Management thoughts on an historic night.

Posted on Friday, May 27th, 2011

Mike says –

“On the way home from work yesterday afternoon winning the League Cup seemed a million miles away. Jack Beesely who’d have started had just informed us he’d done his groin after a coaching lesson with kids at the Academy and Chris Smith (his replacement) had texted Sam to say he couldn’t get off work where he would be until 10.00 pm. We already knew Alex King, Keith McLeod, David Etale and Jonathan Seeley were unavailable and although the Under 19’s had their last league game last night we’d managed to squeeze Jordan Finnie and Andrew Sinclair from Alex Cunningham’s plans.

Counting the bodies Omar Kader making it up from London and Stewart Fowlie who we hadn’t seen this week became vital to our plans. A cheeky call to Keith McLeod asking if he wanted to start was met with disbelief but he knew he was on the bench for cosmetic reasons and when he arrived shortly before kick off he did bring his boots just in case. Stewart had phoned to say he was driving down from Aberdeen dodgy back and all and might be a little late while Omar’s phone was switched off leaving us in the dark about his whereabouts. Eventual contact with Andy Nixon confirmed King Omar had landed and was on his way. 

None of this was the right way to build up to such an historic occasion against a very good Edinburgh University and to lighten the mood and at the request of a number of players I read the team out with Omar who’d missed a doctors appointment (wink, wink), rushed up by plane and was booked onto a sleeper for a 9.00 start in London this morning, named on the bench. Jack Beesley knew he wasn’t starting but was named in the team as the Wee Man’s chin dropped. His face returned to normal when the team was corrected and along with his team mates he prepared for the game with a smile on his face.

The Uni were pumped up and for most of the first half were the better team. I suppose the worst thing they could have done was score because it sprung us into life. When Jack Beecher scored the first of his two very good goals I looked around the crowd behind me and I could sense a collective feeling that “this just might not be Spartan’s night”.

“O ye of little faith”. Our players knew what was on the table and their resolve and collective spirit came to the game the minute Jack Beecher’s shot hit the net and as they say the rest is history. On the night Towner was a tower at the back, Gavin all energy and running in midfield and Omar was at his mercurial best up front.   Don’t get me wrong all the boys did well in a team performance and Keith McLeod and Stewart Fowlie deserve a special mention. Keith for defying the doctors orders and to Stewart for coming in at the last minute and getting better as his night went on. My team talk written before Beezer’s Groin spoke about Donal being a lone striker, our canon fodder against their strong central defenders and the running off him by Omar, Jack and Gavin being vital to our cause. Well Jack missed out but the movement, pace and goals of Omar and Gav were the difference between the sides.

The season is over. We lost by the odd goal to two SFL sides in games we could have won. On the domestic East of Scotland side we played 44 games, won 39, lost 1 and drew 4. We scored 134 goals, lost 43, (a goal difference of +91), our win percentage was 88.64% we drew 9.09% and lost 2.27% of games. It has been a remarkable season by a remarkable squad of players. Sam and I are proud of each and every one of them.”

Mike