Stirling Albion Thread

[the philosopher]

Absolute crazy £1.50 a bottle of Becks for u boys on Sat. in Shed.

Then after half five back up to £3 for locals.

No keen on Becks, rather have 3 points - I think we are more than capable.

[WC Boggs]

Update on the state of the championship race.

 

[WronglyCommunicatingBog]

On 07/11/2022 at 15:11, WC Boggs said:

Over a month since the new regime  took over, so time for a wee review of progress. (or lack of)

1. Recruitment.    After much Trust board guff  about how people leaving in protest at their behaviour would be easily replaced by other volunteers, or people "drafted in,"  How's that going? 

Not a single person has been recruited for commercial.  In fact the commercial manager is doubling and tripling up in hospitality and the club shop because of recruitment failure there.   Andy Kennedy has been returned to the office, where unfamiliar with a digitalized system he is being bailed out by the ever talented and helpful Robert Clubb until an admin assistant position is filled.  

Much was said about recruiting "football people" and indeed the big plan was centred on just that.  An ex Hearts trio of John Colquhoun, Brian Grant and Craig Levein.  Two to be directors and Levein to be the big name manager.  The big plan is dead in the water, something our champions of better  transparency are extremely loathe to be transparent about.  The reason why the ex Hearts 3 knocked them back being one of a few reasons non disclosure agreements are more desirable than owning up.  Levein and co found their backstabbing nature and eagerness to run to the press not to their taste. In fact they killed their own big plan with their own ruthless methods of performing a coup.  Not something they are keen to share.  So recruitment progress barely breathing.  Points 1 out of 10

2. Financial progress.

Well we lost our 2nd biggest sponsor Dron and Dickson when Emperor Thomsontine and his stormtroopers sickened Colin Rowley into resigning and walking away.  New sponsors to date. None . Running to the press to shite on your own club and board, is strangely as unattractive a trait to sponsors as it is to "football people."

With 2 retired accountants now running the club with Trust board backing. it should be no surprise that accountancy has dominated much of the Trust board's prose, with little mention of football.   So much so, that communications have come to resemble a group wankfest at an accountant's convention.  The prospect of monthly rather than quarterly accounting is surely within their skillset, but hardly exciting or the stuff dreams are made of.  In fact rather concerning is that with 2 on board accountants, responsibility for paying wages is being hived off to a private accountancy concern with no mention of cost.  Why?   In fact financially we've gone backwards,  not including lost/purloined rainwear kits.  We are told there is no danger of imminent financial collapse.  There was no danger of that before this lot took over, so on financial progress -2 out of 10.

3.   Stirling Albion TV Videographer.

The short window given to apply was quite frankly stupid, so it's no surprise that had to be extended.  Treating a volunteer position for students as if it was a job to be advertised is equally stupid.  A representative of the club should  arrange to speak directly to the media students in one of the lecture theatres, accompanied by Ben to answer questions. The club is as much having to sell this to students as any student needs to sell themselves to the club.  Just writing out an advert is a lazy cop out. Go THERE!  ENGAGE!  SELL IT.  What part of that is so hard for these numpties to process.   0 out of 10 for functioning brain cells on that one.

4. Transparency and communication.

Well if both of those were about nothing else but accountancy our heroes might be in the points here. But.....Even in the communication on the club bank accounts there is an interesting omission.  The club OWNS 4 deposit accounts. Yes it does and 1 of those 4 that they have or soon will have control of, is the very associate account that a certain interim director and others were bellowing on social media was nothing to do with the club. Hey presto and now it is, now that's magic.

We are told we are no longer in crisis management. Oh well done, considering it was the new regime that put us there. There was no proper hand over they wail. No, because  they made sure there wasn't.   Now the poor souls are merely "metaphorically firefighting."  I might have some sympathy with that, if they weren't the arsonists who metaphorically  fire bombed the fech out the club in the first place.  So on transparency and communication a whopping -10 out of 10.  Not a problem. It's not like anybody can do a thing about it.  

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

Quote

Interested to hear everyone’s  current marks out of 10. Laughing at the three Hearts lads mentioned- why on earth would 2 of them have shown interest? Understand one of them but is he not an agent? The other 2 well - one a renowned coach with a position with a premier side and the other a former Scotland manager?   No idea how WC toiletbrush came up with them -well 2 of them anyway. Must have been struggling for opinionated nonsense to spout that day or share on someone’s behalf ?
 

Whole structure seems to be coming together  and  I would think the football people who have come forward would have to go through due diligence and a careful process of selection / interviews .
 

From the progress seemingly being made on and off the park - constant interaction with fans and statements quickly issued -players and supporters United -results going well- crowds almost doubling it seems and hospitality looked heaving yesterday . Video/media position seems reasonably filled with Bens great work being continued with the new chap/chapess/ plural? 

 

My humble opinion is we appear to be in safe hands and my trust lies with those in charge.  Just wondered everyone else’s opinions . Are we together - onwards and upwards? Have a beautiful Sunday everyone. I’m smiling 

 

 

Edited March 12, 2023 by WronglyCommunicatingBog
Missed a line

[WC Boggs]

9 hours ago, WronglyCommunicatingBog said:

  Hide contents

 

 

It's hard to know where to start with that pish, but here we go.

There was an attempt to lure Colquohoun and Grant as directors and Levein to be manager.  An attempt made without any authority to do so in the case of the manager position. Darren Young knew about it before I did. so you are actually challenging what he knows to be true.  Not a smart move, but you stick to your humble opinion.

The results are there because of Darren Young. The manager hired by the ousted board, not the trust board, with  nothing and no one firmly secured to  replace the board, volunteers, or the manager they wanted to replace. 

The promised football people have never appeared, precisely because Colquohoun, Grant and Levein  were the those people, but backed away.

All these months on and the supposed investors just lining up waiting for a new board, to shower the club with money haven't appeared either. Oh there were a couple about 5 years ago, but then it was revealed the club's community trust status made it illegal for a profit or return on any investment to be made.  Our would be benefactors then just faded away.

Due to this block on an investment return, the trust board were charged by membership vote to devise a new constitution to permit investment. It was never done, or any explanation of why it was never done ever given.  Unless you count the short answer I got from John Sanz when I asked why it wasn't done. "It's complicated." Let's hope the new rules on governance aren't complicated then. In fact the only person who did put a lot of money into the club without expecting any return was Colin Rowley. Hounded out by that trust board and it's supporters for backing up the chairman. Well, he did try to buy control of the club once so what are fans owned fanatics supposed to do, other than perform the hakka at every hysterical opportunity.

All these months on and the exec still consists of two retired accountants and the child protection officer.  There is no commercial representation on the board. Progress?  Where?

Why governance of course, eventually.  So what do we  know there?   Two trust board members will be installed on the exec. Fine, what else?  An appointed expert panel will interview, select and recommend any new manager.  The trust board then have to approve the recommendation of the expert panel appointed.  Fine if they do approve, but a recipe for pure farce if they don't.  That caveat doesn't exactly exude confidence in your own strategy of appointing your own experts, so why is it there?  Don't they trust their own installed exec?

This leads to a logical question, which I'm sure the trust board will be delighted to answer.  If the trust board have to approve a new manager, do they also have to approve the extension of a current manager's contract? If so, which of the analysed models is this a feature of? Just asking?

Hospitality.  Yes numbers have returned and people like big Jim Ingles  and Graham Douglas have also returned after yet another bitter civil war. I understand why both left and understand and commend both for their return.  Darren Young and the team's epic title challenge and a period of cooling off has brought back the numbers in hospitality and in the stadium.   Progress back to where we were in numbers is precisely zero to do with any action of the new regime and everything to do with the love of the club of volunteers and fans and the efforts of Darren Young and his squad.   It takes one grade A chancer to try and credit the new regime with any of that. 

We come to the issue of increased democracy, Oh come on Shug it's in the pipeline.  I hope so, but when the trust board tells me it's purpose is to serve the interests of majority shareholders and can't bring itself to use the term membership, I'd like some clarification on that to confirm that the membership will have more say, not less.  They were not elected by less than a handful of Billy big baws shareholders, but by the membership, so who's interests do they now represent? It would be nice if they cleared that up!

There is good news though. We have had the historic signing of a peace in our time agreement between an exec installed by the trust board and the trust board. Metaphorical fire fighting has given way to metaphorical mutual fellatio and lovely it must taste too. I can't wait to see the new governance rules on how the membership removes a regime that pisses them off, but the trust board loves to bits. I'm sure it will all be very democratic, power to the people and all that.

Finally, I have to thank you.  I had actually ceased to give a toss what our new rulers were or were not doing.  I'd settled down to just coming to games and enjoying the football.  It took a true genius like you to inspire me to discuss the worm can again.  Bravo!  I now intend to revert to just enjoying the football again. As for you....whatever.

 

Edited March 12, 2023 by WC Boggs
add

[Basile Boli]

5 hours ago, WC Boggs said:

It's hard to know where to start with that pish, but here we go.

There was an attempt to lure Colquohoun and Grant as directors and Levein to be manager.  An attempt made without any authority to do so in the case of the manager position. Darren Young knew about it before I did. so you are actually challenging what he knows to be true.  Not a smart move, but you stick to your humble opinion.

The results are there because of Darren Young. The manager hired by the ousted board, not the trust board, with  nothing and no one firmly secured to  replace the board, volunteers, or the manager they wanted to replace. 

The promised football people have never appeared, precisely because Colquohoun, Grant and Levein  were the those people, but backed away.

All these months on and the supposed investors just lining up waiting for a new board, to shower the club with money haven't appeared either. Oh there were a couple about 5 years ago, but then it was revealed the club's community trust status made it illegal for a profit or return on any investment to be made.  Our would be benefactors then just faded away.

Due to this block on an investment return, the trust board were charged by membership vote to devise a new constitution to permit investment. It was never done, or any explanation of why it was never done ever given.  Unless you count the short answer I got from John Sanz when I asked why it wasn't done. "It's complicated." Let's hope the new rules on governance aren't complicated then. In fact the only person who did put a lot of money into the club without expecting any return was Colin Rowley. Hounded out by that trust board and it's supporters for backing up the chairman. Well, he did try to buy control of the club once so what are fans owned fanatics supposed to do, other than perform the hakka at every hysterical opportunity.

All these months on and the exec still consists of two retired accountants and the child protection officer.  There is no commercial representation on the board. Progress?  Where?

Why governance of course, eventually.  So what do we  know there?   Two trust board members will be installed on the exec. Fine, what else?  An appointed expert panel will interview, select and recommend any new manager.  The trust board then have to approve the recommendation of the expert panel appointed.  Fine if they do approve, but a recipe for pure farce if they don't.  That caveat doesn't exactly exude confidence in your own strategy of appointing your own experts, so why is it there?  Don't they trust their own installed exec?

This leads to a logical question, which I'm sure the trust board will be delighted to answer.  If the trust board have to approve a new manager, do they also have to approve the extension of a current manager's contract? If so, which of the analysed models is this a feature of? Just asking?

Hospitality.  Yes numbers have returned and people like big Jim Ingles  and Graham Douglas have also returned after yet another bitter civil war. I understand why both left and understand and commend both for their return.  Darren Young and the team's epic title challenge and a period of cooling off has brought back the numbers in hospitality and in the stadium.   Progress back to where we were in numbers is precisely zero to do with any action of the new regime and everything to do with the love of the club of volunteers and fans and the efforts of Darren Young and his squad.   It takes one grade A chancer to try and credit the new regime with any of that. 

We come to the issue of increased democracy, Oh come on Shug it's in the pipeline.  I hope so, but when the trust board tells me it's purpose is to serve the interests of majority shareholders and can't bring itself to use the term membership, I'd like some clarification on that to confirm that the membership will have more say, not less.  They were not elected by less than a handful of Billy big baws shareholders, but by the membership, so who's interests do they now represent? It would be nice if they cleared that up!

There is good news though. We have had the historic signing of a peace in our time agreement between an exec installed by the trust board and the trust board. Metaphorical fire fighting has given way to metaphorical mutual fellatio and lovely it must taste too. I can't wait to see the new governance rules on how the membership removes a regime that pisses them off, but the trust board loves to bits. I'm sure it will all be very democratic, power to the people and all that.

Finally, I have to thank you.  I had actually ceased to give a toss what our new rulers were or were not doing.  I'd settled down to just coming to games and enjoying the football.  It took a true genius like you to inspire me to discuss the worm can again.  Bravo!  I now intend to revert to just enjoying the football again. As for you....whatever.

 

 

[WC Boggs]

A huge 7 days coming up.  Forfar at home on Tuesday and then Dumbarton at home on Saturday. Can we get top and stay there?  Oh please make it so.

[BinoBalls]

Wasn’t at the game yesterday but I saw the Stranraer manager saying he felt they were “superior all over the pitch”. 

If that’s true then we’re going to need to improve for Tuesday night against Forfar. Forfar fans on here saying they were brilliant in the 2nd half yesterday. 

Our last 3 games have been super tight against the bottom 3 in the league. It will be even harder against Forfar in midweek. We can’t be remotely thinking about the Dumbarton game at the moment. 

It’s been very scrappy of late. Delighted to be challenging but we are overdue a really good performance and it would be nice to keep a clean sheet for a change.

Onwards to Tuesday and hopefully 3 points. 

[nofixedability]

58 minutes ago, BinoBalls said:

Wasn’t at the game yesterday but I saw the Stranraer manager saying he felt they were “superior all over the pitch”. 

If that’s true then we’re going to need to improve for Tuesday night against Forfar. Forfar fans on here saying they were brilliant in the 2nd half yesterday. 

Our last 3 games have been super tight against the bottom 3 in the league. It will be even harder against Forfar in midweek. We can’t be remotely thinking about the Dumbarton game at the moment. 

It’s been very scrappy of late. Delighted to be challenging but we are overdue a really good performance and it would be nice to keep a clean sheet for a change.

Onwards to Tuesday and hopefully 3 points. 

We were also terrible in the first half. Stirling, by a long way, the best team I have seen at Station Park this season so far.

[Mattmc]

5 hours ago, BinoBalls said:

Wasn’t at the game yesterday but I saw the Stranraer manager saying he felt they were “superior all over the pitch”. 

If that’s true then we’re going to need to improve for Tuesday night against Forfar. Forfar fans on here saying they were brilliant in the 2nd half yesterday. 

Our last 3 games have been super tight against the bottom 3 in the league. It will be even harder against Forfar in midweek. We can’t be remotely thinking about the Dumbarton game at the moment. 

It’s been very scrappy of late. Delighted to be challenging but we are overdue a really good performance and it would be nice to keep a clean sheet for a change.

Onwards to Tuesday and hopefully 3 points. 

The Stranraer manager is a clown. Even game, draw was the right result. 
 

[Moonball]

 

[WC Boggs]

From what I've seen on the highlights we did well to come away with a point.  Considering  how often we gifted the ball away that is.

[BB_Bino]

I'm only going by the highlights and the interviews of Young & Currie but at the end of the day, when pitches aren't great and games are coming thick and fast and are taking place in the wind and rain, it's simply a case of picking up the points for me and although some people will look at this as 2 points dropped and something of a turgid display, I'd rather look at things in a positive light and say it's another game that we've not lost.

Things are in our hands now and a big big week ahead. That's some points over haul we've managed to chip away at, still a long way to go with both teams set to drop points, but.......and I'll say this quietly.....I still we're on track.

[WC Boggs]

56 minutes ago, BB_Bino said:

I'm only going by the highlights and the interviews of Young & Currie but at the end of the day, when pitches aren't great and games are coming thick and fast and are taking place in the wind and rain, it's simply a case of picking up the points for me and although some people will look at this as 2 points dropped and something of a turgid display, I'd rather look at things in a positive light and say it's another game that we've not lost.

Things are in our hands now and a big big week ahead. That's some points over haul we've managed to chip away at, still a long way to go with both teams set to drop points, but.......and I'll say this quietly.....I still we're on track.

Every team in the league has something crucial  to play for from top to bottom.  That makes every fixture hotly contested and for a hard slog to the title winning post.  The teams below us have been turning each other over. That at least has  kept  pressure  from behind us down

I tend to think soggy heavy going pitches don't suit us at all and that's when we struggle to get going  Hoping the sun comes out for the run out.   

Yes, still on track and all in our own hands.  Come on Binos, one more heave into the spring.

[Dumb yatt]

Over the next few weeks I could be kicking balls in my sleep.

[dave_binos]

12 hours ago, BB_Bino said:

I'm only going by the highlights and the interviews of Young & Currie but at the end of the day, when pitches aren't great and games are coming thick and fast and are taking place in the wind and rain, it's simply a case of picking up the points for me and although some people will look at this as 2 points dropped and something of a turgid display, I'd rather look at things in a positive light and say it's another game that we've not lost.

Things are in our hands now and a big big week ahead. That's some points over haul we've managed to chip away at, still a long way to go with both teams set to drop points, but.......and I'll say this quietly.....I still we're on track.

I agree with all this. I viewed it as a point gained on Dumbarton. There's plenty of twists and turns to come yet. There isn't a stand out team in the division. Even if we have a shocker of a week and lose both games, I still feel we can go on a run and win the league.  

 

[jsavage]

Top of the League.

 

Over 800 on a Tuesday night.

 

Big game at the weekend.

 

Mon the Binos!

[BB_Bino]

Blair Currie signs a 2 year contract extension. I know Blair has his critics (don’t most players at this level) but I think he’s one of the best League 1-2 Goalkeepers and it’s great news for the club.

In a league that’s known for it’s 1 year deals, that’s a fair number of our players already signed up for next season and now 1 beyond, Darren Young obviously looking for a settled playing squad.

[WC Boggs]

1 hour ago, BB_Bino said:

Blair Currie signs a 2 year contract extension. I know Blair has his critics (don’t most players at this level) but I think he’s one of the best League 1-2 Goalkeepers and it’s great news for the club.

In a league that’s known for it’s 1 year deals, that’s a fair number of our players already signed up for next season and now 1 beyond, Darren Young obviously looking for a settled playing squad.

In truth Blair has probably had less oops moments than any defender in front of him. The focus on goalie errors never has been, or ever will be fair. 

He's been a good keeper for us and I entirely agree with you.

 

[Thebino45]

First time Post! However must say happy to see our important players getting signed up on longer deals early. Jack Leitch next please  

 

[TheVoiceofReason]

Ross Davidson now signed up too