Trapdoorwatch 2018-19

[Ivo den Bieman]

Cove have a good set up now, in their tidy new stadium, and a day out in Aberdeen isn't all that bad.

There is however an Old-Firm-style entitlement, paranoia and unpleasantness attached to the club. Whenever they lose, it's always down to chicanery, skullduggery, dirty dealing on behalf of the opposition/ the SFA / an infelicitous planetary alignment / manager Sheran drawing the unlucky ace and queen of spades together, in a game of cards with his staff, on the team coach. They never lose because, well, the opposition were better on the day and outplayed them over the ninety minutes. I remember Cove drawing 2-2 up at the Broch thanks to a worldly late free kick from the home team, and Sheran's tantrum and lack of class afterwards was a downright embarrassment.

Much as it would be amusing to see the slip-on-shod buffoon fail abysmally as an SPFL manager again, much as it would gratify many to see berwick-the-beatable sobbing all summer into his EricTait-monogrammed pillowcase, having been through the play offs with our heads on the block in 2015, my sympathies will always lie with the league club in these situations. It's a desperate, desperate state to be in which you can't understand without your own club being in that position.

That said, I do think there's never been a likelier relegation than this season, since the Shire's departure. I predict that if either club does go down this season, it will be a very long way back for whoever it is.

 

[Aberdeen Cowden]

1 hour ago, Ivo den Bieman said:

Cove have a good set up now, in their tidy new stadium, and a day out in Aberdeen isn't all that bad.

There is however an Old-Firm-style entitlement, paranoia and unpleasantness attached to the club. Whenever they lose, it's always down to chicanery, skullduggery, dirty dealing on behalf of the opposition/ the SFA / an infelicitous planetary alignment / manager Sheran drawing the unlucky ace and queen of spades together, in a game of cards with his staff, on the team coach. They never lose because, well, the opposition were better on the day and outplayed them over the ninety minutes. I remember Cove drawing 2-2 up at the Broch thanks to a worldly late free kick from the home team, and Sheran's tantrum and lack of class afterwards was a downright embarrassment.

Much as it would be amusing to see the slip-on-shod buffoon fail abysmally as an SPFL manager again, much as it would gratify many to see berwick-the-beatable sobbing all summer into his EricTait-monogrammed pillowcase, having been through the play offs with our heads on the block in 2015, my sympathies will always lie with the league club in these situations. It's a desperate, desperate state to be in which you can't understand without your own club being in that position.

That said, I do think there's never been a likelier relegation than this season, since the Shire's departure. I predict that if either club does go down this season, it will be a very long way back for whoever it is.

 

Even although some of the Berwick fans were taking great delight in our awful season last year, I wouldn’t wish them to go down. Rovers are a better team than Berwick but I’m sure either team will be good enough to stay up.

[Muzza81]

1 hour ago, Ivo den Bieman said:

1. Cove have a good set up now, in their tidy new stadium, and a day out in Aberdeen isn't all that bad.

2. There is however an Old-Firm-style entitlement, paranoia and unpleasantness attached to the club. Whenever they lose, it's always down to chicanery, skullduggery, dirty dealing on behalf of the opposition/ the SFA / an infelicitous planetary alignment / manager Sheran drawing the unlucky ace and queen of spades together, in a game of cards with his staff, on the team coach. They never lose because, well, the opposition were better on the day and outplayed them over the ninety minutes. I remember Cove drawing 2-2 up at the Broch thanks to a worldly late free kick from the home team, and Sheran's tantrum and lack of class afterwards was a downright embarrassment.

1. Cant agree about the set up. It is out in the middle of nowhere, relatively speaking, with no pub near it. It is also a wind and dustbowl all rolled into one. Aside from a small section it also doesn't have much elevation, I cant help but feel it could have been a lot better. A day out in Aberdeen for lower league fans would be good though!

2. Bang on the money. Turra away the same thing happened.

[Hampden Diehard]

With the p***k in charge at Cove also in charge of those stealing Hampden from us, I'm praying for another Cowdenesque scenario for them in the play offs.

[BFTD]

No chance of Berwick making off to the English non-league pyramid rather than the Lowland League?

What level would they likely have to start at anyway? Evo-Stik Division One?

[Muzza81]

Just now, BigFatTabbyDave said:

No chance of Berwick making off to the English non-league pyramid rather than the Lowland League?

What level would they likely have to start at anyway? Evo-Stik Division One?

I very much doubt that league would accept invitations for the next season at the end of May, when Berwick’s fate would be sealed. 

[Redcar]

Won't happen anytime soon.

Management now open to the idea of North-east England based players training in the North-east, so that will give us a potential edge over all the other Lowland teams competing for players in the Edinburgh area. 

Er, if we go down...... 

[Ivo den Bieman]

3 hours ago, BigFatTabbyDave said:

No chance of Berwick making off to the English non-league pyramid rather than the Lowland League?

What level would they likely have to start at anyway? Evo-Stik Division One?

Doubt they’d get in at that level. Suspect it’d be the Northern League Div 1- two steps below.

Anyway it’s a question the club and the fans seem to have no interest in asking. 

[Jimmy Shaker]

23 hours ago, Ivo den Bieman said:

Cove have a good set up now, in their tidy new stadium, and a day out in Aberdeen isn't all that bad.

There is however an Old-Firm-style entitlement, paranoia and unpleasantness attached to the club. Whenever they lose, it's always down to chicanery, skullduggery, dirty dealing on behalf of the opposition/ the SFA / an infelicitous planetary alignment / manager Sheran drawing the unlucky ace and queen of spades together, in a game of cards with his staff, on the team coach. They never lose because, well, the opposition were better on the day and outplayed them over the ninety minutes. I remember Cove drawing 2-2 up at the Broch thanks to a worldly late free kick from the home team, and Sheran's tantrum and lack of class afterwards was a downright embarrassment.

Sheran's antics after the Cowdenbeath second leg last season did the club no favours. Folk have long memories, and Cove went from being a relatively unknown entity that some would like to see in League Two for the day out to being almost universally known as an awful shower, as pretty much everyone in the north regards them already.

Cove aren't the side they were last season and Brora have been widely regarded as the better footballing outfit in the league, but Cove remain as tough a nut to crack as ever. Their swaggering arrogance cost them dear v Edinburgh City a couple of years back when the pyramid playoff was over inside of the first 45 minutes, and also against Cowdenbeath last year when the tie should have been done and dusted after the first leg and Cove were left trying to get out of Central Park with a win. Perhaps they've learned a lesson after experiencing playoff misery the hard way. IMO, the difference between Cowden and Cove last season was experience of the event, the second leg of which is unlike other games.  

There's concerns East Kilbride will pap them out anyway, which would be heartbreaking for the SHFL. We had a good four- or five-team title race ready to roll this season only for it to be ruined last May when Cove blew it against Cowdenbeath. 

[BB_Bino]

Have to agree with you Jimmy. I was at that game as a neutral and didn’t really care which way it swung.

At the Full Time whistle, due to the antics of Cove, I was delighted Cowdenbeath stayed up and was actually embarrassed when I was drIving home listening to Sherin on the radio talk about some kind of “anti Highland League agenda within Scottish Football”.

If that’s the way the club act on the pitch and the way their figurehead acts off it then the Highland League can keep them IMHO.

I genuinely do think EK can beat Berwick or Albion, I’ve not seen Cove play this year, so who knows how that one will go, but both sides have a real chance of playing League 2 football next season in my view.

[Hampden Diehard]

Spoke to someone this week who said that EK look a very decent outfit based on their recent performances with bags of SPFL experience.

 

 

[Jack Burton]

Spoke to someone this week who said that EK look a very decent outfit based on their recent performances with bags of SPFL experience.
 
 

https://eastkilbridefootballclub.co.uk/players.php

Most of their squad have plenty of SPFL experience. That's some fall from grace for Chris Humphery wasn't that long ago he was playing for Motherwell.

Probably more SPFL experience in their squad than Berwick.

[suitsuit]

I've seen East Kilbride a few times this season and I think if they were in League 2 then they would have a higher points total than Berwick or Albion Rovers. 

That obviously counts for nothing in a 2-legged tie of course. 

[big al]

11 hours ago, suitsuit said:

I've seen East Kilbride a few times this season and I think if they were in League 2 then they would have a higher points total than Berwick or Albion Rovers. 

That obviously counts for nothing in a 2-legged tie of course. 

You may be right, but it’s also impossible to know really.

EK have been playing against far weaker opposition than Berwick, and that is a definite.

[lowenan]

Having the final home match is often the decider in these kind of ties.

[Bring Your Own Socks]

24 minutes ago, big al said:

You may be right, but it’s also impossible to know really.

EK have been playing against far weaker opposition than Berwick, and that is a definite.

Both comments very true, but it's often about the mind at this stage of the season. Kilby are used to winning. Mind you so were Brora when Montrose were as bad as Rovers and Berwick have been this year and Mo did the business and kicked on amazingly well since. 

[big al]

2 minutes ago, Bring Your Own Socks said:

Both comments very true, but it's often about the mind at this stage of the season. Kilby are used to winning. Mind you so were Brora when Montrose were as bad as Rovers and Berwick have been this year and Mo did the business and kicked on amazingly well since. 

We were absolutely dreadful last season and the best of the rest couldn’t beat us in either leg.

For the first 2/3s of this season we have been improved yet we  will only finish 8th. 

Edinburgh the only team to make it so far and they have struggled until this season with an obvious cash injection from somewhere. 

Theres a fair jump from HL/LL to League 2 for sure.

[Bring Your Own Socks]

16 minutes ago, big al said:

Theres a fair jump from HL/LL to League 2 for sure.

Yep. And that's why folks at the bottom get scared. Shire have ably displayed just how difficult it is to get back up again. It's all about the money.

[cowdenbeath]

1 hour ago, lowenan said:

Having the final home match is often the decider in these kind of ties.

Not always i've seen us win promotion play off finals at Brechin and Dunfermline in the 2nd leg away from home.  I would have to look it up but we've probably been just as successful being away in a 2nd leg as at home.

 

 

[LongTimeLurker]

2 hours ago, Bring Your Own Socks said:

Both comments very true, but it's often about the mind at this stage of the season. Kilby are used to winning. Mind you so were Brora when Montrose were as bad as Rovers and Berwick have been this year and Mo did the business and kicked on amazingly well since. 

There is a serious question mark over Brora's approach to those games given they were missing key players and their main sponsor didn't want promotion. Also worth noting that one of Cowdenbeath's reprieves went to a penalty shootout. I'd say Albion Rovers' recent uptick in form  would be the main reason to see team 42 as favourite if it winds up being them, while Berwick look like the easier of the two to beat right now.