Mattmc

We’ve won more trophies at Broadwood than Clyde.

No.

Week 3 - Hamilton

Week 2 - Queens Park

Only two of the Stranraer squad are over the age of 30. The next oldest being 26. We’ll probably be running with lowest paid, youngest squad in the league. Given the resources or lack of Scott Agnews disposal 6th would be an achievement.

Shouldn’t be far away.

Week 1 - Stranraer

No complaints about the performance, a fairly even game with both teams having chances to win it. I’d imagine the 11 that started today will pretty much be our first choice for the season. New goalkeeper looks like he’ll be a good addition. A bit more commanding than what we’ve been used to. Also like the look of James Dolan when he came on, has a bit of pace and looks like he wants to take players on. Another positive was the attendance, over three hundred, not massive but, better than some of our league attendances last season. Nice positive, feel good atmosphere about the place today. Great to be back.

Don’t know an awful lot about those we’ve brought in other than Orr. A lot happier than I’ve been at this time than previously, we are actually going into the League Cup with a bit of a squad. I’d imagine there would still be a couple of loan signings to come in too. Hopefully get off to a flyer.

New home shirt for Stranraer. Sticking with the tartan away and 3rd shirts for another season.

Brechin are always a club I’ve enjoyed visiting, maybe because they’re are similar level to Stranraer and we’re tan similarly for a long time. If anyone is to be relegated I’d like to be Bonnyrigg. It’s a horrid pitch, no great vantage point to watch the game and we’ve failed to beat them this season even though they’re one of the worst teams I’ve seen. Feel for the likes of Beith and Creetown who can’t be promoted to the lowland league due to licensing yet Bonnyrigg are licensed. In no position to be snobby as a Stranraer supporter but it feels like a Scottish cup ground, not the type for league football, there’s the adage that any of their fans I’ve interacted with are reprobates. Bonnyrigg out!

The p***ks, p***ks, Reid was horrid as manger, assembled a decent team but no engagement with fans or local community, very arrogant. Aitken was a great player, did well as manager but no way could cope with the budget we’re working with now. Every bad result he’s be whoring himself out for the job, so much so he was at Cliftonhill for our game against Albion. not interested in anyone who has walked away from us before. Think Agnew is outside the box but, really looking forward to his tenure.

Loved Swift as a player but, don’t think it’s the job for him. He didn’t do great at Stenny with quite a bit of backing, we don’t any resource like that so would be an even harder ask. Reading between the lines on the club statement there’s a replacement lined up. Hamill was out of contract at the end up the season so hopefully there was someone already lined up.

Never nice to see anyone go but, for me this was the correct decision. The club should be credited for sticking by a young, inexperienced management team for as long as they did, especially in the peccaries position we are in. Positives are the signings of Ross, Forrest, Girvan and Grant plus a hand full of good results. Unfortunately I can think of far more negatives, the struggle to sign players, the reluctance to start with a forward, the ill discipline, two poor cup exits, the ignorance towards the reserve squad. Hopefully the club have a team in mind who can come in and asses what they’re working with over the next few weeks before offering contracts.

Steve Aitken in until the rest of the season.

The Stranraer manager is a clown. Even game, draw was the right result.

Well how wrong was I? It won’t be a performance that’s well remembered but I thought to a man the Stranraer players were faultless. First half was easier on the eye than the second, played mostly in the attacking half, seemed to get a lot of joy down the right with Matty Grant and McIntosh, got ourselves a cracking goal and a deserved lead. Second half was more backs to the wall but very organised and restricted Elgin to minimal chances, one slight mix up gave Elgin their closest attempt of the game even at that they failed to hit the target. Been in this position before this season but let’s, hope this is the one we kick on from a string a few positive results together.

We’ve not really shown too much recently to suggest we’ll get a positive result. One away win all season, three points from our last seven games.

Put the B teams in the woman’s league.

Four of our next five fixtures are away from home…

Congrats. Rovers are the best we’ve came up against this season, not that Stranraer put up much of a fight.

Salim Kouider-Aïssa returns to Airdrie, end of loan. Scott McLean has contract cancelled for some reason.

Shown glimpses that there’s something there but being truthful he’s been a disappointment. Don’t think him and the manager see eye to eye, he’s turned up late for the team bus a couple of times resulting in him being dropped. Not sad to see him go.

Strange game. Not much between either team in the first half. Stenny probably edged. Dubious free kick for the first goal, if that was hand ball there were several more in the game afterwords that went unpunished. Second half was an all too familiar story away from home. Dominate up until the final third and then clueless. We battered Stenny the entire half bar a five minute spell were the should have went 3-1 up. Frustrated with the team selection, I like both Hilton and Walker however, neither are out and out forwards. Both more suited to playing either beside someone or in behind, yet we see them start with two forwards on the bench. The game was crying out for Duffy when we’re on the offensive, he’s the best finisher we have yet no sign. We seemed to lack an ideas other than swinging a leg at it from wide areas to get in to the box. Non of our attacking players had a chance against Higgins or Jamieson. Especially with the poor standard of cross. Forrest was wasted on the right and for me should have started in the middle and move Robbo in beside Girvan and Ross. Lack of sub keeper yesterday, not for the first time as well. Poor management from Hamill, we have a reserve team to supply us with cover. Apparently Hamill only phoned the reserve manager at 9am to see if there was a goalkeeper available. We’ve only known Scullion has a broken collar bone for the last weeks. Finally speedy recovery to Brennan, never nice to see.

We don’t keep well away from home. Scullion and Hackshaw both out long term and Sal away back to Airdrie with no replacements coming in we are a bit thin. Stenny win for me.