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End of the road for now.
Monday, August 4th, 2008 20.00 Ever since the Blog started I’ve tried to be informative about the first team, be honest about sport and life in general as well as entertaining all in equal measures. It seems I’m upsetting one or two too many with some of my comments so I’m going to hang up my pen (or should that be my finger) for a while.Irene is delighted as we may even head up the stairs at the same time in the evening like in the old days.
Cheers for now - I’ve enjoyed it.
Mike
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Four significant meetings.
Monday, August 4th, 2008 Early. Big Andy is the real deal. Yeh, we both know he has a problem when I’m watching him but last night the penny finally dropped that this guy could win a Grand Slam for Britain. He’s better than Tim but Dim and he’ll get into the World’s top four maybe even three given time.The Swiss is a few years older and will Roger and out before Rafa, Novak and Andy so after a second win in a row against the Serb the big man has proved that on his day he can beat all three. Don’t get me wrong he’s behind the other three for now but who else is better than him. He’s up to number 6 in the world so numbers 4 and 5 better watch out.
Sam and I have been asked to attend a club meeting tonight. Unlike the other Michael (the one with the bat that doesn’t work) I don’t intend throwing in the towel and neither does Sam. Seriously, plans were being put in place off the park should we have made the SFL and with us soon moving into the Academy it’s a good time to put our house in order off the park.
I think one of the biggest issues we face if we are ever to be seen as a possible SFL club is how to get more people through the gate on a Saturday. With our new stadium almost complete we have to work out how to entice more fans to come along and thus generate more income and up our profile.
It’s not lost on me that the demise of the South of Scotland Qualifying Cup has denied the most successful EOS sides with a good source of income.
We play the Seconds tomorrow for the first time since Mark took over. He and Craig will be hoping that they can turn us over on the tight Peffermill park and if any of our guys think it’ll be an easy night I’d ask them to think again.
It’s a chance for one or two of our boys to push for a place this Saturday and a chance for one or two of the Seconds to make Sam and I think they could be the answer to increasing our very small First Team pool.
Finally the first league game of the season is a very important meeting of two clubs. We meet Coldstream on Saturday and like us they beat junior opposition on Saturday, the Streamers doing it away from home. Like us they will be a “new” team so no-one really knows what the outcome will be.
I’ll leave you with an interesting fact.
If we’d won the first league game of last season against Easthouses we would have won the league on goal difference.
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Pool, parades, shipwrecks, going Dutch and the Cincinnati Kid.
Sunday, August 3rd, 2008 Late. Andy Murray is throwing away championship points one after the other which must be my fault so I’ve given him a break by signing on. I can still hear it going on of course but he’s just lost his service game to win the Masters event in Cincinnati.A busy day all round. I took the boys to the Commie this morning then Irene and I took them down to Market Street to see Gemma and the Forth Youth Theatre on their float getting ready for the parade. They are doing a musical called Jekyll this year and the group gave us a couple of songs before heading off. I don’t know if Mr Hyde is involved but I’ll no doubt see the show next week.
I caught the second half of the Hearts game. What have Hull and the Titanic got in common? One went down and the other is about to follow. On that showing the hull has sprung a leak already and the season hasn’t even started.
As big a surprise as Hearts was Celtic doing the biz in Holland. Hail your boys Sam - they actually looked quite good. Better than Newcastle who I caught before the tennis started. They were one down at half-time but it wasn’t looking good.
Well done Andy. I’ve been up and down from the conservatory as it finally unfolded but the boy did good. Without my help of course.
A busy day. Irene’s in bed reading a book.
Who’d be a women in this man’s world?
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Annan to finish bottom eh! and it’s all about playing.
Sunday, August 3rd, 2008 Early. Well done Annan. Well done to the team who finished 7th in the East of Scotland Premier Division last season. Now it’s early days but those who said they’d struggle big style might be wrong and those who said they wouldn’t win a game before Christmas are wrong.What does yesterday tell us? The biggest single thing is that the difference between SFL and Non League football isn’t all it’s made out to be. Don’t get me wrong the Annan boys will have been motivated beyond belief and the Cowden boys, after beating Hibs 2-0 during the week, will have under estimated them whatever Danny Lennon said before the game.
“Football is played in the head” I wish I had £1 for every time I’ve told a squad of players that.
Cowden will regroup and come back stronger and Annan will find it hard to churn out results like yesterday but yesterday helped disprove something. The perceived gap between the SFL and top non league football isn’t all we’re told it is.
I played wide on the left at school but in my 5th and 6th year at Forrester there wasn’t an “over age” team to play for so I played in goal for the 3rd year reserves. From then until I was 20 I found it very hard to get a game out field. Saughton Athletic, Palmerston Hearts, it didn’t matter where I went I ended up in goal. The big thing was that I played.
When I eventually signed for Portobello Volta I played up front and I scored a lot of goals. Mussleburgh Juniors came calling and I was a bit scared of signing as playing meant everything to me. I did eventually sign, score a few more and after winning the league decider at Broxburn, Bob Shankly trapped me in the shower room and thrust a contract in my face to sign for Stirling Albion.
I didn’t hesitate. I was stepping up. I didn’t seriously consider what would happen if I went “senior” but didn’t get a game. As it was I went straight into the team and scored 125 goals for the Binos in 5 seasons.
I see Smiler got on yesterday but no sign of Jono. Ross is doing better and I hope the other two soon get a regular start like him. They are not young lads and need regular football.
We have a very small pool this season and unless quality players appear from no-where we’ll go with a small pool. That will keep everybody involved if not starting regularly and we do have our Seconds and U19’s to pull players in from and in the case of the Seconds a place where those not starting can get a run out.
Football is all about playing.
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A Curate’s egg of a performance.
Saturday, August 2nd, 2008 Late. First of all it was a good result against a good team. There were a lot of positives to take from the game but more than a few things to work on as well.Our team was Flockhart, Gerrard, Hoskins, Archibald, Fowlie, O’Donnell, King, Kader, Walker, Manson and Henretty. Our four substitutes all went for the last half hour - Young for Manson, Preston for Walker, Burns for Archibald and Hair for Kader.
Nicky opened the scoring in 12 minutes and Donal doubled the lead 5 minutes from half-time. Right on the whistle Chris was adjudged to have pushed the forward standing on his toes so we went in at 2-1. We started very slowly in the second half but had weathered a little storm when Louis threw Meaney on and he set up the equaliser with his first touch. As the game stretched we created a lot of opening down the right but with the game having draw written all over it Danny got to the byeline and cut it back for Donal to score his second and win the game for us.
Some nice passing and movement especially in the first half but over the piece we gave away far too many fouls and failed to turn very good openings into very good chances. If we are to win anything this season we need to work on both these areas.
Considering that was 5 short of our starting 11 last season however, Sam and I have to be happy with how things are shaping up. We’ll change things around on Tuesday against the Seconds then think out how were are going to cope with 3 very difficult league games in the first week of the season.
It hasn’t gone unnoticed that Coldstream beat Pumpherston away from home this afternoon.
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Not the right time but ah! go on and Nani’s fame grows.
Saturday, August 2nd, 2008 Early. On a day when we play junior opposition I probably shouldn’t slag them off as an organisation but it’s never stopped me before so I will. I’d always been against junior teams playing in the Scottish Cup but I have to admit it wasn’t the first thing to pop into my head why I got up this morning.I like to read every paper I can get my hands on and read at least half a dozen (a day) at work during the week (in my own time of course). Saturday is different but I get the Scotsman and the Sun for starters and maybe catch another couple at Leslies later on.
I think I’ve met Des McKeown only the once when he was manager of Stenny but I’ve got a signed copy of his book as Pauline, my sister-in-law worked in a office he supplied in his day job around the time it came out.
Today he’s making a big point of the fact no junior team applied to enter the SFL when Gretna went belly up. Taken on it’s own there are arguments both ways. You could say it’s a lack of ambition but on the other half if they are happy with what they’ve got why should they want change.
The problem is the Scottish Cup. If the juniors are happy with their lot why oh why were they admitted to the Scottish Cup? Because they want their cake an eat it as Des says and he’s correct. The high heed yin said it would be the start of an integration process but the lack of interest from junior clubs in the vacant SFL position proves otherwise.
Some extra money and publicity but otherwise stay in our own little world - that’ll do nicely.
Strange but my friend Graeme Armstrong was all for persuading Newtongrange to put their name forward along with Annan, ourselves and the others. I know the very valid reason they didn’t eventually put their name in the hat but it shows there are some junior teams out there who want change and can see above their own wee world.
That’s the rain on after a bright start to the day. Let’s hope it’s off by 2.00.
Finally for now Nani’s pen is up to 17,508 views and rising.
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Nani’s pen, life goes on, digging holes and Bob hails the Spurs.
Friday, August 1st, 2008 Late. There’s a fresh link to Nani’s penalty at Fort William last season on the Highland League section of the P&B this evening. I had a look and there are other real classics following it on You Tube. Anyway it doesn’t look any better a year down the line but our boy is getting famous.When I went in to look at it 15 minutes ago it said 17,461 views. Having said that I went back in three times and it still said 17,461 views.
I had a teary reunion with both my daughters today after the sad news of their Grandma’s death. There isn’t much you can do in such circumstances other than give them a shoulder to cry on. I told them their Grandma was proud of the two of them and that they were old enough never to forget her. They never met my mum as she passed away before I met their mother. All a bit sad.
A very good game to look forward to tomorrow. We’ve played Nitten at least once every season since Louis took over and they are always close games. They play good attacking football and it’s a good game to have a week before the season starts. It’s a 2.00 K.O if you fancy coming down to City Park.
Wheelie is trying to say all the right things today but the hole he’s digging his getting bigger. He’s right in one thing though - it’s time to move on.
I assume Bobby Dry went for a pint with Dan yesterday afternoon as neither turned up at training last night. Bob is having a problem with his mobile at the moment and I got this text from him earlier today - Hail Spurs. Lost Sam’s number. I did the needful and forwarded the message to Uncle Sam.
I have to say it put a damper on watching a replay of the Spurs v Celtic game later on. Somehow I had a good idea who was going to win.
Thanks Bob.
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First better than Premier, Hewat high and another strange moment.
Friday, August 1st, 2008 Early. I was reading a brief synopsis H-J did on the First Division this season and I have to agree that it looks like a very interesting league this time round. Teams on the up, team mergers, and new teams, one of which with a famous recent background. I keep an eye on what’s going on below us but it’s usually a cursory glance at the table and results.This season I’ll “study the form” as they say and I’ll not be the only one. I think all of us in the Premier will be intrigued to see what happens and I’m sure the EOS will get an upturn in media interest by the appearance of Gretna in our league under a different guise.
Who’ll win it? ………….. you’re having a laugh aren’t you. If pushed I go for Stirling Uni but only because our mate Ral was instrumental in getting them into the EOS set-up.
That’s me lost twice this week to Hewat’s Hackers so I think I’m 3 games down. My lot lost 3-2 last night so my pre-season hasn’t quite been in Hibs proportions but it could have been better. Also heads can’t roll as the teams swap round every training night.
It’s a shame we don’t get a more consistent turn out as I’d like to get the same two teams playing every time to build up a real rivalry. There’s nothing better than a few grudges and festering sores to make players work that bit harder.
By the way if Tim but Dim is reading this on his lap-top on a beach somewhere - Sam on Tuesday and Eric the “spot” last night made sure the boys did a good amount of running before they got near a ball.
Finally for now on the back of the Garfield experience earlier in the week another strange feeling went through me on Wednesday night. My wife likes to read. It’s mostly novels, mostly girlie books, you know what I mean. Well I was finishing my Blog on as she headed upstairs mumbling about running out of books and having nothing to read.
Blog completed I switched the PC off and as it was shutting down I picked up the News which I hadn’t seen other than the sports pages. Thumbing through it I noticed the obituary on The Doc. What a wonderful character he was by the way. Anyway I didn’t know about Africa and his missionary work and I was fanscinated to se he’d written a biography on David Livingstone. The best there is it said.
We’ll anyway the PC made a sigh as it completed it’s shut down so I switched off the electricity, lights etc and headed upstairs.
As I was getting undressed my wife was sitting up in bed reading a small kid’s book. She had several more on her dressing table. “I got these from a car boot sale for the boy’s and I’m just checking them out” she said.
I climbed into bed and there she was reading a small ladybird book with the title “David Livingstone”
Strange eh!
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News comes in many forms.
Thursday, July 31st, 2008 Late. Kay, my mother-in-law from my first marriage died today. She was only 3 years older than me and was rushed into the Western General a week ago but she never regained consciousness. She was my pal as is her husband Alan. He and his three daughters will be devastated. My daughters and their cousins Amy, Callum and Cameron are devastated. Football isn’t really that important.James Hair ex Uni captain signed for us this evening. He’s a big strong, fit lad with a magnificent attitude and I hope he does as well as the one or two ex Uni captains he follows to Spartans.
The manager who pursued Robbie Ross and Keith McLeod tried to tap a second Spartans player last night. Can I put in writing that any junior team wishing to sign any signed Spartans player will have to pay a similar fee to that which City are looking for if any junior team wants Mr Ross. We will be more considerate if the move is up the way to an SFL side.
I don’t feel like saying much more tonight.
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Just who are they and who do you fancy?
Thursday, July 31st, 2008 Early. There’s an ongoing debate on the P&B as to just how well those two bed fellows Edinburgh and Leith are getting on. It seems one of the main aims of half the contributors on Forums is to use a big stick to stir things up.My question is however - who are they? What is the “joint” team called? Are they Edinburgh Athletic or Leith Athletic or just Leith? the EOS website has Edinburgh Athletic on this season’s league table and Leith in the Cup fixtures (I gave up trying to open the League Fixtures).
Whoever you are boys I wish you all the best for the coming season.
Who do you fancy for the Premier League title? I had a discussion with KH from City the other day and we both agree it’s quite open.
We were perceived (his thoughts not mine) as looking good before the exodus and with not only ourselves but WW and the Uni also losing players it’s hard to tell just how the three of us will cope this season.
With Cloudie out for a while (it could easily be all season) we will start this campaign with 5 first team regulars from last season missing. That’s the biggest turn around since I joined the club so how we perform must be up in the air. Don’t get me wrong we’ve added to our squad and brought quality in so we’re hoping to gel early and put up a challenge but time will tell.
At one stage WW were meant to be losing most of their team but looking at the pre-season friendlies I doubt if they’ve lost as many as us. Still they will have to bring one or two in and there will be an amount of transition at Rosewell as well as City Park/the Academy.
The Uni are the third “top” team to lose a few but with Tommo, Hazelnut and the Jamie Redhead still there I’ve a sneaky they’ll be up at the top again come April/May (last year I’d have said April May or June).
With Annan stepping up how will Dalbeattie do? It all seems quiet down there so it’s hard to tell. Losing GP is a blow but I’m sure Skin will be wheeling and dealing as the season approaches fast. There’s no doubt once the dust settles, very good EOS players who can’t cut the mustard in the SFL will gravitate from Annan back to Dalbeattie but that’s not for now.
How about H-W? The last time they came up with a good side they nearly won the Premier. Always beware a university side with momentum.
If I’ve missed anyone else winning the Premier it would be a shock….apart from two teams of course.
City and Preston have both held on to all their top players and have added to their pools. On paper - and we all know where football is played - they look the two strongest challengers this season. Preston are steadily getting better under GP and City came good after a slow start last season. They also have the EOS’s first ever five figure striker of course.
Like it or lump it I have installed City and Preston as joint favourites for this season’s EOS Premier Division title. Don’t just ask me - ask City’s KH.
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