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Cowdenbeath v airdrieonians


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I don't believe the players aren't trying. Several aren't good enough and if Kerr is out for a while I just don't see where any points are coming from.

It's hard to believe that losing Murdoch and Smith could have made such a difference.

The loss of Murdoch and Smith seems to have made a very large hole in our team.

Hard to keep players of their calibre in this league.

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Well if that is them trying they are not cut out for this league or professional football based on the majority of performances this year.

We are quickly becoming a complete laughing stock in the professional game. Especially when you take into account conceding 65 goals in the league the worst goals conceded in the Scottish professional leagues.

Forfar win tonight and we are in the relegation playoffs spot so fingers crossed for a good performance by Airdrie tonight.

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I have a good deal of respect for Al's posts in general as he takes a rounded view - he is critical when appropriate but also realistic and thoughtful in his views. Everyone wants instant solutions but the world's not like that and it seems to be forgotten that the 9 other teams all are taking their own steps and measures to improve their chances of change the dynamics. Somebody told me Brechin were doomed two games ago and I laughed at such nonsense. We don't have unlimited resources and injuries have had an impact - we go now to Forfar with Kerr injured and Deano suspended for example.

I get lots of feedback in person or in emails etc some helpful, some I don't agree with, some abusive and some bonkers. You can't please all of the people as they say. A good bit of the sack the manager stuff comes just because folk want to throw the dice and hope something better happens.

Again there are all sorts of ideas or alleged facts thrown into the mix but many are ill conceived or just won't work or are plain wrong. I have been involved directly since 2008 - there seems to be some assumption made we should be doing much better - although look at clubs like the Shire and Montrose over the last 2 decades. We have no magic formula or divine right to do better than them. There are no magic beans. What did happen in that period is that from 1992 on Gordon McDougall put the club on a solid financial footing and paid its debt off at the expense of poor performances on the field. That was done because of cash/benefits accruing to the club from the stock car 'subsidy'. In 2007 Gordon sold out to the Brewsters and the Brian Welsh relegation and fall out then saw him go. The Brewsters investment has been a disaster for them - in the Danny Lennon 2008-10 era though the club prospered mainly because it had £200 grand in the Bank when Gordon sold. That money was gone by 2010 when the current Board came in and the club was in danger of folding. The stock car subsidy was removed and indeed a new rent burden was imposed. It has since been funded mainly by gate income generated by the success built up from the 2008 - 10 squad core being kept together for a number of years (but over time player attrition and age takes its toll) plus £50k to £100k per annum put in by the Directors (despite them not owning the club) which enabled this plus augmentation. This season it was highlighted that gate money would be much reduced and the Directors weren't a bottomless pit - hence Roof Fall - i don't see anyone on here though commenting on Roof Fall.

Many times though there is a view given about signing young players on longer term deals so as to benefit from lucrative transfer fees. But in reality there has never been any great problem in retaining our gifted young players - their agents simply though do not commit them beyond the season of their 23rd birthday as they then move free to a full time club at a higher level at a wage we cannot match. That is the simple fact of matters.

Recently we had different factions advocating getting Dick Campbell in (mainly to kick arses it seems) whilst others would never come back to Central Park they said if we appointed him.

Scott on Saturday I heard you shouting about the circumstances re the appointment of the current manager (and I don't have any problem with you airing your views). I have though explained many times it was not an expedient or cost based decision. There were 4 people in the running for the job and a number of views/issues that impacted but if it had indeed been an expedient or cost based decision then the manager appointment would surely have been made within days of Jimmy leaving not some weeks later which wasn't ideal for the club or a new manager coming in?

I do seem to spend a lot of time, wasted time trying to quell made up facts and provide honest information despite confidentiality and other such requirements restricting what can be said. For example, When I first came on the Board pre-Donald days when Jim Methven was there I was at a meeting of the Cowden fans action group when it was reported as fact that 1) the stock cars would move to Lochgelly in a few months, and 2) that the owners had agreed to a £3m bid from the Co-op on the basis the ground was levelled. Now I knew both of these facts were rubbish from my own contacts with owners/council but there were many who just accepted this at face value and wanted to mount a protest. Time was wasted on these red herrings.

Then there is the cry for the Board to be brave or grow a pair and sack a manager - nothing intrinsically brave in that at all indeed you could call it cowardly just bowing to those who pressurise you. That isn't any way to sensibly operate. Why not channel supporter views through the Supporters Council? The problem I feel with the Supporters Council as with Meet the Manager is that when logic is applied and there is dialogue then a better understanding is reached but the dream solution of a quick fix isn't available.

Gordon McDougall isn't interested in stock cars - he much prefers being involved in football but of course has lots of cash tied up in Livingston. There is no Donald plus Gordon solution that will fly.

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A very detailed straight from the heart comments David which is admirable.

I got carried away on Saturday only due to me getting caught up in the heat of the moment which didn't help with the goalies error which isn't Nish's fault.

My outburst wasn't aimed at the board only my own opinion that I genuinely don't think he should have been appointed but I have went a long this season trusting Donalds judgement and the boards appointing him and I obviously wasn't involved or observed the application process.

I certainly do not blame any member of the board of where we are in the league as without Donald and the board we wouldn't have achieved what we have in the last couple of years.

The Dick Campbell divided faction dissapoints me as real supporters should always follow the club if they really care about the club regardless of who the Manager is.

This is a tricky spell we are in but in situations like this we all need to pull together for the good of the club.

The reason I get so frustrated as if we continue to decline like we have been I fear the likes of Donald will walk as he has high ambitions for our club but these would be hindered completely if we can't return to the championship and we continue to have factions within our support.

Carry on David you are doing a really good and sometimes thankless job and I'm sure the Supporters appreciate it.

P.S perhaps Donald could ask a freinds favour from Walter Smith and Ally McCoist to give up playing rounds of golf and ask them to help us out as the new management. If pigs could fly and money was no object!

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The last two managerial appointments have been absolute disasters for the club. We will get relegated again this season as recruitment by present manager has been poor and the fact he's not good enough. The facts are we have collected 4 points out of 30 points and I'm quite happy to channel these views via the supporters council. Nish needs sacked end of as if we stick with him we will be playing Lowland League soon.

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The last two managerial appointments have been absolute disasters for the club. We will get relegated again this season as recruitment by present manager has been poor and the fact he's not good enough. The facts are we have collected 4 points out of 30 points and I'm quite happy to channel these views via the supporters council. Nish needs sacked end of as if we stick with him we will be playing Lowland League soon.

As bad as Jimmy was at the end of his second spell people forget if there was no Jimmy there would be no 0-3 at East End. Although it was a disaster not to sack him mid way through the season it clearly wasn't a disaster appointment.

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We had a quality team that should never had ended up in the play offs that season. Jimmy never took us any higher than 8th place in his 2nd season in charge. A very bad appointment.

No it wasn't - his job was to keep us up in 2013/14 and he took on a team in second bottom spot just 2 points ahead of Morton. He then kept us up = a good job. That was what he was appointed to do. 2014/15 was a different matter although his record and indeed the current manager's were both a good deal better than what Dick Campbell produced for us in the bottom tier

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Cowden Cowboy...cant see anything on sfl website on Deano being suspended for Forfar game, re your post previously. Can you confirm?.

Its on the SFA website. 1 game from 8/3/16 ( a fortnight after the last game v Forfar when he went through the barrier).

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No it wasn't - his job was to keep us up in 2013/14 and he took on a team in second bottom spot just 2 points ahead of Morton. He then kept us up = a good job. That was what he was appointed to do. 2014/15 was a different matter although his record and indeed the current manager's were both a good deal better than what Dick Campbell produced for us in the bottom tier[/quote

Imho when we are knocking about the arse end of Div 3 next season with Nish Arbroath will be at the top and challenging for promotion. Another chance missed to get a solid footballing base built.

When Jimmy Nic was appointed 2nd time i felt it was a backward step. It proved to be correct as we are still suffering from it. He was responsible was the ending of the professional set up we had in training and in the squad. Taking 7 weeks holiday between play off game and start of season meant bad recruitment choices which meant loans being used to plug the gap. It summed up his lack of professionalism. We had one of community coaches scouting the opposition. His signings such as Marshall and Halsman disrupted the team spirit. His treatment of existing players was poor and resulted in good players leaving, see Thomas Flynn and not playing our best defender Darren Brownlie. His signing of Robbie Thomson and Iain Campbell were favours to old friends imho. The 10 nil defeat was the biggest embarassment and he still did not have the decency to resign unless he got a pay off. He also put Northern Ireland above club and wasnt present for a game. He also damaged the club car. He signed Chris Kane. He was an unmitigated disaster 2nd time round

Colin Nish is part of the same clique. I was prepared to forgive him the early season drubbings off the Pars but the 7 nil game at Peterhead rang alarm bells for me. His coaching seems uninspired and tactics and game mgmt are poor. Our players cannot do the basics right. See the goals lost this season. The players we have apart from Kenny, Dean, young Sneddon and Greig Spence are not good enough. They will end up playing amateur level soon but a good manager would get them organised, hard to beat and playing for the jersey. Nish can't do any of this. We have collapsed since New Year and i am expecting another relegation. The players do nothing to give me any hope. When we go down the fight goes out of some of them. The level of apathy amongst fans reminds me of the last days of Welshie.

Now CC I'm not getting at you or the other directors because you are to be admired for the time and money you have all pumped into the club to keep it afloat. I would like to thank you for your graft.

I like you want the best for Cowden but i feel certain players and managers are taking the piss and for me the buck stops at Nish's door. This is not happening at the minute. For me Dick Campbell would have stopped the antics of some of the journeymen and got us fighting fir survival but it wasn't meant to be.

Rant over and I'm not saying anymore on the subject. I'm just going to be praying for a miracle that we dont go down this season. I'm just fucked off with it at the minute but I'll still support the club and give my time and money to help you CC

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No it wasn't - his job was to keep us up in 2013/14 and he took on a team in second bottom spot just 2 points ahead of Morton. He then kept us up = a good job. That was what he was appointed to do. 2014/15 was a different matter although his record and indeed the current manager's were both a good deal better than what Dick Campbell produced for us in the bottom tier[/quote

Imho when we are knocking about the arse end of Div 3 next season with Nish Arbroath will be at the top and challenging for promotion. Another chance missed to get a solid footballing base built.

When Jimmy Nic was appointed 2nd time i felt it was a backward step. It proved to be correct as we are still suffering from it. He was responsible was the ending of the professional set up we had in training and in the squad. Taking 7 weeks holiday between play off game and start of season meant bad recruitment choices which meant loans being used to plug the gap. It summed up his lack of professionalism. We had one of community coaches scouting the opposition. His signings such as Marshall and Halsman disrupted the team spirit. His treatment of existing players was poor and resulted in good players leaving, see Thomas Flynn and not playing our best defender Darren Brownlie. His signing of Robbie Thomson and Iain Campbell were favours to old friends imho. The 10 nil defeat was the biggest embarassment and he still did not have the decency to resign unless he got a pay off. He also put Northern Ireland above club and wasnt present for a game. He also damaged the club car. He signed Chris Kane. He was an unmitigated disaster 2nd time round

Colin Nish is part of the same clique. I was prepared to forgive him the early season drubbings off the Pars but the 7 nil game at Peterhead rang alarm bells for me. His coaching seems uninspired and tactics and game mgmt are poor. Our players cannot do the basics right. See the goals lost this season. The players we have apart from Kenny, Dean, young Sneddon and Greig Spence are not good enough. They will end up playing amateur level soon but a good manager would get them organised, hard to beat and playing for the jersey. Nish can't do any of this. We have collapsed since New Year and i am expecting another relegation. The players do nothing to give me any hope. When we go down the fight goes out of some of them. The level of apathy amongst fans reminds me of the last days of Welshie.

Now CC I'm not getting at you or the other directors because you are to be admired for the time and money you have all pumped into the club to keep it afloat. I would like to thank you for your graft.

I like you want the best for Cowden but i feel certain players and managers are taking the piss and for me the buck stops at Nish's door. This is not happening at the minute. For me Dick Campbell would have stopped the antics of some of the journeymen and got us fighting fir survival but it wasn't meant to be.

Rant over and I'm not saying anymore on the subject. I'm just going to be praying for a miracle that we dont go down this season. I'm just fucked off with it at the minute but I'll still support the club and give my time and money to help you CC

Let it go Phil. I have. You'll feel better for it. Ranting on here gets you nowhere.

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Phil I appreciate your views and you have every right to air them. You know I never object to anyone giving their honest views on the basis that is what I try and do myself. You continue to do your best for the club and I greatly respect that. The fact is Jimmy was appointed to keep us up in 2013/14 and he achieved that so it was a job well done. 2014/15 was a different matter. Many of the points you make are well made but some are over-stated. Cliques and splits weren't all down to Jimmy and that was the major problem last season - too many agendas pulling in different directions not always for the best of reasons.

I think it is unfair to say the current manager was part of some clique - he came in with only a limited part of last season to go. Back in 2010 at one of the public meetings I said there was a lot of hard graft ahead and folk had to recognise surviving rather than thriving might be the priority. We have done rather better than that but the message is still the same - win or lose, rise or fall the club is 100% dependent on fans like you and me and others keeping on, keeping on - raising funding, coming along and supporting the team, doing lots of hard graft with limited thanks and reward, etc. it's much easier just to quit of course and sometimes I feel like that but carry on because of the many folks who are willing to do their bit even when the going is tough.

You can surely appreciate that Dick Campbell would be a divisive figure - particularly for fans who were around in his disastrous spell as Cowden boss.

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