So, we're hurtling, well crawling, towards the second derby match of the season, and our first ever 'post-plastic' visit to the Recs.

Neither team has been any great shakes this season, and it could come down to who wants to LOSE it more on Saturday

I'm not in the slightest bit confident about this one, but I'm looking forward to it nonetheless, a wee bit more spice than the previous dull as dishwater games recently. Now the train links are in place, it'll be the 11:01 through to the piggery for a wee sesh at the Old Brewery. If any of the forum contributors from round Alloa way are around, pop in for some banter. Programme Contributor should stay away though, I don't want to be bored to death before the game starts.

Its a measure of where we're at that I cant even get slightly excited about this game. By the law of averages you would think that Maitland's team could get a win at some point against the Binos. I'm not holding my breath.

Have we won a game on 3G astroturf yet? I remember us drawing against Hamilton at their patch last year but, apart from that, all I can remember are defeats.

Including 5-1 at Montrose.

Can't see past a draw.

I dunno, I can quite easily see an Alloa win.

Albion win 2-1, draw at worst, we'll play gash, alloa fans will say we are the worst team they have played all season but sneak the points, then we'll beat Arbroath the next week, Arbroath fans will say the same if they havent already, then so on so on, before the worst team everyone has seen are actually in the play off spots

I agree with this view. Normally a game I wouldn't miss, but may do Christmas shopping instead.

Bottom line is the players we have are not as good as we thought, last year is looking more and more like a fluke. How did we come with 30 minutes of promotion? Or was that last half hour a correction to the true level of the players we have.

This is especially ture up front, where Kyle Macauley is the only one who doesn't look like he should be playing in Div 3 and he's largely wasted because he's stuck on the left wing a lot of the time, because we haven't got a naturally left-sided midfielder.

Alan Maitland keeps saying he has confidence in the squad we have. Either he must be doubting that view or he's not as good a manager as I have believed he was.

Thats where 'support' comes in, not, we're gash, lets go xmas shopping! moan how you like afterwards, for 90 mins, no matter how horrible it is, supporting ur team is what you need to do, some people are missing the point these days!

Says the man who went to see Oasis last week rather than go to the Stranraer game

I'd rather go Christmas shopping than that.

It's a common thing at the Recs. Unless we win every game, someone needs sacked and we are doomed to the bottom of the 3rd Division for all eternity.

Personally I say bring on the Raploch Rabble. C'mon the Wasps!!

As Saturday approaches beginning to get my appetite back for football after what in the end was a heavy defeat against Raith Rovers on Saturday.
Hopefully the positives of the Peterhead Game and First Half against Raith e.g. the fight and drive will continue however the way we capitulated in the Second Half against Raith was worrying to say the least.
Assuming we have the same personnel available to us as last week would definitely add Jamie Stevenson to the midfield and play either Davie McLune or Stevie McKeown at Right Back and then partner Fraser Forrest with either Dougie Hill or Chris Townsley.
Think it will be a very tight game, a lot like the first game at Forthbank and would imagine there will be a few goals in it.
Still think Alan Maitland should be the man at the helm but he needs to get his first win against Stirling or again he is under serious pressure.
Sure Printers comment about going Christmas Shopping was tongue in cheek.

The guys entitled to his opinion. There is no law that says ye must attend all Alloa games. Cant blame anyone for not paying to watch our "performances" this season. I'm stuck with a season but as far as away games are concerned - I'm not paying good money to watch shite.

Actually been a while since we've had a good round of sackings at the Recs.


Wonder what Tomsk or whatever he calls himself now will find to moan about the Recs this time. I think we've been downgraded from deathtrap to watch your step.

Id be pretty confident there will be complaints about the floodlights being situated in front of the new stand .

As for the game Im not overly confident after the poor performance at Starks Park last week. That game actually mirrored the previous derby to some extent with Alloa going in front with a wonderful early goal then switching off and defending very poorly at times.

According to the Alloa Advertiser John Grant is suspended so that should be a straight switch with Jamie coming in. Id like to see Scott and MacAulay up front as Broonie is struggling for form but with the lack of options on the left flank maybe we'll have to keep Kyle out there. Defensively McClune or McKeown have to come in at RB and if Towner is fit Id play him and Hill in the middle as Fraser had a very poor game at Raith last Saturday. There was some talk that Wilson may be fit and that would be a boost even as a sub as the team lacked pace last week.

The fact that it's not been knocked down and replaced by a Lidl.

Hope you've also sorted out the most disgusting toilets in Scotland.

Already got one.

Nope. Why do you think we would be responsible for the upkeep of Central Park?

Obviously the irony was too subtle. No matter what I'm doing it won't be Christmas shopping!

It's the first time since he came that I am seriously questioning Alan Maitland's ability to take us forward, and that includes the start to last season. Always been convinced we couldn't have a better guy in charge up to now. Hope he turns it round as he is by all accounts a really decent bloke.

At least someone spotted it.

Good for you Magic Hat! Based on your upbeat post my enthusiasm for the best club in Scotland has been rekindled this grey Thursday afternoon in Edinburgh (and I am not being sarky). I will be there cheering the boys on on Saturday. Whatever you say about them we can't question their commitment.

C'mon THE WASPS!!!!!!!!!!!

Umm... forgetting Somerset Park?

I just wish we could hire Tom Hendrie in for these games, his record against Stirling was pretty good. It would be a monkey off Maitland's back if we could finally get a win in this fixture, but it's not all that likely.

Stirling by their own admission are the worst they've been for a few years, but actually only two teams, Brechin & Stranraer, have beaten them in the league this season so far so maybe they're not quite as shite as they make out.

As for Alloa, if we show similar committment as against Peterhead and second half v Arbroath we might have a chance. We're way short on quality and/or pace unfortunately so it's probably going to come down supreme graft or perhaps luck to get a victory.

I would direct your attention towards song no.1 on the playlist

http://www.myspace.com/theutopiansuk

What's this all about?

Apparently guests at the game on Saturday.

Won't everybody have gone home by 20:00?

Eh, typo I would have thought. I dunno.

It's got a good beat though. More rhythm than our midfield has managed to muster recently anyway.

Ha ha, fair shout, i am by no means the most loyal fan when it comes to away games etc as well but when i'm there i'm not a moanin faced fecker who shouts abuse all day and would never bypass it for visiting my great aunt or goin shopping.....i leave the moaning til the pub afterwards!

Oasis were good by the way....

[quote name='Judas' date='Nov 6 2008, 21:17' post='2898318']

Stirling by their own admission are the worst they've been for a few years, but actually only two teams, Brechin & Stranraer, have beaten them in the league this season so far so maybe they're not quite as shite as they make out.

More difficult to beat than us then.

We are as shite as we make out, it's just that the rest of the league is of a very similar poor standard. It's the worst league wide quality of football I've seen in 30 years of following the Beanos, every other season had at least one good team but this year there isn't a single team that will survive in the 1st Division next year.

Standard of football in league two of Scotland, is awful. I would suggest that it is no better than the Blue Square Prem in England. What has caused such a decline?

Scotland doesn't have a League Two. If it did, it would be the 3rd division.

How much to get in? I can't see admission prices on the club website.

more importantly, do they let students in at concession rates?