Montrose FC 2014/15

[Gordon EF]

1995/96. We had a horrific season in the old division two under Andy Dornan and were relegated by a country mile. Successive 0-6 and 0-7 drubbings from East Fife that season IIRC.

I can still remember going in the huff with my dad for making me go to swimming practice rather than that game midweek. The pain only subsided when we beat Stenny 7-0 a few years ago.

[cdsmith15]

Scott Johnstone any good? We are apparently interested.

He is an excellent player. Top lad. But if you are relying on him for goals....hmmm. But energy and tenacity, he's your man. He does deserve better and he would be the player I'd miss most at our club if he goes.

[Ivo den Bieman]

just to extend this "what has happened to Montrose they used to be alright in the early 90s" tale, here is our list of managers since relegation in 1996:

Dave Smith (Scotland's first black manager)...did OK but ended up being sacked after an early promotion charge faded badly mid-season.

Tommy Campbell...Montrose's worst ever manager. A foul mouthed Tourette's syndrome suffering neanderthal throwback.

Kevin Drinkell...only saving grace is that he wasn't Tommy Campbell. Smoking a fag and watching the old firm game in Berwick's social cliub, ten minutes before kick off. Sacked after successive 0-6 defeats.

John Sheran...close but no cigar in 2001/2, sacked the following season after an expensively re-modelled squad failed him horribly.

Henry Hall...great start in the second half of 2003/4, steady season with a maverick but talented squad in 2004/5, poor summer signings and a disintgrating training regime saw the club go into a tailspin from which he was unable to pull out. Resigned after a 2-6 drubbing at Ochilview, one of the most painful afternoons I've endured watching the club.

Eddie Wolecki...perhaps cleared out Hall's Spice Boys too quickly and, having to cut the budget, fielded mainly juniors and the remains of that squad. Resuilts improved slightly and he was winning over the fans until a change of boardroom regime saw him ousted.

Davie Robertson...a disaster. Pure and simple. Sacked towards the end of an atrocious season in 2006-7, when for the first time in years money wasn't a problem.

Jim Weir....did well enough in 2007-8 and got the club to the play offs for the first time. A controversial loss in the semis to Stranraer was a dreadful result for the club, more so than was apparent at the time, and following ructions behind the scenes, Weir was relieved of his duties towards the end of 2008.

Steven Tweed...took Weir's squad on and finished just outside the play offs at the end of 2008/9. Massive cutbacks including the departure of all non-local players saw the team have its worst season for over 50 years in 2009-10. Behind the scnees turbulence continued in 2010-11 and Tweed eventually stood down, for work reasons.

Ray Farningham...Tweed's assisstant...a steady enough season before he took the Dundee no.2 role and left, soon coming back to take star striker Martin Boyle with him.

Stuart Garden...Farnigham's assistant...steady enough again but never achieved consistentcy despite the odd good result. Sacked last season having led the club to 6th in 2012/13.

George Shields...former youth coach and involved in the coaching set up since Tweeder's days..essentially the fourth iteration of the same coaching regime. Lee Wilkie, who fell out with Garden, has returned as assistant after his nemesis was concreted over, and will likely be the new manager in the event of Shields leaving or being sacked. This is the current management team.

Essentially, Montrose recruit no. 2s to replace sacked managers. Other than Wolecki, Weir and Tweed, all the names above have taken over from a sacked former boss. And other than Sheran (first season), Hall, Weir, Tweed (for half a season when he had a squad of senior pros) all have failed horribly.

Consistently bad managers, and the inability to hold onto top players for more than a season, is the reason why Montrose have been in the doldrums for so long. And of course these two things grow from a chronic lack of funds. We might grouse about lack of investment /ambition but both these things cost quite a lot of money. Indeed, we are quite lucky to still have a club in the league at all. But for John Paton's investment at the end of the 90s when absolutely no one else would step forward, we might not have a club at all.

To be competitve again, we need to buy our own ground back (around £700k.), continue investing in youth, and put more money into the playing budget. At the moment, Montrose FC are nothing more than the league share, the badge and an ever-changing squad of 16-20 part time footballers. Either a. hefty financial investment from some passing Russian oligarch or b. very clever marshalling of meagre resources are the only ways forward for the club, and given that big investors have all bust disappeared at this level it has to be option b, and a lot more patience, for us.

[cdsmith15]

Agree with 99% of what you say, although my support for the club only goes as far back as Henry Hall days.

We also need to change our playing surface. Not cheap.

[Gall09]

just to extend this "what has happened to Montrose they used to be alright in the early 90s" tale, here is our list of managers since relegation in 1996:

Davie Robertson...a disaster. Pure and simple. Sacked towards the end of an atrocious season in 2006-7, when for the first time in years money wasn't a problem.

Even i hated Davie Robertson and he wasn't even our gaffer! Dreadful manager.

[Ivo den Bieman]

Elgin fans remember him a little more fondly I think. But he was dire at Links Park.

[Scorge]

just to extend this "what has happened to Montrose they used to be alright in the early 90s" tale, here is our list of managers since relegation in 1996:

Dave Smith (Scotland's first black manager)...did OK but ended up being sacked after an early promotion charge faded badly mid-season.

Tommy Campbell...Montrose's worst ever manager. A foul mouthed Tourette's syndrome suffering neanderthal throwback.

Kevin Drinkell...only saving grace is that he wasn't Tommy Campbell. Smoking a fag and watching the old firm game in Berwick's social cliub, ten minutes before kick off. Sacked after successive 0-6 defeats.

John Sheran...close but no cigar in 2001/2, sacked the following season after an expensively re-modelled squad failed him horribly.

Henry Hall...great start in the second half of 2003/4, steady season with a maverick but talented squad in 2004/5, poor summer signings and a disintgrating training regime saw the club go into a tailspin from which he was unable to pull out. Resigned after a 2-6 drubbing at Ochilview, one of the most painful afternoons I've endured watching the club.

Eddie Wolecki...perhaps cleared out Hall's Spice Boys too quickly and, having to cut the budget, fielded mainly juniors and the remains of that squad. Resuilts improved slightly and he was winning over the fans until a change of boardroom regime saw him ousted.

Davie Robertson...a disaster. Pure and simple. Sacked towards the end of an atrocious season in 2006-7, when for the first time in years money wasn't a problem.

Jim Weir....did well enough in 2007-8 and got the club to the play offs for the first time. A controversial loss in the semis to Stranraer was a dreadful result for the club, more so than was apparent at the time, and following ructions behind the scenes, Weir was relieved of his duties towards the end of 2008.

Steven Tweed...took Weir's squad on and finished just outside the play offs at the end of 2008/9. Massive cutbacks including the departure of all non-local players saw the team have its worst season for over 50 years in 2009-10. Behind the scnees turbulence continued in 2010-11 and Tweed eventually stood down, for work reasons.

Ray Farningham...Tweed's assisstant...a steady enough season before he took the Dundee no.2 role and left, soon coming back to take star striker Martin Boyle with him.

Stuart Garden...Farnigham's assistant...steady enough again but never achieved consistentcy despite the odd good result. Sacked last season having led the club to 6th in 2012/13.

George Shields...former youth coach and involved in the coaching set up since Tweeder's days..essentially the fourth iteration of the same coaching regime. Lee Wilkie, who fell out with Garden, has returned as assistant after his nemesis was concreted over, and will likely be the new manager in the event of Shields leaving or being sacked. This is the current management team.

Essentially, Montrose recruit no. 2s to replace sacked managers. Other than Wolecki, Weir and Tweed, all the names above have taken over from a sacked former boss. And other than Sheran (first season), Hall, Weir, Tweed (for half a season when he had a squad of senior pros) all have failed horribly.

Consistently bad managers, and the inability to hold onto top players for more than a season, is the reason why Montrose have been in the doldrums for so long. And of course these two things grow from a chronic lack of funds. We might grouse about lack of investment /ambition but both these things cost quite a lot of money. Indeed, we are quite lucky to still have a club in the league at all. But for John Paton's investment at the end of the 90s when absolutely no one else would step forward, we might not have a club at all.

To be competitve again, we need to buy our own ground back (around £700k.), continue investing in youth, and put more money into the playing budget. At the moment, Montrose FC are nothing more than the league share, the badge and an ever-changing squad of 16-20 part time footballers. Either a. hefty financial investment from some passing Russian oligarch or b. very clever marshalling of meagre resources are the only ways forward for the club, and given that big investors have all bust disappeared at this level it has to be option b, and a lot more patience, for us.

Pretty much on the money, though you did omit (understandably)

David Hannah - a jumped up wee ned who lost 0-5 at the Shire and offered a square go at a supporter post-match, then got punted after the next home game (a defeat, natch) following the most sustained chorus of vitriol I have ever heard directed at a manager, almost the whole 90 minutes IIRC.

Total bellend.

[NE63 exile]

just to extend this "what has happened to Montrose they used to be alright in the early 90s" tale, here is our list of managers since relegation in 1996:

Dave Smith (Scotland's first black manager)...did OK but ended up being sacked after an early promotion charge faded badly mid-season.

Tommy Campbell...Montrose's worst ever manager. A foul mouthed Tourette's syndrome suffering neanderthal throwback.

Kevin Drinkell...only saving grace is that he wasn't Tommy Campbell. Smoking a fag and watching the old firm game in Berwick's social cliub, ten minutes before kick off. Sacked after successive 0-6 defeats.

John Sheran...close but no cigar in 2001/2, sacked the following season after an expensively re-modelled squad failed him horribly.

Henry Hall...great start in the second half of 2003/4, steady season with a maverick but talented squad in 2004/5, poor summer signings and a disintgrating training regime saw the club go into a tailspin from which he was unable to pull out. Resigned after a 2-6 drubbing at Ochilview, one of the most painful afternoons I've endured watching the club.

Eddie Wolecki...perhaps cleared out Hall's Spice Boys too quickly and, having to cut the budget, fielded mainly juniors and the remains of that squad. Resuilts improved slightly and he was winning over the fans until a change of boardroom regime saw him ousted.

Davie Robertson...a disaster. Pure and simple. Sacked towards the end of an atrocious season in 2006-7, when for the first time in years money wasn't a problem.

Jim Weir....did well enough in 2007-8 and got the club to the play offs for the first time. A controversial loss in the semis to Stranraer was a dreadful result for the club, more so than was apparent at the time, and following ructions behind the scenes, Weir was relieved of his duties towards the end of 2008.

Steven Tweed...took Weir's squad on and finished just outside the play offs at the end of 2008/9. Massive cutbacks including the departure of all non-local players saw the team have its worst season for over 50 years in 2009-10. Behind the scnees turbulence continued in 2010-11 and Tweed eventually stood down, for work reasons.

Ray Farningham...Tweed's assisstant...a steady enough season before he took the Dundee no.2 role and left, soon coming back to take star striker Martin Boyle with him.

Stuart Garden...Farnigham's assistant...steady enough again but never achieved consistentcy despite the odd good result. Sacked last season having led the club to 6th in 2012/13.

George Shields...former youth coach and involved in the coaching set up since Tweeder's days..essentially the fourth iteration of the same coaching regime. Lee Wilkie, who fell out with Garden, has returned as assistant after his nemesis was concreted over, and will likely be the new manager in the event of Shields leaving or being sacked. This is the current management team.

Essentially, Montrose recruit no. 2s to replace sacked managers. Other than Wolecki, Weir and Tweed, all the names above have taken over from a sacked former boss. And other than Sheran (first season), Hall, Weir, Tweed (for half a season when he had a squad of senior pros) all have failed horribly.

Consistently bad managers, and the inability to hold onto top players for more than a season, is the reason why Montrose have been in the doldrums for so long. And of course these two things grow from a chronic lack of funds. We might grouse about lack of investment /ambition but both these things cost quite a lot of money. Indeed, we are quite lucky to still have a club in the league at all. But for John Paton's investment at the end of the 90s when absolutely no one else would step forward, we might not have a club at all.

To be competitve again, we need to buy our own ground back (around £700k.), continue investing in youth, and put more money into the playing budget. At the moment, Montrose FC are nothing more than the league share, the badge and an ever-changing squad of 16-20 part time footballers. Either a. hefty financial investment from some passing Russian oligarch or b. very clever marshalling of meagre resources are the only ways forward for the club, and given that big investors have all bust disappeared at this level it has to be option b, and a lot more patience, for us.

I enjoyed reading this article regarding Eddie Wolecki's career. The stint at Montrose is interesting

http://www.tellhimhespele.com/eddie-wolecki-draft/

[Judge]

Scott Johnstone any good? We are apparently interested.

Scott is a really good lad and gives 100% but if him leaving meant that we could sign a decent centre half or another striker capable of 10-15 goals then,I wouldn't mind if Scott moved on.

[Ivo den Bieman]

Pretty much on the money, though you did omit (understandably)

David Hannah - a jumped up wee ned who lost 0-5 at the Shire and offered a square go at a supporter post-match, then got punted after the next home game (a defeat, natch) following the most sustained chorus of vitriol I have ever heard directed at a manager, almost the whole 90 minutes IIRC.

Total bellend.

Ah. I omitted all caretakers from the list and as the bold Davie managed only a month before being shown the door, very firmly, I had him down as a failed caretaker, and dismissed him with a waft of my fingertips.

[shawfield shed boy]

Fuk i thought we had some Mares...

Q. Is this why Crowds are lower than say arbroath and Forfar or even in the better days did most follow Aberdeen or the other team in blue

Looking forward to the two away trips nxt season, Firm fav of ours

[cowdenbeath]

I enjoyed reading this article regarding Eddie Wolecki's career. The stint at Montrose is interesting

http://www.tellhimhespele.com/eddie-wolecki-draft/

Never seen that article before an interesting read.

[Ivo den Bieman]

Fuk i thought we had some Mares...

Q. Is this why Crowds are lower than say arbroath and Forfar or even in the better days did most follow Aberdeen or the other team in blue

Looking forward to the two away trips nxt season, Firm fav of ours

Montrose like all small provincial Scottish towns suffers from old firm-itis. Before old Rangers died it was not uncommon to see pubs full of rival supporters on old firm day, the type of local who usually asked why d'ye bother watchin that shite when you say you are a Montrose fan. There are a few Montrose fans who follow Aberdeen also, with smaller numbers having some affinity with Dundee United. When United won the cup a few seasons ago at least three of our first team squad were at the game, in the United end.

Montrose used to have a good following and at the beginning of the 90s, in the old first division, a crowd of 800 at home was seen as somewhat disappointing. Now we are lucky to see even half that number at most games.

[SGMilne]

Is there a list of released players available yet?

I see on their website that Duguid, Gray, McIntosh and Bonar have gone but there must be others gone too?

[1320Lichtie]

Fuk i thought we had some Mares...

Q. Is this why Crowds are lower than say arbroath and Forfar or even in the better days did most follow Aberdeen or the other team in blue

Looking forward to the two away trips nxt season, Firm fav of ours

To be fair, Arbroath has 25k, Montrose has maybe 13k, Forfar 11k and Brechin about 8k. Crowds and town populations obviously go hand in hand, Montroses crowds aren't to bad in honesty. They would obviously (well I think) be slightly better if they could get a winning side on the park though. Montrose are due something good to happen to them soon! Keep going along Mo fans, your day will come and when it does it'll be fucking brilliant!

[shawfield shed boy]

To be fair, Arbroath has 25k, Montrose has maybe 13k, Forfar 11k and Brechin about 8k. Crowds and town populations obviously go hand in hand, Montroses crowds aren't to bad in honesty. They would obviously (well I think) be slightly better if they could get a winning side on the park though. Montrose are due something good to happen to them soon! Keep going along Mo fans, your day will come and when it does it'll be fucking brilliant!

Fair enough and crowd Q answered by you and Ivo was well put and defo not a cheap dig which this site is well known for inc plenty of our own...

Football crowds are down everywhere from Celtic to Cappielow though was just merely curious if The Mo had a bigger support pre poor management, bit like my own club..

Roll on the away days next season to the East coast, Cant come quick enough but hopefully not back to back for £££ reasons

[clashcityrocker]

Enjoyed reading this thread - some interesting background on how Montrose have struggled in recent years.

Montrose has a population of 12,000 - almost twice the size of Brechin ( population 7000 ).

Cowdenbeath have a population of 11,500, but have funding from Donald ( Rangers man ) Findlay .

Arbroath has a population of 24,000 people so are always going to have a better home and away support.

Would like to see Montrose regain their credibility in Scottish football - except when they are playing the 'broath.

[MOFOREVER]

I think Brechin have some guy shoving cash in as well (and that's not a criticism, they are a good club) but the Mo are run by local guys who haven't got big pockets. We had some off comers running the show a few years ago who left and for the last few years we have been repaying debts. Interesting to see the Cowden population as they get poor crowds but do amazingly well - somebody shoving cash in there as well?

Nice to see some positive posts from Clyde and Arbroath - lets keep it that way on here and save the other stuff for on the park when we play each other, Roll on next season.

[T-zero]

I think Brechin have some guy shoving cash in as well (and that's not a criticism, they are a good club) but the Mo are run by local guys who haven't got big pockets. We had some off comers running the show a few years ago who left and for the last few years we have been repaying debts. Interesting to see the Cowden population as they get poor crowds but do amazingly well - somebody shoving cash in there as well?

Nice to see some positive posts from Clyde and Arbroath - lets keep it that way on here and save the other stuff for on the park when we play each other, Roll on next season.

I think the Cowdenbeath chairman said they pretty much rely on away fans.

[delnch the mo]

Poor crowds have been a constant problem for the Mo. I can fully admit myself that I very rarely bothered with going to games till the dodgy dynamo met me up at Inverness at the start of the season in the cup. After that I realised just how much local football means and should mean to every football supporter who supports a bigger team. Nobody is asking for alliances to change, but not every fan can go to every game that their big team play. Why not go to a local match and enjoy themselves.

Of course saying that I now live too bloody far away to go to games without plenty of forward planning. Saying that I will be back hame in July and have managed to plan it for 2 friendlies. Not exciting games but I will still be happy to put my money into the club.