DoonhamerDon

Delighted to get Cochrane signed up again and on a two year deal. Definitely someone that looked better and more settled after MBs arrival. Think it always helps with other signings later in the summer if players have choices and they see good players committing to the QoS 'project' "Doonhammers" is a massive bug bear of mine. Not forgivable as a spelling mistake just plain ignorance!

This killed some time for me over the weekend. 1 player from each of the last eleven years to form a best XI. You only get the player from that particular year though so no picking based on what they went on to do. Picking a player from each year is simple enough but trying to shape it into an actual team more challenging.

41 appearances he somehow managed this season! Only Paton played more. Incredible.

Won't be missing any of those released - but slightly suprised it isnt a bit longer. Assume Quitongo will be told he's gone once Clyde's play-offs are finished. I'm assuming all those not contracted but not on those list we are offering terms to of some degree. Hopefully at a lower level in some cases which will probably lead to more departures over the summer. I know nothing of the budget or what clubs pay players (can always ask Greenacres though ) but recruitment and spreading our budget appropriately across a group of Key Players, Good squad players and backups/reserves is something Gibson got very wrong. Happy to retain some more of last season's squad if on terms that allow us to pay a bit more for the higher quality ones. Its that 'can I get equal or better quality for the money being paid' question and in some cases its just a no Don't envy Bartley with the job and its a massive summer of recruitment to get that balance right, but I have faith.

Definite end of season feel to the interest around this game - understandable with both teams practically (if not mathematically) out of the play-off running. Last week appeared to be the reminder (I was going to say reality check but I think we were all reasonably grounded around the unexpected-ness of our upturn in form) that our squad still needs a major overhaul for next season. However, there are clear signs that Bartley can get performances and results out of sub-par players and in theory this would get easier with his own players in this summer. He's improved the squad in the key areas with the players he brought in in January but the summer is a big test and of course its not as simple as just "getting better players" - every club is in the same boat trying to upgrade on what they have. As we said before this run had us flirting with the pay-offs, lets end the season in as strong a position as we can. Hoping for a reaction to last week but there is the possibility for a drab 0-0 with both teams minds firmly on the beach.

Airdrieonians 2 Dunfermline Athletic 2 Alloa Athletic 1 Falkirk 1 FC Edinburgh 1 Kelty Hearts 1 Peterhead 0 Clyde 2 Queen of the South 2 Montrose 1

Pretty much what I'm counting on. If Alloa get points from Dunfermline/Falkirk then they will make playoffs and fair enough. Alloa are benefiting by having a much stronger start to the season being the team ahead with points on the board while we have been playing catch-up (pretty successfully over the last few months tbf) But it means we potentially lose out when rivals play the "stronger" teams at a time in the season when as you say they aren't fighting for everything the way they were back in Autumn. Ultimately I think we started our great run of form just a week or two too late.

I don't think it's quite at the stage of must win. I'd probably take a draw if offered one now. We need to win at least three of our last four and one of those will have to be Dunfermline or Airdrie away. We could win all four and still not make it, Alloa are still in the driving seat for the playoffs and as said it's hard to tell the motivation for teams with nothing to play for over the last four games. If we can end the weekend less than 6 points behind Alloa I'd be reasonably happy with that.

First time I've seen the Marvin revolution live and absolutely delighted to see we've now decided to defend cross balls by heading them away. Didn't know you could do that? Clear intent to keep the ball on the deck great to see. Was a very up and down game as has been said. Went in at half time feeling lucky to be two up but also thinking could have been out of sight. Second half more backs to the wall but Back three were excellent standing up to the endless crosses - a totally understandable if slightly one-dimensional tactic by Alloa - and what can be said about Kev. Two ridiculous saves at the end to keep us in it. Was a very frantic last 20 minutes to say the least.

I've tried to predict the fixtures for the last 5 games to see what is required for QOS to sneak that last play-off place. I've gone with a sort of minimum required approach, assuming teams generally lose to Falkirk, Dunfermline but win matches against lower teams and then it comes down to head to heads. Airdrie 58 QOS 57 Edinburgh 56 Alloa 55 Airdrie beat Montrose and Edinburgh, lose to Falkirk, Dunf and QOS Alloa beat Kelty, draw with Montrose, lose to Falkirk, Dunf and QOS Edinburgh beat bottom 3, lose to Airdrie and Falkirk QOS beat Alloa, Airdrie, Montrose and Kelty, lose to Dunfermline I think we definitely need 12 points from 15 and one of them really has to be Alloa. Would leave us finishing the season with 25 points from last 30 available - incredible form if it came off! It's still really unlikely and its too reliant on Falkirk winning games again for my liking (they will likely drop points to Alloa, Airdrie or both and if they do then we are probably out of it) but not impossible. Would deliver an incredibly tight run in though. Airdrie and Alloa in the driving seat though as said - I think both probably only need 6 pts from last 5 games to do it and possibly less if either of those wins are against QOS As echoed by most QOS fans, just very pleasantly surprised to still be talking play-off possibilities with 5 games to go. Pre-Marv fully expected us to be in Kelty's position.

I think the Manager of the Month curse doesn't hold a candle to the "Alloa in General but especially at Recreation Park" curse for this one (Diddy Cup aside) 1 league win in 13 againt Alloa, last away league win in 2015 It's like us vs Edinburgh!

Airdrie 2-0 Montrose Alloa 2-1 QOS Falkirk 1-2 Dunfermline Kelty 2-2 Clyde Peterhead 0-1 Edinburgh

I'm genuinely just loving that we are still talking about chances of playoffs at this stage after writing off the season a few months back. It could stop at any point - as said not winning today would end things - but just enjoying this improved run and seeing where it takes us.

Just need a win to keep the momentum and postivity building. Chance to extend current run to 3 wins in a row and 13 pts from last 15 Chance to "clean sweep" a second team this season after last week vs Edinburgh Chance to keep the play-off conversation going for another week at least One game at a time and all that but as said a win here makes the Alloa game huge. Sneak past that one, then we've got a Dunfermline team who likely just clinched the title 3 days earlier.....you never know!

Alloa 1-1 Airdrie Clyde 0-2 Falkirk Dunfermline 2-1 Kelty Edinburgh 2-1 Montrose QoS 3-0 Peterhead