SPFL 2 playoffs - (Brechin,) Spartans and (another) Albion Rovers

[Vimto90]

[Old Fashioned Stramash]

51 minutes ago, ScottishLoon said:

Is it just me that sees linlithgow as favourites next season, get big bonnyrigg vibes.

I think Tranent will have a lot more to offer next season as well, could be an interesting season. 

[RateofKnots]

2 minutes ago, Vimto90 said:

99% sure one of those tables was me as well. 

I hope the Rovers get back up.

[Gordon EF]

Just now, Old Fashioned Stramash said:

I think Tranent will have a lot more to offer next season as well, could be an interesting season. 

If the B teams weren't there, it could potnetially be a cracking league. Just a pity the B teams are in and it's a pile of shite.

[db11]

1 minute ago, Old Fashioned Stramash said:

I think Tranent will have a lot more to offer next season as well, could be an interesting season. 

Aye, they are splashing the cash

[Gordon EF]

1 minute ago, RateofKnots said:

99% sure one of those tables was me as well. 

I hope the Rovers get back up.

Are you going to admit to being the one who put Forfar 1st and Stirling in 9th?

[Neilly]

54 minutes ago, ScottishLoon said:

Is it just me that sees linlithgow as favourites next season, get big bonnyrigg vibes.

Lithgae won't have the financial clout.

Will be Tranent and EK.

[RateofKnots]

3 minutes ago, Gordon EF said:

Are you going to admit to being the one who put Forfar 1st and Stirling in 9th?

f**k no. I knew forfar were rubbish and Irvine had no clue.

[Life on Marrs?]

f**k sake, another famous old name consigned to the scrap heap, along with Shire, Berwick,Cowden & Brechin to likely never return.

Replaced by some, characterless, plastic-stadium dwelling,  Edinburgh sports club!

Haste ye back Albion!

 

[RateofKnots]

6 minutes ago, Gordon EF said:

Are you going to admit to being the one who put Forfar 1st and Stirling in 9th?

I've looked, I had stirling in 7th, so not much better hahaha

[Dav nan Gael]

1 hour ago, G_&_T said:

It's very sad that there are, allegedly, 6,000 Celtic season ticket holders in Coatbridge. 

I like Albion Rovers, I go to watch them frequently. But the reality is the people of Coatbridge don't usually turn out in numbers to watch them. I would have been there today, if I could have got a ticket, btw. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that would be a problem.

I will go and watch them next season at some point, but overall I think the Lowland League is tin pot, given the reserve sides. 

Really...........Linlithgow Rose are a bigger club than Albion Rovers..

[HibeeJibee]

Rotten game little better than last week: neither side offered much but once ahead visitors saw it out. Watched from east terrace - about the only part of Cliftonhill that doesn't look like it's about to fall down btw - so no clear view of penalty.

Well done to Spartans who brought big following; then to Albion Rovers goodbye... and welcome.

[Cowdenleith]

38 minutes ago, Life on Marrs? said:

f**k sake, another famous old name consigned to the scrap heap, along with Shire, Berwick,Cowden & Brechin to likely never return.

Replaced by some, characterless, plastic-stadium dwelling,  Edinburgh sports club!

Haste ye back Albion!

 

Sorry, Ainslie Park is a far better football experience than your soulless stadium.  

Spectators can watch the game there now on all four sides of the stadium, you might remember that experience at one time in the distant past.

[Blue Oktober]

10 minutes ago, Dav nan Gael said:

Really...........Linlithgow Rose are a bigger club than Albion Rovers..

Can you please clarify what measures  you are basing this statememt on, also is that view purely contemporary  or are you looking the overall history of both clubs?

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

2 hours ago, FifeSons said:

Absolutely gutted for Albion Rovers.

What a shite league this’ll be next season with diddies like Spartans, Bonnyrigg and Clyde.

Theres another diddy team called Dumbarton there too. 
 

Nah in all seriousness i hope Spartans are relegated next year. Unlucky Rovers. 

[CityDave94]

54 minutes ago, Life on Marrs? said:

f**k sake, another famous old name consigned to the scrap heap, along with Shire, Berwick,Cowden & Brechin to likely never return.

Replaced by some, characterless, plastic-stadium dwelling,  Edinburgh sports club!

Haste ye back Albion!

 

And Grimbo, remember him?

[EdinburghBlue]

Struggling to think of any worse games I’ve been to this season than the two playoffs. 

Was surprised that Rovers finished bottom given that they were responsible for two or three of the ten best performances I saw in SPFL2 this season. But over the two legs they played like a team who finished bottom - the ‘excellent’ Rovers just didn’t turn up. But they weren’t well beaten in the way that Berwick, Cowdenbeath and the Shire were, and I think I might feel a bit unlucky over the two legs. Because Spartans weren’t very good either. Perhaps the difference between the two sides was that Spartans looked as if they had a plan and stuck to it, where Rovers looked at tactical sixes and sevens. And once Rovers fell behind today, they were only short spells and flashes when they looked as if they might get back into the game. For most of the game. Spartans strangled play (a better referee should have done something about their time wasting.) But I also think an experienced manager like Clark should have had them better organised, and a plan B for when plan A wasn’t working.

Rovers weren’t helped by the referee. I was astonished in the first half when he didn’t produce any card when a Spartans defender stopped a Rovers breakaway by grabbing the player around the neck/face. And if Reilly had been more professional late in the second half and gone down when his heels were clearly clipped, Rovers might themselves have been awarded a penalty.

Congratulations to Spartans on winning promotion. They have a fairly decent little ground (light years better than Bonnyrigg’s). And I hope they learn from Bonnyrigg’s mistake in sticking to the same squad for the SPFL. I think there’s maybe only two or at a push three of the Spartans squad that are good enough for the SPFL.

Commiserations to Rovers. I hope they will come back. To all the naysayers who are saying that relegation from the SPFL is a one-way ticket to permanent non-league football, look at what’s happened in England. It’s taken a few years, but there are now teams that have had more than one promotion/relegation to the EFL and last time I looked there were ex-league teams playing as far down as the ninth tier. And non-league teams have made it to the top league.  Eventually, the Lowland League will have a good mix of ex-SPFL and ex-juniors (and hopefully no B teams, boys clubs or University sides), and there will be teams that can spend some time in any one of tiers 2 through 6.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2023 by EdinburghBlue

[Life on Marrs?]

19 minutes ago, Cowdenleith said:

Sorry, Ainslie Park is a far better football experience than your soulless stadium.  

Spectators can watch the game there now on all four sides of the stadium, you might remember that experience at one time in the distant past.

I certainly do & also remember Spartans old city ground.

But seriously, a cowden fan slagging off someone else's stadium?

[Cowdenleith]

3 minutes ago, Life on Marrs? said:

I certainly do & also remember Spartans old city ground.

But seriously, a cowden fan slagging off someone else's stadium?

Yes, I was in Spartans old City Park as well, pity it went of course, new one is OK, prefer standing on the grass bank behind the goal at Ainslie Park.

Iconic stadium we have, steeped in history, unlike your one sided thing.

[Gordon EF]

12 minutes ago, Life on Marrs? said:

I certainly do & also remember Spartans old city ground.

But seriously, a cowden fan slagging off someone else's stadium?

To be fair, Central Park isn't even theirs any more. It's a shitey stock car track that some non-league team get to play in the middle of.

Edited May 20, 2023 by Gordon EF