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The Alloa Athletic Thread


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Indeed. In terms of goalkeeper, defence and midfield Alloa were much better than Cowden. Our problem was our lack of quality up front and that's what dragged us down. Conversely, Cowden had an attack far better than anything else in their team and in the end that attack saved them. The rest of their team in general were mediocre.

Cowden have a big challenge now to replace those attackers. Similarly, we will most likely have a huge challenge in replacing key men at the back and in midfield. We'll be watching quite different teams next season.

I seen the Cowdenbeath chairman at half time of the first leg saying they would be looking at doubling the wage bill and maybe getting a few full time players added into the mix, if they stayed up.

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Apart from your front two I wouldn't have had any other player from the Cowden team ahead of our best starting 11 last year

Alloa were playing really well at the start of the season but awful at the end. There were only two players I would have taken from their team, Gordon, even though we have a much better central defender and the wee winger ( forgotten his name)

We all see things differently and it was only goal difference that separated the teams.

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Alloa were playing really well at the start of the season but awful at the end. There were only two players I would have taken from their team, Gordon, even though we have a much better central defender and the wee winger ( forgotten his name)

We all see things differently and it was only goal difference that separated the teams.

Our form post New Year was certainly very poor compared to the first half of the season but we still played some nice stuff at times. The 3-0 gubbing of Falkirk was a memorable day as was beating Morton at a time when they had found some form. We also put in a good performance on the last day and but for a open goal miss at 1-1 we might not have needed that favour from Bob McHugh. I think "awful at the end" is unfair, and as I keep saying we didn't have the advantage of 3 games at the end against sides which had downed tools. That skewed things in terms of the final table.

I would be astonished if anybody who watched both teams regularly would take Cowden players ahead of Bain, Doyle, Meggatt, Gordon, Simmons, McCord and Cawley. You could make an argument for Marr over Armstrong too, although Armstrong is a really good defender. The only two Cowden players who would walk into our team were Stewart and Hemmings, two players who were miles ahead of anything else that Cowden had. Those players would probably have graced any team in the division and they saved Cowden.

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Our form post New Year was certainly very poor compared to the first half of the season but we still played some nice stuff at times. The 3-0 gubbing of Falkirk was a memorable day as was beating Morton at a time when they had found some form. We also put in a good performance on the last day and but for a open goal miss at 1-1 we might not have needed that favour from Bob McHugh. I think "awful at the end" is unfair, and as I keep saying we didn't have the advantage of 3 games at the end against sides which had downed tools. That skewed things in terms of the final table.

I would be astonished if anybody who watched both teams regularly would take Cowden players ahead of Bain, Doyle, Meggatt, Gordon, Simmons, McCord and Cawley. You could make an argument for Marr over Armstrong too, although Armstrong is a really good defender. The only two Cowden players who would walk into our team were Stewart and Hemmings, two players who were miles ahead of anything else that Cowden had. Those players would probably have graced any team in the division and they saved Cowden.

Livi were still in with an outside chance of reaching the playoffs when we beat them 4-0, no team every switches off in a Rovers/Cowden game and Queens had to get at least a draw to be sure of progressing. No easy games there. And the last time we played each other Cowden were certainly much the better team. All history now though and we can all look forward to next season knowing that our clubs will be a wee bit better off at the end of it.

Good luck to Alloa anyway, I 'd love it if all three part time clubs could stay up.

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Livi were still in with an outside chance of reaching the playoffs when we beat them 4-0, no team every switches off in a Rovers/Cowden game and Queens had to get at least a draw to be sure of progressing. No easy games there. And the last time we played each other Cowden were certainly much the better team. All history now though and we can all look forward to next season knowing that our clubs will be a wee bit better off at the end of it.

Good luck to Alloa anyway, I 'd love it if all three part time clubs could stay up.

Cowden did a great job in the play-offs and well done to you but the above is revisionism. Livingston were five points and several goals behind the two clubs above them when you played them. They knew in reality that their season was over. Their manager said afterwards that their performance was "embarrassing". Raith couldn't go up or down when you played them. However much "no team switches off in a Rovers/Cowden game" the truth is that Raith had nothing to play for, a very different situation from their hard fought win against us a couple of weeks previously which was reflected in the post match reaction of their players and fans that day. QoS were 3 points and 12 goals ahead of the team below them with 1 game to play when you played them and already knew their fate.They made 6 changes for their play-off game against Falkirk a few days later. Fate handed Cowden a big advantage in that run in and resulted in things ending up closer than they would have otherwise have been.

Edited by Waspie
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Cowden did a great job in the play-offs and well done to you but the above is revisionism. Livingston were five points and several goals behind the two clubs above them when you played them. They knew in reality that their season was over. Their manager said afterwards that their performance was "embarrassing". Raith couldn't go up or down when you played them. However much "no team switches off in a Rovers/Cowden game" the truth is that Raith had nothing to play for, a very different situation from their hard fought win against us a couple of weeks previously which was reflected in the post match reaction of their players and fans that day. QoS were 3 points and 12 goals ahead of the team below them with 1 game to play when you played them and already knew their fate.They made 6 changes for their play-off game against Falkirk a few days later. Fate handed Cowden a big advantage in that run in and resulted in things ending up closer than they would have otherwise have been.

I actually think it would have been better if we had faced a full strength QOS side. The fringe players who got a game were still running around at 96 minutes looking for an equaliser don't think the regulars would have been so keen with the Falkirk game coming up a few days later.

All history now both Alloa and Cowden have another season of Championship football next season so all ended well for both clubs in the end.

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Cowden did a great job in the play-offs and well done to you but the above is revisionism. Livingston were five points and several goals behind the two clubs above them when you played them. They knew in reality that their season was over. Their manager said afterwards that their performance was "embarrassing". Raith couldn't go up or down when you played them. However much "no team switches off in a Rovers/Cowden game" the truth is that Raith had nothing to play for, a very different situation from their hard fought win against us a couple of weeks previously which was reflected in the post match reaction of their players and fans that day. QoS were 3 points and 12 goals ahead of the team below them with 1 game to play when you played them and already knew their fate.They made 6 changes for their play-off game against Falkirk a few days later. Fate handed Cowden a big advantage in that run in and resulted in things ending up closer than they would have otherwise have been.

Have to point out that you're one of the few teams Raith have beaten this calendar year. Possibly the only team that have been as honking as yourselves in 2014. If you want to think it's all good then go for it and keep that same squad. Jimmy came in and turned an under performing squad into a team that was on mid table form. You went from flying in december to garbage for the rest of the season.

If McHugh hadn't equalised the pars would have pumped you out of sight in the play-offs. As rotten as they were your form was just as bad.

That being said i'm happy it's worked out like this. Hartley fucked off and the new gaffer has shown no signs of arresting your decline. Cannon fodder next season. Same as us. Will see what happens squad wise but i would only want Bain, Mccord and Cawley from your lot and wouldn't be excited about any of them.

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Its all worked out in the end folks- save the energy for laughing at some of those pars fans who (just like last season) thought they simply had to turn up to win the play off final.

Cowden were very fortunate last season that Dunfermlines admin happened when it did. They finished 8th with 36 points I believe, and only stayed up because Dunfermline blew it against bottom team Airdrie in the 2nd last game. These things happen. The points tallies and overall matches between Alloa and Cowden shows there wasnt much in it as a whole over the course of the season. Alloa got points on the board in the first half of the campaign, but their form tailed off at the end for a number of reasons, while Cowden took a while to really get going.

As noted, other teams will have the two of us nailed on for 9th and 10th next season- but similarly no-one could have predicted all 3 part time teams staying up this term.

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Its all worked out in the end folks- save the energy for laughing at some of those pars fans who (just like last season) thought they simply had to turn up to win the play off final.

Cowden were very fortunate last season that Dunfermlines admin happened when it did. They finished 8th with 36 points I believe, and only stayed up because Dunfermline blew it against bottom team Airdrie in the 2nd last game. These things happen. The points tallies and overall matches between Alloa and Cowden shows there wasnt much in it as a whole over the course of the season. Alloa got points on the board in the first half of the campaign, but their form tailed off at the end for a number of reasons, while Cowden took a while to really get going.

As noted, other teams will have the two of us nailed on for 9th and 10th next season- but similarly no-one could have predicted all 3 part time teams staying up this term.

Aye, it was a great end to last season when the truth came out about the big team and Alloa won the playoffs.

It's been another fantastic end for Cowden after dropping the points which kept you guys up. Written off by many after the drawn game at CP and to go and thrash Jeffries young superstars with a team that wasn't any older, you couldn't make it up.

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Queens had to get at least a draw to be sure of progressing.

Not as long as we avoided losing by about 12 we didn't. Hence why we effectively fielded a reserve side.

QoS were 3 points and 12 goals ahead of the team below them with 1 game to play when you played them and already knew their fate.They made 6 changes for their play-off game against Falkirk a few days later. Fate handed Cowden a big advantage in that run in and resulted in things ending up closer than they would have otherwise have been.

And it would most likely have been 7 changes if Reilly hadn't been injured at Cowdenbeath.

I actually think it would have been better if we had faced a full strength QOS side. The fringe players who got a game were still running around at 96 minutes looking for an equaliser don't think the regulars would have been so keen with the Falkirk game coming up a few days later.

I agree with this though. I said all along we were more likely to get a result with the fringe players trying to win a place in the line up to place Falkirk than with the first team taking it easy. It worked out that way and indeed McHugh, partly thanks to Reilly injury, did get a place against Falkirk and scored three times in the two legs. Danny Carmichael also played himself into contention that day, though he didn't start the first Falkirk game. He certainly moved himself up the thinking.

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Not as long as we avoided losing by about 12 we didn't. Hence why we effectively fielded a reserve side.

And it would most likely have been 7 changes if Reilly hadn't been injured at Cowdenbeath.

I agree with this though. I said all along we were more likely to get a result with the fringe players trying to win a place in the line up to place Falkirk than with the first team taking it easy. It worked out that way and indeed McHugh, partly thanks to Reilly injury, did get a place against Falkirk and scored three times in the two legs. Danny Carmichael also played himself into contention that day, though he didn't start the first Falkirk game. He certainly moved himself up the thinking.

Don't think Queens were "taking it easy" Hamilton showed what could be done. A team can get players red-carded, unlikely to get two or three but it's happened before.

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Fast Eddie the first to commit for next season

Months ago in the paper he wanted signed, a great player to have in this league next season, amazing pace, can play on the wing or up top if needed and has shown he can score against considerably bigger teams (Falkirk goal of the season)
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Holmes, Simmons, McDowell and Couser (u-19 keeper) have joined Ferns in signing contracts for next season. Really glad we have kept Simmons and Holmes. From the way it's written on the club site it looks if Bain is away. I can't begrudge McDowell getting a chance at the number one jersey as he's always performed when called upon.

Ticket prices are to be announced next week.

Edited by BigMartyn86
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Holmes, Simmons, McDowell and Couser (u-19 keeper) have joined Ferns in signing contracts for next season. Really glad we have kept Simmons and Holmes. From the way it's written on the club site it looks if Bain is away. I can't begrudge McDowell getting a chance at the number one jersey as he's always performed when called upon.

Ticket prices are to be announced next week.

So far so good, 5 players who will be very welcome into the squad at this level hopefully at least another 3 players maybe more will sign that will get first team football with some youths promoted (Scott Hynd, Lewis Wilson) and some free transfers and we could have another strong squad capable of surviving another season
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