Playing for Beer money means anything but Tea in the (Bayview) Park

Posted on Friday, July 11th, 2008

 Early.                       There’s a saying in non league football which infers that players aren’t in the game for financial rewards. They are in the game for the enjoyment, the love of the game, for beer money. T in the Park is organised a year ahead so it’s hard for players to take pre-season friendlies into account.

We play East Fife away from home tomorrow without our new keeper and our recognised centre-back pairing. To be fair only Dan the Man is having “T” as Flocks is at a wedding and Jono is on trial with the big boys. 

“It’s only a pre-season friendly” you may say and your right. Losing 9 to the Fifers didn’t stop WW wining the league last season but a big defeat, or a big win, can influence the confidence of a team as the new season approaches. Scoring 6 against Deveronvale last season was a false dawn for us and probably the best we played all term so sometimes a defeat can bring you more long term than a victory.

“All very defeatist Michael” – well not really. We are without Chris, Dan, Nani and Daryl tomorrow but we’ll have Stewart, Deano, Cloudie and Burnsie back which softens the blow.  I’d assume Wee Eck will be unavailable as he took a sore one against Falkirk early on yet soldiered on until half-time.

I was pleased with last night although we all know tomorrow is a step up in experience and physical presence. We kept our shape against the young Falkirk team, attacked at will down the right (in the first half at least) with Nicky and Struan complimenting each other well up front. 

The new guys all shaped up well and the experiment of playing Archie at centre-back and Donal at left back worked a treat.

Back to T in the Park and at least it only lasts a couple of days. Struan is a big strong lad with pace to burn and if he stays clear of injury he’ll feature heavily this season.  He’s available for tomorrow so it’s no Tea for him. He is however away to Greece for two weeks on Tuesday with ten mates. Let’s hope he comes back in one piece after last years trip where he damaged himself larking around.

Yup there’s no “T in the Park” weekend for Struan – more like “Ouzo on the Beach” for a fortnight.