The Albion Rovers Thread

[an86]

You’d think a guy like Mark Millar would help the club out if it came to the crunch. Loose change for him to help his hometown club. 

[Yoda8]

43 minutes ago, Vodka Vic said:

I don't know how long the manager should get all i know is an early sacking will only add to the current instability. The damage is already done I'm not sure what a new man can do until the transfer window opens in January. We are dead certs to finish bottom so the question now is can we conjure up a team that can win a relegation play off.

There are gems in the juniors - we have recently had Josh Mullin and Ross Stewart who have both gone onto better things, however you cannot fill a team of juniors from whatever level and expect for them to hit it off. Rovers have signed players from a mix of juniors, amatuers and players released from leagues higher up and want to rebuild their careers. Paul Martin got the club promoted with a budget of £100k so who ever got the current post had to work miracles.

The current Chairman reluctantly took on the position while the rats abandoned the ship- he has reluctantly stayed in place over the summer and that has reflected on the managerial appointment and have the greatest respect for Ronnie Boyd. I have been told that there are people outwith the club that care enough not to let the club disappear. Who they are and what they can bring I don't know.

As far as last years relegation it wasn't simply down to the goalkeeping situation , we had a defence that simply could not defend a cross ball - the same goals conceded week in week out- and that was with our two marqee signings Perry and Marr who where both on a pretty penny at Rovers. Brian Kerr could not see past playing his mates in the team. He was extremely slow to delve onto the loan market. 

It's heartbreaking to watch this but the club needs that spirit back that we used to have - on and off the park. There was an air of quiet resignation throughout the club that relegation was destined, that atmosphere has simply carried on inti the new season.

There are Gems but gems still cost money.

Ross Stewart cost the club around £1500 did he not? Mullen I’m not sure if cost but a great player at lower league level.

I think the Keeper was the main reason, not to apportion blame to any young boys who came in but a GK game isn’t just about saving shots  it’s about keeping the ball away from the box.

i thought Bowman looked the part in early stages though think he may have had issues towards the end. An experienced keeper would have saw a few more points on the board.

Rovers were just outside playoff when he left & only went bottom on final day as you’ll know. 

Personally I think Perry wasn’t as bad as made out , think lack of regular partner beside him was problem. Mart on the other hand .....

[Vodka Vic]

23 minutes ago, an86 said:

You’d think a guy like Mark Millar would help the club out if it came to the crunch. Loose change for him to help his hometown club. 

Yes I can see it now - the Kick Ass Stadium.

[Vodka Vic]

8 minutes ago, Yoda8 said:

There are Gems but gems still cost money.

Ross Stewart cost the club around £1500 did he not? Mullen I’m not sure if cost but a great player at lower league level.

I think the Keeper was the main reason, not to apportion blame to any young boys who came in but a GK game isn’t just about saving shots  it’s about keeping the ball away from the box.

i thought Bowman looked the part in early stages though think he may have had issues towards the end. An experienced keeper would have saw a few more points on the board.

Rovers were just outside playoff when he left & only went bottom on final day as you’ll know. 

Personally I think Perry wasn’t as bad as made out , think lack of regular partner beside him was problem. Mart on the other hand .....

Perry has made a living out of looking like a footballer ... and good luck to him. There were a group of 4-5 players on £200 a week last season - utter madness.

Yes the gems do cost money, the rough diamonds less so .

[Cowden Cowboy]

Perry has made a living out of looking like a footballer ... and good luck to him. There were a group of 4-5 players on £200 a week last season - utter madness.
Yes the gems do cost money, the rough diamonds less so .

Paying less to poorer players would have produced an even worse outcome on the field in all likelihood. £200 per week for decent players in League 1 isn't at all unusual

[Vodka Vic]

1 minute ago, Cowden Cowboy said:

Paying less to poorer players would have produced an even worse outcome on the field in all likelihood. £200 per week for decent players in League 1 isn't at all unusual

If you are paying that much (which in Albion Rovers terms is megabucks) you would expect some return - only Trouten from last year was worth every penny if not more.

[Cowden Cowboy]

If you are paying that much (which in Albion Rovers terms is megabucks) you would expect some return - only Trouten from last year was worth every penny if not more.

Well yes that's the point of paying good money - but doesn't actually guarantee a return. Unfortunately that is the market place now where League 1 and 2 players are generally paid a good deal more than they used to be - driven by factors such as minimum wage, no trialists in Betfred, relegation from League 2, etc

[Yoda8]

7 hours ago, Vodka Vic said:

If you are paying that much (which in Albion Rovers terms is megabucks) you would expect some return - only Trouten from last year was worth every penny if not more.

Rovers have been paying “megabucks” for last few years.  Title winning squad budget was over £200,000

League 1 under Young wasn’t much less,  he wasn’t happy with cuts which was reason why he didn’t sign contract.

Yhe present budget is £60,000. How can that be the case when junior outfits have bigger budgets without the SPFL money plus the money from cups etc.

You can’t onky concentrate on paying bills, there must be people looking to drive revenue at club via sponsorship etc.

The club is heading down the stank if they’re not careful 

[Bold Rover]

Isn't it a case of market forces now taking control? With about 200 paying customers and a badly dilapidated estate, our club - for decades - has only survived through the goodwill of donors and the patience of lenders. It seems that those commodities have diminished and we've had to cut our cloth appropriately.

From what is written here and on the other place, the towel seems to have been thrown in, and, whilst devastatingly sad, there's a certain inevitability about our situation.

[1320Lichtie]

Rovers have been paying “megabucks” for last few years.  Title winning squad budget was over £200,000

League 1 under Young wasn’t much less,  he wasn’t happy with cuts which was reason why he didn’t sign contract.

Yhe present budget is £60,000. How can that be the case when junior outfits have bigger budgets without the SPFL money plus the money from cups etc.

You can’t onky concentrate on paying bills, there must be people looking to drive revenue at club via sponsorship etc.

The club is heading down the stank if they’re not careful 

 

Better manager could’ve done better with recruitment no? Albion May have a a shite budget but they are Glasgow based and give guys the chance to play League football.

 

 

I’ve been watching some of Keltys highlights alongside highlights of your own games so far, that Cumbernauld Colts team seemed to have a few handy players.

 

Sure they’re out there, know it’s not as easy as that but QP manage, although they have the added lure of Hampden.

 

Also have the advantage of loan players, Premiership/Championship clubs much more likely to loan to yourselves over the juniors.

[Diamond8]

Rovers have been paying “megabucks” for last few years.  Title winning squad budget was over £200,000
League 1 under Young wasn’t much less,  he wasn’t happy with cuts which was reason why he didn’t sign contract.
Yhe present budget is £60,000. How can that be the case when junior outfits have bigger budgets without the SPFL money plus the money from cups etc.
You can’t onky concentrate on paying bills, there must be people looking to drive revenue at club via sponsorship etc.
The club is heading down the stank if they’re not careful 

That budget seems astronomical! There’s no way that was sustainable, and clearly shows now. Surely the alarm bells would’ve been ringing around the support at the time

[Yoda8]

29 minutes ago, Diamond8 said:

 

That budget seems astronomical! There’s no way that was sustainable, and clearly shows now. Surely the alarm bells would’ve been ringing around the support at the time

 

Yes and to be fair the current board done well to sort it out, or got lucky with Celtic draw. 

Theres a fine line between cutting costs/budgets and putting a competitive team on park.

If relegation had been avoided then probably would’ve been seen as great work. 

 

[Clyde01]

Aye, its the hope that kills your right enough. I wonder if the SPFL would mind us going into hibernation until late April and then throwing everything at the playoff

It’s worked for Cowdenbeath the last two seasons.

[Sergeant Wilson]

On 5/8/2018 at 19:31, Yoda8 said:

I don’t think the person in question will have any intentions to be a chairman.

more likely that he will want the club to go under so he will profit from sale if the ground. 

 

 

Sounds like the old man without the charm.

It does show what the attitude of Officials is to small clubs. You would think if your employer found out your personal behaviour was harming a customer, they might have a quiet word.

[Scosha]

Is Connor Shields any good? Noticed he played for Albion Rovers before moving to Sunderland. What kind of player is he? We're apparently signing him. 

[roy of the rovers]

Connor is a quality player - are you paying megabucks for him? We'll be on a percentage of any fee!

[roy of the rovers]

I see it's a loan deal rather than yer actual purchase!

[The Moonster]

19 hours ago, Diamond8 said:

 

That budget seems astronomical! There’s no way that was sustainable, and clearly shows now. Surely the alarm bells would’ve been ringing around the support at the time

 

It might be quite high for a side like Albion Rovers but I'm willing to bet that nearly all teams in League 1 (barring perhaps Stenny/Montrose) will have budgets over £200K. I know now the rules have changed and players need to be paid year round now (previously part time clubs end contracts in May so they don't have wages to pay over the summer with no income streams) but it's likely that Albion were paying that £200K over a 46 or 48 week period. At 48 weeks that works out at an average of £208 per player per week (in a squad of 20 players). As I said, for a team like Albion rovers that's probably a bit high but I'd say that's probably about average for League 1 these days.

The wages of some players you've never heard of in the Scottish leagues would frighten the shite out of most fans, I reckon.

[Vodka Vic]

9 hours ago, Scosha said:

Is Connor Shields any good? Noticed he played for Albion Rovers before moving to Sunderland. What kind of player is he? We're apparently signing him. 

Very quick and was tge perfect foil for Trouten - no coincidence that Trouten's goals dried up a little after Conner was transfered.

A good move to Morton where he will meet up with his old workmate from the Time Capsule and ex Rovers legend Derek Gaston.

[Bold Rover]

I wondered if Connor would get a sniff at Sunderland's first team this season. I guess Jack Ross engineered a move back to Scotland. I hope it's not a rejection from England and, rather, a move to get him some competitive action.