The Alloa Athletic Thread

[Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)]

28 minutes ago, printer said:

Indeed, the manager just seems to shoehorn players in with no obvious reasoning. 

Dropping Cawley is always a mistake IMO (assuming he is fit), but doing so on what would be his 400th appearance (a genuinely tremendous achievement) is just dreadful man management and lacks class. Remember he did the same thing for Robbo's 200th. It's almost like it is deliberate to show he's the boss. What a fanny.

Final straw for me and he has to go now.

Maybe its just my mindset and its stuck in my head. But Steven Boyd (who has done okay for us since signing) has been really below par for the last 3 games now. Yet Id be surprised if hes dropped for the East Fife game. Kevin Cawley seemingly has a bad 10 minutes in a game and hes subbed, then warming the bench for 3 or 4 games. Boyd is a decent enough player, but for me Cawley can do everything he can and a whole lot more.

I try not to jump to negative conclusions regarding the managers thought processes- but it gets bloody tougher with each bizarre decision. Whilst I completely accept Barry Ferguson in all likelihood knows more about football than me, I just really cant fathom what hes doing sometimes, and its not as if the outcome is a positive one for the vast majority.

[BigMartyn86]

We are rudderless.

He will never walk as his ego won't allow it and he also knows that he's finished after this.

[printer]

7 minutes ago, Father Barrys Sign (Top Half) said:

Maybe its just my mindset and its stuck in my head. But Steven Boyd (who has done okay for us since signing) has been really below par for the last 3 games now. Yet Id be surprised if hes dropped for the East Fife game. Kevin Cawley seemingly has a bad 10 minutes in a game and hes subbed, then warming the bench for 3 or 4 games. Boyd is a decent enough player, but for me Cawley can do everything he can and a whole lot more.

I try not to jump to negative conclusions regarding the managers thought processes- but it gets bloody tougher with each bizarre decision. Whilst I completely accept Barry Ferguson in all likelihood knows more about football than me, I just really cant fathom what hes doing sometimes, and its not as if the outcome is a positive one for the vast majority.

Spot on. 

[drs]

11 hours ago, Bob731 said:

Ferguson’s character on Only anExcuse was perfect. Add to that a pal who drives ice cream vans…we were well happy to get rid of him..after Alloa he might get another Junior club or shake hands with Hospitality guests at ibrox.

He's never managed a Junior club.

Juniors are dead and have been for some time, not sure why some people fail to grasp this point.

[KierenAAFC]

So many errors in the line-up as mentioned. Durnan rightfully comes back in, for it to be in Graham’s place is really poor. Mendy had a whole host of comical errors last night. You just wonder what Andy is thinking sitting on the bench thinking watching that. 
 

Agree with the above about Boyd. No doubt been one of the better players this season but been very meh recently. It got to the stage last night all he was doing was making silly fouls out of frustration. Not sure what the thought process was for dropping both Cawley and Scougall. It isn’t if he would’ve been picked out of a testimonial sort of selection, Cawley has been good for us recently and should’ve started.
 

Despite poor team selection, we should’ve been at least two up at half-time. Albeit, we didn’t even test the goalkeeper. So complacent and tame in front of goal. You knew Falkirk couldn’t play as badly as they did in the first half but we made it very easy for them. We went from Falkirk fans boo’ing their own team, to being so buoyed by one goal. Was very worrying how we just collapsed after that. 
 

Don’t really see where the management go from this. Our slim chances of making a promotion play-off push ended last night. I think we will pick up enough points to stay up, not too worried about that. Just long term, not sure where this team goes. Not much plan or optimism when you look on the pitch. 
 

We are ok in flashes. Riley-Snow had a few decent passes. If Sammon scores one of those, Boyd too, and we get the first goal, it could be totally different. We don’t and we end up get scudded. Pretty grim. 
 

Lose on Saturday, then surely, surely …

[LeodhasXD]

Being fair to Boyd if he smashes the one in that hits the side netting, if he puts the freekick a yard inside, or if Sena smashes his chance in when we presed inside the Falkirk box he's a hero. Second half as a whole we really struggled - I tend to gravitate towards the idea that the goals were demoralising. There weren't too many positives after the scoring started. 

Mendy looked ungainly but again we were never punished for any of his errors. Paul Watson is a master attacker in the air and he's beaten Durnan.

Very much like the Clyde game this was one we had in our hands and we've thrown it away due to bad finishing. Taken in isolation it's not a big deal, law of averages etc etc, but it is a common issue. 

Edited February 9, 2022 by LeodhasXD

[Tamhain]

It's gotten to the stage now that there is no real point in blaming the manager anymore. He was a poor choice and it's been obvious for months that he is not up to the job and is taking the club backwards and downwards. The pressure should be directed to the silent owner, who is responsible for the appointment and is the one who can do something about it. Apart from the utterly pathetic press interview before the Celtic game he has been the invisible man. Possibly time for him to put his ego to one side, admit his mistakes for once and do something about it. That's assuming the cheque from Premier Sports has arrived obviously. 

[footyfan99]

47 minutes ago, KierenAAFC said:

So many errors in the line-up as mentioned. Durnan rightfully comes back in, for it to be in Graham’s place is really poor. Mendy had a whole host of comical errors last night. You just wonder what Andy is thinking sitting on the bench thinking watching that. 
 

Agree with the above about Boyd. No doubt been one of the better players this season but been very meh recently. It got to the stage last night all he was doing was making silly fouls out of frustration. Not sure what the thought process was for dropping both Cawley and Scougall. It isn’t if he would’ve been picked out of a testimonial sort of selection, Cawley has been good for us recently and should’ve started.
 

Despite poor team selection, we should’ve been at least two up at half-time. Albeit, we didn’t even test the goalkeeper. So complacent and tame in front of goal. You knew Falkirk couldn’t play as badly as they did in the first half but we made it very easy for them. We went from Falkirk fans boo’ing their own team, to being so buoyed by one goal. Was very worrying how we just collapsed after that. 
 

Don’t really see where the management go from this. Our slim chances of making a promotion play-off push ended last night. I think we will pick up enough points to stay up, not too worried about that. Just long term, not sure where this team goes. Not much plan or optimism when you look on the pitch. 
 

We are ok in flashes. Riley-Snow had a few decent passes. If Sammon scores one of those, Boyd too, and we get the first goal, it could be totally different. We don’t and we end up get scudded. Pretty grim. 
 

Lose on Saturday, then surely, surely …

It's all good saying this but if they take their chance in the first couple of minutes the game's over before we even get those chances...

[Into The Valley]

It's gotten to the stage now that there is no real point in blaming the manager anymore. He was a poor choice and it's been obvious for months that he is not up to the job and is taking the club backwards and downwards. The pressure should be directed to the silent owner, who is responsible for the appointment and is the one who can do something about it. Apart from the utterly pathetic press interview before the Celtic game he has been the invisible man. Possibly time for him to put his ego to one side, admit his mistakes for once and do something about it. That's assuming the cheque from Premier Sports has arrived obviously. 

There can't be one supporter left who thinks that Ferguson can do anything other than make an even bigger mess than, eh, the current big mess he, and more than likely, he alone, has created.

I apologise, there's one - Mike Mulraney. And, unfortunately, he's the only one, apart from the manager himself, who can ensure a parting of the ways.

Will Ferguson walk? Not according to the shambolic results we've had, nor the Clyde fans who have experienced exactly what we, as a club, are subject to now.

As has been said numerous times on here, Mulraney needs to act. And he needs to act now.

Irrespective of who we play, I'm never remotely confident that we'll turn someone over.

This is a team who are far and away lesser than the sum of their parts and it is utterly soul-destroying.

I'm never happy to single out individual players who, by and large, go out and try their best. Whether that "best" is good enough is all part of competitive sport.
However, the vast majority of the blame lies at the manager's door.
I'm sure that there are many out there who would do much more with who we have playing for us than he.
If he had any self-respect, and indeed any for the club, players, fans AND the man who gave him the job, then he has to go.
If that isn't going to happen, then Mulraney has to give him his jotters.

Part of being an Alloa fan over the past few years was seeing who our new manager would be when that time came. Who could have foreseen Paul Hartley or Jack Ross? Jim Goodwin less so for obvious reasons.

The disappointments have been the ones who had already been on the managerial merry-go-round.

Ferguson's record/behaviour at Clyde appears to be the 'real' him. His stint at Kelty could, as we all know, including Mulraney, be almost solely put down to the resources at his disposal.
Why the chairman didn't or couldn't realise that is beyond me.
I don't want to go down the sycophancy route but, apart from that being a factor, I genuinely can't see any other reason(s) why he decided to go for him.

So, come on Mike, give us a bit of hope. And someone decent who won't continue to obliterate everything that has been built up over many years.

I, amongst many others, made this shout both pre and post Peter Grant...Andy Graham anyone?

[printer]

Players just need to stop feeling sorry for themselves. 

[Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)]

Its a bit of a conflict for me. In my opinion Mike has a hell of a lot of credit in the bank- particularly with his appointment of managers, and ultimately the success of the club over the last decade or so. Whether you like him or you dont, hes done a huge amount of good things.

Of course we saw a similar pattern with Allan Maitland towards the end of his tenure and I wouldn't be altogether surprised if we see it again here. Maitlands time was up a long time before he eventually departed- all the supporters could see this then. 

If Mike believes the clubs reputation and ability to attract really decent names is enhanced by staying true to his word, then we might have to ride this one out- hoping that we don't go down and also that the core of players we have developed over the past 5 years isn't completely ripped apart. A risky game from the chairman if so.

Hes got this one wrong- I guess the silver lining is that if history repeats itself, he got the next one right.

[Vegetableman]

We are banging our heads against a brick wall here after every game 

to no avail and it is soul destroying .

Oh if we had scored then and if so and so had not hit the side netting Seriously @LeodhasXD give it a rest man 

we didn't  end of  .  we are awful that's the reality  even the most optimistic of fans are calling it a day . it is hopeless while BF and BM are here 

time to let  MM know how we feel  but i have no idea how , i get the feeling he could not care for our opinions anyway

i might just find something less predictable to do on saturday and give up using the season ticket 

the last one i will buy at this rate .

 

 

 

[Taylstheref]

Fergusons interview post match comments in the Advertiser are comedy gold. 

BF - I don't know and can't work out our lack of consistency!

A - Eh Barry, multiple changes to the team may be a factor.

BF - Missed out on a couple of players but trying for some more 

A - Ehm, mibbes they have been told you're a terrible manager and man motivator. They don't want to play for you or a team fighting relegation. 

On a more worrying note if they are still without clubs I'll expect a right top quality addition like many of your other signings.

[laughing gravie]

38 minutes ago, McCulloch No.5 said:

Fergusons interview post match comments in the Advertiser are comedy gold. 

BF - I don't know and can't work out our lack of consistency!

A - Eh Barry, multiple changes to the team may be a factor.

BF - Missed out on a couple of players but trying for some more 

A - Ehm, mibbes they have been told you're a terrible manager and man motivator. They don't want to play for you or a team fighting relegation. 

On a more worrying note if they are still without clubs I'll expect a right top quality addition like many of your other signings.

Great piece of journalism. This is even more baffling -

https://www.alloaadvertiser.com/sport/19909391.ferguson-cant-understand-alloas-lack-consistency-falkirk-steal-three-points/

 

[printer]

11 hours ago, laughing gravie said:

Great piece of journalism. This is even more baffling -

https://www.alloaadvertiser.com/sport/19909391.ferguson-cant-understand-alloas-lack-consistency-falkirk-steal-three-points/

 

I'd say we are pretty consistent.

[Waspy]

I really thought Kevin deserved a better piece on the club website about his 400th appearance rather than a sentence buried in the Falkirk match report.

[Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)]

1 minute ago, Waspy said:

I really thought Kevin deserved a better piece on the club website about his 400th appearance rather than a sentence buried in the Falkirk match report.

Theres a lengthy (excellent) piece on him in this weeks match programme, written by Jonathan Markwell.

You can download an electronic copy from the club website.

[BFTD]

Possibly the main thing I've missed about not being at the Recs this season has been regular exposure to Kevin Cawley  

Unfortunately, it seems that the rest of you haven't seen him enough either  

[Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)]

I remember being really pleased we signed him back in 2011. We had played against Shire in the cup the previous season-  League Cup I think. Cawley scored early in the game and generally ran our defence ragged, even though we came back to win 2-1.

I was at Stair Park for the opening game of the 2011/12 season where he scored a classic winner for 10 man Alloa, and hes produced countless moments just like that over the course of his Alloa career. An absolute joy to watch over the last decade for the club.

Edited February 11, 2022 by Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)

[latapythelegend]

guys quick question, who is bets to contact regarding programmes? Ordered one online for the original match postponed at new year but yet to receive it.