrior's Tale

The Great Leap Forward

2011-04-23T22:32:00.000+01:00

Today was a wonderful day to be a Stenny fan - all the more so because our eventual victory had seemed so unlikely, with our shambolic performance in the first half. The one man who made the difference was of course Scott Dalziel - his presence on the park, and the leadership he showed, provided such spark to those around him. Obviously he has been struggling for fitness lately, but I would suggest that - even if we have to send him onto the park in a wheelchair - he has to play next week.

There is an awful lot of work still to do, but a glimmer of hope has returned - could the Great Escape be on?

Tense times

2011-04-21T15:56:00.002+01:00

I must confess I never thought we would be in this position - I don’t think any of us did. With the quality of players brought in last summer (Williams, Murray, Lynch, Anderson) - not to mention the likes of Paton and Gilmour who arrived more recently - there is simply no way we should even be contemplating relegation. Yet that is the situation in which we find ourselves - not only contemplating the drop, but drinking in the last chance saloon: we simply have to beat Alloa if we are to have any realistic chance of avoiding the play-offs.

My work recently took my to Nigeria, and - during the time I spent there - Stenny’s form showed considerable improvement; it then proceeded to decline upon my return. Whilst this suggests I should probably remain as far away from our matches as possible, in practice I am doing the exact opposite - i.e. travelling to Recreation Park on Saturday. (I am in fact heading north from London as I write this.)

As I write I am deliberately ignoring the ‘elephant in the room’ (or, in this case, the ineligible midfielder in the room). I don’t know if there is any truth in the rumours about Gilmour’s international clearance (or lack thereof), and somehow I suspect not - our officials are some of the most diligent around, and I would be surprised if they have let us down. In any case I am hopeful of avoiding a points deduction - we are due some luck at disciplinary hearings, not least after the gross injustice we suffered at the hands of Dunfermline last season.

I have already warned my boss that - if we fail to win on Saturday - I will probably be off sick next week. I do genuinely believe, though, that we will pick up the points. In quite simple terms, we are better than Alloa - we just have to prove it. Roll on Saturday…

A welcome distraction

2011-02-11T12:34:00.000Z

The opening matches of the Carling Nations Cup this week provided a welcome distraction from our perilous league position. Wednesday evening saw me heading down to my local for an experience to which I have long been accustomed - watching Scotland games in an otherwise England-supporting pub. (The Tartan Army contingent in South West London is not the largest.) Our game was being shown on the world's smallest TV screen, situated immediately beside the unreasonably large Denmark-England screen.

One experience to which I am not quite so accustomed, however, is watching Scotland coast to victory quite so comfortably - yet there it was! Clearly there will be tougher tests ahead, but the magnitude of the victory - and the manner in which it was achieved - can only serve to boost the players' confidence.

What I cannot understand, however, is the ongoing process of 'researching whether Gary Hooper has a Scottish grandfather,' with which Craig Levein is reported to be busying himself. Surely such a protracted period of research should not be necessary. Mr Hooper either has a Scottish grandfather, or he does not; wouldn't it be easier just to ask him?

Returning home...

2011-01-29T14:31:00.000Z

The first few weeks of the "Irons Age" have been nothing if not eventful. We have claimed a few good victories, and - perhaps most notably of all - the defence has looked much tighter once again. (The two notable exceptions to this were the defeats to Alloa and Stranraer, both of which were characterised by shambolic defending - but on this we shall not dwell...)

The most impressive performance of the lot was undoubtedly that against Airdrie United, in a match which we dominated with the help of a certain Eric Paton. Paton's return to the club after almost thirteen years away - albeit only as a trialist - provided us with terrific spark in midfield, remeniscent of JP McBride at his best. This got me thinking about what has become the main subject of this article - the select group of players to have played for Stenny in two separate spells:

LINDSAY HAMILTON returned to Ochilview in 1998 at the age of 867, having previously made his name at Stenny several centuries previously. A commanding goalkeeper, his form in his first spell was sufficient to earn him a transfer to Rangers, whilst his second was equally successful as he helped us to promotion in 1998-99.

EUAN DONALDSON was sold to St Johnstone for a record fee of £75,000 in 1995, after his outstanding form for us in the famous Scottish Cup run. Having played at left-full back (albeit an overlapping one) in his first spell under Terry Christie, he returned in 2001 as an attacking wing-back under Brian Fairley. His second spell came to a premature end when Fairley was replaced by Jimmy Bone, who immediately disposed of all our quality players in an (ulimately unsuccessful) attempt to get us relegated. Donaldson, however, is fondly remembered.

GARETH HUTCHISON earned legendary status as a pacy goalscorer (and thoroughly good guy) in his first spell at the club, which lasted throughout the mid-90s. He starred alongside Donaldson in the aforesaid Scottish Cup run, and was still around the following year when our club enjoyed its finest hour, with the victory over Dundee United in the Challenge Cup Final. After moving on for spells at Falkirk, Alloa and Berwick, he returned in 2006 under the management of Des McKeown. Whilst he stilled showed flashes of his old sparkle, he had difficulty settling into a Stenny side which was - to put it mildly - in a 'transitional phase.' His name is nevertheless one which frequently crops up in "All-time Stenny XIs."

ROSS HAMILTON went down in history after scoring our winner against Brechin City in 1999, in the match which clinched promotion for us. A right-winger with lighning pace, he left for Alloa soon afterwards before returning in 2007 under Campbell Money. Notwithstanding a few memorable performances in his second spell (most notably in a home victory over East Fife), he failed to settle, and left soon after the arrival of John Coughlin as manager.

STEVIE FALLON is the only player in this series whose second spell at the club was longer in duration than his first. We first saw him in 2001, when he joined on a month's loan from Dundee United, playing just three matches at left back before returning to his parent club. His second spell was wholly more fruitful: he enjoyed an outstanding season in 2004-05 (having been converted into a right back), before his spell was curtailed by injury.

At present it looks unlikely that Paton himself will be added to this list - following his trial game last week, he went on to play for Stirling Albion in a bounce game on Tuesday (never a wise move, but there we go). In the meantime, then, we must content ourselves with what we have, and look forward to this afternoon's game at Ayr.

Let's get Ironing...

2011-01-01T22:55:00.001Z

Traditionally, of course, New Year’s Day is a time for looking forward. In view of the recent changes at Ochilview this is especially appropriate. I must begin, however, with a tribute to our recently departed (and in my view legendary) manager John Coughlin. When JC joined us in 2007, we were second from bottom of the Third Division, and generally in crisis. Notwithstanding our recent rough patch, he leaves us in a wholly more positive position - in a higher division, and with a talented squad of players in place - one which is more than capable of hauling us to safety in 2011.

After a few weeks of intrigue, of course, we now know the identity of the man who will be leading the team for the battles ahead - Davie Irons has arrived at the club, and I hope he receives a warm welcome at Ochilview tomorrow. He has clearly impressed the Board, having emerged successful from an extensive interview process (nine candidates, apparently, made it to the interview stage). Prior to his appointment I wasn’t aware that he had applied, so - when the announcement was made - it was necessary to conduct some hasty internet research, in an attempt to ascertain what style of football he favours, etc.. The fruits of said research were the following:

In a Q&A session soon after taking over at Cappielow, he stated that he had no particular preference for a given formation per se, but that he would choose the formation to fit the players he had, not vice versa. This led him to play 3-5-2 after taking over in 2007-08, before using 4-4-2 at times during 2008-09 (his one full season).
In comparison to the teams around them in the middle of the First Division - Irons' Morton team both scored and conceded fewer goals (40 of each during the 2008-09 season) - this suggests a defensive mindset.
Another useful indicator as to the style of football is whether or a manager uses a six-foot-plus striker. For what it's worth, it appears to me that Irons did not.

Before I sign off, a quick word for Kevin McGoldrick and Graeme Robertson, who spent a spectacularly uneventful spell in caretaker charge (three weeks, eight million feet of snow, no matches) prior to Davie’s appointment - at least they were unbeaten! Whilst Graeme has returned to his role as Head of Youth, Kevin will now be combining his U19 duties with the Assistant Manager role - here’s hoping he and Davie enjoy a fruitful partnership.

In defence of Coughlinho

2010-11-23T20:56:00.003Z

For weeks, the online supporters' forum has been full of appeals for JC to throw in the kids (which I did not agree with). Now all of a sudden everybody (me included) is shocked to see Quinn and Murray out of the side. Fundamentally you can't have it both ways - with Dickson and Plenderleith coming in, some of the regular players had to be dropped.

My own view is that if you play youngsters out of desparation, you gain nothing. They come into a team which is already struggling, they quickly get their confidence shattered, and nobody gains anything. If there are specific youngsters who deserve to be picked on merit, that is a different matter and they should be encouraged - Dickson and Plenderleith may or may not come into this category, I can't judge as I've only seen them once. But throwing them in simply because we've run out of ideas is foolish.

Re: the manager's ability - form is temporary, but quality is permanent. JC has transformed our club over the last 3 years, and we are now - undeniably - going through a rough patch. I do not, however, believe that he has 'lost the dressing room' - remember that we put in a good solid performance against Brechin just two weeks ago. The solution is not to sack him, but to allow him to settle on a stable starting XI built around our key players (Williams, Clark (when fit), Murray, Anderson, Stirling, etc). Because of injuries he hasn't had a chance to do this until now; contrary to rumour, however, he has used consistent starting XIs in previous seasons, and I look forward to him doing so again.

I would be quite keen to see the Board delver a Vote of Confidence in John - so long as it's a genuine vote of confidence like the one he got two years ago, and not a 'fake' vote of confidence to be followed by the sack two weeks later. Guaranteeing his position until the end of the season would remove the current sense of uncertainty, and this can only help the players.

Root Vegetables

2010-11-04T22:08:00.000Z

It was another long journey back to London after our defeat by Airdrie United, but - searching as I do for small crumbs of comfort - this was undoubtedly a higher calibre of defeat than that which we suffered on my last trip north (the 2-0 defeat by Ayr in September). Put simply, I would much rather lose to a spectacular overhead kick from Jamie Bain, than to some arbitrary Ayr United goal conceded when the usually excellent Scott Gibb falls on his backside.

The plush surroundings of the Shyberry Excelsior also made a pleasant change from Ayr's stone-age stadium, and - as if that weren't enough - we were kept entertained by the most bizarre set of advertising hoardings in the SFL. Staring back at us from across the half-way line were the words 'Root Vegetables,' emblazoned in bold type with no further explanation in sight. Equally odd was the advert, a little further to the right, for a company offering 'Clean Air Containment Services.' I would have thought the good people of Airdrie would be more concerned with containing polluted air, but evidently they do things differently in Lanarkshire...

Shyberries

2010-10-30T09:49:00.002+01:00

I write this immediately prior to my departure for the Shyberry Excelsior Stadium, which I still insist on referring to as such even though it seems to change its name every five minutes. Since I last wrote the season has certainly begun to take shape – we have learnt that Brechin and Livingston are good (no surprise there then), and that Dumbarton are useless (again, not a huge surprise).

Our last two matches have each been characterised by comical defending, but whilst two weeks ago it was our defenders who were culpable at Almondvale, last week the tables were turned and we were gifted goals by Dumbarton. I was especially pleased to see Ross Clark restored to the line-up against his former club; he was in danger of becoming something of a forgotten man, but his two goals will certainly have helped him avoid that fate.

The national side have of course also been competing for our attention in recent weeks – whilst the recent double header with the Czexh Republic and Spain yielded nothing in terms of points, it was certainly memorable (whether for good or bad reasons). Levein has taken a lot of stick for his 4-6-0 formation in Prague, and I must confess that – even though my conception of football tactics is more defensively-minded than most – I think he pushed it a bit too far. (Giving ourselves no attacking outlet simply made the defensive work more difficult.) Nevertheless, in view how new he is to the job, and of his excellent track record at club level, I think we have to cut him a bit of slack – he showed against Spain that he is more than capable of learning from his mistakes, and I don’t think we’ll be seeing the 4-6-0 again any time soon. Honourable mentions, also, to Stevie Naismith and David Weir – the former is something of a goal machine just now, whilst the latter defended impeccably in both matches and continues to defy his 40 years.

Closer to home, I am keeping my fingers crossed that today’s trip north will be a more rewarding one than my last (the 2-0 defeat to Ayr in September). Airdrie United are a club for whom I have great respect – their stadium is excellent (certainly a pleasant change after Somerset Park), and they are building on a great footballing heritage in Airdrie. That said, I confess to being surprised at their relative suceess this season – with a squad of relative unknowns I had expected them to struggle. Jimmy Boyle has done a great job with them, however, so we will certainly have to be on our guard this afternoon…

Talking tactics

2010-10-02T14:52:00.001+01:00

I made the long trip up from London to Ayr for last week’s match - the first one I’ve seen this season. Unfortunately, as the old adage goes, it’s a long journey home after a defeat, and that was a particularly sore one. I think the word is ‘frustrating’ - put simply, the game was clearly there for the taking if only we had played to our potential.

What lessons can we take forward into today’s game with East Fife? On the defensive side - despite a couple of individual errors for which we cannot legislate - I actually thought we looked reasonably solid. In normal circumstances I would prefer a back four to a back three, but given that a back three seems to give us greater stability (especially in view of the fact that we no longer have Tiger to protect the defence) - perhaps a that is the way forward.

On the attacking side, Ayr was just a bad day at the office. Obviously we are missing Williams and Lynch, but with the likes of Dalziel, Quinn and Anderson in the team, plus Murray and Magic coming off the bench, we should have created far more opportunities than we did. For future weeks, though, the key question is how to fit two wingers into the line-up if we’re using a back three - Murray has been left on the bench since this formation was introduced two weeks ago, but in the long term I’m sure most would agree we need him back in the side. Personally I would like to see us line up in a 3-4-3 formation, with one ‘out and out’ striker supported by two wingers.

In a few minutes time we’ll see whether Coughlinho agrees!

Stenny fan in 'not hating Falkirk' shock

2010-09-23T19:40:00.002+01:00

Here’s something you won’t hear very often on this website. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a wave of benevolence, but there is definitely some sense in which I am feeling less antipathy towards Falkirk than usual.

It might have something to do with their being managed by Steven Pressley, or – as I prefer to call him – God. With his inspirational performances down the years for Hearts and Scotland, he was always a player whom it was genuinely difficult not to admire. Perhaps I’m just finding it difficult to mentally process the fact that he truly is managing Falkirk – I confess to being momentarily confused the other night when I saw pictures of him celebrating his current side’s Cup victory over his beloved Jambos.

Another factor may well be that – in the opening weeks of the season – they came up against two sides for whom I reserve greater venom, namely Dunfermline and Stirling Albion. I still bear something of a grudge against Dunfermline after last season’s Cup debacle – put simply, if you break the rules you should be thrown out of the competition, none of this replay nonsense. (I was especially irked by the fact that Jim Leishman fronted their appeal, despite the fact that he had – apparently - been overheard admitting Calum Woods’ ineligibility an hour before the original game.) As for Stirling, on the other hand, they are an intrinsically pointless institution - there is little more to be said.

I suppose the best hope is that Pressley moves on to bigger and better things, Stirling return to their natural habitat in the lower realms of the SFL, and Jim Leishman ceases to be so annoying. Then, perhaps, normal service (i.e. hating Falkirk) will be resumed…

'Progress' report...

2010-09-18T14:29:00.001+01:00

Our progress so far this season might be described, at best, as 'mixed' - and even that would be pushing it. After positive performances in our opening two league matches and - lest we forget - the demolition of Dundee in the Challenge Cup, surely one of the best Warriors perforamnces since the glory days of 1995, things have regressed considerably. We go into this afternoon's match at Dumbarton on the back of five consecutive defeats (three in the league, one in the Challenge Cup and one in the Stirlingshire Cup).

Let us focus first on the positives. Over the years we have developed the habit of signing strikers of considerable pedigree, only to see them flounder once at Ochilview - Paddy Flannery, Murray McDowell or Craig O'Reilly anyone? Fortunately it appears that Alex Williams will not be falling into that particular trap - he has lived up to his reputation as a quality striker, and all Warriors fans will be hoping he returns to fitness as quickly as possible.

Our problems, however, lie in defence. A nunber of our recent defeats (most notable those against Alloa and Peterhead) have been defined by individual errors, and it is becoming ever clearer that the defenders are struggling without the protection which last season was offered to them by Craig Molloy, sitting in front of the back four. Last week's defeat to Dumbarton was something of an anomaly in this respect - their goal was more attributable to the skill of Derek Carcary than to any shortcomings of our own - and judging from the highlights we actually played pretty well over the piece. Hopefully we can take that forward into this afternoon's match with Forfar.

On a different note, it would be remiss of me not to mention the success which ex-Stenny star David Templeton has been enjoying. I have been extremely impressed with his form for Hearts this season, and he throuoghly deserved his recent call-up to the Scotland under-21 squad. I was particularly fond of his goal against Hamilton the other week, which had 'Made in Stenhousemuir' written all over it: he capitalised on an uncharacteristic mistake from Simon Mensing - another ex-Warrior currently thriving in the SPL - before firing home past Tomas Cerny. Whilst our present players might have a fair distance to go before any of them can emulate Templeton, here's hoping that we recover swiftly from our current troubles...

Pass me my vuvuzela

2010-08-06T20:36:00.003+01:00

In all my many years following the Warriors, I can scarcely recall such excitement in respect of a new season. The summer months have seen us hogging the limelight with an array of impressive and attack-minded signings: for me, the highlight was Alex Williams’ arrival. On one level, his goalscoring record over the years speaks for itself; on another level entirely, he will undoubtedly have endeared himself to Stenny supporters by turning down an offer from Stirling Albion (his alma mater, and a club currently paying a highly uncharacteristic visit to the First Division) to join up at Ochilview. Yet at the same time, my reaction to all this has been one of puzzlement - Coughlinho has, after all, built a reputation as a highly successful coach of defensively-minded teams. Why this sudden change of philosophy? It’s almost like Arsene Wenger (or – to quote an example from closer to home – Des McKeown) instructing his players to settle for a one-nil victory and shut up shop. I am more than happy to trust John’s judgement – and if the new style pays dividends then it will be most welcome; I simply find it surprising. And I do have one reservation – the loss of midfield dynamo Craig Molloy. It has been suggested that last season’s excellent defensive record might be attributed – at least in part – to the ‘defensive’ work performed higher up the park. Notwithstanding his loss of form in the latter part of last season, ‘Tiger’ was the great protagonist in that respect. Our new midfield is packed with talented players, but they are mostly attack-minded. I might not win many friends for saying this, but as things stand just now, I would have been tempted to sacrifice one of our many forwards if this had enabled us to hold onto Molloy. But that is all water under the bridge: now is the time to look forward to the season ahead. Readers might be forgiven for thinking that I too have changed my philosophy: this blog has traditionally been a bastion of optimism, yet here I am worrying about our midfield and hankering after Craig Molloy. To redress the balance, then, let me state that- whilst this post highlights a couple of minor concerns – I am certainly not immune to the growing wave of Stenny-optimism. The squad is – on balance – significantly stronger than last year, and by extension, the strongest that we have had for many years (since last year’s squad was itself our strongest for a while). As such I will stick my neck out and say I think we can finish (wait for it)… THIRD, behind Brechin and Livingston. And – at the other end of the spectrum – even if hell freezes over we should still finish ahead of Airdrie United, who are likely to be hindered by their lack of any players over the age of about 14. On that note, let the long journey begin.

Alphabet games

2009-12-11T17:01:00.002Z

Whilst not exactly screaming from the rooftops, the majority of Warriors supporters will probably be quietly contented with our recent progress. Though our league position is not yet the healthiest, we appear to have turned a corner in terms of form. And securing our passage through to the Fourth Round of the increasingly bizarrely named 'Active Nation Scottish Cup' is, of course, a welcome bonus.

In the midst of all this optimism, then, it might come as a surprise to learn that - in the League at least - we are seemingly incapable of beating teams beginning with any letter other than 'A'. Of our four league victories this season, two have been against Alloa and two against Arbroath. Unfortunately, however, before our next meeting with Arbroath on 16 January, we face five clashes against teams beginning with other letters.

This is, of course, partly the fault of the SFL, who, back in July - with their decision to relegate Livingston to the Third Division, thus handing Airdrie United a First Division spot for this season - reduced the number of teams beginning with 'A' in our league, by the not inconsiderable margin of 33%. Whilst that may be a cross we have to bear, we really do need to break the hoodoo tomorrow. The Clyde game will not be easy - they have a capable new coach in one-time Stenny assistant John McCormack - but this is still a great chance for us to pull clear of the danger zone.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the recent off-field developments at the club. The long-standing plan to become a Community Interest Company (CIC) has finally come to fruition, and looks set to benefit the club in a number of ways - safegaurding our future on the one hand, whilst also giving formal recognition to the club's work with the local community. For those readers who are still looking for that last-minute stocking filler, I urge you to follow my lead and buy a share in 'Stenhousemuir FC CIC' - the perfect gift!

Return of the blogger...

2009-10-21T16:43:00.004+01:00

It has, for various reasons, been a long time since I posted to this blog - the usual, more regular updates will recommence henceforth. My last post was immediately prior to our victory in the play-off final, and much has happened since then. Over and above the football, of course, everything was put well and truly into perspective during the summer, by the tragic deaths of Gordon Lennon and Paul McGrillen, two former Stenny favourites. My thoughts remain with both sets of families and friends, as I'm sure do those of all readers.

As for matters on the pitch, the opening weeks of the season have been nothing but varied. After a flying start, we now find ourselves at the wrong end of the table after a run of poor results. Yet there are a number of reasons to be positive - we have shown we can compete well in this league, and with a bit more luck we would undoubtedly have been further up the table.

This was most obviously borne out by last Saturday's derby defeat to Stirling Albion. Unlike many Warriors supporters, I have always tended to regard Stirling as geniune rivals. As such, there was no chance of me missing their first visit to Ochilview since 2001 - hence my 6:30am departure from my London home last Saturday! Whilst the result was ultimately disappointing, the first half display was the best I've seen from any Stenny team for several years. Fingers crossed, therefore, that we can take the positives from defeat, and pick up a few victories in the coming weeks.

Double D

2009-09-18T14:12:00.000+01:00

Currently engaging the posters on the main forum is the question of “who is best”? Diack or O’Reilly; two of our three frontline strikers. For me it seems that the problem is that neither of them is the complete player. They both have their plus points and their negatives, and probably more of one than the other, unfortunately. Diack is now in his second phase with the club, so we know what we get from him. He is a poor man’s Kenny Miller. A nuisance of a striker, who causes problems for opposition defences, and some would say was the perfect foil to someone like our current no. 9 Scott Dalziel. Unfortunately, like Miller, he can’t hit a barn door with a banjo. Fundamental flaw for a centre forward really. O’Reilly, has always impressed me when I have seen him play against us, however, so far, in the limited opportunities he has been given, he has not been the threat I had hoped. It may be that him and Dalziel are the “Lampard and Gerrard” of the Scottish Second Division. Great individually, but can’t play in the same team (some might say), but so far this season Diack has seemed the bigger threat when partnered with Dalziel. O’Reilly may not be as nimble as Diack, but he does have a number of other attributes e.g. pass the ball to him and there is a good chance he will control it, give him a chance in front of goal and he will score more often than he misses. However, ask him to run on to one of Scott Dalziel’s flicks or, pass it 10 yards in front of him, and there is a good chance it will dribble out for a throw. Up front Coughlin’s preference seems to be Double D (Diack and Dalziel) but that could easily change as form fluctuates and injuries and suspensions kick in. No doubt O’Reilly will get a run in the team at some point in the season, which will please some and disappoint others.

Here we go (again)

2009-07-20T22:27:00.000+01:00

Quicker than it takes to blink, another season is upon us. Coughlin has chosen to avoid wholesale changes from the team that scraped through the play offs having finished 4th in what was a pretty mediocre third division last season. So, what makes him think that the team that gave us a pretty horrid time of it last season will be good enough to avoid a quick fire return from whence we came? The new additions are something of a mixed bag. Chris McCluskey is not your typical goalie. Someone who makes Scott Johnstone look like a giant between the sticks won’t fill you with confidence. He had a cracking game against Alloa in the Stirlingshire Cup, but I’ll feel a lot more comfortable with Bennet back in goals. Steven Thomson – bit of an unknown quantity. I cannot recall having seen him play before he arrived at Ochilview, probably because he was punted by Montrose after a handful of appearances before turning up at Tranent. Hardly a glowing CV. He played for Blackburn aswell – presumably the team hailing from Susan Boyle’s home town as opposed to the more illustrative Rovers. Pat Scullion has turned in some impressive performances pre season. From memory he caught the eye for the wrong reasons playing for Elgin i.e. he was hopeless, but Coughlin does seem to have done a good bit of business getting him to Ochilview as there was quite a bit of competition (allegedly) for his signature. He had mixed reviews at Alloa, but generally he seems to be a decent signing. Craig O’Reilly – impressed when playing for Clyde, and last season scored a couple of belters against us for Montrose; before our Second Coming. Pre season he looks very good and I think will be first choice up front, with the other strikers battling it out to partner him. He could get us a lot of goals next season (finger etc crossed) Kevin Bradley impressed last season with Montrose. He is a nippy wee player who Brechin were after aswell. So far he has been OK from what I have seen, but I think over the season he will prove to be an important player for us. Having spent the last season watching too many turgid low scoring matches, it seems we have gone from one extreme to the other. Our defence, which last season was so strong, now looks like the weak link. General perception is that we need a left back (Alan Reid please) – Steven Thomson, or Kevin Motion, are not the answers. Chris McLeod also looks a poor replacement for John Ovenstone in my opinion. And he gets suspended quite a lot. All of which puts more pressure on Gary Thom and Jordan Smith – an injury or suspension to them would make things awkward. Saturday will give us a better impression on how things will pan out – I will have to keep abreast of it via the wonders of the internet unfortunately – but despite the low key build up to the new season I can’t wait for it all to start again.

Celebrity striker spot #3

2009-06-30T13:19:00.000+01:00

Continuing my long list of former centre forwards spotted ambling through the pub lined streets of Rose Street, Edinburgh, is Andy “Bomber” Brown. He looks a lot better in a suit than he ever did in an ill fitting Stenhousemuir shirt. His torso really was too long. Who’s next? Darren Johnstone, Willie Watters, Kenny Miller…

What a day

2009-05-29T13:25:00.001+01:00

By the end of the day on Saturday I was absolutely knackered. A combination of a sleepless night (I would love to say it was due to a dodgy baked potato, or something, instead of pre match nerves, but who am I kidding), a nerve jangling 120 minutes (I kept finding myself literally on the edge of my seat during the match), the drama of the penalty shoot-out (which seemed to fly past) and then the sprint from my seat on to the pitch and then back again (I almost felt as if it was me who had won promotion when I ended up giving Kevin Motion a hug in the middle of the pitch) meant I was done in by the end of the day. And all for promotion to the 2nd division! For once I fancied getting to the match earlier than my usual 2.55 on the basis, that (1) it would be good to sample the pre match atmosphere and (2) I didn’t fancy having to debate with some glory hunter (ha) who had managed to perch themselves in my seat that it would be a good idea if they moved – this was going to be a day of celebration, not confrontation, I told myself. Best laid plans and all that – I left my wallet at home and had to dash back to get it. This was not good for the blood pressure that was about to be pushed to it’s limit. Fortunately I had left myself some wriggle room so that I still got to the ground in good time. I even managed to secure 2 seats next to me for my friends / glory hunters! The match itself was a tense affair. What did I expect? Ovenstone had slotted in to the back line as if had never been away. He had had an excellent season for us (well, three quarters of one) and it was good that he got the chance to be part of the promotion winning team, as he deserved it. My guess is that he won’t be with us again next season, but he will be fondly remembered. Otherwise the team was pretty much as expected. Of course Scott Bennett took all the plaudits for his penalty save but his performances, not just in the last match, but in the period after the Montrose debacle were superb. Having pencilled him down as one of the players who wouldn’t feature next season, all of a sudden he has made himself irreplaceable. And at the same time gone down in Stenhousemuir folklore. I had made arrangements to be collected after the match, not really considering what might happen in the event of Extra Time and even Penalties. However, it worked out nicely, as my 3 year old daughter arrived just in time to witness her first ever penalty shoot out. Fortunately, her mum was with her which meant that when I was leaping about like a buffoon on the pitch she was in safe hands. Safer than mine, obviously. She now has a new song to sing (which is great because it means I don’t have to listen to her repertoire of Grease songs quite as much) – “Stenny for ever, Cowden in the river” – I presume she means the Firth of Forth. As for next season, well we’ll enjoy the feeling for now before starting to worry about what might happen next. Personally, I would just like to thank the players and management for providing such a great day as Saturday.

Bricking it

2009-05-22T22:28:00.001+01:00

I don’t think I have looked forward to a Stenhousemuir match quite as much as I am tomorrow’s match. The last match in an unpredictable season that seems to have flown past. Yet the last three games have been fraught, tense matches. It crossed my mind last Sunday at Hampden and then again at Central Park (one benefit of this play off final is at least I will get one season‘s grace from visiting that god forsaken place), that this is just not an enjoyable experience, yet I can’t wait for tomorrow. The last two matches, goal-less matches, have been tense affairs. The quality of the football on show has been abysmal. You wouldn’t pay to watch it. Yet I did - twice. Who knows what tomorrow will be bring, but it will be a day to remember, one way or the other, irrespective of the quality of the 90 minutes. I think we are going to do it.

Talking tactics

2009-05-20T12:27:00.003+01:00

Sitting here at work on the day of the first leg, I can't take my mind off the match, so I am left with little option but to update this blog again.

I've been thinking back to Sunday's game at Hampden, and specifically to John's tactical substitutions. They worked a treat on the day - bringing on 'gritty' players like Thomson helped us to see the game out.

It will be interesting to see, though, whether he follows the same strategy will happen if we're lucky enough to find ourselves ahead in the second leg of the final. Personally I hope he doesn't - if we were to concede a late goal, I wouldn't be comfortable in those circumstances without Love and (especially) Dalziel. If we do end up having to play extra time and pens, we'll need our top scorer on the park.

Roll on tonight...

The Final Countdown

2009-05-19T23:37:00.004+01:00

So, after a long hard season, it all comes down to two matches. All that stands between this Stenny team and promotion is a two-legged tussle with our old rivals from Cowdenbeath. The memory of 2006 - when Cowden pipped us to the title against the odds - remains etched on the collective memory of Warriors supporters, and the players will be desperate to ensure that we are the ones celebrating this time.

Sunday's game at Hampden - the second leg of the semi-final - was undoubtedly nervy towards the end, but we had been the better side throughout, and our passage into the final was nothing if not deserved. It was an excellent team performance, but two players in particular were worthy of special praise - Scott Dalziel, for the skill and tenacity with which he led the line, and Craig Molloy, the best 'midfield general' we've had for many a year.

I don't want to tempt fate here, but I really do feel that we are ready for promotion this time. Whether we will actually manage it is a different matter - Cowdenbeath will be formidable opponents - but I think the time has come to make the step up. I'm not just talking about performances on the pitch, but the club as a whole. We have an excellent team of coaches in place; we have good facilities at Ochilview (most notably the artificial playing surface, which is a great asset); and the club in general is run on a very professional basis. The current stability is a far cry from the way things were a few years back, and securing promotion would be a just reward for all the hard work of recent seasons.

All that remains, then, is for us supporters to turn up in numbers, and show our support for the players as they make one final push. I will not be able to make the first leg, but will be travelling up from London for Saturday's game: Virgin Trains, in their eternal wisdom, have opted to cancel all London-Glasgow services this weekend, but even if I had to walk 400 miles, I'd be there. Because I have faith in this team. It will undoubtedly be difficult, but I think we're going to do it. After five long years in the Third Division, this is our time. COME ON THE WARRIORS!

Hampden here we come...

2009-05-04T16:19:00.005+01:00

Well, what a turnaround in recent weeks. The Board's Vote of Confidence in John has had precisely the effect everyone was hoping for: 3 matches, 3 wins, 6 goals scored, no goals conceded, and (most importantly) a play-off spot secured with a week to spare.

On a more trivial note, the recent upturn in our fortunes will hopefully represent a reprieve for the fledgling 'Warriors TV' service. I was beginning to fear that it might be withdrawn, on account of the fact that ever since it launched, our form had been pretty catastrophic - was it bringing us bad luck?! Fortunately it has made for much more pleasant viewing in the last couple of weeks, and is an excellent and much-appreciated service, especially for long-distance supporters like myself.

And the line-up for the play-offs could scarcely be more mouth-watering. If anyone has ever been tempted to bemoan the fact that whilst the play-off contenders in the English leagues get to play at Wembley, we don't routinely get to go to Hampden - fear not! Fate has declared that our opponents in the semi-final will be Queens Park, so the away leg will be at the National Stadium - always a favourite venue for away trips. The Hampden trip is on Saturday week, which means that the home leg is on the preceding Wednesday. As it stands, our dear tenants at East Stirlingshire will be away to Cowdenbeath on the Wednesday, thus avoiding any clash between our home leg and theirs, both of which will be at Ochilview. If Cowden were to overtake the Shire on the final day of the regular season, however, this would be turned on its head: ourselves and the Shire would both have our first-leg ties at Ochilview... presumably the Shire game would then be brought forward to the Tuesday?

The potential arrangements for the final, meanwhile, are nothing if not bizarre. (Hopefully I'm not jinxing us by talking about this?!) If both ourselves and the Shire win through, we will face a two-legged final, with both legs at Ochilview! I'm told the away goals rule doesn't apply in the play-offs, which is probably a blessing given the general ridiculousness of the situation, but the concept is nevertheless a tad strange. One thing is for sure, the prospect of two local derbies to decide promotion is one which both sets of supporters would relish; the Ochilview atmosphere would be nothing short of electric. There are, of course, various other permutations: a Stenny-Cowdenbeath final, providing us with an opportunity for revenge after they pipped us to the title in 2006; or, if we miss out, the prize of trip to Hampden for Cowden or the Shire.

Before all that, of course, we have a trip to Forfar to look forward to, for our final game of the league season. Here's hoping for a win to set us up nicely for the fun and games to come...

Looking forward

2009-04-17T23:07:00.002+01:00

I, for one, was glad to hear that John would be retained as manager for next season, and equally glad to hear that many of those supporters who had previously sought his sacking are nevertheless willing to back him now that the decision has been made. I am - dare I say it - even slightly optimistic that performances might improve in the remainder of the season, now that the uncertainty has been lifted. One thing is for certain, though: if we are to make the play-offs, we can do without officials like those on show at Montrose last Saturday. There was obviously plenty to criticise about the players' performance, but surely the worst performance on show was that of the linesman who ruled out Kevin Motion's goal. The website report states that two Stenny players were 'interfereing with play'; I can see no evidence of this on the footage, but in any case, since when has encroaching upon our own free-kick taker been deemed a foul?!

Returning to the subject of John's future, however, I was especially interested in the following quote from the Chairman: '...with the financial backing we feel there has maybe been undue expectations on the management team – not in terms of promotion which is a number one aim of the board, but more around the need to use the finances which maybe does not suit the model John would normally adopt.' This is a crucial point. I wonder if there has been a temptation for John to 'splash out' - especially in the January transfer window - on players for whom - whatever their pedigree - we had no great need at the time. Given that John has always tended to be a defensively-minded coach, I am thinking especially of all the attacking players we've signed recently - Iain Diack, Alan Morgan, Andy Ferguson and Andrew Stirling (though I did enjoy watching the latter's contribution to our third goal on Saturday - scant consolation for a poor performance, but excellent footwork nevertheless). Perhaps it is this temptation to sign attacking players which 'does not suit the model John would normally adopt'?

In any case, full marks to both John and the board for admitting where mistakes have been made, and for attempting to learn from them, rather than just giving up. I, for one, would be delighted if we could get ourselves promoted 'a la Berwick 2007' - i.e. on the back of solid defensive performances. Attractive football is always a nice bonus, but the main thing is winning matches.

Which brings me on to tomorrow's game at Shielfield. I was planning to travel up from London for this game, but a friend of mine is moving abroad this weekend so I'm staying down here to see him off. In any case, this is do-or-die time for the play-offs, and somehow I think we might just sneak it.

Fanny Paddery

2009-04-17T21:50:00.002+01:00

In these tought times, I realised today maybe things aren't so bad after all. Ian Diack might be bad, but surely he isn't as bad as fans favourite, Paddy Flannery. I passed this Stenhousemuir legend outside the same bakers on Rose Street frequented by another Stenny luminary, the one and only Miller Mathieson. Wonder if he's doing anything tomorrow around 3pm...

Should he stay or should he go

2009-04-16T20:34:00.001+01:00

Earlier today the club confirmed that John Coughlin would remain as manager into next season. The dreaded Vote of Confidence. Following on from the humiliating defeat at Montrose on Saturday I was convinced that the time had come for Coughlin to go. To me it appeared that there was something fundamentally wrong at the club. The same problem we have had, it would seem, forever. Why is it that we can, on the face of it, have as good a squad of players as any other club yet we still manage to come up short every season? As usual, in situations like this, the manager becomes public enemy no. 1. Someone is to blame, and he is an easy target (he has of course not done himself any favours with some of his team selections!). Almost without fail, every Stenhousemuir supporter was delighted when Coughlin was appointed. He had a great record at most of his other clubs. So, is sacking Coughlin the answer? Is there really anyone else better than him available to the club? On reflection, probably not, but I think Coughlin can consider himself lucky. To me it appears that he has been treated very well by the club, and the supporters. Don’t forget that his record last season was hardly something to shout about. One thing is for sure though, if we start the next season off slowly then it won’t be long till we are looking for yet another manager.

Manager of the year?

2009-03-31T22:33:00.001+01:00

Whilst our form has turned somewhat sour of late - at least until tonight's victory over Albion Rovers - one Stenny hero who nevertheless has good reason to celebrate is our ex-centre back Harry Cairney, who is nearing the end of a remarkably successful season in charge of our Third Division rivals Annan Athletic. Cairney represented the Warriors between 1983 and 1992, making 306 appearances, before moving on for an equally long and successful spell at Brechin City. He began his managerial career with Annan in the 2003-04 season, and returned to the club in 2006 following an unsuccessful spell at Arbroath. Yet when Annan were elected to the SFL at the start of the current season, the challenge facing Cairney was perhaps the greatest of his career.

Annan’s election was a surprise to many, myself included: I felt that Spartans had a strong case, with excellent infrastructure and a relatively strong squad (which at the time included Kevin Motion) already in place – the side had finished as champions of the East of Scotland League. Annan, on the other hand, had finished seventh in the same league, and the club had to put urgent plans into place to bring Galabank up to SFL standards – the work was still ongoing when we visited them in August.

Against that backdrop, Cairney did remarkably well to assemble a squad capable of competing at this level. Of the 25 players in Annan’s first team squad, eleven joined the club last summer. (Most of these players were youngsters with no SFL experience; one of them was Darren Johnstone, whose previous senior career had consisted of around three matches for Stenny in 2003.) They have played their part in an excellent campaign: the side got off to a flying start, and have really hit form again in the last couple of months.

The Third Division manager of the year award is, as such, something of a no-brainer. Sides such as Cowdenbeath, Dumbarton and ourselves were always expected to be in promotion contention, and even the Shire have invested considerable funds in their squad this season. Whoever goes on to win the title, then, the team of the season is undoubtedly Annan Athletic. When the season began I was amongst their many doubters – I expected them to finish rock bottom – but they remain alongside ourselves in playoff contention, and have thus proved me entirely wrong.

In support of the gaffer...

2009-03-31T22:30:00.002+01:00

Prior to tonight's last gasp victory at Cliftonhill, I sensed some people might have been starting to lose patience with John. It is, however, important to keep things in perspective - not simply because we won this evening, but because John has, overall, done a very good job since he came to the club. Whatever people say about his motivational abilities, the fact is any group of players on a losing run will look like they've lost heart. It's a blip - a fairly major blip, admittedly, but it doesn't mean John has suddenly become a bad manager.

As it stands, we still have a good chance of making the play-offs, especially after tonight's result. Even if we head into the play-offs on something of a downward spiral, the pressure-cooker type atmosphere of those games means they're a law unto themselves - I'm sure the players we have, with John at the helm, would give a good account of themselves. And if the worst comes to the worst, and we find ourselves in the Third Division again next season, there is certainly nobody better than John to have another go at winning the league. The point I'm making is that nobody stands to gain anything from a change of management. Whatever happens in the remaining matches, I'd be very surprised if the board would consider sacking John, and I hope John himself is equally intent on sticking with it for the long term.

In the 2005-06 season, under John’s stewardship, Berwick had a very similar campaign to ourselves this time around, setting the pace early in the season before falling away during the winter. (The ultimate beneficiaries and eventual champions were of course Cowdenbeath, who took advantage after our own challenge collapsed during April.) The following season, however, after a slow start, John’s Berwick team came good and won a richly-deserved title. In the current situation, then, I remain optimistic about our long-term prospects, precisely because we have John at the helm.

Home straight

2009-03-13T13:58:00.000Z

It’s been a while since this blog has been updated. General disillusion and depression regarding the team’s performance is to blame I think. However, as we enter the last quarter of the season one way or the other this could get quite exciting. Our form showed some signs of improvement during the recent double header against Cowdenbeath. It was far from perfect but it was certainly a step in the right direction; namely, towards the opposition goal as opposed to side ways or backwards. The introduction of Craig Molloy has been one factor behind this, and the pairing of him with Kevin Motion in the middle in the second Cowden match meant that we enjoyed our best performance for quite some time. Of course all good things must come to an end. It would have been nice if it had lasted more than 3 or 4 days though. The match against The Shire was disappointing for so many reasons, but the fact is that I don’t think any team in this league would have coped with them that day. Until the 4th goal went in I didn’t think we were actually playing that badly, and certainly the introduction of Andy Ferguson up front seemed to give us a real physical presence we haven’t had all season, but at the end of the day we were beaten by a (much) better team. The issue for them is whether they can keep that level of performance up for the rest of the season. If they can then they could win the league. I thought Cowden looked a spent force when we played them. Very similar to our performances over the previous few weeks. Given Cowden’s slump it means that all of a sudden the race for the title is very much back on. Given our poor form of course this shouldn’t really be of concern to us but we certainly have the squad capable of challenging for the title, it is up to them and the manager to get the team performing to the level that they are capable of. Of course, if things continue the way they have since the turn of the year then we need to look over our shoulders. A play off spot is not guaranteed. Forfar in particular look like they could mount a challenge. The ability of most teams to beat anyone in the league means that nothing is decided yet. If Forfar or Albion do go on a run then it means that they are taking points off other teams which could open the way for a team to take the title, if they can go a decent run for the remainder of the season. I have my doubts that it will be us (too many well documented perceived weaknesses in the team) but you never know what is going to happen next. Meanwhile we head north to face bottom dogs Elgin who by all accounts seem to have improved since Ross Jack took charge. I think it will be a tough match but if we can take three points then it could be the kick start we need.

Escapism

2009-01-19T18:17:00.001Z

The last couple of weeks have been nothing if not frustrating. On the one hand, we have lost ground in the league, and Saturday’s defeat at the Rock meant that we were unable to capitalise on Cowdenbeath’s slip-up. In the Cup, meanwhile, it was infuriating to lose the game to such a ridiculous goal: I watched it several times on Sky Sports that evening, and it looked progressively more bizarre with each viewing. Positive thinker that I am, however, my intention is to put our current trials and tribulations to one side, and to focus on Stenny players of old – specifically Roddy McKenzie and Chris Innes, now team-mates at Livingston. It seems an eternity since either was at Ochilview, so it might come as a surprise to many to hear that neither has yet reached the veteran stage of his career – Roddy is 33 whilst Chris is one year his junior. Innes spent two seasons with us in the late 90s before moving to Kilmarnock for the healthy sun of £45 000, whilst McKenzie’s became an instant legend in November 1995, when his remarkable performance in the shoot-out helped us secure the Challenge Cup. My interest in Livingston’s fortunes is based not only on their ex-Stenny stars, but also on their Italian contingent. I recently spent a year living in Italy, and was thus pleased (if a little bemused) by Angelo Massone’s decision to invest in Scottish football. His ‘grand plan’ seems to have turned a little sour of late, with the sacking of his compatriot Roberto Landi as coach, not to mention the ongoing financial difficulties. I will nevertheless be hoping that Livi recapture the form they showed in Landi’s first few weeks as coach – it would be great to see Roddy and Chris back in the SPL next season. Closer to home, meanwhile, our attentions turn to next week’s clash with Montrose. Whether or not the Diack transfer saga is resolved before Saturday, this game is crucial to our title hopes. Here’s hoping we get back on track…

Ducking Hell

2009-01-11T20:15:00.002Z

Another cup run comes to a limp close. After another uninspiring 90 minutes we were finally undone when Willie Lyle decided enough was enough - a trip into darkest Fife to Cowdenbeath is bad enough, but there was no way he was crossing that bridge more than is absolutely necessary - and therefore, a midweek replay against East Fife was out of the question. So, he ducked. Our priority is obviously the league, but it would have been nice to go on a wee cup run and maybe get one of the big diddy teams (as opposed to the a wee diddy team). Sure enough, East Fife got a match against the team managed by Diddyman Extraordinaire - Jimmy Calderwood, whose opening gambit on Sportscene after his team had struggled past Alloa was that the pitch was a "great leveller". So, on days when every grass pitch became a paddling pool, before it became a mud bath, Aberdeen played Alloa on the proverbial "bowling green" and Alloa pulled Aberdeen down to their level!!

Plastic Fantastic

2009-01-10T14:44:00.002Z

As this afternoon's 'Homecoming' Scottish Cup ties began to take shape (am I the only supporter who actually likes the new name for the tournament?), my focus was, as ever, on events at Ochilview. Amongst the other ties, though, I found myself taking a particular interest in the clash between Alloa and Aberdeen at Recreation Park, and allowed myself a wry smile when the home side equalised just before the break. (I'm writing this at half-time: it's currently 0-0 between Stenny and East Fife, and 1-1 between Alloa and Aberdeen.) Why this enthusiasm for Alloa match, I hear you ask?

My interest stems entirely from the attitude shown by the Aberdeen boss, Jimmy Calderwood, towards Alloa's artificial playing surface. Earlier this week, he admitted he was considering resting several of his star players, since the risk of injury on the plastic surface was too great. I have always had the utmost respect for Jimmy Calderwood - he is a terrific coach - and to be fair to him, he retracted his comments after holding a training session on the surface. Nevertheless I was surprised he didn't make more of an attempt to get his facts right before speaking out in public. His scepticism about the playing surface presumably stems from Dunfermline's experiment with a plastic pitch - the only one in league football in the country at the time - whilst he was the manager there. Yet whilst there was widespread opposition to Dunfermline's surface - perhaps with good reason - it is well-known that those artificial pitches installed more recently, such as Alloa's and our own, are made to a higher-quality specification.

From my own perspective - and I'm sure most Warriors fans would agree with me here - the plastic pitch has been a great success. Our old grass surface used to cut up every winter; the new surface looks fantastic all year round, despite being used much more heavily. Hiring the pitch out to the Shire, not to mention making it available for private hire, provides a valuable source of revenue for the club - clearly this would not have been feasible with a grass surface. With regards to the quality of the surface, meanwhile, these 'new' artificial surfaces are FIFA Grade 2 approved, i.e. Champions League approved. That makes it seem all the more ridiculous when managers raise unfounded safety concerns, or, last summer, when the SPL forced newly-promoted Hamilton to replace their top-quality artificial surface with a (quite possibly lower quality) grass eqivalent.

As I come to the end of my article, we're now well into the second half, and unfortunately Alloa are trailing the Dons by two goals to one. More importantly, however, we are level at 0-0 with East Fife, and thus in with a fighting chance of reaching the fifth round. The BBC website's claim that ours was a featured match on 'Final Score,' on BBC1, appears to be nonsense, so I will stay tuned to Radio Scotland and keep my fingers crossed for the last few minutes...

Some things never change...

2009-01-06T21:22:00.003Z

...or so the saying goes. 2008 was undoubtedly an eventful year for the Warriors, but as the New Year dawns, we find ourselves celebrating in time-honoured fashion: the obligatory handsome win against the Shire. Perhaps, though, it means even more than usual this year, for two reasons. For one thing, the day before the match, over a pint in a London pub, I discovered that one of my new work colleagues was a Shire fan - so the match was inevitably going to take on an added significance within our office.

The other major difference between this game and previous derbies, of course, was simply that few people were expecting a three goal margin of victory. The Shire have hit form for the first time since the Bronze Age, and are beginning to look like genuine promotion contenders. Their pre-match preparations were disrupted by the loss of their regular goalkeeper Jamie Barclay, but rumours of a 12-year old stand-in proved to be unfounded: Jim McInally had managed to recruit Barry John Corr, the entirely competent ex-Celtic and Stranraer keeper. So from a Warriors point of view, Saturday's result was nothing if not impressive.

Whilst it may not have been a classic, the players showed their quality and demonstrated their capacity to grind out a result. The first two goals were extremely well taken: Dalziel showed great predatory instincts after ex-Warrior Craig Tully worked his 'magic' in the Shire defence, whilst Motion's goal was something else. Surely he is the first player in history to perform two overhead kicks in such quick succession, including one after going to ground! Shirra also looks to be on top of his game going forward, whilst at the other end Bennett did all that was asked of him. All in all, then, an excellent afternoon's work, and all the more reason to look forward to next Saturday's clash with East Fife.

2008...

2008-12-30T15:13:00.000Z

Looking back on 2008 it has been something of a mixed year. We started off the new year looking like we could put together a challenge for a play off spot, but two insipid performances against Arbroath and Dumbarton that resulted in one – nil defeats meant that it proved to be too little too late. Nevertheless, the one bright spot was the introduction of Robert Love to the first team and he has been a bright star, albeit one that has not had as many opportunities to shine as I certainly had hoped for this season. The new season has been quite unusual. For a period it looked like we were going to stroll to the title, without looking all that impressive if truth be told. In typical John Coughlin style, our defence looked, and continues to look, impenetrable. Up until the last two matches, we had managed to score in every league match which meant that more often than not we were guaranteed at least one point (i.e. the opposition would have to score twice to beat us) Now, we seem to have hit our bad patch that all teams do at least once during the season although the reality is that we haven’t played well for quite some time now but our big lead meant that we have managed to keep our noses in front going in to 2009. How do we turn it around? The back four of Lyle, Smith, Ovenstone and McGroarty seemed to be working a treat, but since Smith regained fitness it’s as if Coughlin is trying to fit Gary Thom anywhere into the team on the basis he doesn’t deserve to be dropped. I think he just needs to bite the bullet and give Gary a rest. No doubt there will be suspensions in the future which means Gary will get plenty opportunities in the future. As for suspensions; we have had too many. Particularly in midfield where key players (Motion and Ferguson) have been missing for periods of time. We need the stability back of a regular midfield quartet and therefore need to cut out the stupid bookings and sending offs. Up front, we need a new striker to play with Dalziel, or to play instead of him if the stories about his injury problems are to be believed. Without the support of Brand the goals have dried up for Dalziel and I feel that we need to have, effectively, a better alternative to Steve Hampshire. I think the next few weeks will be critical for us. We really need to start putting together some decent performances. Another long unbeaten run would potentially be all that is needed to win the title as there is no doubt that this is a very competitive league with almost anyone capable of getting a play off place.

London calling...

2008-12-19T22:36:00.003Z

Some considerable time has passed since I last posted: having finished my studies and entered the real world, my time has been occupied by moving to London and starting a new job. As such, the distance of my 'commute' to Ochilview has lengthened once again, though I look forward to attempting it sometime early in the New Year.

Fortunately, however, whilst I have 'gone South,' our league form has done nothing of the sort. The defeat at Berwick was forgiveable, if only because there seems to be an unwritten rule that the supposedly rubbish teams always give us our most difficult games - Elgin in October, anyone? Last week's victory over Albion, of course, put us back on track - though having misread a thread on the Fans' Forum, I must confess to being a tad confused when I saw the teamsheets. I was under the impression that - rather than signing for Albion Rovers - Marc McCusker and Marco Andreoni had signed for us. At least they didn't inspire their new side to victory!

After our clash with the Shire, as ever, I was greatly amused by the highlights on ShireTV. Their commentator's latest wheeze seems to have taken the form of a vendetta against Craig McEwan. First he is accused of 'bodychecking' Shire striker Andy Rodgers, then we are told that the referee's failure to award a penalty against him was 'the moment that changed the game': why the commentator thought it was a penalty is anybody's guess. The incident which led to the sending-off of Shire's Paul Hay, meanwhile, is entirely obscured by a 'convenient' camera angle: one can only assume this was because his guilt would have been clear if his actions had been visible.

However, enough of my ranting: despite my occasional jibes at ShireTV's expense, I am always grateful for the opportunity to watch Warriors highlights online. There was a rumour that our recent match at Cowdenbeath was being filmed, possibly with a view to launching an online highlights service for Stenny supporters: we shall have to wait and see. In the meantime, I will look forward to tomorrow's clash with Forfar. The Loons have three ex-Warriors in their squad (Ally Brown, Graham Gibson and Kevin McLeish), two of whom played a part in our victory over East Fife precisely twelve months ago - arguably our finest result of last season. Here's hoping they don't come back to haunt us...

Fantastic Plastic

2008-12-15T17:49:00.000Z

I read with a degree of disbelief in the Falkirk Herald that we are having trouble getting players in on loan because some clubs are reluctant to let their players come to us because we play on an artificial pitch. While George Peat and his fellow cronies within the game bang on about streamlining the administration and removing the self interest that is undoubtedly rife throughout the various administrative boards, what hope is there for the game when attitudes like this persist? In case these people hadn’t heard, the professional game in Scotland, like most other industries is well and truly goosed. Any sort of innovation which will help sustain the game in this country should be embraced and encouraged, but no, all you hear is how the “plastic pitches” (a misnomer if ever there was one) are not what football should be about – the ball doesn’t bounce properly, the pitch causes injuries, the home team gets an unfair advantage etc. Yet, almost every single club who has installed one of these artificial pitches swears by it. For us, I presume, our revenue must have increased dramatically since the pitch was installed, not just from the ground share with East Stirling, which I presume we would not have entered in to if we still had a grass pitch (who can forget the state the pitch was in the season we shared with Falkirk?), but from the various other activities that take place on the pitch through the week. So, while it won’t be the difference between us challenging Barcelona, Real Madrid, Man Utd etc as the biggest club in the world, it should help us make ends meet.

Tough at the top

2008-11-20T13:18:00.001Z

After a tricky run of games at the start of the 2nd quarter it is very encouraging to see us having preserved our 5 point lead. Given that we still have to face the teams at the lower end of the league, to go into those games still at the top of the league is a huge boost, particularly given the injury and suspension problems we have had to deal with. For a variety of reasons I have only managed to get to the Dumbarton match out of the last 4. While this wasn’t necessarily a great match it was quite thrilling. Before the match I would probably have taken a point, but five minutes in, and down to 10 men I feared the worst. Of course I hadn’t reckoned on the headcase playing left back for Dumbarton who got Dumbarton back on level terms so to speak. As for the match itself, Dumbarton despite their good press (admittedly, written by their own fans!) were something of a disappointment. In Stevie Murray they have one of the best players in the league – certainly the most creative – but for me they didn’t threaten us enough and in the end it took an unfortunate deflection for them to grab a point. This was the first goal Scott Bennett had lost since coming in to the team. From what I have heard, and what I have seen, he is a huge improvement. The simple fact he comes off his line means that my heart is not in my mouth any time we face up to a set piece. Whether he is the long term answer remains to be seen (I see that David Hay at Cowdenbeath has lost his spot in the team…) Saturday will be interesting as ever. Could be the biggest attendance at one our local derbies for a long time. Thankfully for the credibility of the league The Shire are a different proposition this season and they are no longer the laughing stock of Scottish Football, a mantle it looks like Berwick are doing their best to collect. They (The Shire that is) have some decent players, but I don’t think any of them would get in to our team, so we really should be confident enough going in to the match. Hopefully some of the injury worries will have cleared up, although those players that have come in to the team have been performing exceptionally (Gary Thom in particular has been outstanding to the extent that I would pick him ahead of Jordan Smith now). Exciting times.

Cup fever

2008-10-15T02:04:00.003+01:00

This might seem a little premature, given that our cup date with Threave is still ten days away, but the draw for the Second Round of the Scottish Cup (or the 'Homecoming Cup' as it's now called) caught my attention. In focusing on the Cup, of course, my main objective is to avoid dwelling too long on the current predicament of the national side. Yet the temptation to give a brief summary of my views on that matter is, nevertheless, difficult to resist. Recent press coverage has, as usual, been overly pessimistic: in reality, finishing second in the group should hardly be rocket science, even after a draw with Norway. The real worry at the moment, though, is Kris Boyd's international 'retirement.' As Scotland supporters, we have to support the manager on this: Boyd's refusal to play under George Burley is out of order, and George was right to vent his frustration. Yet in spite of this, I have a certain degree of sympathy for Boyd: he is without doubt one of the best strikers around, and the decision to omit him from the side was unfathomable. I remain confident, though, that our World Cup campaign will get back on track, with or without Boyd, and with or without his potential replacement Chris Iwelumo. The latter has (at present) dubious credentials in international football, and a name which is (nearly) an anagram of 'I'm a wally.' Still, hopefully he'll come good - all those goals he's scoring for Wolves must count for something...

Anyway, returning to the Scottish Cup, the primary focus of my musings isn't our chance for revenge against the Castle Douglas outfit, but the tie which, when the draw was made, read as follows:

'Annan Athletic v Pollok or Spartans'

For anyone with an interest in non-league football, this tie has it all. The most recent graduates of the non-league system, our SFL Third Division rivals Annan Athletic, were to be paired with either Spartans - their erstwhile rivals for that coveted place in the league, champions of the East of Scotland League in which Annan competed last season, and thus probably the strongest side in the senior non-league pyramid, or Pollok - widely recognised as the 'giants' of the junior setup. When Spartans defeated Pollok after a replay, I, for one, was pleased. Whilst some supporters of top junior clubs like Pollok tend to assume that they could hold their own in the SFL, the senior non-league setup (e.g. the East of Scotland League) is often overlooked. Whilst junior sides periodically enjoy a reasonable profile in the national media, the same cannot be said for the likes of Spartans. I am, though, delighted that junior sides now have the opportunity to compete in the Scottish Cup, if only because it allows the myth of their supposed superiority to be debunked.

Spartans' forthcoming clash with Annan is no less 'politically interesting' than their first-round tie, and once again I find myself on Spartans' side. Put simply, I have a great degree of sympathy with the Edinburgh outfit after their failure to gain election to the SFL during the summer. Very few clubs can match their commitment to youth and community football, and I believe that admitting them to the League would not only have been a worthwhile experiment, but ultimately also a successful one. (Besides, the club which produced Kevin Motion surely deserves some reward!) That is not to say that I have anything against the Annan club - I thoroughly enjoyed our encounter with them in August, and they made us most welcome, quite unlike Gretna, their predecessors in the SFL. If we manage to get past Threave, alas, what I'd like most of all is a trip to Spartans in the third round!

Reffin' hell

2008-10-07T18:25:00.001+01:00

Quarter 1 complete and we are unbeaten. Happy days, but it could have been so much better. Having taken the lead against Forfar we seemed to be, not quite cruising, but certainly drifting towards another 3 points. Forfar had enough possession but like most teams we have played against they struggled to create too many clear cut chances, and when they did, there was usually a defender in the way, literally, to prevent an equalizing goal. Until the whistler got in the way that is. To be honest, I normally can’t get too worked up about what is perceived as poor officiating. Mainly because I’m not sure I could do any better, and if there were no ref’s then we wouldn’t have a game at all. And given that we are at the arse end of Scottish Football, we can’t really expect to have the Collina’s, or Dougal’s, of the refereeing fraternity officiating at our matches. The players aren’t the best so why should they expect the top refs? So it is really a case of like it or lump it. The guy on Saturday seemed particularly “Green behind the ears” – the amount of flak from McLeish, Mathie and Brady that he seemed prepared to accept was cringeworthy – but the fact is that hopefully, anyway, the guy will learn from it. However, despite this relatively pragmatic view, on Saturday Mr Watters managed to make my blood boil. Personally, while I might get worked up about decisions for and against, my general view is that over the course of the season the (bad) decisions will even themselves out. The match against Forfar was an illustration in point. Both teams had what appeared to be stonewall penalty decisions turned down (although the Forfar incident was the direct result of a crude challenge on Jordan Smith) Nevertheless, you take the rough with the smooth. Even the so called foul that lead to the equalizer was “soft”, but you could understand (maybe) why the ref gave it. But for me, what was unforgiveable was the amount of time added on at the end. Surely this was pure incompetence. In a match without incident or major delay why on earth did the ref add so much time? No matter how inexperienced the official is, surely he can tell the time? I came away from the match feeling as though we had lost, where in fact we had maintained our lead at the top and our unbeaten record.

Autumn falls...

2008-10-04T14:36:00.003+01:00

The last couple of weeks have seen a dramatic fall in temperature as we head into October, but this has been offset by a dramatic increase in our lead at the top of the table. After our recent victories over the Shire, Berwick and Albion Rovers there is now a five-point gap between ourselves and our nearest challengers. My last few weekends have been spent househunting in London, but thanks to the ever-efficient service of ShireTV I have at least seen a few minutes of the Warriors in action: the highlights of our derby victory were undeniably pleasing on the eye, and the same high standards have, by all accounts, been maintained in subsequent matches. In the midst of all this, Kevin Motion seems to have been doing especially well in recent weeks, both individually and as a valued team player. Against the Shire, for example, he scored both goals, but was also involved in a lovely move which created an opening for Alan Brazil. Another great source of strength in our current line-up is, of course, our central defence. Jordan Smith had an excellent start to the season prior to his injury, and I have heard nothing but praise for the performance of Gary Thom, who stood in for him against Albion Rovers. John Ovenstone, meanwhile, has excelled himself not only by having a bizarre nickname (Zanussi Washing Machine or something?), but by providing ShireTV with it's most amusing piece of footage yet. Their attempt to 'prove' that John had handled the ball on our goal line consisted of: (a) having the *impartial* commentator insist as much, and persist in doing so; (b) having a sufficiently bad camera angle that no viewer could possibly dare to disagree. Forgive me if I prefer to trust the referee on this occasion. In general, though, the basis for our good form has been teamwork. Once again, the Shire game is a good example. Players from all positions made valuable contributions to attacking moves: from the midfield, Brand fashioned a decent chance for himself through sheer perseverance, whilst Thomson's through ball for Motion's second goal was a joy to behold. Even the defenders play their part: both Ovenstone's long throws and Lyle's crosses have added spice to our attack this season. As I write this, we're 25 minutes into our game against Forfar and the scores are tied at 0-0. Despite Sky Sports' mistaken belief that we've got someone called Craig Rankin in goals, I see no reason why we won't be celebrating again come 4:45.

BOGOF

2008-10-01T12:47:00.002+01:00

This season’s kit is produced by multinational Adidas, the same people who produce the Liverpool strip amongst others. There the similarities end. I presume that the deal Stenhousemuir have struck for the provision for our 2008/09 strip is not quite as lucrative as the one the Reds negotiated. Which got me thinking. Where is the cut off? At what point do the leading football strip manufacturers stop approaching clubs to become their exclusive leisure wear provider? I presume, but perhaps with a misplaced sense of importance, that all the SPL clubs are an attractive proposition to the likes of Adidas, but where is the cut off? And when you hit that point, I guess the clubs have to pay the kit manufacturer to supply the kit, in much the same way as the local boys U10 team do. I suppose the one difference will be that there will be some sort of deal to be struck regarding who keeps the cash from replica strip sales, but otherwise I presume it is pretty straightforward for Stenhousemuir, as it is for most other football teams i.e. two sets of strips, one home, one away, a few tracksuits = £2,000 or £3,000 I presume. But does it need to be that way? I recall from the dim and distant past that the French Division 1 clubs struck a deal with a kit manufacturer (Adidas I think) to produce the strips for every club in the league. It meant that each team had the same design of strip but it also meant that the league was able to negotiate a deal for each of the clubs which meant that they paid £2,000, minus a little bit. Not quite “Buy One Get One Free” but every little helps, as they say. Could the Scottish Football League do something similar? If not why not? Why can’t the SFL negotiate a deal for all clubs which would result in some sort of bulk buy discount. Hey, they could even throw in the referees strips for free. I guess it needn’t stop at strips. There must be all sorts of expenses clubs incur where if they got together surely their collective bargaining power would net some sort of saving – insurance, goals posts, balls, pies. If having the SFL operating on behalf of its member clubs (a ludicrous thought, I know) doesn’t happen, then why not have Stenhousemuir and The Shire, or Berwick, or any other club for that matter getting together and sharing costs? On the pitch, Stenny continue to set the pace. The league is so open that everyone else is cutting one anothers throats. Every week when we win it seems that we add another point to the gap between ourselves and the chasing pack. While we keep winning of course. Saturday brings Forfar to Ochilview who by all accounts are a bit of an enigma. Their home record is bad and their away record is good. An away record that includes a victory against our tenants earlier in the season. If we avoid defeat then we will have played everyone once and avoided defeat. A fantastic base upon which to build a promotion challenge.

Home and Away

2008-09-16T21:42:00.002+01:00

Slightly unusual match on Saturday where we occupied the away dressing room (apparently) and most of our support was on the terrace. Official crowd was 511 but it looked like more from where I was sitting. As for the match itself, despite a few shaky moments, we ran out comfortable winners. The Shire started off well but faded big style and the 2nd half was reminiscent of seasons gone by where they did a favourable impression of a Pub Team. Things have improved on the pitch following the injection of some cash from their benfactor but without a home of their own, and relying on one man's generosity, I wonder just how long they have left. Once he gets bored where do they go? Will Spartans get their chance sooner rather than later? Stranraer are also in a perilous state, openly admitting that they screwed their finances up. It's a dicy business and I only hope our Board of Directors know what they are doing. Back on the plastic, Kevin Motion continues to rattle in the goals. Apart from his goals, his delivery from set pieces is fantastic. It always amazes me that "professional" footballers cannot hit a stationary ball more accurately than they do, but the reality is that a player who can hit a dead ball like Motion is a scarcity. In the old days of Terry Christie, one of his successful tactics was a player able to hit an vicious, inswinging corner (Adrian Sprott, Graeme Armstrong) to the near post where our striker would flick it on for an inrushing player at the back post. It was very effective but required a player who could accurately find that player at the near post. Motion seems able to strike a dead ball with that preciceness. Although having watched Stoke at the weekend, maybe we should just play for throw ins and rely on Ovenstone's long throws to create chances. We have seem to have so many options!

Stranger things have happened...

2008-09-05T12:53:00.003+01:00

It's been a few weeks since I last posted, and readers will surely agree that it has been an odd time for football in general. Down south, for example, the final week of the transfer window turned into something of a silly season. Manchester City grabbed the headlines, of course, with their attempt to sign approximately 60% of the population of Europe on deadline day, though rumours of a last-ditch £50m bid for Kevin Motion proved to be unfounded. For me, though, the strangest goings-on were at Stoke City. I'm sure nobody was surprised to see a crowd of Manchester City supporters gathering outside their stadium when the Robinho signing was announced, but the sight of Stoke supporters doing the same for Danny Higginbotham - as broadcast live on Sky Sports News - was unquestionably a touch bizarrre.

Returning to more familiar circles, ex-Warrior Kenny Miller has been making headlines once again. Having achieved the unique feat of making himself equally unpopular with both halves of the Old Firm, last weekend saw him silence his critics amongst the Rangers support by doing what he does best - rising to the big occasion and socring goals. As the World Cup qualifiers approach, we can only hope that his rich vein of form continues: both Macedonia and Iceland are sides we should realistically be beating, but who nevertheless represent potential banana-skins. I'm especially looking forward to watching tomorrow's clash with Macedonia, or the 'Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,' as the intractable nature of Balkan politics obliges us to refer to them. One added incentive for the team is the very real possibility that two victories might take us ahead of England in the world rankings, for the first time ever: here's hoping!

The international break has, of course, fallen at a convenient time for the Warriors: our win over Cowdenbeath last week ensured that we would remain top of the league for at least two weeks. Such a disrpution to the rhythm of regular weekly matches is sometimes interpreted as a potential hazard for in-form teams, but as things stand just now, we have every reason to look forward with confidence to the resumption of league action on September 13.

Shirra Brilliance

2008-08-25T20:54:00.002+01:00

Blimey, the last two visits to the football have been fantastic. Having returned from my summer hols where I had managed to fit in one more match (well, strictly, two matches) and another new stadium - Real Mallorca entertained Newcastle, Hannover and Berlin in the "Summer Cup" aka an opportunity to rip off the tourists; again - I returned just in time to catch our home match against Montrose. First half was appalling and put me in mind of the worst ever performances; again. It probably wasn't that bad, but it felt it. Second half couldn't have been any more different. A couple of changes and it was like watching a new team (Brazil?) We totally outclassed the opposition and could easily have gone on to win a match we had looked like losing an hour earlier. Scott Dalziel, who had spent the previous 45 minutes imitating his own shadow, managed to score with a couple of clinical headers, and finally, literally, John Ovenstone managed to head wide when he had all the time in the world to choose his spot. Ovenstone looks like Freddy Flintoff, and is a brute of a player. Not sure how he would cope against a nippy striker, but he isn't likely to lose many headers. On to Dumbarton for a rare away day for myself. Having missed kick off on each of my last three visits to The Rock, it was one extreme to the next. The expected roadworks and traffic congestion (Celtic were at home) didn't materialise and I arrived 45 minutes before kick off, just as the reporter from The Sun arrived in the car park. Like me he was looking forward to the game as he also had been at the Montrose game and thought "Stenny were a good team", he told a fellow reporter. I wonder if this was Scotland on Sunday's delegate? The same one who obviously hadn't listened too closely to the man from The Sun. He left before the end of the match and filed his report with the opening gambit "THE spoils were shared at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium in a dire 1-1 draw between Dumbarton and Stenhousemuir." If he had stayed till the end he would have realised that we were a good team this season, one who won't crumble under the slightest whiff of pressure from the opposition, and indeed one who fights to the end. What a delight to see our team push forward looking for a winner right to the last minute. Andy Shirra's goal was a belter, as was Kevin Motion's, and was a well deserved winner. Next weekend brings Cowdungbeath and an opportunity to resurrect our rivalry from two or three years ago. They are top of the pile at the moment which is a surprise to me. Still early days but this feels like an important match.

Club X 1-1 Stenhousemuir

2008-08-11T15:27:00.006+01:00

I caught my first glimpse of 2008-09 league action on Saturday as we drew 1-1 with Annan Athletic, whom I still describe as 'Club X' in an attempt to keep myself amused. Attending the match - the first SFL game at Annan's Galabank ground - was an unquestionably odd experience, not least on account of the manifold difficulties we experienced in actually gaining access to the stadium. Am I the only one who wonders if unfinished refurbishment of away grounds is becoming a theme of our season? After the curious experience of Fleetwood in pre-season, where the lack of floodlights led some of us to question whether or not we'd actually get the game finished, Annan presented us with a new challenge: lack of turnstiles. These simple items of stadium-entrance equipment are, it would seem, a privelege reserved for home supporters only - at least until the redevlopment work is completed. Warriors supporters were forced to enter via the astroturf pitches, where - bizarrely - the Annan players were happily getting on with their pre-match warm-up. (Brian, aka Bozo from the website forum, was a notable exception to this rule, successfully gaining access through the home supporters' entrance despite his conspicuous Stenny colours. It must have been down to his cheeky smile.)

The match itself was a largely scrappy affair, in which we were unable to capitalise on our clear technical and territorial superiority. In terms of the performances of individual players, it was the proverbial game of two halves. Ferguson and Thomson, for example, put in strong performances in the first half before fading in the second, whilst for Lyle the opposite was true: after a lacklustre opening period, he was excellent after the interval, combining beautifully with Dalziel and Brand respectively in two well-worked attacks. Dalziel missed a sitter whilst Brand was a little subdued at times, but both still showed some decent touches, and it was good to see the latter continuing his prolific goalscoring start to the season.

All in all, then, two points dropped against relatively inexperienced opposition, but plenty of reasons to be optimistic. The two undisputed stars of the show, though, were Annan's sloping pitch - not conducive to brilliant football but certainly aesthetically pleasing - and Chris McGroarty's luminous blue boots, which injected some much-needed colour into the proceedings!

Here we go again...

2008-07-30T16:41:00.003+01:00

After the disappointing defeat by Albion Rovers in the Challenge Cup, Warriors fans will be attempting to claim that the 'real' season starts this coming Saturday, with the visit of Elgin. Most observers would expect some changes to the side after such a poor showing; here's my take on the ideal line-up:

----------------------Bennett---------------------

McEwan --- Smith --- Ovenstone --- Lyle

---Love --------- Ferguson -------- Motion -

---------------------- Shirra ----------------------

--------- Hampshire -----Dalziel -------------

Good performances in midfield will be paramount, especially in wide areas - in previous season we've suffered from a lack of width, and we can't afford to fall into the same trap this time. Motion is the only decent candidate wide on the left (unless we put Lyle there and pick McGroarty at left back), whilst on the right, I think Love's pace and control could tear most teams to shreds. In central midfield, there is no better ball-winner than Ferguson - as proved against Fleetwood. On the basis of reports from the Airdrie match, meanwhile, it'd be impossible to leave out Shirra.

At the back, Smith and Ovenstone have impressed me greatly, whilst Thom will provide decent backup if he learns to be a bit less rash in the tackle. Bennett looks an assured keeper. Up front, Hampshire is looking fit and is probably the best candidate to partner Dalziel. The two players who've impressed me particularly, and who I'm especially keen to see picked, are Ferguson and Love.

I'm reluctant to make predictions about how we'll do this season, but I'm certainly looking forward to it: I have every faith in John Coughlin's capacity to bring the good times back to Ochilview. My formative years coincided with the 'golden years' of Second Division football, memorable cup runs, and quality coaches like Terry Christie, Graeme Armstrong and Brian Fairley - but since Brian's departure in 2001, we've only really had two or three decent seasons. Moreover, I think a lot of us perceived a great sense of negativity between 2001 and about 2004-5: from the backroom shenanigans in 2001-2 (Gordon Hill et al), to the abysmal league campaign of 2003-4: these were dark times.

These days, though, irrespective of what happens on the park, things are unquestionably more positive: we have a forward-looking board who do a terrific job at keeping us up to date with goings-on, a terrific artificial playing surface which is a great asset, and an excellent manager. As the new league season dawns, then, the message is simple: Bring it on!

Here we go again

2008-07-26T20:52:00.004+01:00

It didn't really take too long before the optimism of the new season became a distant memory. 90 minutes in and it's as if it was all a bad nightmare; again. Albion Rovers are not very good but they made up for what they lacked in ability by putting a great shift from the first minute to the last. So while our team might have most of the possession and passed the ball about (the halfway line) we were ineffective. There were no killer passes. Too many times we got into position to cross and either cut back or if they did cross, it was straight to a defender. Up front is a worry, where Dalziel and Gibson don't cut it for me. Love came on and was a menace for the 15 minutes or so he was on the park, and he came the closest to scoring with a header well saved by the Albion keeper. We created very few clearcut chances. Dalziel sclaffed one shot which the keeper almost managed to help into the net but otherwise chances at a premium. It is still early days and too soon to get too depressed but it was not a good start today. We still have Brand and Brazil to come in to the team and they can only imrove things (surely) . As far as the team is concerned, my view was:- 1. Bennett - did ok. Almost pulled off a great save at the penalty but in truth had little to do. 2. Lyle - hopeless today. He was so lethargic and when he did get forward he was unable to deliver the ball into the box, preferring to turn back and pass the ball. 3. McGroarty - he was never my favourite signing, an opinion which remains unchanged. He literally did nothing. 4. Thom - seemed untroubled throughout the match. Reality is that while the Albion strikeforce were a couple of pests, they are unlikely to trouble the scorers too often. We will face better players than that. 5 Smith - didn't put a foot wrong. My MOM. 6 Tyrell - how on earth does he keep winning our player of the year award? 7 Shirra - had high hopes but he was disappointing today. Didn't get involved anywhere nearly enough. 8 Hampshire - he looked ponderous throughout the match and actually didn't look fit. Did nothing. Just like last season. 9 Dalziel - goodness me. Did he have his boots on the wrong feet? Looks low on confidence. 10 Gibson - ineffective. 11 Thomson - misplaced so many passes. Another player with a big reputation who had a disappointing debut. Surely he can only improve. As for the subs, Love was good. Caused them trouble and came closing to scoring. He must be close to a starting spot. Ferguson, when he came on looked old and slow. Despite this, I can't fathom how Tyrell starts ahead of him. My summer holidays start next week (boy, do I wish they had started yesterday) so I miss the next 3 or 4 matches. Bizarrely, by the time I return, in all likelihood we will be out of two cups before the end of the first week in August!

2008/2009 predictions

2008-07-20T20:34:00.001+01:00

So, another season is almost upon us. As ever, I am fairly optimistic about our chances. Not sure how long it will last but hopefully a bit longer than last season. We seem to have built a squad of players, all of whom have performed well at this level. In the past we have put our faith in players who are in the twilight of their careers and who have come to Stenhousemuir for their last big pay day (ha!). So while there are no “names” in the squad, it is players familiar to most fans at this level, and who have generally created a good impression at their other clubs ie. their supporters didn’t want them to leave. So how do I think the league will turn out? Based upon what I saw last season and what I have seen and heard during the close season I think there will be one or two clubs in for a shock this season, one way or another. My prediction for the final league placings: 1.Dumbarton - look to have signed some decent players who come with big reputations (OK, I know it doesn’t always work out for the better but…) Throughout their team they have players who most other clubs would happily see playing for them - McEwan, Lennon, Murray and Carcary. It can’t be much worse for them than it was last season but I think they will have a squad and manager capable of getting them promoted. 2.Stenhousemuir - for the reasons above. Will we go up in the play offs? Who knows? 3. Montrose - were decent enough last season and Weir seems to be a good manager. 4. Berwick - they have made some disappointing signings; whether it’s just rubbish (Dillon, McGurk) or players that don’t want to play for them (Lister - that looks like that was a close escape) but McGonigal and Mooney will do OK I think. 5. Cowdenbeath - bit like Forfar, I’m not sure how they will do. Some good signings - Tomana - and some bad ones - McGregor, the little thug who would get sent off every week if he wasn’t suspended most of them. Again, bit like Albion, I don’t know what the future holds for them following the resignation of McDougall as Chairman and the property developers taking over the running of the club. Selfishly, I’m not looking forward to returning to darkest Fife this season - the place just depresses me. 6. Forfar - this is the team I am least confident about. Either they will have a disaster, be mid table, or get a play off spot! I have no idea. Disappointed Ally Brown didn’t end up back with us. 7. The Shire - almost like a proper team now, with proper players and a proper manager. All they need now is somewhere to play. Can’t help but feel they have simply been offered a stay of execution and that they are not long for this world. What do they do when their “sugar daddy” calls it a day? Don’t think they will be any where near good enough for promotion (Hillcoat is hopeless and Cramb will get bored) but I can’t see them finishing bottom. 8. Elgin - as long as Inverness continue to lend to them then they should be good enough to stay off the bottom. 9. Albion Rovers - the new Shire. They are broke by all accounts and their squad looks paper thin. Signing Dumbarton’s rejects from last season can’t fill their fans with confidence. And while there will be the odd gem to be found in the Amatuer ranks, I don’t think a team full of them is the answer. 10. Annan - they haven’t had time to get a strong enough squad together so I think it will be a season of toil for them. It will be interesting to see how the Annan public get behind them especially if they struggle. I still can’t fathom how Spartans didn’t get in. Hey ho. So, Saturday coming brings the start of the new season and while we have to wait a further week before the league starts it will be great to see competitive football again.

Skelmersdale Utd 0-1 Stenhousemuir

2008-07-20T10:42:00.003+01:00

Given the results our our matches on pre-season tour, outside observers would surely expect us to be happier Saturday's result - a 1-0 victory - than with our draw the previous evening. As we all know, though, football isn't played on paper, and Warriors supporters - whilst we were undoubtedly relieved to claim a late victory - were left feeling frustrated for a significant proportion of the game. This is not to criticise the performace of the players, which was perfectly functional. Perhaps it was the sheer frequency of substitutions in the second half, but the match was stuck in something of a rut from the interval right up until our late winner, a tap-in from Scott McManus after good work from Haynes. One especially interesting aspect of the game, in any case, was the fluidity of the Warriors' formation, with players shifting from one wing to the other, from attack into midfield and vice versa. Alan Brazil, for example, started the match in an unconventional wide left role before moving up front. Whether or not this will prove to be a wise or long-term tactic remains to be seen, and will depend largely on the players' familiarity with each other.

When all is said and done, then, this was a successful end to a successful tour, with impressive performances from the likes of Ovenstone (again) and Gary Thom, though the latter needs to learn to be less rash in the tackle. Robert Love also showed some wonderful touches. With the players looking fit and prepared for the season, then, here's hoping this serves as a prelude to a successful campaign.

STENHOUSEMUIR (4-3-1-2): 1 Bennett - 2 McEwan, 3 Lyle, 4 Thom, 5 Ovenstone - 6 Tyrrell, 7 Love, 10 Brazil - 11 Motion - 8 Hampshire, 9 Dalziel.

Fleetwood Town 1-1 Stenhousemuir

2008-07-19T00:24:00.004+01:00

My first glimpse of the new-look Warriors team, in Friday's friendly against Fleetwood Town, proved to be an ultimately satisfactory one. Previous pre-season tours have seen something approaching a full-strength Stenny team in the first half of each game, followed by a raft of substitutions after the interval; this time, however, substitutions were kept to a minimum, a decision which undoubtedly helped the flow of the game. Although there were a few notable absences in midfield and attack - with neither Brazil nor Tyrrell featuring, and Dalziel only on the bench - the defence was near enough full strength: pre-season friendly or not, the Warriors were not taking this one lightly.

The match itself was well contested and refreshingly competitive: Fleetwood proved themselves to be extremely capable opponents, who should, on this showing, expect to be one of the stronger teams at their level this season. Their attacking endeavour presented a challenge to the Warriors backline, but our defence remained solid throughout, with Jordan Smith excelling alongside the equally impressive John Ovenstone. Defence was perhaps the most impressive aspect of our performance - perhaps unsurprisingly given the notable absentees in other areas of the park - but the attacking players also put in a good shift. Kevin Haynes made a worthy contribution, and put the Warriors ahead on the stroke of half-time with a well-taken header. Whether or not he signs a contract might depend on how desparate he is for first-team football. With competition from Dalziel, Brazil, Hampshire and Love, nobody can be guaranteed a start, but he might prove to be a useful addition.

The key battleground was in the midfield, where the Warriors won the battle in central areas. Fleetwood made more of an attempt to attack down the wings, with some success, but Steven Ferguson's masterful performance was a joy to behold for the travelling support. Both Desmond and Motion had their moments, and I would be interested to see them play in a formation which allowed them to roam up and down the flanks a bit more. Brand, meanwhile - although quiet for spells of the game - showed some lovely touches. Fleetwood's headed equaliser, with around 15 minutes to go, failed to dampen the spirits or spoil what had unquestionably been a useful workout for both sides, and a deserved draw.

There followed the obligatory trip to the bar, where a few lucky Warriors were treated to complimentary pies and chips by our hosts: a few found it difficult to grasp that it was possible for a Stenhousemuir fan to live in Blackpool, but I had fun trying to explain. Fleetwood's club president, meanwhile, evidently shared our appreciation of Ferguson's performance: he approached me in the bar and asked to be informed of the finer points of our captain's career history! I was pleased to get a chance to meet John Coughlin for the first time (courtesy of my Dad, who is helping to sort out training arrangements for the weekend), and he shared the fans' view of the game: a good-spirited encounter, and ideal preparation for the season ahead.

STENHOUSEMUIR (4-3-1-2): 17 Renton - 2 McEwan, 3 Lyle, 4 Smith, 5 Ovenstone - 6 Desmond, 8 Ferguson, 11 Motion - 7 Brand - 9 Haynes, 10 Gibson.

What happens on tour...

2008-07-15T00:48:00.002+01:00

As a longstanding member of the 'Warriors Abroad' club, I am used to travelling 200 miles north to Ochilview to watch the Warriors. This coming weekend, however, roles will be reversed, with the squad heading south to my home town of Blackpool on pre-season tour. In terms of having football 'on my doorstep,' this really is as good as it gets: in the first of the two matches on tour, the opposition will be provided by Blue Square North side Fleetwood Town - five miles from Blackpool town centre and three miles from my house. As if that weren't enough, the following day sees us travel to face Skelmersdale United, whose ground is conveniently located a couple of miles from my girlfriend's house. I couldn't have planned it better myself.

The impending fixtures got me thinking about pre-season tours of years gone by. For most Warriors supporters, the most memorable pre-season experience was our trip to Oslo two seasons ago, and especially the spectacular thunderstorm during our 7-2 victory over St Hanshaugen. Whilst most supporters were happy to sacrifice their view of the action for some much-needed shelter, I insisted it was worth sticking it out on the touchline - though club chairman David Reid was evidently the only other person in agreement. From my own perspective, though, my fondest pre-season memory is of a previous visit to Blackpool in 2001, whereupon my Dad and I devised a route for the team coach, leading it quickly and safely to its destination, but also leading it past our front door. Only afterwards did I realise that the players might have been a tad bemused to see a house on the outskirts of Blackpool decked out in Stenhousemuir flags...

Other pre-season highlights have included a victory over a Preston side managed by Craig Brown, not to mention the joy of watching various players attempt kareoke after our match at Bamber Bridge in 2003. There is, of course, one notable exception to the long list of successful pre-season tours: in 2002, our match with Barrow was abandoned during the first half, with Des McKeown and Brian Crawford both having sustained serious injuries at the hands of opponents who clearly were yet to grasp the concept of a 'friendly.'

This weekend's trip, though, will surely be a positive experience. One point worth remembering, however, is this: only twice since the tours began (in 1999) have Stenny won both fixtures in any given year - in 2003 and 2006. On each occasion, a hugely disappointing league campaign was to follow. Less successful pre-season results, on the other hand, have generally been followed by more positive performances when it counts. Let's hope, then, that any success we might enjoy at the weekend doesn't taint our chances of success in the season to come!

Border raiders...

2008-07-14T21:07:00.004+01:00

With pre-season already underway, now is an appropriate time to take stock of the gaffer's dealings in the summer transfer market. The majority of the deals seem to fit into one of four categories:

Berwick players signing for Stenny (Smith, McGroarty and Thomson, plus Noble and Haynes who are currently on trial)
Stenny players signing for Berwick (Hamilton and Dillon)
Players signing for Stenny having previously agreed to sign for Berwick (Motion)
Players signing for Berwick having previously agreed to sign for Stenny (Lister)

It goes without saying that clashes between the two sides will be eagerly anticipated, and I hope our traditionally good-natured relationship with the Berwick support continues, notwithstanding the controversial transfers of Lister and Motion. Berwick's newly-appointed management team, of course, will be looking forward to their first visit to Ochilview, where they should receive a warm welcome. Alan McGonigal, their manager, hails from the Stenhousemuir area and served the Warriors well whilst on the coaching staff, whilst his assistant Martin Mooney will be especially fondly remembered by the Ochilview faithful, both for his goal against Hearts at Tynecastle and for his legendary tan. I remember meeting Martin shortly after he joined us in 1999, and being greatly impressed by his attitude to the game: here's hoping his Berwick side finish second behind the Warriors this season.

The inherent assumption in that assertion, of course, is that we have the capacity to claim the title. The season is long and hard, of course, but with the squad we have in place, we have every right to be confident. Two new goalkeepers will compete for the No. 1 spot, whilst the defence looks solid, with the likes Smith, McGroarty and fellow new boy John Ovenstone alongside the ever-dependable Craig McEwan. Promising youngsters such as Rhys Galloway and Gary Thom will also be keen to stake a claim for a first-team slot; I'm especially looking forward to seeing more of Rhys after his impressive start last season.

Competition will be fierce for the central midfield berths: Andy Brand will be a great asset bursting forward, whilst Ferguson, Tyrrell, Shirra and Thomson will each have a major part to play. Whilst neither Willie Lyle nor Graham Gibson are natural right wingers, both will be hoping to secure the No. 7 shirt, whilst new boy Kevin Motion should offer us an option wide on the left. With Alan Brazil joining the already-impressive front line of Dalziel, Love and Hampshire, meanwhile, our attack looks ever stronger.

At this stage, of course, it's all talk: we have been pre-season title favourites in two of the previous three seasons, with precious little to show for it. Yet John knows what it takes to win this league, having done so with Berwick in 2007. Two years on, who's to say he won't be celebrating again?

Annan: Good or bad

2008-07-06T20:46:00.002+01:00

Earlier in the week Club X was revealed. Annan Athletic are the latest new recruits to the SFL. As the days passed it became quite clear that Spartans were not everybody's favourite to claim the spot in the league that I had thought would have been a formality. Obviously I'm not privvy to what went on at Hampden on Thursday and I'm sure there are good reasons why Spartans performed so poorly when the voting started, but I haven't seen or heard any logical explanation. Surely it can't be simply that their ground was not going to be ready at the start of the season. So, while it is always quite exciting to have a new team in the league, and a new ground to visit, I can't help but wonder what exactly Annan are going to bring to the party. To me they seem like another fair to middling to team, from a relatively small town, with little prospect of generating decent crowds and, generally, I can't see them improving the quality and attractiveness of the league. For me, while Spartans may not be the best supported at the moment, surely if it is done properly, there is room for Edinburgh to accomodate an SFL club? As I said before, I am not at all clear why Spartans were so far away from winning the election. I have no idea who Stenhousemuir were backing although I can only presume that in the final voting we went for Annan. I think Cove Rangers managed to poll 12 or 13 votes, which interestingly, is about the same number of clubs north of the Forth! The process does seem to have a degree of farce about it where self interest rules. There is, as ever, talk of introducing a pyramid system to Scottish football, but I can't help thinking this is simply a sop to the gallant losers earlier in the week. The reality is at some point you simply reach the bottom and there is nowhere else to go and as far as senior football in Scotland the bottom is the 3rd division. Se despite it all, I'm looking forward to my first visit to Galabank, which unfortunately won't be next month but instead early February. Wonder if the novelty will have worn off by then?!

Club X

2008-06-25T22:17:00.002+01:00

Looking forward to hearing who the new addition to the SFL will be. I think most people's money is on Spartans and I will be amazed if it is not them that are selected. I suspect it will be between them and Annan but I think Spartans have the most potential. Surely, if done properly, an SFL team can prosper in Edinburgh. It seems to me that Spartans have the right community spirit about their club. They have numerous under age teams and are in the process of building their own purpose built ground. Interestingly for us I think we are scheduled to be Club X's first opponents at home. Given that Spartans ground is unlikely to be ready in time I wonder if they will simply play their first few games away from home. I hope so. Summer holidays mean I will miss the first couple of league games so I would hate to think I was missing out on a trip to a new ground - whoever it turns out to be. Euro 2008 continues apace and it has been a great tournament for all sorts of reasons. With neither Scotland or England qualifying it means that we can sit back and not worry too much about the outcome of the matches. Unless of course you have a wager on Russia to win the tournament at 12-1, in which case you are no longer the neutral observer; all of a sudden I find myself taking more than just a passing interest in Zhirkov, Akinfeev, Arshavin and Co.

Brand new

2008-05-17T20:07:00.002+01:00

No sooner has the season finished that we are all looking forward to next season. I really do have a short memory as I am already getting quite excited about our prospects. Particularly as we have signed Andrew Brand the winner of my "Opposition player I would be happy to sign (realistically)" award. I didn't think anyone read this but I'm glad to see that John Coughlin pays close attention!! Also signed are Kieron Renton. Always struck me as a good keeper but prone to the occassional gaffe. Generally, though the positives outweigh the negatives as far as I am concerned. Good signing. John Ovenstone from Forfar. I know nothing about this guy so will need to reserve judgement although signing players from the worst team in the country doesn't initially fill me with confidence. Jordan Smith has signed from Berwick. He looked solid enough when he came in to the team towards the end of the season. Thumbs up. Chris McGroarty. Hmmm. Never particularly rated him when he was at Berwick but Coughlin obviously likes him so we'll just need to trust his judgement. Also confirmed that Craig McEwan has resigned which is great news. I thought he was our best player and I am still amazed he didn't get POY; a decision that seems more controversial than your average Zimbabwean election. On reflection, Graham Gibson signing on for another season is probably a good bit of business by the manager. He never impressed too much last season but it was acknowledged that he came to us lacking match practice and fitness. I suspect that with a pre season behind him we will see a different player - hopefully a better one!! Finally, it seems that Jim Lister is not joining after all but instead is going to sign for Berwick Rangers, following Allan McGonigal (like our own manager, another ex Meadowbank Thistle player, and protege of Terry Christie) from Camelon. Disappointed obviously, but fact is, there is not exactly a shortage of players on the lookout for clubs. In fact Joe Savage has just rejected a deal at The Shire... P.S. Only joking about Savage in case you're reading this John.

Ochil Views 2008-09

2008-04-28T21:47:00.001+01:00

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

2008-04-10T16:18:00.000+01:00

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?

2008-04-04T00:40:00.003+01:00

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.

SHOOT!

2008-03-21T08:46:00.001Z

In what was effectively the two most important matches of the season we managed to turn in our most insipid performances of the Coughlin era (Threave Rovers excepted). Quite how we managed to get through both these matches without seriously troubling the opposition goalkeeper once is quite damning. We do manage to create openings, but whether it is a lack of confidence or ability - you decide - we simply were not capable of getting the goals required. Defensively our team is strong. We don’t look like losing many goals and indeed the two goals we lost in the Arbroath came from a (debatable) penalty and deflected shot. Although Dumbarton deserve credit for having a shot at goal!! Over on the forum the debate has been reignited as to who should stay and who should go. Given that we now have next to no chance of promotion, we can resign ourselves to (yet) another season in the basement league, and face the prospect of another pre-season of players coming and going by the bucketful: Brown - keep. Has improved since his horror show at Threave and now looks like a very decent keeper at this level. Hillcoat - go; quickly. McEwen - my player of the season. Keep. Lyle - most improved player since Coughlin arrived? Keep. Smith - looks good. Strong no-nonsense defender. Keep. McCulloch - keep. I think we look a better team when he plays (at centre half) Gilbride - only on loan but I would imagine he would be released by Morton anyway. I would keep. Dillon - hopeless. Get rid. His crossing, even with his so called “better” foot, beggars belief. I have found myself squeal with anguish too many times this season because of this chap. Tyrell - keep, but only if he is going to play alongside a midfielder who can pick a pass. Because he can’t. Ferguson - will he ever be fit? Assuming he regains fitness, then keep, but maybe remunerate him on a “pay as you play” basis! He is a great player and I can’t help feel we would be closer to a promotion spot if he had remained fit all season. McLaughlin - this is a difficult one. He is a good player with nice touches. He looks a creative player, but he never actually creates anything! Having said all that he has started to turn in some decent performances recently and may be worth offering a contract for next season. Quitongo - great comedy value, hopeless player. Get rid. Gibson - he really is quite bad. Go. Hamilton - what a disappointment. I had high hopes for him on his return to Ochilview but he has been so disappointing. One of the main culprits in the “I don’t shoot” stakes. Lindsay - he’s a wee gnaff. Get rid. Hampshire - see “Hamilton” above. Came with a great reputation and has been hopeless. Has he scored a single goal all season? I can’t remember one. Go. Dalziel - hopefully he won’t prove to be a flash in the pan. Recent performances have not been great but prior to that he was really looking the part. I am not convinced he could cut it at the next level up but at this level he looks a decent player. Keep. Harty - keep, but I suspect he will want to play at least one level up next season. I had hoped it would be with us but that is not going to happen. So, all in all, another depressing season with very few high points which I won’t look back on with any great fondness. Following Stenhousemuir continues to be a labour of love.

Last minute madness

2008-03-14T00:06:00.004Z

It is, of course, never over until the fat lady sings. On the stroke of full time, one moment of inspiration can be enough to win a match; by the same token, last minute lapses of concentration often prove costly. Yet this season, Stenny seem to have been affected by last minute madness even more than usual. The last two weeks provide two examples, with opposing outcomes. Thanks to Elgin's last-minute equaliser at Ochilview on Saturday, we have now gone five home games without a win (though admittedly losing only once during that spell). And whilst the more pedantic reader will point out that our winner against the Shire came on 86 minutes, it's still symptomatic of the same thing. These are far from the only examples: almost without exception, the same thing always seems to happen against Albion Rovers. This last-minute syndrome reminds me of the football I was watching last year, when I was living in Italy. Such things are weekly occurrances in Serie A. My 'local' side, Siena, secured their league status with a late winner over Lazio in the last game of last season; early on this season, meanwhile, Milan were the visitors, and the fates were reversed - it took a last-minute equaliser from Alessandro Nesta (of all people) to salvage a point for the European Champions. Cynics would suggest that this is indicative of match-fixing, but whilst corruption undoubtedly plays a part in Italian football, it cannot possibly account for last-minute action on a weekly basis. The real reason, I would suggest, lies in the defensive nature of the game in Italy: most sides are content to sit back for 80 minutes before finally trying to win the match in the remaining 10. Back in the SFL, of course, nothing could be further from the truth. Whilst many lament the supposedly lower quality of our national league, the pace and physical element to the game puts other countries to shame. As the team head for Arbroath on Saturday, they will be under no illusions about the task ahead. Arbroath are a quality side, but their slip-up in midweek has given us a golden opportunity to draw level with them in the play-off race. Let's hope, then, that any last-gasp goals are in our favour!

Derby Day Reflections

2008-03-05T01:31:00.000Z

There is an unwritten rule which states that, at derby matches, the referee always favours the other side, and must be criticised as such. My own capacity to do so is inhibited by my non-attendance at last Saturday’s clash with the Shire – I was stuck down here in deepest Cambridgeshire as usual – but having watched the highlights online, I will have a go nevertheless. The penalty award seemed to stem from a Shire player being blown over by a freak gust of wind, and whilst that penalty was missed, the free kick which led to the second Shire goal looked similarly dubious. I am, of course, seeking to be provocative here. The decisions do appear dubious on the online highlights, but since the quality of ‘Shire TV’ isn’t the best, I cannot have absolute faith in my judgement. What I can have faith in, though, is the quality of our attacking play. Paul Tyrrell did well to pick out Eddie in the run-up to the first goal, and subsequently finished off a neat move for the second. With a great run and pass, Ross Hamilton started the move which led to his goal, and his return to fitness can only be good news, as anyone who witnessed his performance against East Fife, shortly before his injury last December, would confirm. The crowning glory, though, was surely Ian Harty’s glorious turn and shot for our last-ditch winner. I was interested to see John Coughlin’s interview in the Falkirk Herald last week: he reckons that a successful spell for Stenny could be Harty’s ticket back to a higher division. Rather than joining another club at the end of the season, though, our last-gasp victory means there is still a real chance for Harty to realise that ambition in Stenhousemuir colours. Our feet must remain firmly on the ground, especially now that Arbroath have returned to winning ways, but Harty adds an extra dimension to an already well-equipped Stenny side. Roll on next week!

Bye bye Firs Park

2008-03-03T21:24:00.002Z

What may well have been my last ever visit to Firs Park (unless The Shire join us in the play offs of course!) , before it is absorbed by the local Retail Park turned out to be quite a thriller. Going in to the match, I must confess to a degree of apprehension. I feared the New Manager Syndrome, as this was The Shire's first match since Gordon Wylde became the latest in a long line of managers who have tried and failed to achieve anything better than last place in the Scottish League. How long they can continue to hold on to their league status despite displaying continued inadequacy remains to be seen. However, the sale of their ground, and what looks like another season propping up the other 39 teams, surely only means that they are delaying the inevitable. As for the match, well it marked Ian Harty's debut in a Warriors shirt. And it was a might impressive debut. His ability to control and pass the ball put me in mind of the last member of the Harty household to play for Stenhousemuir. The contrast was like night and day! I don't think there is a cat in hell's chance we would have won that game without him in the team. No-one else in our squad would have been prepared to take a shot from the position he was in. Too often the attitude this season seems to have been, why shoot when someone else in a much more awkward position can take a shot and miss! The presence of Harty in the team has given me renewed confidence about our ability to make the play offs at the end of the season. All in all it was a bizarre match, where we roared into the lead through the prolific Willie Lyle, only for the Shire to get their noses in front, while in between times missing a penalty (Andy Rogers likes a dive doesn't he?). Couple of belting goals they scored; one from Andy Brand who looks an excellent player - wonder where he'll be next season. We managed to get to half time on level terms with an equaliser from the not so prolific Paul Tyrell. His link up play with Eddie in the 2nd half was one of the highlights of the game. At long last he seems to have realised that the way to the opposition goal is forward, as opposed to sideways or backwards. McLaughlin remains infuriatingly inconsistent but if he could only perform like he did on Saturday more often he would be such a star for us. Second half, after a succession of heavy, late tackles, the ref finally lost patience with The Shire and reduced them to 10 men. Fantsatic I thought. Three points here we come, I thought. Hadn't reckoned on Joe Savage. Every time I have seen him for the Shire he has been absolutly brilliant. Saturday was no exception. I don't know if he saves his best performances for matches against us, but he is like a different player from the one who was as bad as it got towards the end of his spell at Ochilview. His was probably the pick of the bunch from a match that featured 7 quite excellent goals. Eventually, with the introduction of Ross Hamilton, we managed to stretch their backline even more and managed to get back on level terms through Hamilton, before Harty's sucker punch 5 minutes from time. So, a game to remember. While Firs Park might be a pretty unappealing venue, it is a unique ground, which I will be sorry to see go. Whether or not The Shire get a new home of their own, of whether they eventually disappear of the face of the footballing earth remains to seen, but at least it will leave some great, and not so great, memories.

Time to take Hart

2008-02-28T01:13:00.002Z

It's been a few weeks since I posted, and during that time we've witnessed one of the most exciting Stenny signings of recent years. The arrival of Darlington striker Ian Harty is a terrific boost for all at Ochilview - we simply have to hope that he fulfils his undoubted potential.

Harty is certainly one of those players who, if raw talent were the only determining factor, would be playing at a higher level. We have had a number of other players in that category - Colin Cramb, Isaac English and John Paul McBride spring to mind. All were wonderfully gifted players who found themselves in semi-professional football due to a variety of extenuating circumstances - injury problems for English, disciplinary problems for Cramb. Yet surely those problems, paradoxically, worked to Stenny's advantage? Had the players' careers been trouble-free, I doubt we would ever have seen any of them at Ochilview. Harty is, perhaps, in the same mould - as a youngster at Stranraer, his talent was obvious, but for one reason or another, his career has hit the rocks.

By signing players of this nature, the club takes on the challenge of restoring them to their former glories. This obviously proves to be easier with some players than with others, but the likes of English and McBride demonstrate that it is possible. Can John Coughlin get Harty back to his best? Given his considerable coaching and management skills, I firmly believe that he can.

If he succeeds, our attack will be truly formidable, since Harty's likely partner - Scott Dalziel - has made a huge impression since joining in January. This can only bode well for our play-off push: despite falling to fifth place after the postponement of the Dumbarton game, the players have every right to feel confident in themselves. After all, no-one else can beat East Fife home AND away...!

Scotty Dazzler

2008-02-12T13:17:00.001Z

Happy days are here again… after last week’s blip against Arbroath, and having successfully negotiated my release from domestic duties, I travelled to Methil not exactly with high hopes. I figured that if Steven Ferguson was back in the starting line up we would stand a chance, otherwise it would be backs to the wall, and 90 minutes of torture while we hold on to a 0-0 draw. Whether Ferguson would be fit was a mystery. One thing Campbell Money was good at was keeping us up to date with goings on at the club through his regular column. Since he left, Money/Coughlin Talks has not been updated, for whatever reason; so I had no idea what the prognosis was on Ferguson’s injury. Would he be fit or wouldn’t he? What about Ross Hamilton and Steven Hampshire? Surely there are goings on at the club that those without direct access to management and the board would like to know about. Back to the game – boy, is New Bayview a depressing, soulless haunt. Ochilview might not be the most impressive footballing theatre but at least it has a bit of character, and is most definitely “Ochilview”. East Fife’s new ground could be one any number of the new plastic grounds popping up over the country. When developing new grounds is this really all that is on offer? We played relatively well; very solid and difficult to get round. Bit like our manager I guess. East Fife, unlike their manager, lacked any sort of punch. While there is no doubt they are the best team in this league, I can’t help feeling that their Neanderthal tactics will get their comeuppance in the 2nd division. The tactic of punting high balls, occasionally in the direction of their 7’9” striker was less than effective, and McCulloch and Mailey coped easily enough with everything thrown at them. Up front Scott Dalziel is proving a more than capable player at this level. Up against 3rd division defences he looks a real handful. Very pacey; deceptively so. Whether he would be able to cope with the step up in leagues is another question. Hopefully he will get a chance to prove he can, next season!

So this weekend brings another big game with the visit of Stranraer. Should be interesting. Hopefully we will have some of our key players back from injury, but I suppose I’ll just have to wait until 3 o’clock on Saturday to find out.

In praise of the play-offs

2008-01-31T01:09:00.000Z

The notion that we might get anywhere near 4th place would, a few short weeks ago, have been unimaginable, yet that is now where we now find ourselves, with a mouth-watering clash with Arbroath coming up this Saturday. As such, the prospect that we might make the top four got me thinking about the concept of play-offs.

The Scottish League voted to introduce play-offs a few years ago in a bid to keep the divisions more exciting. If it worked in England, it was argued, why couldn't it work for us too? For me, there was one obvious problem: in England, where divisions contain 24 teams, no team finishing below sixth place (or seventh in League Two) competes in the play-offs. The prospect of the sixth-placed team gaining promotion at the expense of the third-placed team is, of course, slightly unfair, but it is a price worth paying for the added excitement. In Scotland, on the other hand, the fourth-placed team in a division of ten gets to compete. To me this seemed far less justifiable, since fourth place is effectively mid-table.

At least, that was what I used to think. Now, however, we have a great chance of making the play-offs, and I am more than happy to sacrifice my principles for Stenny's interests. We have, of course, competed in the play-offs once before, but those were very different circumstances: in 2006, we had narrowly missed out on the title, and a play-off place was scant consolation. But this time around, given our early season difficulties, reaching the play-offs would be a terrific achievement by John Coughlin and the players.

And what is there to stop us? There are many difficult matches still to be played, but things are looking up. Scott Dalziel looks to be a good, strong striker: I was impressed with him when I watched highlights of his debut match against the Shire, and by all accounts his good form has continued. The news that both Fergie and Bucket have signed new contracts, meanwhile, is a further boost. Crucially, the team are fighting again: they put in 100% every game rather than playing in some sort of delusionary comfort zone. Provided we keep that up, there must be a possibility that even us long-distance supporters will find ourselves gripped by play-off fever!

Up or down

2008-01-27T20:55:00.000Z

Having survived the nadir that was Threave Rovers, and come out the other side with my season ticket in one piece, I have witnessed the dramatic turnaround in our fortunes. Back then the woodden spoon beckoned, but only a few weeks later, and we are realistic promotion contenders. Obviously John Coughlin must take most (all?) the credit for this. I am amazed that a change in manager can have such a significant impact on any team's performance levels. The players are more or less the same, but they are simply playing much bettter. I don't doubt that a lot of this is down to fitness levels which did seem to be, shall we say, "an issue", but clearly there is more to it than that. Over on the forum there is talk about whether or not Coughlin is the "messiah" and whether we can get promotion. I wouldn't rule it out. Which got me thinking. What would happen next? Last weekend, Berwick, with Robbie Henderson marshalling the back line, were on the receiving end of a 9-2 drubbing. Iain Diack lead the line and scored two. This Berwick team, the one that looks like they are heading straight back from where they came, last season looked excellent. Admittedly they have made a few changes, not least of which is in the manager's hot seat. And where is their ex-manager now?? So, in the event that we get promoted via the plays offs, is this something we should we celebrate? In a few months time would we be the laughing stock of the league? What would we have to do to ensure that it didn't happen. For all Coughlin's good work this season, he didn't exactly set the heather alight at Berwick in Division 2? Would we have to spend a lot of money - money we don't have? There are still a number of full time teams in that league so while the idea of going up against the likes of Morton, Ayr, Raith Rovers etc is quite exciting, it also makes me ever so slightly nervous. But what's the alternative? 4 games a season ad naseum against The Shire, Albion Rovers and Montrose?

What the Dalziel!

2008-01-03T18:51:00.000Z

Happy new year one and all. 2008 got off to a flyer for Stenhousemuir with a comprehensive (if we ignore the 2nd half) victory over local rivals, The Shirey Pirey. Hero of the hour was Scott Dalziel, replacement for previous fans favourite John Dempster, who had earlier swapped the relative spendour of Ochilview for Cowdungbeath. I know they are a division above, but surely there are fewer less depressing prospects in Scottish football than running out at Central Park each week. Anyway, good luck John, you were a shining light in a dismal Stenhousemuir side last season. Scott Dalziel joined Graham Gibson as the new recruits in the starting line up against The Shire. Obviously DL impressed with his 1st half performance, while his equally gangly newcomer had a quieter afternoon. Gibson, I suspect (and hope), was forced into playing in an unfamiliar right side of midfield role, presumably due to injuries to amongst other Ross Hamilton. The official website has been a little slow with updates recently (suffering from the same apathy that has swept through the club in recent months perhaps?) so I have had to rely on internet forums for news on players joining or leaving, and there has been speculation that a number of players will be coming and going over the next few weeks. There are a number of candidates for the exit door I would imagine. Has Andy Thomson played his last game in a maroon shirt? Can we expect to see Scott McCulloch strut his stuff on the hallowed plastic again? I have my doubts. And where has Jose gone? No doubt there will be others, as Coughlin builds a team to challenge for promotion. Who'd have thought this would be the case a few weeks ago. Whether you like them or not, the play offs have kept our season going long after it should have ended.

Princes of Style

2007-12-23T01:37:00.001Z

The players enjoyed a terrific win over East Fife on Saturday, but off the park, there was also success for yours truly, with my modelling career getting off to a flying start. Whilst enjoying my pre-match drink in the supporters’ bar at Ochilview, I had the pleasure of being summoned by the chairman, and asked to model the new third kit. Limited though my catwalk experience is, I feel I acquitted myself well, notwithstanding the obvious difficulties of making a football strip look sensible when the cold necessitates wearing about 17 sweaters underneath. (For anyone who was sufficiently dazzled by my appearance, the strip is available from the club at the price of £20 for juniors and £30 for adults!) Then the football started, and the day just kept getting better. We had our backs to the wall at times – as will always be the case against the league leaders – but we defended resolutely, whilst also creating enough chances to merit the victory. Ross Hamilton played an important role, with a sublime through ball to the Prince of Style for the first goal, and a pinpoint cross for the winner, whilst McEwan and Fergie also acquitted themselves especially well. One of the most encouraging things of all, though, was the performance of young left-back Rhys Galloway. He showed composure way beyond his 17 years, and seems to have slotted effortlessly into the first team. His performance is testament to the importance of our youth teams: if they can nurture young talent successfully, the future of the club is bright. Though he no longer occupies the manager’s chair, Campbell Money’s continuing work with the youths should not be forgotten. The long journey home to Blackpool always goes quicker with three points in the bag, and on this occasion, light entertainment was provided on board the train by a group of Celtic fans discussing their team’s dismal performance against Hibs. They would devote around 15 minutes to each player in turn, before arriving at the general conclusion that all were ‘inadequate,’ or words to that effect. Our own fortunes, just now, could hardly be more different, and the Stenny contingent down here in Blackpool will be enjoying a happy Christmas.

Ho Ho Ho

2007-12-22T19:39:00.000Z

I don't think I would have believed it had I not seen it with my own eyes. Quite how John Coughlin has done it I don't know, but from the depths of the Cup exit at the hands of Pub Team United, to a victory against the runaway league leaders in a matter of weeks; some might say it's a miracle. From memory, I think 10 of the team that beat East Fife this afternoon were part of the shamefaced team sent packing by Threave Rovers last month. I hadn't seen the games against Montrose and Stranraer, but there were signs of encouragement in the performances against The Shire and Dumbarton, but this afternoons performance was such a huge leap in term of skill level, commitment and effort. Faced with the constant bombardment of Fife corners, free kicks and general punts up the park, we would have wilted in previous weeks, and who knows it, maybe even shipped 7 goals in 45 minutes. But I can honestly say that when we went 2-1 up I didn't think we were going to lose it. In actual fact the closest Fife came to an equaliser was when three or four of our defenders took an eternity to clear a ball that was crawling along our goal line. They were unable to break us down and in the end resorted to lumping the ball into our box aimed at their lumbering oafs. I actually wonder if we had played without a keeper this afternoon whether the score would have been any different. East Fife couldn't get close enough to him to see if he was any good or not and he appeared to be under strict instructions to stay rooted to his line as balls were lobbed into our box. We have obviously left it too late to challenge for the title, but based on this afternoon's performance and result, we ought to be capable of getting a play off spot. I have always thought that we had some good players at the club, and now we seem to have a manager who is able to get the best out of them. So my view on today's team (it's been a while since I could face rating each players performance!) Brown - had little to do. Could probably have come off his line for one or two of the 325 corners East Fife won but I guess he would have had to negotiate quite a few bulky figures in red and white before he could even get out of his 6 yard box; and in any case, Lennon and Gilbride coped manfully. McEwan - fantastic going forward in the 1st half, and fantastic defending in the 2nd. Galloway - didn't look out of place despite his tender years. He really looks a good player. Lennon - brilliant. I knew he was good, but not that good. I hadn't realised players were allowed to play with springs in their boots. Gilbride - lost the moniker "bombscare" today. He was excellent. Persistently got ahead of his man to nip Fife attacks in the bub and was generally very composed. Tyrell- he is a different player. Plays with more urgency than he ever has done, rarely gives the ball away and most amazing of all, has unlocked the mystery of the forward pass. Loved his goading of the Shire reject Stewart at the end aswell, although the ref did him a favour not giving him a 2nd yellow - would have been worth it though. Lyle - fantastic. My MOM. Has he always been that fast? His goal was without doubt the best one I have seen of ours this season. He kept going for the whole 90 minutes and generally was all over the park. Brilliant. Ferguson - fantastic aswell. I wonder if things would have been so bad if he had been around during the early part of the season. Another player who gets around the park well, and also has a great touch on him. Some of the first time passing in the 1st half was stupendous. Dempster - can't help feeling he is struggling to reach the heights of last season and I wonder if that trialist who played today signs on if Dempster will lose his place. Having said that, he played ok today. Hampshire - a better performance from him, but I still expect more. He really should have scored with the free header in the box just after our equialiser. Hamilton - a different player from the one at the start of the season. Cracking run to set up Lyle for the opener. He generally didn't stop from 1st minute to last. So overall, for the first time in ages, I am enjoying being a Stenhousemuir fan again. As for East Fife, they looked good, but not any better than us. They couldn't break us down playing the ball on the deck and resorted to high balls into our box, which rarely threatened. They will win the league, but if we play like we did today, we should close the gap by the end of the season. Merry Christmas!!

Philosophically speaking...

2007-12-21T00:51:00.000Z

For the first time since John Coughlin stepped into Campbell Money's shoes, I will be making the long trip to Ochilview on Saturday. I am looking forward to this match for a number of reasons: will we get to see Willie McCulloch swing the bar one last time? Will the pie shop be selling mince pies? Will the East Fife fans be dressed up as Santa Claus?

Unexpectedly, though, recent events have led me to look forward to the action on the park as well. A game against this East Fife side is a difficult task at the best of times, but who'd have thought we'd be going into the game on the back of 3 wins in the last 4 outings? The recent upturn in fortunes is testament, first and foremost, to John's undoubted talents as a manager, but also, in no small measure, to the inherent unpredictability of the beautiful game.

We football fans are a fickle bunch. Back in October, many of us were forecasting one of the worst seasons on record, yet now we are looking towards the play-offs. In my time as a Stenny supporter, I've often defined our performance in extreme terms. Whilst I've always given enthusiastic support to the players on the park, there have been times when even modest success seemed unachievable. The flip side of the coin, of course, is that at other times, the team seemed almost to have an aura of invicibility about it.

In either case, my predictions have tended to be inaccurate. Whatever happened in 2005-6, when we couldn't *possibly* fail to win the title, yet somehow managed to finish behind both Cowdenbeath and Berwick? How about in 1998, when our relegation on the final day was nothing short of a catastrophe? It was a catatsrophe at the time, of course, but we came back stronger the following year.

The fact is that lurching from glory to disaster, and back again, is what being a football fan is all about. And, however much it might seem otherwise, this is not a uniquely Stenhousemuir phenomenon. The turbulent nature of the last couple of seasons has made me more philosophical about our progress, and I'm enjoying the football more as a result. I'm a more committed fan than ever before, but perhaps one with a better sense of perspective. If we lose, never doubt that we will bounce back next week. And if we win - well, why miss an opportunity to celebrate?

Full Circle

2007-12-12T00:42:00.000Z

A trip to Stranraer, such as awaits the Warriors on Saturday, is not just any old away trip. It is, for one thing, a monumental journey which is at least as treacherous as that undertaken by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in 1969. More importantly, though, it was at Stranraer that I first saw the Warriors in the flesh, way back in 1995, at the tender age of nine.

That fateful day produced a 2-1 defeat, thanks to a wicked deflection one minute from time, but I was hooked. Eight days later, more to the point, the result at Stair Park had paled into insignificance, buried in the reflected glory of 5 November 1995. The victory over Dundee United in the Challenge Cup Final was the crowning moment in the club's history.

Never again, I thought, would a team be so heroic. Never again could a group 11 players capture the imagination in quite the same way. Twelve years later, and only one group has come close - the national team of 2007. After years of suffering, Scotland have proved that we deserve a place at Europe's top table. For once, it is not only Scots who genuinely believe that the Finals will be poorer without us.

And yet we find ourselves managerless once again. As the SFA put their proverbial thinking caps on, names such as George Burley or Craig Levein will hopefully be uppermost in their minds - both would be excellent candidates. To any non-Stenny fans reading this, though, please forgive me for hoping that John Coughlin has to wait until next time; as evidenced by recent results, John is the man to take Stenhousemuir forward.

By all accounts, recent matches have seen the long-awaited return of two crucial characteristics: against Forfar, flambouyance and fluency; against Dumbarton, reslience and determination. Last week's defeat at Montrose brought us back down to earth, but the 'Gable Endies' are a quality side who, a few short weeks ago, would have beaten us much more convincingly. So as we await this Saturday's visit to the place where (for me at least) it all began, here's hoping that, unlike in 1995, we leave Stranraer with a positive result.

Odd

2007-12-03T20:52:00.000Z

Having had to make do with Blackberry updates last weekend, I witnessed my first victory since the opening day of the season on Saturday and despite the fact that the performance wasn’t necessarily a classic, there are clear signs that the team is moving in the right direction under John Coughlin. In previous home matches, once the opposition drew level that would have been the indication for the floodgates to be opened. But we now seem to have a degree of solidity about us. When we went 2-1 up I couldn’t see Dumbarton getting back in to it, and in the end we held on comfortably. The players now seem confident enough to take the ball and pass it. For (short) periods of the game on Saturday we actually passed the ball about well and maintained possession for longer than it takes you to blink your eyes. A dramatic improvement. The team are still a million miles away from being what you would probably call “good”, but in this league you don’t actually have to be brilliant. The general standard is poor. It would seem that East Fife are head and shoulders above the competition, with everyone else being much of a muchness. I think the encouraging signs for us must be that we do have some decent players in the squad and if Coughlin can get them playing to anything like their potential (Ross Hamilton has been excellent since he got back into the starting line up) then we should be able to challenge for a play off space; comfortably. Big challenge though coming up when we play the top 3 in the space of the next 3 weeks so it will be interesting to see how far we have come.

Over and out

2007-11-22T20:10:00.000Z

I suppose that the defeat at Hampden last weekend to Italy which finally ended Scotland's hopes of qualifying for Euro 2008 ought not to have been a surprise. Following UEFA's (unwritten) rule, BIG TEAMS MUST QUALIFY, it really should have been expected that if Italy couldn't get the better of us on the pitch then the referee could be expected to do his thing. How else can anyone explain the decision to award the foul to Italy that lead to the winning goal. Or for that matter, the fact that 30 seconds earlier the officials missed another blatant foul when Gary Naysmith was body checked as he ran past his Italian marker. Both decisions were outrageous and indefensible. OK, Italy had a goal disallowed, which should have been awarded, but decisions like that are made regularly and as most people know, tend to even themselves out over time. So you take the rough with the smooth. Officials are human, so make mistakes. But what was it that the officials saw on Saturday that made them decide not to award free kicks to Scotland. Decisions that ultimately lost us the match. As far as I'm concerned it the BIG TEAMS MUST QUALIFY rule; or something more sinister. And if you don't believe the BIG TEAMS MUST QUALIFY rule, and want more evidence then I give you England and Russia. England 2-0 down at half time are awarded what can only be described as a "soft" penalty to get back in to the game. Fortunately, they were so incompetent that despite this leg up from the officials they still managed to lose. However, UEFA aren't so daft. Knowing England couldn't guarantee that they would deliver their side of the bargain, it turns out that the referee in Andorra does his best to ensure England's safe passage by sending off one of the Russians. Fortunately, despite UEFA's best efforts, England didn't make it, but as far as I'm concerned this is the exception that proves the rule. It's back to the mundanity of following Stenhousemuir this weekend, although for me I'm off on my travels again. Bristol City v Leicester City. A hastily rearranged match against Forfar, without consulting with me, means that once again I will miss a home match, but as ever my thoughts will be at Ochilview.

Technical Difficulties

2007-11-13T02:22:00.000Z

This evening I watched highlights of Saturday's draw with the Shire. How, you might ask, did I manage that, down here in deepest Cambridgeshire? At this point I must confess that, so strong was my desire to catch some footage, I couldn't resist signing up for 'Shire TV' (only a free trial period, you understand...). The opportunity to watch the highlights was, of course, much appreciated, but it quickly became evident that Shire TV differs from other broadcasters in a number of ways.

For one thing, John Dempster's opener is not shown, due to so-called 'technical difficulties'. Fair enough, I thought at the time - maybe it's just our bad luck that it was the Stenny goal, rather than Joe Savage's equaliser, that they missed. Subsequently, though, it began to seem as if the camera only ever pointed at the end Shire were attacking. Don't say it too loud, but it's almost as if they don't like Stenny all that much.

To be fair to the good people at Shire TV, I should clarify that they are providing an excellent service for their supporters, and I don't actually suspect them of fabricating their 'technical difficulties'. It would just have made a better story if they did. In reality, they even showed a couple of Stenny attacks, so I shouldn't complain. Especially since, in previous weeks, two attacks per match was about as much as we were getting anyway.

In all seriousness, though, on the basis of the little that I did see, our defence looks strong and well-organised, which certianly has not always been the case this season. The majority of the highlights consisted of Stenny defending crosses, and the marking was first-rate. Ally Brown, moreover, made a couple of excellent saves, and it will be interesting to see whether he keeps the gloves once Hillcoat is fit again.

Next week, of course, the Warriors have a break, and attention switches to the Scotland v Italy match. My recent experience of living in Italy has, if anything, strengthened my desire to see a Scotland victory on Saturday, and I'm looking forward to the match with my customary optimism. A victory, and qualification for Euro 2008 from a seemingly impossible group, would surely represent the greates achievement in our footballing history. Here's hoping glorious failure is a thing of the past.

Ouch

2007-11-04T20:10:00.000Z

That was a sore one. For about the first time this season in the league we totally dominated a game. It really felt as if it was just a matter of time before we would finally take one of our chances (in fact having a shot at goal would have been a good start - the number of times we worked ourselves into an excellent shooting position only to choose the wrong option i.e. passing it to an Albion defender was ridiculous) What I didn’t expect was that one of the hopeful punts up the park by Albion would actually result in a goal. I suppose it is just an indication of the way things are going at the moment that that is exactly what happened. Okay, this week’s Rovers were only slightly better than last week’s version, but nevertheless the signs were encouraging. We had a goalie who came for cross balls and caught them, we had a defence that looked solid (most of the time), a midfield who could pass the ball (provided it was nowhere near the opposition goal) and a strike force who, well, did their best. Coughlin’s teams at Berwick were all capable of passing the ball well, coupled with its fair share of players who could “tackle” and it looks like he is trying the same here. We have the players, but it is so obvious that they have no confidence whatsoever. Nobody is brave enough to shoot, despite in many cases having a clear path to goal. But, despite the positives to be taken from the game, we have now played two teams who are as bad as we are likely to face all season (surely) and we have lost them both! We really need to start winning, but once we do, I feel a lot more confident about our prospects than I did a few weeks, even one week, ago. As for the team itself: Brown - looked decent goalie. He didn’t have (m)any saves to make but took cross balls well and generally looked like he knew what he was doing. McEwan - he played in the manner he had done at the start of the season. Fully committed in the tackle and prepared to get up and down the wing. Why has he not been playing like that for the last 2 or 3 months? Dillon - hmmm, injured early on but I’m not convinced he is a left back. One of the players I think who is really suffering from a lack of confidence. Lennon - excellent. Very fast, even though he was injured, and composed on the ball. We have an excellent surface, it is about time we had some players who can play on it? Gilbride - for a centre half he is not the strongest in the challenge. I suspect that once McCulloch returns he can expect to be ousted. Not sure we would extend his loan beyond January. Lyle - just pass the ball, Willie. Menzies - thought he was poor yesterday, but given the crap we have had to endure so far this season he is one player who I think has at least given his all to the cause. Hampshire - another major disappointment for me. He was quite ineffective as a lone striker, and even managed to get outshone by Ross Hamilton when he came on. I just expected so much from this guy and he has been such a let down. Dempster - was he playing yesterday? He is not a midfielder. The game just passed him by. However, he is another player who seems to be really struggling at the moment. Hopefully he can get back amongst the goals sometime soon. I wonder if he fits into Coughlin’s long term plans? Tyrell - I thought he was excellent yesterday, relatively. He always give his best, and there is no doubt that it is not because of him that we are in this pickle. His passing as ever lets him down, but if we could get someone into the middle of the park with a bit of creativity, it would make such a huge difference. Speaking of creativity… McLaughlin - what a disappointment. Yesterday he was awful. The chief culprit when it came to misplaced passes and an inability to shoot when presented with a clear chance. Like Hampshire, he is one of the players who should be able to deliver so much more to the team than he does. As for the subs, Ross Hamilton actually played quite well, in between tripping over the odd blade of “grass”, or his own feet, or if he got close enough to it, the ball. Missed a cracking chance in the first half. I thought Murdoch was excellent in the 5 minutes or so he was on the park. Surely he has done enough to get a start next week. He is actually quite spring heeled. And Andy Thomson was the other sub. So all in all, I’m not as despondent as I was this time last week. Bring on The Shire. Ha.

Memories

2007-11-03T16:28:00.000Z

The result at Threave last week was obviously a catastrophe, but enough has already been said about that, and I doubt I'd be able to add anything new to the debate. The very notion of a match at Castle Douglas, though, reminded me of our last trip there, when another catastrophe befell us. Not a footballing catastrophe, clearly, since back in December 1999, we were capable of beating Threave 7-1 without breaking sweat. No, the catastrophe was in the field of catering. On what was perhaps the coldest day in world history, the pie shop ran out of tea. In this context, two things were sustaining the 13-year old Rob. The first was, of course, the football, with Stenny looking extremely comfortable, and Martin Mooney playing especially well. Not only that, though, but I had also resolved that, at full time, I would approach Alan Lawrence to ask for his autograph. Notwithstanding the serious lack of tea, therefore, the exciting prospect of meeting the then Stenny captain was just about sufficient to prevent me from succumbing to hypothermia. At full time, the plan was swiftly put into action, with one small hitch. It had not occurred to the 13-year old Rob that the Stenny skipper, as he ran off the park, would probably not be carrying a pen. Were it not for the timely intervention of Sandy Reid, himself equipped with a pen, yours truly would not, perhaps, have created the most favourable impression on his idol. Why, you might ask, am I telling you all this? The reason is simply that talking about the football, just now, tends to lead to negativity. And there has been too much negativity around this club lately. For all our current troubles, I am not about to add a further dose of pessimism. As I write this, I'm keeping up to date with the closing stages of the Albion game via Sky Sports, and whatever happens in the closing minutes this afternoon, I will continue to look forward with optimism. Now that John Coughlin is in charge, every Warriors fan should do the same. He will, of course, need time, but his past record tells us all we need to know. Things, as they say, can only get better...

My worst, most embarrasing 90 minutes as a Stenhousemuir supporter

2007-10-28T13:07:00.000Z

It’s a long way to Castle Douglas and an even longer way home after watching our latest crop of imposters. I travelled down thinking that we would get a morale boosting victory and hopefully kick start the season but when I look back on things, I think the 5-0 defeat to The Shire was eclipsed by that result yesterday. Threave, were, and are, utterly hopeless. They play in a league where their match the previous week was called off because the opposition couldn’t field enough players. And our lot of arrogant wannabes obviously thought all they had to do was turn up and stroll in to the next round. This is the same group of players who have routinely this season embarrassed themselves and the club time after time with quite inept performances. Well this one took the biscuit. Okay, the keeper was badly at fault at the goal but at the end of the day it shouldn’t have mattered; it should only have been a consololation. So while it wasn’t necessarily his fault that we lost, it didn’t help. Come back John Hillcoat, all is forgiven. Threave were there to be ripped apart but we just didn’t have the wherewithal to break them down. We seemed to have two tactics. Get the ball to either of the 2 full backs to lob the ball into their keepers arms, or try and walk the ball through the packed defence. Option 2 can work if you try and pass the ball to one of your own players when you get to the edge of the box, rather than straight to one of the opposition defence, or if the players you are going to pass to actually move about and make it difficult for the defence to mark them. I don’t think we once managed to get the ball behind their defence for one of our forwards (sorry, our forward) to run on to. An absolute disgrace. And here’s a novel idea, after you’ve made a pass, why not make a run instead of standing watching the pass? Too many of the players were anonymous. Steve Hampshire came with a glowing reputation, but yesterday he simply looked like he couldn’t be arsed. I’m sure he is getting paid a decent wage. Are the club allowed to restrict payment for non-performance? John Dillon looks like he is petrified to take possession of the ball. No wonder, as no sooner does he have it than he is passing the ball straight to an opposition player. When you are playing a top class side who don’t give you time or space to make a pass, you can understand this, but it was Threave bloody Rovers. Captain Marvel – perhaps if he concentrated on playing football instead of disputing every decision or encouraging the referee to book the opposition players he might actually have a chance of living up to his reputation. Yesterday he was just embarrassing. Brian McLaughlin – at least he put a good shift in but when he is playing with a team of statues, it makes it difficult to do anything creative. I could go on and on, but it is just depressing. The players have had chance after chance to do something about this. Presumably Coughlin realises what he has walked in to. I am really worried about where this club is going. We seem to be timing our run to become the worst team in Scottish senior (ha, that’s a laugh) football just as talk of a pyramid structure takes off.

Take Cough

2007-10-10T21:42:00.000+01:00

So the word on the street, well the internet forums, is that John Coughlin is to become our new manager, which I think will be a good move from our perspective. His teams at Berwick in particular have always been impressive, despite eschewing the so called big name signings. He seemed to build well organised sides that were motivated to succeed despite appearing, on paper, to be weaker than most other teams in our league. Of course we tried to take half his team last season and failed miserably. Hopefully this will not be repeated once his (inevitable) appointment has been confirmed. He will have his work cut out as we are a team at an all time low, in my time watching Stenhousemuir at least. There is a complete lack of confidence in the team, together with a shortage of ability and depth to the squad. What exactly Money thought he was doing going into the season with only one goalkeeper is beyond me. Scott Johnstone might well be a good shot stopper, but he is just too short. I can't help feeling that the 1st goal we lost on Saturday against Elgin was down to his inability to command his goalmouth. If we hadn't lost that goal who knows, we may actually have gone on, well maybe not to win, but to at least avoid defeat. In any case there was an element of killing time about the game on Saturday. There was an unusual atmosphere, as if we were just spinning our wheels waiting for the new manager to come along and make everything OK! So now we have got the 1st quarter of the season out of the way, we have a couple of weeks off, we have a new man in charge (almost), so we can come back after the international break, motivated and encouraged to succeed and before you know it we might actually overtake The Shire!

Roll on...

2007-10-02T00:46:00.000+01:00

I have to say that I was pleased to hear the news on Saturday evening. I am not referring here to Campbell Money's resignation as manager - I think we all guessed that would be on the cards after that afternoon's result - but rather to his decision to stay on as Head of Youth Development. Whatever the rights and wrongs of his managerial reign, Campbell has done terrific work with the youths, and I had worried about what would happen to this aspect if he were to depart as manager. The news that his work with the youths will continue is, as such, a terrific boost, especially in these difficult times.

It is only natural, of course, that attention will turn to Campbell's successor. Such decisions are, by definition, difficult for the board. The new manager will need something more than just a good track record, as history has proved that a good track record is no guarantee of success.

One basic decision is whether to go for a manager with experience in the senior ranks, or to recruit a first-time manager or an up-and-coming coach from the juniors. To me, of course, the only names which spring to mind are those with league experience - John Connolly was terrific at QOS, ditto Jim Chapman at Albion Rovers and Joe Miller at Clyde. Or dare I suggest Gordon Wylde, currently working wonders with the Shire?

On the other hand, the club may be able to identify a less well-known candidate; great managers often come from unexpected sourcers. In any case, the board are supporters just like the rest of us, and I am confident that they will identify the right man.

It is important to remind ourselves of one thing: this season should not be a write-off. We do have quality players here; clearly players who haven't been performing to their capabilities, but talented players nevertheless. This means that the potential for immediate improvement is there. However disenheartened we may feel after recent results, managing Stenhousemuir is far from an impossible job. From where I'm standing, the new man is in for an exciting challenge, and I look forward to supporting him, whoever he may be.

Spent Money

2007-09-30T20:27:00.000+01:00

These are worrying times being a Stenhousemuir fan. I thought that the appointment of Campbell Money would work out just fine. I didn't necessarily think that all of his signings were great players but when you assessed his squad there was enough quality in there, if not to challenge for the title, then at least to get a play off place - comfortably. Even now, when you look at it there are decent players there - e.g. McCulloch, Smith, McEwan, Ferguson, Dempster, Hampshire. So where did it go wrong? Personally, I have absolutely no idea! And that is the problem. It seems when players who we have lauded at other clubs end up at Ochilview they became a bag of nerves. All confidence goes out the window, and no sooner do the opposition look threatening, and our team just crumbles. This isn't a recent phenomonon. Since the start of 2006, following Stenny has been torturous. What is wrong with our club? It's like the problems at Aberdeen, no matter who they signed, who they appointed as manager, there was just something wrong at Pittodrie that meant good players became bad. It's the same here. I don't envy the job of the Board of Directors. For the last two years it has been one disappointment after another. It's too easy to simply sack the manager, and quite often, it just isn't the right thing to do, but when the results are so deflating as they have been recently, it was no surprise that Money had to go, for his sake as much as the clubs. But where do we go now. Who do we replace Money with? What do they do with the squad of players whose morale will be so low? The club has done so much in recent times, really despite the results on the pitch, but now I feel that we are so low it is going to be so difficult to get that motivation back. Are all the new season ticket holders going to want to be associated with a team that gets humped every week? School can be difficult enough without having to bear the pain, and the slaggings, that come with being a Stenhousemuir Nil fan! I just hope that the new man, whoever it is, can at least get the team playing competitively straight away. We will just have to get through the Elgin match and then forget about the last 18 months and come back, after the international break, a proper football team again. Fingers crossed.

Tade & Lyle

2007-09-23T20:09:00.001+01:00

Where to begin? There was so much wrong with our team, their tactics and their performance I quite honestly don’t have the time, or the appetite to write it all. (1) For me, the main issue is that I don’t think we created one chance in the whole 90 minutes. This isn’t just Paul Tyrell’s fault; let’s face it, he isn’t in the team because of his creative passing; but the team in general, and the tactics. Why were we playing 4-5-1 exactly? I presume we did this because Money realises that our midfield is the weakest link, as opposed to simply the weak link, and we needed some creativity in there in the shape of Hampshire. Fair enough, but why not play him in there as part of a 4-4-2? If we can’t create anything up front, we aren’t going to do it with one striker, are we? (2) You’d think if Money was good for nothing else, it would be that he could spot a good keeper. Aye right. The only time Hillcoat came off his line was to give the Stranraer fans some verbals and to flick the “V” sign at them. Nice one John. Willie McCulloch or John Hillcoat, ex Brechin reserve keeper? It’s a difficult one isn’t it? I don’t think I have seen him catch a cross ball once. Admittedly, yesterday they were difficult in swinging corners (as opposed to delicate chips into the keepers arms, which we have made our trademark) but you surely expect more from an experienced keeper like him. There’s more to being a goalie than the spectacular diving saves, surely Money must realise that? But what’s the alternative? There isn’t one. (3) The last time I saw us the one saving grace was that our defence was quite solid and was playing with confidence. Where has this confidence gone? As soon as we went one down the back 4, plus the goalie, just crumbled The two full backs, Lyle in particular, were appalling. Persistently mis-hitting passes, with Lyle also being culpable in two of their goals. And remind me why we play a right footed player at left back? (4) After the Arbroath game, the one dramatic change from last season was that the team gave loads of commitment to the cause. We might not have liked Tade’s antics yesterday whenever anyone went near him, but at least he gave his all . Typified when he dived, OK, not for the 1st time, to score with a header from the corner, while our two centre halfs stood back to make his path to the ball as clear as they possibly could. It is just so reminiscent of last season. Different players, but same problems. (5) And finally, who does that wee gnaff Lindsay think he is. When you get subbed you shake the hand of the player going off. You can maybe get away with it if you have had a good game and don’t deserve to be subbed but he was hopeless. I can’t even be bothered to find out what his first name is, as in 6 months time he’ll be lucky if gets a game for the Juniors, never mind Stenhousemuir. I don’t think getting rid of Money at this stage is the answer. We are not going to win the league but we should be good enough for a play off position, and given the quality, or lack of, in this division, a decent run of results from January onwards should be enough to get a play off place. So I would be inclined to give Money till early December and reassess then. Although having said that, if there are (m)any more performances like that, he might make the decision for us. East Fife will be quavering in their boots. I am so pissed off I can’t even be bothered to mention the fact that Keogh should have been sent off at the end for his assault on John Dempster, or I wonder if Frank McAvennie had a good day out at the game. I guess he turned up when he heard there was Hen Do in town.

Dumbarton Rocks

2007-09-19T17:37:00.000+01:00

What a week to be a Stenhousemuir supporting member of the Tartan Army. The best away win in history; and Scotland win in Paris. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it to Dumbarton; oh, how I wish the situation had been reversed and I could have swapped a few days in Paris earlier in the week for a murky Saturday afternoon watching, by all accounts, a scintillating performance by the Warriors! Disappointingly, I have not felt as if I was missing out on much over recent weeks when I have been unable to get to our games. Already there is a pervading sense of doom and gloom about the place. Okay, we beat Dumbarton, but they are hopeless, and we weren’t much better, seems to be the general consensus. I have this horrible feeling that already this season is following the path we went down last year, all of which makes for pretty grim viewing and doesn’t exactly make me excited about spending Saturday afternoons watching Stenhousemuir. Hopefully, my opinion will be different come 4.45pm this coming Saturday when I see for myself exactly how the team is shaping up. I don’t think it will be an easy game. Stranraer are one of those teams that I dread playing against as, probably for no good reason, I always think of them as being a decent team at this level who are difficult to get the better of. They have signed some decent players (eg Gillies, Keogh) but that doesn’t always guarantee success, as we know only too well. However, with Montrose beating East Fife and the wheels coming off The Shire bandwagon, it seems, as ever, that there are no great shakes in this league. Can we take advantage?

McFadulous

2007-09-14T20:35:00.000+01:00

Regular readers (!) of my blog will know that the last few weeks have taken me nowhere near the Home of Football, but instead I have been galavanting across the globe (well Prague and Manchester). The last 7 days have taken me to Glasgow and Paris for the final leg of my World Tour. For about 30 minutes last weekend, I thought that the dream was about to be blown apart by the cheating, diving Hearts Reserves team. OK, I know our lot like the odd bit of simulation (looking at you Mr O'Connor) but we are useless at it, so it doesn't seem quite so bad as what those pesky Lithuanians got away with. They really must practice at it to be that good! In the end we played our Get of out Jail card (again) and headed for Gay Paris in high spirits. I was just happy that the dream lasted a little longer, and OK, the French were going to wreak revenge on us following the game at Hampden when the ballboys had stolen vistory from the illustrious visitors. So, I headed off to Paris to complete my "Stenhousemuir-free" football watching extravangza. Expections = very low. But it turned out that the highlight of the trip wasn't the bars before and after the game; for once the match itself was the highlight. So many times in the past I have travelled away with Scotland, where the fact of the matter is that the game has got in the way of a good piss up. I am still coming to terms with McFadden's goal - didn't it creep past the post? surely someone must have been offside? over zealous French ballboys maybe threw 2 balls on the pitch at the same time? - but it really does seem to be true. The goal stood. We just beat the French - again. And still we haven't qualified for the finals. How does that work?! If you look closely, as the camera pans across the jubilant Scottish support, immediately after the ball hit the back of the net, you can see me jumping about like a loony. But I don't care how idiotic I look, when they re-run the "Greatest Ever Scottish Goal" I'll be able to say I was there, and I'll be able to prove it! Now it's back to normality, and the truth is that I was actually enjoying not thinking about our trip to Dumbarton. Hopefully Campbell Money has used the break to good effect and that the players will be up for it. For me, Dumbarton is a bridge too far, so I will have to make do with Jeff Stellings updates, but hopefully we can round off a fantastic week is style!

O Flower of Scotland

2007-09-14T09:07:00.000+01:00

O Flower of Scotland, when will we see your like again? The opening line of the national anthem took on a whole new meaning on Wednesday night: when will we next see a match as wonderful as this? Scotland’s defensive masterclass in Paris was the stuff dreams are made of, but down here in deepest Tuscany, my attempts to find somewhere to watch the game were notably less successful. Every time Scotland play, I resolutely check the listings of every obscure sports channel I can find, in the inevitably vain search for live coverage, before eventually settling for a text commentary on the Internet, accompanied on this occasion by streamed audio coverage from ‘Super Scoreboard’ on Clyde 1. What I hadn’t noticed, though, was the 30-second delay on the audio commentary. When the words ‘GOAL: McFADDEN’ appeared on the screen in front of me, clearly I thought my eyes were deceiving me: I was listening to the radio, and the ball was at the other end of the park with Craig Gordon! Thirty seconds later, alas, I heard the goal for real, and my fellow Internet café users may, at this point, have been a little taken aback by my animated behaviour. At full time I had the widest smile in Siena; I just wished I’d been able to watch the game. Imagine my displeasure, then, when I returned home to discover that the game had been live on Eurosport! My frustration at having missed it was such that, this afternoon, I had no option but to leave work early and watch the repeat broadcast in full. As for the match itself, our victory underlined the importance of a well-structured team. Every Scotland player had a clearly defined role, and every one of them stuck to it: at any level of football, a well-structured team tends to be a winning team. In our recent games Stenny have been found wanting in that regard: I hope we are now able to follow the example set by the national team. We have got plenty of quality, so if our players stick to their roles and do the simple things right, our season will soon be back on track. As Dumbarton attempt to ‘Raise the Rock’ this Saturday, it might just be time for us to turn a corner.

Goals allowed

2007-09-02T19:56:00.000+01:00

This weekend's travels took me to Manchester, or to be more precise, Salford, for the Manchester United/ Sunderland match. Keano's not so glorious return to Old Trafford. It is such a different world, not just from Stenhousemuir, but from any other football club. The Superstore was jam packed before the match as Man U fans from all over the world bought their merchandise, including the new kit with the pre-prepared name and number on the back. Amongst the "7 Ronaldo" and "10 Rooney" shirts I searched in vain for one that said "24 Fletcher". He isn't the most popular player down there, but he did actually play well when he made an appearance in the 2nd half. As for the other significant Scot on the pitch, Craig Gordon was outstanding. Next weekend takes me to Hampden so hopefully the good form of these two will continue. All in all I had an enjoyable time, with the one obvious distraction. This weekend normal service was resumed as regards the internet, so I was well up to date with goings on at Ochilview. Our lack of goals isn't an altogether huge surprise to me based on what I have seen so far this season, but our inability to prevent the opposition from sticking the ball in the back of our net is. I was prepared to give Money the benefit of the doubt last season as we slumped to 4th bottom. He spent at least the last quarter giving youngsters a try out so it was no surprise that we lost as often, and by such wide margins, as frequently as we did. However, to see the same thing happening again this season does make me wonder what on earth is wrong with our team. Even if we had Gordon and Fletcher playing for us, I wonder if we would still struggle to actually look like we might mount a promotion challenge. Is it a problem that is endemic within the club? No matter who plays for us, Stenhousemuir will always be facing an uphill battle? Or am I just too pessimistic? It seemed that there were encouraging signs at the start of the season. The team wasn't perfect but there was something to work on. However, in the space of two weeks, we now appear to be as bad as ever and maybe we should be thankful Elgin are in the league, otherwise I fear we could be heading for rock bottom. Two home games, no goals, 7 against is not a good sign. Campbell has a lot of work to do.

Unlucky for some

2007-08-31T20:26:00.000+01:00

OK, so Saturday really just wasn't my day. After travelling around 1400 miles to Ochilview for the first time in a year, a 3-0 derby defeat wasn't exactly what the doctor ordered. I had arrived (hadn't we all?) in hope and expectation of a home win. But maybe I should have known: long before I touched down at Prestwick, the early signs seemed to suggest that this was not to be my day.

I have had a number of unfortunate travelling companions at one time or another, but never before have I been stuck on a plane with a group of 50 moderately insane pensioners from Verona. Evidently somebody has taken it upon him/herself to organise annual trips for people who meet the above description, and this year, they were heading for Dundee. After spending 2 hours making a vain attempt at interpreting between Veronese and Glaswegian, I hurried off the aircraft, leaving my Dad's birthday present in the overhead locker. Perhaps I should have realised, there and then, that my luck had deserted me.

A few seasons ago I used to think I was a lucky mascot at home matches. I had my fair share of disappointments on away trips, but my trips to Ochilview tended to coincide with handsome victories, even at the most unlikely of times. Clearly this wore off a while ago, 2004 to be precise, but I've tried to find other ways of bringing the boys luck; I'm sure I can't be the only superstitious supporter around here...?

On Saturday, I went for last season's away shirt. Previously I had only worn it at one match; a 5-0 win against Montrose. Foolproof, I thought. Or not. It turned out to be no better the last 'lucky shirt' I had: the yellow and blue one from 2004-5. Back in the 90s, I thought, yellow and blue had brought us luck - Dundee in the Challenge Cup quarter-final, for example - surely the new version would do the same? That particular illusion, as I recall, came crashing down in the 7-0 defeat at Gretna.

All the same, the fact that my return to Ochilview was memorable for all the wrong reasons is, surely, a case of bad luck. Don't get me wrong, we were beaten deservedly on Saturday, but isn't it a cruel twist of fortune that I happened to be home that weekend, rather than any other? Because I, for one, am sure that none of our future performances will resemble that one.

Every team has an off-day, and Saturday was ours. In my attempt to find the positive elements in any defeat, I am tempted to suggest that Bucket put in an admirable shift, and did not deserve some of the criticism directed at him. Clearly he's not a silky player, but nor should we expect him to be: his workrate was refreshing, and should serve as an example to all. More to the point, though, I am not about to lose faith with the rest of the squad, and I fully expect them to bounce back with a victory tomorrow. I spoke briefly to Campbell in the bar last week: understandably he was less than happy, but he saw what went wrong, and I am sure he knows how to put it right. I am looking forward to watching the season unfold, and the Shire are not going to change that.

Savage Blow

2007-08-27T17:38:00.001+01:00

I arríved in Prague at 3.15 on Saturday afternoon, and the first thing I did was switch on my mobile: once I was in the terminal building, of course. One down, but still loads of time to equalise and then ram home 4 or 5 in the 2nd half. Checked 5 minutes later to see if we had equalised. Disaster: internet access issues. It took a text message from a friend in Portugal, to me in Prague, to let me know that Homer had struck again at Ochilview. 2 down at half time. I guessed that that was that, and headed off to the Slavia Prague: Brno match. It cost me £2 to get in. A beer cost me 25p. The match programme was free and the big sausage thing was only 50p. The whole experience was a bit surreal. For my paltry entrance fee I got a decent game of football which Slavia won one:nil, but also thrown in was the obligatory police brutality and one of the most unusual sights I have ever seen at a football game. The 100 or so Brno fans at the other end of the ground stripped off their top halfs, and then spread themselves around the away end before starting some quite weird synchronised keep fit routine, complete with star jumps. As for Smicer, he was subbed. Maybe Campbell Money should invite him back to the UK to help out our flagging midfield. I got back to the hotel and quickly checked ceefax to see if we had pulled off a miraculous fightback. The TV signal was not the best so the text on the screen was a bit scrambled but it was possible to guess at most of the scores. As for our game, both team names were missing from the screen and the only clue as to what the final result might have been was "Savage 87". My worst fear. This time last year we lost 5-0 in the most embarrassing performance I have ever seen from a Stenhousemuir team. We then went on to have a completely forgettable season. Hopefully this is not the sign of things to come. Last season we lost too many games at home, with quite insipid performances, but Money was given the benefit of the doubt on the basis that it was not "his team". It is now very much his team, and for everyones sake I hope this is just a minor blip and that we will get back to winning ways next week. Otherwise, I think we all know what will happen next. Another dismal season like last season would seriously hamper all the good work the club has done attracting young fans to the club and generally improving the general atmosphere about the place. It had better not all be in vain, for Campbell, and the players sakes.

Il tifoso italiano...

2007-08-23T13:29:00.000+01:00

Over the years I have grown used to following the Warriors from a distance, but over the last year, living in Italy rather than England has made things more difficult than usual. This coming Saturday will be my first trip to Ochilview for 12 months, and this realisation prompted me to reflect on my football experiences during that time. It has been a turbulent year in Italian football; last summer’s match-fixing scandal was followed by a burst of hooligan activity reminiscent of England in the late 1980s. The image of the game has only really been kept afloat by the reflected glory of last summer’s World Cup win, so much so that Materazzi’s now-legendary headbutt seems to feature on Italian TV at least five times each evening. Their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, of course, hasn’t been quite so flawless; it was a pleasure to see Scotland leading the group for most of the year. Our defeat to the Italians in March has left things looking slightly less rosy, but somehow I still believe we will capitalise on the complacency in the Italian camp. My local side out here, AC Siena, are a sort of Italian version of Gretna: the minnows who play in black and white, and just don’t sound like they belong in the top flight. The only difference is that I do not become annoyed at the mere mention of Siena’s name, whereas the same cannot be said for Gretna. Oh, and Siena are not captained by Chris Innes. In any case, enough of this Italian nonsense. When I was watching Zlatan Ibrahimovic leading the line for Inter against Siena, I’d much rather have been watching John Dempster. When I saw Esteban Cambiasso running onto the pitch, I’d happily have swapped him for Paul Tyrrell. This weekend, of course, I’m also looking forward to seeing all the new faces, with a great sense of anticipation. Judging from a distance, there are many reasons to be cheerful: Steven Hampshire is a proven striker, John Dillon always impressed me when playing against us, and we all know what Ross Hamilton has to offer when he’s at his best. I admit that, as last season drew to a close, I thought we would have problems in the transfer market. We had finished the season badly, and I thought this would make it difficult for Campbell to attract quality players. I am delighted to see how wrong I was. Campbell’s strategy seems entirely sensible: the squad is quite small, with backup provided by our excellent youths. The fact that we’re not signing players to sit on the sidelines means we can afford proven talent, despite hardly being Gretna in terms of finances. Quality rather than quantity is the way forward. So this Saturday I will be at Ochilview; I then fly back to Italy to complete the last 3 weeks of my job, most probably also taking in Siena’s games against Roma and Milan. But Serie A just doesn’t quite do it for me. Bring on the Shire!

Season so far

2007-08-18T19:56:00.000+01:00

To use that well worn footballing cliche, if, at the start of the season, you had offered Campbell Money 7 points from three matches he would have bitten your hand off. So far, we have demonstrated an element of solidity throughout the team that was not there at all last season. We have won games that last season we would have lost. Having said that, not everything in the garden is rosy. When did we last go on a cup run of any description? Even the Stirlingshire Cup is beyond us. While our elimination at the hands of Colin Brown down in Berwick was unfortunate, we were well and truly gubbed by Tartan Franchise MkII the midweek just past. This game was a bit of an eye opener. Franchise FC are only one league above us, but the ability of their players to control the ball, pass it, move around, not even too swiftly, collect the return pass and then shoot, and sometimes on target, was startling when compared to, in particular, our lumbering midfield. Is it any wonder that we have resorted to long range passes (punts?), bypassing our midfield maestros? Although credit to our permatan centre half Jamie Smith who does seem to be an excellent proponent of this particular activity. I wasn't at the game today but over on Pie & Bovril, it seems that we actually played decently, passing the ball about well. I can't believe Albion will be anywhere near the top 4 this season, but any point away from home this season will be a bonus; and we now have 4. Disappointingly, Willie McCulloch's new cohorts set the pace at the top. I couldn't even cling to the delight that their injury time winner had brought my coupon home, as 10 man Dumbarton had minutes earlier scuppered that hope, so it was a double blow to hear East Fife had triumphed so late in the game. So, my first little post comes to a conclusion. The intention is that after each match, these posts will provide some sort of insight into how the team is performing, who is playing well, and who is playing badly etc etc. But, as luck would have it, for me anyway, the next two matches I watch will be in Prague and Manchester, so I can look forward to seeing how Vladimir Smicer is enjoying life back home, and how Russell Anderson deals with the Manchester United 2nd choice strike force. But of course I'd much rather be at Ochilview!