Management thoughts.

Posted on Friday, February 26th, 2010

Mike says –

“Before talking about tomorrow’s game I have to say how sad it was to hear the news that Bobby Smith had died. I played against Bobby a couple of times, when he was at Leicester and then again when he was at Dunfermline. He was a class act on the park but it was only when his son Chris started with out Under 19’s a few years back that I realised that Bobby was a class act off the park as well.

Bobby used to give Chris a lift to training at Peffermill and stand around in all kinds of weather, waiting to give Chris a lift home. It was only through discussing the progress Chris was making and blethering about football in general that I found out what a genuine, friendly guy Bobby was. He actually phoned me a couple of weeks back about the lack of opportunity Chris was getting with the first team. He was frank, lucid, dismissive about concerns over his health and put his points over in a pleasant yet impassioned manner. Talking to a parent in such circumstances can be uncomfortable for a manager but Bobby was a gentleman. He was proud of Chris just as much as I’m sure Chris was of his dad. 

If Chris turns out to be like his dad and half the player he was his family will be very proud. Our thoughts are with Chris, his mum and his brother at this time.

The rain following on after the snow means the Academy Park is almost completely under water. Sam, the most optimistic man on the planet is still hopeful that the Lothian game will go ahead and we prepared at training last night as though it will.

Tomorrow Lothian and ourselves will hopefully get a welcome break from trying to accumulate league points by playing a King Cup tie. The Saughton club are having another excellent season and will want to improve on their 3rd place in the table last time round. They currently sit in 2nd place and although we are on 40 points Sam and I are well aware only Lothian and Whitehill can better that total. 

 Last week Lothian beat City which might have surprised a few in previous seasons but not any more. Alan and Chick have a very good team who like ourselves will be wanting to progress in the King Cup today.

For our part, last Saturday it all fell into place, especially for Cloudie. We took a lift firstly from the game being on and then from the flat surface which allowed us to pass the ball. No two games are alike and with no disrespect to Selkirk, Lothian are a different kettle of fish altogether. I’ve been reminding the players at training that 7 days after the last time we scored 7 goals (against City) we struggled badly going down to the Vale. Last week is history and we have to prepare properly to play a really good side. We have to give Lothian the respect they are due.

We did poorly in the King Cup last season and we want to put that right this time round.

Tomorrow we’ll hopefully get to see if we can.”

Mike