perthmo

Jeanfield were preparing to sub him after 20 minutes of his only appearance. Then their other centre half got sent off, covering for a mistake by Turner, so he stayed on. After about 50 mins they decided they would be better with no central defenders and hooked him anyway.

Clydebank was an afternoon game. I was at the Alloa game and know of others who went to both games that day.

Alloa v Cowdenbeath on Christmas Day 1976, a Division 2 fixture, kicked off at 11am.

The SPFL made a draw in 2021/2 between the 2nd placed teams in the Lowland and Highland Leagues. East Kilbride were successful. Buckie Thistle (2nd in Highland league) were invited in for 2022/3 without a draw. Assumption was that the extra place would alternate although I doubt if that was ever cast in stone.

Have a look at articles 62.1 and 62.2 (o). They could be interpreted as giving the SFA Board carte blanche to do what they like.

Going for a Desmond (White)

Certainly not in my lifetime. In fact, I suspect I might outlive Cowdenbeath FC.

If Cowden want to go into the Conference then their best chance would have been now when entry would be by application. They surely have little chance of qualifying for it on playing position next season, if it goes ahead for 2024/5. Hopefully it doesn't go ahead at all. But if it does it will probably leave Cowden 2 promotions away from getting back to the SPFL.

Aberdeen did make a move to join the Lowland League in 2020, at the same time as Rangers and Celtic, but were not given any encouragement then.

Looking forward, Rossvale (the breakway version) need to find a new name / identity for next season. It might make sense for them to merge with Broomhill, continue to play at Petershill Park, and find themselves promoted to the Lowland League. It would certainly move Broomhill back to a location nearer their "roots". Mr Fraser could even justify changing their name to RFC Broomhill.

I was at the Rosyth v St Andrews game last midweek. Chris Aikhamenze on the bench for Rosyth. Came on in second half and looked disinterested and out of his depth.

Will Camelon have enough signed players who are not cup-tied to fulfil their King Cup fixture against St Andrews on March 11? Camelon actually beat Syngenta in the last round - presumably many of the current Camelon team played for Syngenta that day. No trialists allowed in the Cups.

Also at Broadwood last night - a thoroughly dispiriting experience from a Cowden perspective. I thought Broomhill were streets ahead of Cowden. Yes, there were 3 good chances for Cowden to score but all were wasted. The last one when Slaven was clean through, had a clear shooting chance, allowed the defender to catch him, then went down looking for a penalty, was very poor. The goals conceded were too easy for Broomhill - the third especially so coming through desperately poor skill when trying to play the ball out from the back. Cowden fail at some of the basics - throw-ins, passing and tracking opposition players. Maurice Ross sat down after the second goal and never got up again. Before the game he spent more time talking to and back-slapping Broomhill players than he did with his own team. This is the third Cowden team he has had. The first, which to be fair wasn't entirely his, got relegated. The second team that started the season was flung together but according to Ross was full of hungry young players eager to progress in the game. Last night's starting line-up has just 3 players who were in the team on the opening day of this season. They are better than the July squad but not much. It just doesn't seem to be working with Ross at the helm.

Cove's a lot better now with the grandstands behind the goals.

The lengthy article on the club's finances in the programme last night makes depressing reading. Any business in Cowdenbeath's position needs to aim to reduce costs and increase income. Yet the article indicates that energy costs are rising and ground rental may also rise considerably. The club are also tied into an agreement where they pay ALL the utility costs for Central Park, not just those associated with the football club. Meanwhile income from the SPFL (parachute payment and League Cup money) will drop significantly next season and disappear completely the following year. These costs and income are basically outwith the control of the club. To compensate they presumably have to reduce their costs in terms of wages while trying to increase their income in a league where matches are unattractive both to spectators and potential sponsors. And all that in a stadium where fingers, toes and everything else are crossed in the hope that no major repairs are needed. And at a time when people are struggling for money to pay their own bills let alone help out others. As a season ticket holder I got an e-mail this week asking me to contribute £10 to enter a World Cup sweep. I thought about it but decided to spend a tenner extra in Tesco on food to donate to a foodbank. That's the sort of choice people are having to make in 2020s Scotland.. it's a worrying situation. The club cannot keep going to the same hard-core of people again and again asking them to contribute more and more. The reality is that prize money from the SPFL was essential for the club's finances. Yet with the current team and future financial projections there is no realistic prospect of ever returning to that level Yes, results have improved, but that cannot conceal that an existential crisis is looming. Or am I being overly pessimistic?

Swann got injured in August and will be out for 3-4 months. Morrison injured in pre-season and has never kicked a ball for them.

I'll offer a counter-viewpoint, as much to play the Devil's Advocate as anything else. As a one-off a "Reunion" might be enjoyable but I don't see much benefit to the club. Bulk of the spend going to pubs, not the football club. Doing it "in house" setting up a marquee in the stock-car car park, with the club profiting from barbecue, bottle bar etc, would bring in more money and focus the event on the club itself. But I'm not sure if the numbers turning up would justify it and it would need to be after the stock car season ends so weather / light problematical. Cowden need to attract new supporters. Just look at the amount of new housing that has been built in recent years all over West Fife. There's a lot of new people to get involved in watching football. Unfortunately for Cowden they have a choice of clubs to follow - Dunfermline, Kelty and Cowdenbeath, as well as Crossgates, the Haws etc. What can the club do to make Cowden an attractive option for potential new fans to support? It's difficult with an outdated ground. and the club cannot do anything about that. But there are things that could be improved. It's disappointing when individuals are tolerated shouting foul-mouthed abuse both in the stand and from the dugout. Stewards / club officials seemingly doing nothing about it. Doesn't bother me but it might well bother parents of young children. Over-priced poor-quality catering doesn't help either. Sort things like that out and then get down to Crossgates or up to Kelty and see what their Ultras bring to the game. How often do you get groups of youngsters turning up at Central Park? The composition of the support at a club is always evolving. Some people stop going, some people start going. Those who stop seldom come back. Cowden's problem is not that people drift away - that happens for a variety of reasons at every club. Cowden's problem is that very few newcomers come in to replace them. Better to focus efforts on the next generation rather than re-living old glories? What's better - 100 (?) people on the gate for 1 game, or 15 brand new season ticket holders?

Signing players from "a lower level" is fine, if they are good enough. What I am concerned about is the overall strategy of assembling a squad that collectively is miles off what is needed to be competitive in the Lowland League. Anybody who had watched Lowland League football regularly knew that the sort of players recruited over the Summer would not be good enough. What would encourage me to go back to Central Park? A change of Manager would help. From day one I though Maurice Ross talked a good game but delivered very little. In the close season he promised "hungry young players" and "exciting, entertaining football". Haven't seen much evidence of the former and absolutely none of the latter. You say that every effort has been made to put together as strong a squad as possible, and I believe you, but if what the club has now is the end product then I give up. The scouting system, if it exists, had trialists pre-season who were playing for Fort William last year. That's how bad it is. Football is part of the entertainment business. Personally I like football as much as any one team. I know that others differ and will support / defend a team through thick and thin. But that bunker mentality disguises something significant. Defending Cowdenbeath at present is counter-productive and does not recognise the need for urgent change. Many clubs go through a cyclical sequence of success and failure. In Cowdenbeath's case the decline of the last few years is not cyclical. I really fear it might be terminal.

Garrad, Weekes, Osborne, Jarron, Berry and Lemon are also recent "academy players" - although not necessarily full-time academies. Martins and Farrell were also full-time youth players with Morton. I'm not sure what point you are trying to make. If these players have ability and potential yet they are second bottom of the Lowland League then surely the fault lies with the Manager and Coaching Staff. If you are saying that they are players from a lower level than Cowden and this is the best we can expect then we might as well give up. I bought a season ticket and watched all the games up to and including Dalbeattie but I will not be back until there are major changes. Some players lack the most basic abilities. The tactics employed are brutal to watch. The "coaching" from the Manager during the game is poor. So sad.

Not good from a Cowdenbeath perspective. Trialist goalkeeper and ten signed outfield players started. A couple more young trialists came on in second half. One subbed off again after 10 minutes. May have been injured but didn't look it - he had played pretty decent. Still no sign of Sinclair or Akhamaneze - presumably both injured. A few promising looking lads for Cowdenbeath but also some haddies. Cowden took lead in half an hour - Donaldson from close range. Lochore equalised with penalty just after half time then hit bar with a free kick. Robinson of Cowdenbeath booked. Both teams had chances to win game. . Lochore well worth a draw. Couple of really good players in their side. Cannot help wondering if that might be a better market for Cowdenbeath than SPFL youth cast offs.

Seemed strange that Letham were rejected by the EOSL when their facilities are every bit as good as those at Craigroyston, Rosyth, Leith Athletic etc. Still they ended up at Tier 6 in the Midland League as opposed to Tier 8 in the EOSL. Might well be a Tier above Blackburn next season.

INCIDENT OF MISCONDUCT Maurice Ross, Coach, Formerly of Notts County FC Altrincham FC vs Notts County FC Saturday 1st May 2021 Vanarama National League Breach of FA Rule E3 – In respect of two comments before and during the above National League fixture on Saturday 1st May 2021. It is further alleged that both breaches of Rule E3(1) are an “Aggravated Breach”, as defined in Rule E3(2), as the language included a reference to, whether express or implied, Nationality and/or Ethnicity and/or Race. The Participant has until 7 July 2021 to provide a response. Result 13 Match Suspension £750 fine Face to Face Education Course.

Tollcross had their own ground at Frogston Road long before Fernieside.

Kirriemuir Thistle have got some of the seats from Motherwell as well - tremendous generosity by the Fir Park club.

Brian Brown of Falkirk was sent off