Francesc Fabregas

Aye, there's not much to add beyond what's already been written. East Fife were the better team in the first half, Stenhousemuir were better in the second, both goals were well taken and despite the lack of clear-cut chances at either end, it was an entertaining contest with a nice ebb and flow. A draw was the fairest outcome and given results elsewhere, a point is very decent for the Warriors. Our best players were out centre-backs. It was great to see Ross Meechan lead out the team in Gregor Buchanan's absence and I felt very proud to see him wearing the captain's armband given his association with the club. His goal was lovely, a near-post header than spun into the corner of the net, and he largely defended well against a tricky opponent in Nathan Autsin. Nicky Jamieson was the same - aggressive in the air and on the ground, he dealt with most things East Fife threw his way. Kinlay Bilham continues to shine at left-back, Mikey Anderson, Kyle Jacobs and Nat Wedderburn did well in the middle of the park and Matty Aitken grafted away up top. It didn't always come off for him, but you can't fault his workrate. I was hoping for more from the likes of Euan O'Reilly and Matty Yates, two matchwinners who didn't really get into the game. I didn't think too much of Edin Lynch's performance at right-back - although little gets past him, he's too easily beaten in the air and doesn't appear to attack the ball properly. He must be a good five or six inches taller than Jack Healy but he was beaten in the air by the winger a couple of times. Hopefully Buchanan is fit in time for next week and we can travel to Elgin City with our first-choice back four. East Fife looks good in the first half. Austin's goal, the kind of finish you only ever see at fives, was lovely, Conor McManus played well in midfield and I thought Liam Newton had a good game at left-back. But they died away in the second half, with the team pegged back for spells and Austin spoiling for a fight (he could have been sent off for a number of dives). Their season has completely flatlined and they'll have to consolidate and give it a go next season. What's happened to Healy? He looked so promising last season and appeared to be a player who could star in full-time football, but he's very predictable and easy to play against. I hope he adds more versatility to his game because there's definitely something there. The referee was terrible. The steak pie was dry.

Yep - September, November, December and January. An incredible achievement. Well done to Gary Naysmith, his backroom team and his players. Let's keep going as we approach the final third of the season!

There's still over a third of the season remaining, and there's still a lot to be decided, but who would you select as your Stenhousemuir FC Player of the Year 2023/24? Here are, for my money, the contenders: Darren Jamieson Darren Jamieson has been the most transformative signing the club have made since Eric Paton joined from Dundee in 2010. After two seasons of rubbish goalkeepers, he has not only galvanised the players in front of him, but I'd also argue he's galvanised supporters in the stand. You're no longer terrified when a cross is fired into the box or the opposition have you penned in because Jamieson has brought so much security to our defence. I'm delighted he recently signed a new two-year deal with the club. Nicky Jamieson Nicky Jamieson must be on course to have accumulated the most Wee Bar Man of the Match awards over the course of the season. A strong centre-back who reads the game well, he's positionally sound, quick off the mark and a threat from set-pieces, Jamieson is a stand-out at this level and his formed a rock-solid partnership at the back with Gregor Buchanan. Another player whose new two-year contract was warmly received. Gregor Buchanan The captain is having an outstanding campaign and, for my money, is the pick of the bunch this season. His leadership, as well as his organisation and communication skills, have played an enormous part in our stingy defence. Not only is he making an excellent contribution at the back but his prowess from set-pieces - he's got six goals so far - has contributed tremendously. I knew we'd get our money's worth when we brought him in from Dumbarton but he has consistently exceeded my expectations. Mikey Anderson What a transformation! Brought into the club by Stephen Swift in the summer of 2021 as part of the "BSC lot", Mikey Anderson looked out of his depth and overwhelmed by the demands of the SPFL but after getting to grips with League 2, and adding consistency to his game, he's blossomed into one of the finest players in the division. A proper box-to-box midfielder, Anderson is a good passer of the ball, a strong tackler and someone capable of breaking forward and chipping in with the odd goal. If only his dipping volley at the weekend had gone in! Matty Aitken I didn't really fancy Matty Aitken when we brought him in from Forfar Athletic but the big man's having a sterling season. Aitken is vital to how Stenhousemuir play - he's a back-to-goal striker who uses his bony arse to hold up the ball and get the team up the park - and his tally of 13 is a career best; it's not unreasonable to expect him to get to 20 by the end of the year. His performance in the 2-1 win over Clyde in December was of the highest calibre. I'm going for Buchanan, but who are you picking?

The biggest game in League 2 this weekend sees East Fife welcoming Stenhousemuir to Bayview. The Fifers are toiling in mid-table and are separated by 30 points from the league leaders. The previous two meetings between the sides this season have been close - Stenny were 2-0 victors in the Kingdom in August and although they won 2-1 in December, East Fife were unfortunate not to have taken a point. Since then, East Fife have only played well in fits and starts and there are serious questions about Greig McDonald's future; Stenny, meanwhile, have continued to ascend and appear to be in a superb position at the top of the table. Gary Naysmith has a selection headache for this match, but in a good way. For the first time this season, he has a full complement of players to pick from. Nicky Jamieson is available after injury and Nat Wedderburn has completed his suspension. Jamieson should come straight back into defence in place of Edin Lynch, with Ross Meechan moving over to right-back, but I think Kyle Jacobs deserves to continue in central midfield. I thought he played well against Dumbarton and the jersey should be his for the time being. Further forward, Matty Yates should be restored to the starting XI, with Bradley Rodden dropping back to the bench. Adam Brown's on thin ice at the moment - although his delivery from dead balls is outstanding, he's not really giving us anything from open play and Ross Taylor could easily step up in his place. I'd go with: - Matt Aitken - - Euan O'Reilly - Matty Yates - Adam Brown - - Mikey Anderson - Kyle Jacobs - - Kinlay Bilham - Nicky Jamieson - Gregor Buchanan - Ross Meechan - - Darren Jamieson - I'm expecting another close game here but I'd fancy Stenny's chances for a win. I we play well and take the opposition seriously, we'll get three points here. It's really that simple! I'll see you there!

It feels as though this is the weekend where the championship is heads to Stenhousemuir. Everything went right for us today - we bounced back from last weekend's disappointment in the best way possible, Peterhead dropped points, the Spartans lost, and Dumbarton were definitively knocked out of the title race, if they weren't already. There is still a long way to go, and the Warriors cannot afford to be complacent at any point, but it feels as though everything has perfectly aligned. Barring one of the biggest collapses in the history of Scottish football, Stenny will win the division. I actually thought Dumbarton were the better team for the majority of the match. They forced Darren Jamieson into some smart saves, they saw more of the ball and, at the death, it was the Sons who looked like they were playing against 10 men. They just didn't have what it takes to break down a resolute Stenhousemuir team. I thought Michael Ruth was sparky up front, Cian Newbury looks like he'll go on to enjoy a solid career, and Carlo Pignatiello played well but, under Stevie Farrell, when it comes to the showdown, they will always let you down. Every single time. From the relegation, to throwing away the title last season, to the Annan Athletic play-off first leg, to the failure to beat the league's better sides this year, Farrell and his team cannot be trusted. Going into this match, I would have taken a point - after our long winning streak came to an end at Balmoor, it felt important to not lose, to just steady the ship - so I'm delighted to have taken all three. It says a lot for this team that they can continue to win when not at their best. Gary Naysmith deserves a lot of credit for making vital changes and his double substitution on the hour mark swung the game in our favour. Bradley Rodden, making his first start, and Adam Brown had offered very little throughout but the introduction of Ross Taylor and Matty Yates turbocharged us and gave us an impetus we had lacked. Taylor is one of the most entertaining players in the division - he won a series of fouls for the team, three of which resulted in yellow cards and one of which indirectly led to him scoring his first goal for the club - and brought a chaos factor to the game. (I'll admit I was disappointed to see him diving in and wiping out Pignatiello - did he learn nothing from his red card at Clyde?) Yates, meanwhile, was my man of the match, despite only playing 30 minutes, and his guile, energy and boundless enthusiasm galvanised his team. Elsewhere, I thought Gregor Buchanan played well (he always does; I think he might be our Player of the Season), Mikey Anderson could have scored the goal of the season with that stunning dipping volley, and Kinlay Bilham impressed at left-back. Strangely, after Ryan Blair's dismissal in the 75th minute, Dumbarton began to exert pressure and we struggled to get up the park. We were pegged back and had to defend a series of corners. James Hilton shot tamely from the edge of the area and Sean Crighton headed wide from a set-piece, but we rode it out. The celebrations from the players as they left the pitch were fantastic and as a supporter, seeing them react in the same way I react means so much. We have a favourable run of fixtures coming up, starting with a miserable East Fife next week. Nicky Jamieson will return from injury and Nat Wedderburn is back in contention after completing his suspension. We have a full complement of players to pick from for the first time all season - there are options and quality in most positions. You have to be optimistic about our prospects.

Speaking after the Peterhead match, Gary Naysmith said Nicky Jamieson will definitely miss the upcoming game with Dumbarton but could be back in contention for East Fife the following weekend.

A very large fixture lies in wait as Stenhousemuir welcome Dumbarton to Ochilview on Saturday. The home side's incredible 12-game winning streak came to an end at Peterhead on Saturday, while Dumbarton put a series of underwhelming results behind them by beating Elgin City. The previous encounters between the sides have been engaging, with the Sons winning 4-2 in August and Stenny grabbing a late victory at the Rock in December, and I have high hopes for this one. Although Stenhousemuir still enjoy a handsome lead at the top of the table, I feel it's imperative we get the three points here. A win would not only re-establish our title-winning credentials (and ease my anxieties!) but it would also definitively knock Dumbarton out of the race. They have a capable group of players but, like up at Balmoor, Nicky Jamieson and Nat Wedderburn are going to be big losses. I think we struggled without them, Jamieson especially, but we'll have to make do and mend with Edin Lynch and Kyle Jacobs continuing to deputise for them. I also want to see more from Matty Aitken here - he's important to how this team functions and when he's not at it, everyone's poorer for it; we saw this on Saturday. I hope Ross Taylor's back in contention following an illness as he's a very useful option from the bench. Let's go with: - Matty Aitken - - Euan O'Reilly - Matty Yates - Adam Brown - - Mikey Anderson - Kyle Jacobs - - Kinlay Bilham - Gregor Buchanan - Edin Lynch - Ross Meechan - - Darren Jamieson - I do fancy us for this one but I'm under no illusions how hard a game it's likely to be. Dumbarton blitzed us back in August and were unfortunate not to have taken a point in December, so we'll need to be at our best to win. I'll see you all there!

Today's game was an entertaining encounter between two good teams. Fair play to Peterhead - I thought they were the better team overall, especially in the second half, and they deserved to win the match. Scott Ross and Ryan Strachan were excellent at centre-back and, let's have it, pushed Matty Aitken around, Kieran Shanks was a perpetual nuisance up top, and Hamish Ritchie took both his goals well, the second one especially. They played the conditions better than we did. I think we struggled today without Nicky Jamieson at centre-back. There's a marked drop-off in quality between the injury Jamieson and Edin Lynch, his deputy, who looked clumsy and cumbersome at points. It made me anxious, and I wonder if that also spread throughout the team. Nat Wedderburn was also missed and although Kyle Jacobs had a decent game, we really could have done with the big man's physicality in the middle of the park, especially in the second half. Everyone else generally did well (Gregor Buchanan especially) but it was the kind of game where little came off for Aitken, and the whole team suffered as a result. We couldn't get out of our half after the interval and other than a blocked Euan O'Reilly cutback and a stramash at the death, we didn't look like scoring. Although I'm disappointed we lost today and our sterling run came to an end, I'm incredibly proud of this group of players. Winning 12 games in a row is an extraordinary achievement and one we're never likely to repeat. They've worked so hard to put us in a terrific position at the top of the table and I have no doubt that they can bounce back against Dumbarton next weekend.

Aye, that's another excellent piece of business. Nicky Jamieson's in the running for Player of the Season and I'm delighted he's sticking around for another two years. He's big, strong and quick off the mark, and he's really formed a strong partnership at centre-back with Gregor Buchanan. He's a thoroughly likeable guy too and one who's very popular amongst the support. Matty Yates next, please, Mr Naysmith!

Signing up Darren Jamieson until 2026 is terrific business. He's one of the best goalkeepers I've ever seen at Stenhousemuir and he's had the most transformative effect on the team since Eric Paton in 2010. At this level, you can go a long way if you have a good, reliable, trustworthy goalie, and Jamieson has been excellent for the Warriors so far. Well done to all concerned!

Stenhousemuir have, once again, taken advantage of Edinburgh City's plight to sign Ben Stirling. Is he good? Where does he play? Can he make us a better team? Thank you.

Stenhousemuir have plundered Gary Naysmith's contacts book to bring in Ben Stirling from Edinburgh City. He's not a player I know much about but he can apparently play in a number of positions and should offer us the defensive cover we've been needing. I wish him well and hope he can do us a good turn.

A top-of-the-table clash awaits at Balmoor as second-place Peterhead take on league leaders Stenhousemuir. The sides played out a turgid 0-0 draw on the second game of the campaign but the Warriors won the next encounter, arguably turning in their finest 45 minutes of the season so far, thanks to goals from Mikey Anderson and Adam Brown. Since that contest in November, Peterhead have taken just 11 points, while Stenny have a perfect record of 27 and have pulled away at the division's summit. What's happened to the Blue Toon? They looked like credible title contenders a couple of weeks ago! That said, I didn't think much of them when we last met. They weren't in the game in the first half and unimaginative in the second, thumping balls up towards Rory McAllister with little success. I suppose coming from two goals down to snatch a point against East Fife yesterday is something to be proud of, but their recent form has been poor and they can be got at. I certainly fancy our chances of getting something, although we are a little short on numbers. Nat Wedderburn will miss out through suspension and Nicky Jamieson is probably injured but Kyle Jacobs especially and Edin Lynch are good respective replacements. We'll miss both players - Wedderburn brings so much strength and authority to the middle of the park, while Jamieson is the ideal opponent to take on McAllister - and it highlights how fortunate we've generally been. The only difficulty is the lack of options from the bench. Let's go with: - Matty Aitken - - Euan O'Reilly - Matty Yates - Adam Brown - - Mikey Anderson - Kyle Jacobs - - Kinlay Bilham - Edin Lynch - Gregor Buchanan - Ross Meechan - - Darren Jamieson - I'm a little wary of this game, given our absentees and I think we could drop points here. I hope not! Let's see how far we can take this streak!

Will look forward to watching the highlights - Stranraer's package is probably the best in the business and of a consistently high standard.

First of all: fair play to the players and management for keeping this run going! Twelve consecutive wins is an incredible achievement and everyone at Stenhousemuir FC should be delighted. To beat Rangers' record of 11 back-to-back victories from the 2012/13 season is remarkable and I hope we can somehow close in on, and overtake, Gretna's benchmark of 14. We will, however, have to play a lot better if we want to win at Peterhead next weekend. That was perhaps the poorest performance of the run. There were some nice moments here and there, particularly in the five-minute spell around the goal, but the game was a little too chaotic for my liking and a better side could have taken advantage of our slackness, especially in the second half when we struggled to clear our lines and get a foot on the ball. Stranraer were miles better today than on their previous visit to Ochilview - Chris McQueen had a strong game at centre-back, Dylan Forrest was probably the best player on the park, Chris Johnston showed some neat touches before tiring - but their lack of a credible striker thwarted any hopes of truly breaching Stenny's defence; Darren Jamieson was, once again, largely unbothered in goal. Tam Orr looked up for it, trying his luck from range a couple of times early on, but he just could not get the better of Nicky Jamieson. Outmuscled at every turn, Orr would nudge and barge into his opponent in a doomed bid to put him off. It didn't work and his most noticeable contribution after the interval was the confused substitution. Stranraer are a handy side, pleasing on the eye, but a lack of physicality across the board will see them finish in mid-table. Ross Meechan was Stenhousemuir's best player, setting up the unfortunate Kyle Girvan to deflect the ball into his own net, and looked confident as he motored up and down the flank all afternoon. Kinlay Bilham played well at left-back, Mikey Anderson was decent in midfield and Matty Aitken got through a power of work up front, especially during the interval. Kyle Jacobs looked the part when he came on and didn't waste a single ball during his brief second-half cameo. I didn't think much of the referee, who seemed to let a lot of calls go in the visitors' favour, but he was probably right to send off Nat Wedderburn, who recklessly flew through the air to wipe out his opponent at the death (that said, I'd like to see it again, and I do wonder if the club will look to have the decision overturned). If Wedderburn is unavailable, Jacobs is a very capable stand-in. Another concern is Nicky Jamieson's injury - he seems to have hurt his hamstring and will be a doubt for next week's match. Meechan appeared to hurt his shoulder and Gregor Buchanan was limping at points, and I hope the pair are okay. This might expedite the need for defensive cover from the transfer market. I don't think it can be overstated just how good our defence is. Even when we're not playing well elsewhere, you can always rely on our back five to see us over the line. We've kept 13 clean sheets in 21 league matches, an extraordinary record, and they're perhaps the primary reason why we're in this position. Long may it continue!

Jimmy Choo is, pound for pound, the worst poster on Pie and Bovril. I hate him so much!

Hopefully the lads at Cutmasters can do the business on Saturday morning and keep our pitched salted and free of frost!

Nat Wedderburn has triggered a contract extension with Stenhousemuir and will stay at Ochilview for another season. Fair play to him - I might have been keen to move him on in the summer but he really seems to have a spring in his step at the moment. He's formed a superb partnership with Mikey Anderson in the middle of the park and is vital to how we play.

I've watched the videos from Matty Yates' goal and the full-time whistle so many times. Brilliant scenes. What a team!

Speaking after the weekend's win over the Spartans, Gary Naysmith said they prepared for that game in insolation - they weren't thinking about the winning streak or breaking records, just on how to beat what's in front of them - but it must be difficult not to look ahead and fancy your chances of breaking Rangers' run and maybe even Gretna's. As well as winning a league title, you have the opportunity to do something extraordinary at this level. I hope I don't come across as arrogant or over-confident here, and I'm sure our players and our management team aren't getting carried away at this stage either, but overtaking Rangers' 11-game winning streak gives us another huge incentive to beat Stranraer on Saturday.

The biggest game on the planet takes place in FK5 on Saturday as Stenhousemuir welcome Stranraer to Ochilview. The Warriors have been flawless against the Blues this season, with an 8-0 aggregate scoreline across the two previous games. The 5-0 victory in September was the most complete performance I've seen from a Stenny team in years, while the 3-0 win at Stair Park in November was notable for Bozo showing off his torso. Given how well we've played against Stranraer this season - not to mention winning our previous 11 games! - you'd have to fancy Stenhousemuir to do the business here. There's not much to really say about Stenny here. You know how we're going to line up, you know what we're going to do, you know what we're all about: - Matty Aitken - - Euan O'Reilly - Matty Yates - Adam Brown - - Mikey Anderson - Nat Wedderburn - - Kinlay Bilham - Nicky Jamieson - Gregor Buchanan - Ross Meechan - - Darren Jamieson - I'm not sure if Stranraer had players missing when we've met previously but I didn't think all that much of them. There are some handy members in their team - Matty Grant, Dylan Forrest - but they're lacking in experience and physicality and can be pushed around a bit. I think Stenhousemuir will win this match and probably score from a set-piece at some point. I'll see you all there!

Everything seems to be going in Stenhousemuir's favour at the moment. It was another fortuitous weekend - we beat the Spartans quite comfortably, Peterhead lost and Dumbarton dropped points - and it's getting difficult to envisage anyone else catching us at the top of the table. The next three games - Stranraer at home, Peterhead away, and Dumbarton at home - will determine the season, I feel. The title seems to close we cannot fail to grasp it. This really is the best it's ever been.

I don't think that Russell McLean will be a good signing for Forfar Athletic, especially with the team scratching around towards the bottom of the table. He has proven himself to be a useful player in the past, particularly at Montrose and Peterhead, like a triplicate version of Chris Templeman, perhaps, but he often appears sullen and uninterested and I don't think he has the stomach for the fight. There are numerous stories about his attitude and application and I think he might bring the mood down at Station Park even further. I think he might have spent too much time in the gym and he just looks too big to be playing football to a good standard in his current shape. I saw him introduced for Dumbarton last season as a late substitute in Stenhousemuir's 2-1 win at the Rock and his performance was rotten. Whenever an aerial ball came his way, he was pushed aside easily, and when it was played into his feet, his touch took it five yards away from him. Nevertheless, McLean might do you a good turn. Who knows.

Far from it! I like "having a laugh" as much as the next man - and Falkirk's exploits over the past five years have often been hilarious - but there's very little to poke fun at this time around. John McGlynn has assembled an impressive, likeable side, and that's reflected on the park in recent results. This team appear to be in an unassailable position and a return to the Championship surely awaits. At this level of football, we're often just spokes on a wheel. Most of the time, you're bobbing along inconsequentially, eking out a mid-table finish; sometimes you're on your knees, scratching around in the muck, wondering why you're following this godawful side; and just sometimes, it feels extraordinary. It won't last forever, so embrace it and enjoy it!

Congratulations (once again!) to Gary Naysmith and Matty Aitken for winning the Manager of the Month and Player of the Month award respectively for January. The pair both won the award for December too. I've heard of managers winning the award in consecutive months in the past, but has a player? Regardless, it's an impressive feat and I hope they can maintain their outstanding form over the next four weeks.