Play-off 2nd leg 18th May; Berwick (0) v Cove (4)

[Vodka Vic]

Congratulations Cove

[Redcar]

2 hours ago, mid-table said:

Can only repeat what everyone else says, that wasn’t competitive in the slightest, embarrassing to lose like that without Cove really trying much.
The complete silence in the Ducket at full time was more than a touch eerie.

Thought that silence was astonishing. Expected everyone to be away by 4.45 or a chorus of angry boos. 

100+ fans just stood there in silence was bizarre, but probably tells you how much this dreadful defeat means. 

The silence only broken for applause aimed at our only decent player, Ousy See, was quite emotional to be honest. 

[tescodave]

Few scraps In the boardroom I hear. What a sorry state.

[RossBFaeDundee]

Didn't see if this was already posted, but the attendance was 1,314. How perfect.

[Berwick86]

Few scraps In the boardroom I hear. What a sorry state.

Good. Hope they knocked the f**k out each other.

[MOFOREVER]

1 hour ago, Redcar said:

Thought that silence was astonishing. Expected everyone to be away by 4.45 or a chorus of angry boos. 

100+ fans just stood there in silence was bizarre, but probably tells you how much this dreadful defeat means. 

The silence only broken for applause aimed at our only decent player, Ousy See, was quite emotional to be honest. 

All those still in favour of the present pyramid system - well, I just hope at some point they suffer a day like you Berwick fans have just had. There is a better way but nobody in authority seems to want to know or care. Nothing against go-ahead clubs who want in the SPFL but why not have a proper pyramid with an SPFL 3 and automatic promotion/relegation? Accept applications only from those who REALLY want to join the nationwide set-up because my guess is there aren't all that many. I hope Berwick don't fade away. 

[mo83]

They have investment ready from oil men and Paul Hartley to come in as manager. I expect them to challenge for top spot. 
Would be nice if they could act with a bit decorum this time round tho.

Surely the Management team can't get punted and Paul Hartley take over?

[HibeeJibee]

36 minutes ago, MOFOREVER said:

All those still in favour of the present pyramid system - well, I just hope at some point they suffer a day like you Berwick fans have just had. There is a better way but nobody in authority seems to want to know or care. Nothing against go-ahead clubs who want in the SPFL but why not have a proper pyramid with an SPFL 3 and automatic promotion/relegation? Accept applications only from those who REALLY want to join the nationwide set-up because my guess is there aren't all that many. I hope Berwick don't fade away. 

At this dark moment part of me feels like wanting to agree with this - but it would be hypocritical, and ultimately wrong too (IMO).


Firstly there's a contradiction in terms: you cannot have a pyramid yet run promotion/relegation by application instead of merit.

There may (or may not) be low appetite for promotion in HL but plenty clubs in LL and now in EOSL below seek it.

It's also wrong to conflate "the pyramid" simply with tier 5 clubs wanting into tier 4. There are tier 7 clubs whose ambition is tier 6... tier 6 whose ambition is tier 5...etc. etc..

Current glass trapdoor, making it hard to go down, makes it hard to get back up... but 'Shire and Berwick weren't arguing otherwise. Having helped to make our beds - we now must lie in them .


I've found very few Berwick fans saying there shouldn't be a pyramid. We finished 8pts adrift, won 1 game in 6 months, haven't scored in 10 games, and got pasted 7-0. Heartbreaking as it is... we're "giving new blood an opportunity to replace deadwood", "de-incentivising stagnation" and "providing a consequence to finishing bottom" personified.

In any other tier - above or below - finishing bottom would've meant automatic relegation. We had an opportunity to save ourselves but sadly blew that too .

Edited May 18, 2019 by HibeeJibee

[GordonD]

Do you think things would have turned out differently if Albion Rovers hadn't been awarded three points following Clyde's ineligible player thing? I know the ultimate gap was more than that but did the 'gift' of three points give them a psychological boost at just the right time?

[heedthebaa]

 

3 hours ago, GNU_Linux said:

What kind of numbers did Cove bring?

 

2 hours ago, HibeeJibee said:

It wasn't anything too serious. There was a "Playoff Winners" photo board put up in front of the away section of the main stand. When the players came over perhaps 50 Cove fans rushed on, jumping the hoardings, and eventually a couple of hundred joined celebrations on the pitch. Few dozen Berwick fans had stayed in the Ducket: not sure why, perhaps to protest. They chanted some anti-Cove phrases and a few dozen Cove fans ran across the park to confront them. They couldn't - and probably didn't want to - scale the hoardings and were eventually ushered away. Granted had they done so only a few stewards were present. Pictures possibly make it look worse - and both supports were to "

Just Kids being err kids 

[Ginaro]

54 minutes ago, MOFOREVER said:

All those still in favour of the present pyramid system - well, I just hope at some point they suffer a day like you Berwick fans have just had. There is a better way but nobody in authority seems to want to know or care. Nothing against go-ahead clubs who want in the SPFL but why not have a proper pyramid with an SPFL 3 and automatic promotion/relegation? Accept applications only from those who REALLY want to join the nationwide set-up because my guess is there aren't all that many. I hope Berwick don't fade away. 

Adding a fifth national league is the last thing we need, and it wouldn't make a "proper pyramid" - more like an obelisk. Clubs that really want to join the national league will win their regional league and the play-offs, if they are good enough.

[Aberdeen Cowden]

9 minutes ago, heedthebaa said:

 

 

Just Kids being err kids 

Cove are just pure class. Not.

[Redcar]

7 minutes ago, GordonD said:

Do you think things would have turned out differently if Albion Rovers hadn't been awarded three points following Clyde's ineligible player thing? I know the ultimate gap was more than that but did the 'gift' of three points give them a psychological boost at just the right time?

No. 

We had some shite decisions go against us and  had some really bad luck. But that is about 5% of it. 

95% of it is because we are a truly shite football team. Every Berwick fan I know says this is the worst team ever. Of today's team only Ousy See is likely to be playing League football in a couple of years time. Lewy Barr and Jack Cook might just get in somewhere. 

The rest of them are poorer than piss. 

[heedthebaa]

Just now, Aberdeen Cowden said:

Cove are just pure class. Not.

There was s few nuggets getting all angry and excited over a couple of St George flags, along with alcohol were making a tit of themselves, but generally they were well behaved. Most was nothing more than plukey teenagers acting all football factory 

[HibeeJibee]

19 minutes ago, GordonD said:

Do you think things would have turned out differently if Albion Rovers hadn't been awarded three points following Clyde's ineligible player thing? I know the ultimate gap was more than that but did the 'gift' of three points give them a psychological boost at just the right time?

Only if you think Albion would've lost 2 games they actually won.

We wouldn't have won 2 games we actually lost just by being 3pts further clear in early spring.

[Aberdeen Cowden]

37 minutes ago, heedthebaa said:

There was s few nuggets getting all angry and excited over a couple of St George flags, along with alcohol were making a tit of themselves, but generally they were well behaved. Most was nothing more than plukey teenagers acting all football factory 

Just as well they didn’t lose. They’d have trashed the place. Again!

[bullyweehutch]

Just as well they didn’t lose. They’d have trashed the place. Again!

To be fair how could you tell if central park had been trashed?

[Jimmy Shaker]

Last time Cove wrecked up Central Park they caused ten grand worth of improvement.

[Aberdeen Cowden]

14 minutes ago, bullyweehutch said:

17 minutes ago, Aberdeen Cowden said:

Just as well they didn’t lose. They’d have trashed the place. Again!

To be fair how could you tell if central park had been trashed?

Did you think that one up yourself?

[DA Baracus]

Sair wan for Berwick. Feel for them. Always came across as a decent club.

However I'm 100% in favour of the pyramid (indeed, like many other, I'd make the bottom placed League 2 go down automatically).

So for me it's welcome Cove and commiserations Berwick.

Myself and @Stellaboz once took in a game at Allan Park. Was decent and the social club was excellent. Hopefully Pars will get a visit to the new ground soon so I can tick it off.

Edited May 18, 2019 by DA Baracus