Dees Do The Double

Click here or read below for my match report of the fixture at Starks Park this evening. It was published on the official Raith Rovers website.

Raith Rovers 1 v 2 Dundee

Dundee battled to a narrow win over Raith Rovers tonight for the second time in as many weeks.

Sean Higgins scored 2 goals for the Dees on either side of half time, while a curling Allan Walker freekick temporarily brought the hosts level for 4 minutes.

Overall, the Starks Park side failed to click while their opponents from over the Tay looked dangerous every time they attacked the table toppers.

Indeed, it was the away side who dominated the first 10 minutes, with playmaker Gary Harkins in deadly form. It was he who broke through the Rovers defence after 5 minutes, threading a neat pass to Craig Forsyth, but the winger's effort was well saved by Rovers goalkeeper Andy McNeil.

Minutes later, Harkins was creating move havoc and would have scored were it not for the diving McNeil just managing to tip his shot wide of the post.

Raith, struggling to get a foothold in the game, had a half chance on the 12^th minute when a long throw was received by Walker, but his 20 yard strike sailed over the bar.

The Kirkcaldy side began to force their way into the game and Dundee failed to threaten again till the 27^th minute. Trialist Craig Robertson ran down the left side of the pitch and crossed in a perfect ball to Higgins, but the 26-year-old almost lackadaisically swung a shot on goal and McNeil was able to gather.

On the half hour mark Harkins was causing trouble again as he drove at the Raith defence and played a through ball to Forsyth who was about to pull the trigger until Mark Campbell made a superb last ditch tackle.

However, in an almost identical move Raith conceded just 1 minute later. This time it was Forsyth who would sprint through the Rovers half crossing a decent ball into the path of Higgins who coolly slotted the ball past McNeil to send the away side a goal to the good at half time.

The second half was started at a frantic pace by Raith, who may have been on the receiving end of a few hastening words from manager John McGlynn at the break. Just moments into the second period, Gregory Tade did well to run through the Dundee defence and one-on-one with goalkeeper Rab Douglas looked set to shoot, but changed his mind and aimed a pass at Walker which was cut off by the ensuing Dees defence.

The home fans' groans turned to cheers on the 50^th minute after Iain Davidson was hauled down just outside the box and Walker stepped up to curl a superb 25 yard freekick into the bottom corner of the goal leaving Douglas helpless and the hosts back on level terms.

Unfortunately for the Starks Park faithful, Rovers were only level for 4 minutes as a Harkins cross was bundled into the net by Higgins for his second goal of the night.

The goal was a huge kick in the teeth for Rovers and were lucky to have 11 men still on the park when Davidson, already on a yellow card, committed a professional foul on the edge of the box, but referee Iain Brines, who took charge of the Old Firm derby on Sunday, decided the challenge was not enough to merit a booking.

The match started to become quite physical with both teams desperate to find another goal. However, it would be the away side who struck next with the chance falling to Stephen O'Donnell. On the 67^th minute O'Donnell received a pass into the box and found himself with just McNeil to beat, but the former Hibee pulled off a spectacular diving save. Thirty seconds later, O'Donnell received the ball again, this time on the edge of the box, but his shot was cleared off the line.

With 20 minutes left on the clock, Raith had Campbell to thank again as he made another goal saving challenge on Harkins. However, the former Blackburn youth continued to carve open opportunities for his side as he combined with Forsyth again, but McNeil made the save.

Iain Williamson, Gary Wales and Graham Weir replaced Stephen Simmons, Scott McBride and John Baird as McGlynn attempted to freshen his team up for a final push to equalise. It almost worked too when a Raith corner was cleared by Dundee only as far as Williamson who looped the ball back over the Dees defence to Weir who smashed the ball at goal, but Douglas spread himself to make a brilliant save.

Campbell, playing as a striker towards the end, had a headed chance in the dying seconds, but was unable to find a way past the dominate Douglas.

This was Dundee's fifth win in a row and their sixteenth league fixture unbeaten which is a phenomenal achievement, but questions will be asked if they can maintain this sort of form to the end of the season with such a small squad of players.

Meanwhile Raith will need to regroup as they have conceded 10 league goals already this calender year compared to the measly 8 they conceded from August till the end of December last year. The team struggled to pass the ball to a blue shirt tonight, but all is not lost as they still sit top of the First Division, three points clear of Dunfermline Athletic, who drew 0-0 away to Ross County.

First Division Round-Up - Saturday 12th February 2011

Fairytale Dees, sacking Staggies and a ceremony at Central Park...just another day in the First Division!

Neil McCann celebrates after scoring against Raith Rovers

After their CVA agreement on Tuesday, Dundee's financial problems appeared to heading towards an end. The question was, how would Dundee respond on the park to this welcome news? The answer would be provided in fairytale fashion with their match winner coming from a man who came out of retirement and played for no fee, just to help out his first ever senior side.

Dundee were facing top of the table Raith Rovers at Dens Park in a clash that would have been a top of the table one, if it were not for the Dees SFL imposed points deduction.

Both teams struggled to dictate play in the opening period but it would be Rovers who took the lead after a Grant Murray header beat former Scotland keeper' Rab Douglas.

However, few could have predicted the perfect comeback from the battling Dees. Gary Harkins stepped up 25 yards from goal and curled a stupendous freekick into the back of the net to haul Dundee level with just 7 minutes to go.

The fairytale comeback was complete, unbelievably, in the 5^th minute of stoppage time when 36-year-old Neil McCann, who came out of retirement to play for Dundee, controlled a cross and delicately looped the ball over the despairing Andrew McNeil to send the Dens Park crowd into raptures. Indeed, the joy on show from both Dundee's players and fans, would bring a tear to a glass eye after recent events.

Elsewhere in the First Division, Dunfermline Athletic romped to a 4-0 victory over struggling Cowdenbeath which means they are now just 2 points behind pace setters Raith, with a game in hand. Other landmarks in this game was an official ceremony for the unveiling of Cowdenbeath's brand new floodlights, but less pleasing for the Central Park side was watching former Blue Brazil striker, Liam Buchanan, scoring his first goal in Dunfermline colours.

At the other end of the table, Ross County laboured to a 0-0 draw against bottom side Stirling Albion and this would prove to be Willie McStay's last match in charge of the Staggies as he was relieved of his duties shortly after the match. Quite unbelievably, it was only McStay's 9^th game in charge of the Highland outfit.

Meanwhile, Queen of the South managed to hold Partick Thistle to a thrilling 3-3 draw at Palmerston after two late goals and Falkirk kept up with the title challengers after a narrow 1-0 win over Greenock Morton.

What we have learnt

Today was another reminder that first of all, there are likely to be many twists and turns in the race for promotion. The contenders could not be any more different as Raith are a physical and workman-like side, but Dunfermline are a fairly free-flowing and attacking outfit. However, we cannot forget about Falkirk, who need to place together some sort of Caley-esq consistency if they are to challenge for the title. Narrow wins over Raith and Morton are certainly a step in the right direction for Steven Pressley's men.

At the other end of the table, Dundee, who are as Jim Spence would claim, “morally” top of the league, are already up to 7^th place in the real world and bar a catastrophic collapse, are all but clear of relegation because they have a superior side to those around them. So that leaves Stirling rooted at the bottom, which looks like the position they will end up finishing in, unless new manager Jocky Scott can pull a few rabbits out of the hat. The more interesting battle down the bottom is likely to be between Ross County and Cowdenbeath as they battle it out to avoid slipping into the relegation play-off spot. Ross County have a huge decision to make with regards to a new manager and will arguably need to appoint an experienced head, while Cowdenbeath need to find their early season form again if they are to avoid nerve shredding play-off fixtures.

written by Will Lyon

The Kill-ees

Click here to listen to this week’s episode of The Terrace. You can also download it on iTunes here.

For once, an Old Firm actually lived up to expectations. A thoroughly breathless encounter ended 2-2 at Ibrox, and we will talk Brown, Diouf, Ness, Calum Murray and Steven Naismith to open the show this week.

The draw for the quarter-finals has taken place and we will decipher who can be most pleased with the result, and how the rest of the teams navigated their 5th round ties.

In the lower leagues, Raith keep plodding along, Stirling look doomed and Dundee look set to claim a first-ever moral league championship - at a canter! We also talk Dumbarton, Forfar, Elgin and Jim Duffy’s Clyde.

Scotland are in action, and The Terrace will try and get you hyped for Wednesday’s trip to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin by chatting about the game, the squad inclusions and the potential stand-out stars of our first ever Carling Nations Cup campaign.

There’s even Punt of the Week and Where are they Now? in a packed show. I hope you enjoy.

Email: theterrace@scotzine.com / Twitter: @terracepodcast / Facebook: The Terrace

First Division Still Keeping Up With The SPL

Click here for my latest article on how the Scottish First Division standards are still keeping up with the SPL despite the chronic lack of money in the league. It was published in the latest 52 page edition of Scotzine, which you can buy electronically for £1.00 or in print for £2.61. You can purchase the fanzine here.

Top Five: Deadline Day Deals

Below is my assessment of the Conor Sammon transfer from Kilmarnock to Wigan Athletic on transfer deadline day. You can check out the other four deadline day deals at here at The Terrace.


2. Conor Sammon (Kilmarnock ---> Wigan Athletic): Wigan Athletic netted Kilmarnock's top goal-scorer Conor Sammon last night after an estimated £600,000 deal was agreed between the two clubs. Sammon, who has signed a three-and-a-half year deal with the Latics, scored eighteen goals in twenty-seven games this season and was the SPL top goalscorer before he left Scotland.

It makes depressing reading for Killie fans - and sometimes it’s the transfers OUT that can affect the rest of your season more than who comes in. There is no doubt Killie will sorely miss the big guy, but they couldn’t refuse the money offered to them or deny the career enhancing move for Sammon himself. Mixu will have his work cut out replacing the Irishman’s goals. Meanwhile, the 24-year old will have his work cut out as he competes for a place in Wigan's first eleven with forwards such as Hugo Rodallega and Franco Di Santo. It is a big step up for the Irishman, but nothing can take away his fantastic goalscoring form this season where everything seemed to click into place for him.

Deadline Day Terrace

Hi folks,

It's deadline day and it's time for a new episode of The Terrace. Check it out here or search for 'The Terrace' on iTunes.

On this week's show we will look back on the Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-finals of the weekend, as well as the SPL action which saw Hibs slip further in to relegation woes.

We talk Pressley, Livi and Arbroath in the SFL round-up and hand-pick a couple of upcoming Scottish Cup games which have tickled our fancy.

There midweek SPL action to preview as well as our usual other features.

Enjoy the show

Raith Rovers 1 v 2 Falkirk

Click here or read below for my report of the match at Starks Park this afternoon. It was published on the official Raith Rovers website.

Falkirk Hold On For Vital Three Points

A first half wonder strike from Jack Compton and mistake from Rovers keeper' David McGurn allowing striker Mark Stewart to fire home, was enough to give Falkirk a huge 3 points at Starks Park this afternoon, after a Laurie Ellis header had put the hosts ahead.

In truth, the match was fairly evenly contested with the Starks Park side having a few better chances.

Despite the defeat, Raith stay top of the 1^st Division but Falkirk are very much back in the race for promotion as they are now just 7 points behind Raith with a game in hand.

Falkirk's star player in the SPL, Pedro Moutinho, re-signed for the Bairns yesterday and it would be fair to say he struggled to find his feet today. His performance was summed up in a weakly struck effort eight minutes into the first half which McGurn comfortably gathered. Moments before this, Raith had almost taken the lead when a Falkirk clearance fell to Allan Walker who half-volleyed the ball just wide of Robert Olejnik's post.

However, the 2,829 fans inside Starks Park would not have to wait long for the opening goal. 10 minutes in, a Walker corner was cleared as far as Iain Davidson whose back post cross was met by the head of the unchallenged Ellis and the ball looped over the helpless Olejnik into the back of the net.

Falkirk tried to strike back through Ryan Flynn as he strode down the Rovers half and if it was not for the close attention of Stephen Simmons his strike may have beaten McGurn.

The play began to slow down as referee Bobby Madden appeared to become a little whistle-happy until the 38^th minute Falkirk hauled themselves back into the match with an absolute peach of a strike. Compton received the ball on the right wing with not a Rovers player in sight and the 22-year-old drove forward towards the box dodging a Davidson tackle, cutting inside past Willie Dyer and then belted the ball from 25 yards out, clipping the bar on the way into goal. Compton's effort was applauded by both sets of fans.

4 minutes later Raith had lost another goal. Compton scraped a weak effort at goal which McGurn looked to have covered, but the ball bounced off his hands and onto the foot of Stewart who had the easiest of jobs to pass the ball into the back of the net.

Iain Williamson, who had replaced Scott McBride after a head knock, had a chance to bring Raith level at half time but his injury time strike was cleared off the line by Falkirk.

Williamson had another dig at goal shortly after the break but failed to connect with the ball properly before Falkirk's Stewart should have added another goal to his tally. Compton was causing more problems down the right wing, skipping past Dyer and crossing into the box where he found Stewart just yards out, but he somehow hit the ball straight at McGurn, who gathered comfortably.

Compton was proving to be Falkirk's creative spark and on the 66^th minute he used his pace to ease past Mark Campbell and despite being at a very tight angle, fired a good effort just wide of the goal. Two minutes later Campbell proved his worth as he cleared a Stewart header off the line.

Raith were provided a welcome boost on the 71^st minute as Brian McLean took Walker clean out 40 yards out and picked up his second yellow card of the match. McLean appeared to injure himself in the process of the tackle but had no choice but to walk down the tunnel for another mistimed tackle.

Despite having the man advantage, Raith's luck looked to have run out as a Campbell cross was gathered by the clean through John Baird but his effort crashed off the bar and clear.

Raith piled men forward and unsurprisingly looked uncomfortable when Falkirk counter-attacked, but it was Raith's Williamson who went closest to grabbing the next goal with two stoppage time attempts. Firstly a Gregory Tade cross was flicked at goal by Williamson, but Olejnik held the ball comfortably and 1 minute later Olejnik was called into action for the final time as he tipped Williamson's pile-driver wide of the post.

The resultant corner came to nothing and Falkirk held on for a crucial three points. It was undoubtedly a thoroughly successful day for the Bairns as second placed Dunfermline Athletic also lost today at Firhill.

After picking up just 1 point from a possible 6 in these last two home fixtures, Raith will be hoping to extend their position at the top of the table next week at Stirling. Falkirk meanwhile will be keeping their fingers crossed that they can go on a Inverness-esq run till the end of the season now, but have it all to do, with a potentially tricky tie against Greenock Morton next weekend.

FREE 24 page preview of the Scottish League Cup semi-finals

Click here to read and/or download The Away End's latest digital magazine focusing on this weekend's Scottish League Cup Semi Finals between Celtic-Aberdeen and Rangers-Motherwell.

You can click on any of the following pictures to read my contributions.


Review of the expected Celtic defence:

Late drama on dramatic night for the 'Well:

Scottish League Cup semi final predictions:

A Shot At Glory

Click here for the latest edition of The Terrace in which I make my debut appearance with the radio show hosted by Alan Temple and Craig Fowler. You can also listen on iTunes here.

We discuss:

The SPL becomes more than a two-horse race….or did it?

There’s contrasting fortunes for the other club in the capital as Hibs lurch from one bad result to another - can the signings of Thornhill and Jean-Francois do anything to stem the tide of bade results down Easter Road way?

Meanwhile, Celtic continue to look more and more capable of taking the title back to the East End.

In the lower leagues we talk Jocky Scott, Queen of the South, Liam Buchanan, Darren Gribben and East Stirling in a packed round-up of life outside the top tier in Scotland.

As well as the usual packed week of SPL action there is also a couple of Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-finals to look forward to, as Stuart McCall’s Motherwell and Craig Brown’s Aberdeen look to shock Rangers and Celtic respectively at our national stadium.

Aside from that there is Where are they Now? and Punt of the Week.

Enjoy the show.

Raith Rovers 2 v 2 Greenock Morton

Click here or read below for my report of the match at Starks Park this afternoon. It was published on the official Raith Rovers website.

Last Gasp Strike Denies Rovers Victory

An 89th minute pile driver from Peter Weatherson denied Raith Rovers the opportunity to stretch their lead to four points at the top of the First Division this afternoon.

With Dunfermline Athletic’s game against Stirling Albion postponed, Raith were looking to take advantage against Greenock Morton.

At half time it looked like the job was almost done as Raith led 2-0 after John Baird and Allan Walker hit the target.

However, Morton made amends for their first period mistakes with Derek Lyle scoring just eight minutes into the second half and Weatherson completing the comeback, smashing a free kick into the top corner in the dying embers of the match.

The first half began with both sides creating chances and Morton boss Allan Moore was visibly perplexed when David O’Brien looked clean through on goal, only for referee Craig Thomson to bring the play back for a previous foul.

Michael Tidser had a long-range effort on goal for Morton, before keeper’ Colin Stewart made a comfortable save from Raith’s lively Baird.

O’Brien was running riot again on the 13th minute as he cut right through the Rovers midfield and David McGurn was relieved to see the winger’s shot stray wide of his post.

Three minutes later Raith took the lead through Baird. Morton failed to clear the ball from their box and Baird nipped in, dispossessed Grant Evans and had the simplest of tasks to slot the ball past Stewart from just indise the six yard box.

Raith really started to turn up the heat after their opening goal and Laurie Ellis was unlucky to see his front post header flash wide. Moments later, Raith carved open the Ton’ defence with a fantastic Iain Davidson pass forward which ended with Walker laying off Scott McBride, but the winger’s curling effort was on the wrong side of the post.

Mid-way through the half Raith had a scare when a Lyle cross was headed inches wide by David Graham.

However, Morton were picking the ball out of their net soon after when Walker controlled a cross deep inside the box, switched feet and found the back of the net with a simple finish.

Morton had a great chance to strike back on the 33rd minute as Lyle ran through the Rovers defence, but he was thwarted at the last possible second with a superb Stephen Simmons sliding tackle.

Just before the break, Baird latched onto a long pass from the midfield and caught the ball on the half volley, but his effort was weak and Stewart tipped the ball round the post.

Morton came out in the second half fired up and it took them just 8 minutes to grab a goal back. Raith failed to clear their lines and Lyle intercepted the ball, belting it into the top corner, giving McGurn no chance.

Morton were now in the ascendancy and after Mark Campbell was caught on the ball Graham flicked the ball off him but from a tight angle, fired over the bar.

Five minutes later, McGurn made an unbelievable stop to keep Raith ahead when he reached out a desperate hand to make a point blank save from Allan Jenkins.

After the narrow escape, Raith began to push forward in search of a third and final goal. On the 66th minute, Walker dispatched a long ball up to Baird who crossed into the box, but Stewart saved McBride’s diving header.

One minute later, Rovers launched an all out assault on the Morton goal with no less than three chances being cleared of the line in quick succession starting with a Baird header blocked by Stewart, the rebound fell to Ellis who blasted in a shot only to see it cleared off the line by Kean to Campbell whose header was saved by Stewart.

Baird thought he had won the game for Raith on the 76th minute when Simmons played him clean through and the small striker thumped the ball home only to see linesman Graeme Leslie raise his flag for offside. It must have been a very close call, but to be fair to Leslie, his flag was up immediately.

Allan Moore urged his players to start pushing forward in numbers and just three minutes from time Graham should have equalised for the away side. Lyle found himself clean through but McGurn spread his body and saved well but when Graham received the rebound at the edge of the box he somehow missed the open goal.

However, with Raith sitting back and looking vulnerable, Simmons conceded a needless foul on the left edge of the box and from the resulting free kick; substitute Peter Weatherson lashed the ball into the net with the aide of a slight deflection.

All in all, a disappointing result for Rovers who will feel they practically had the three points in the bag at half time. However, Morton showed great desire and spirit to haul themselves back into the match for an important away point.

Raith now move two points clear of Dunfermline,at the top of the League Table but now both sides have played an equal number of games.

The Student Sport - Semester 2 - Week 2

The Student released their second issue of Semester Two today. You can download page one of the sport section here and page two here. It was edited by Alistair Shand and myself.

The Away End Podcast with Graham Ruthven, Will Lyon & Ross Dunbar

The first podcast of 2011 saw three new names make their debut; Graham Ruthven, Will Lyon and Ross Dunbar took charge of the show this week.

Neil Lennon and Celtic continue their crusade to drive all the referees out of Scotland, Kenny Miller may well be joining the referees on their flight to somewhere new, and with them gone we'll probably still be deciding what league format to go with.

The show can be listened on the web here, or can be accessed via iTunes here.

Something stirring in the Kingdom of Fife

Click here or read below for my article on the recent success of football in Fife. It was published on The Terrace.

Something stirring in the Kingdom of Fife

Season 2006/07 seems a long time ago now and Fife clubs, Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife and Raith Rovers have good reasons to push it to the back of their minds.

On 5 May 2007, Raith were humbled 3-1 in the second leg of the Second Division playoff final by Stirling Albion, meaning that the Kirkcaldy side would be stuck in the third tier of Scottish football for another long season. Seven days later Dunfermline fell to a 2-1 defeat at Inverness Caledonian Thistle to confirm their relegation to the First Division after seven brave years in the Scottish Premier League. On the same day East Fife fared no better as they were thrashed 3-0 by Queens Park in the Third Division playoff final, condemning them to the lowest tier of the Scottish Football League for another term. Meanwhile Cowdenbeath narrowly avoided relegation to Division 3 after finishing the season just six points off the relegation play-off position in Division 2.

Oh, how times have changed! Whilst there are still no Fife teams in the SPL, there is a great chance of one being there next season. If you take off the recently-confirmed 25 point deduction for Dundee then Dunfermline and Raith are actually sitting in the top two places of the First Division. There is currently only one point between the sides and Raith have a game in hand over their west Fife rivals.

Cowdenbeath, after two back-to-back promotions find themselves punching well above their weight in the First Division and are remarkably four (nine, if you take Dundee's point deduction into consideration) points clear of the automatic relegation. The Blue Brazil, tipped to go straight back down to Division 2, have defied the odds so far this season. East Fife are currently undergoing a bit of modification after Stevie Crawford stepped down as manager. Despite this, Hearts hero John Robertson has taken the reigns and has the Methil side sitting seventh in the Second Division and has already nabbed a Manager of the Month award.

Football in Fife hasn’t looked so rosy in many years. Cowdenbeath, East Fife and Raith are all in higher leagues compared to 2006/07 and Dunfermline fans will be currently enjoying watching their team fly to the top of the First Division rather than the horrible relegation suffered in 2007. So what has changed?

Dunfermline 
The situation at East End Park worsened before it got better. In season 2007/08 the Pars finished their return to Division 1 in a disappointing 5th place and suffered humiliating home defeats to Hamilton Academical (0-5) and Livingston (0-4) in the space of three weeks. After finishing as runners-up in the Scottish Cup the season previous, Dunfermline actually competed in Europe in 2007, but were knocked out at the first hurdle by BK Hacken.

The Pars board soon realised that manager Stephen Kenny was not capable of producing the goods that they demanded and he was sacked on 4 December 2007. Striker Jim McIntyre was handed the job on a permanent basis a month later. Since McIntyre's appointment, the Pars have steadily progressed and finished in a respectable third position in the last two seasons. McIntyre has disposed of dead wood at the club and has brought in some fantastic younger players such as Willie Gibson and Steven Bell. McIntyre has done a fine job and his side look favourites for promotion back into the SPL this season.

Raith Rovers
Season 2006-2007 ended in disappointment for Raith, but it had actually been the start of a new era. Hearts coach John McGlynn was hired on 20 November 2006 and steered Rovers from 9th place in Division 2 to finish 3rd. Rovers finished third again the following season and bowed out in the playoffs to Airdrie United. However, 2008/09 was to be the season that Raith finally hauled themselves back into the First Division, winning automatic promotion by finishing two points ahead of second-placed Ayr United.

McGlynn performed further miracles in 2009-2010 by leading the Starks Park club to 7th place (after amazingly heading the division for a period) and also took the club to their first Scottish Cup semi-final in 47 years.

After keeping Raith up in their return to the First Division, McGlynn added Brechin full back Willie Dyer, Cowdenbeath winger Scott McBride, Montrose keeper Andy McNeil and Airdrie forward John Baird to his squad. Despite these relatively unremarkable signings, Raith somehow find themselves just one point behind Dunfermline and in a promotion battle that even their most ambitious fans could not have predicted at the start of the season.

Cowdenbeath
The recent story of Cowdenbeath is just as impressive as their Kirkcaldy neighbours. However, the story begins with a failure, as in 2007/08 they were relegated to the Third Division, finishing 9th and, via the playoffs, succumbing to a 3-2 aggregate defeat against Arbroath.

The Central Park side sacked manager Brian Welsh in June 2008 and Danny Lennon stepped up from the playing staff to take control in the dugout, much like Jim McIntyre. Yet, much like McIntyre, Lennon proved to be a natural. His managerial reign started well as Cowden finished second in the 2008/09 season and although they lost on penalties to Stenhousemuir in the playoff final they were promoted just days before the start of the new season due to Livingston being demoted to the Third Division.

Remarkably, with a squad that Lennon had assembled to compete in the Third Division, Cowdenbeath performed well above expectations and finished third in Division 2. They defeated Alloa Athletic in the play-off semi-final and then swept past Brechin City 3-0 to unbelievably seal promotion to the First Division.
Danny Lennon left Cowdenbeath for SPL club St. Mirren in the summer, but the experienced Jimmy Nicholl has taken over and produced good results such as narrow victories over Dundee and Raith while a 5-1 romp over Stirling was a particular high point.

East Fife 
The Fifers have had the hardest time of the four clubs in recent years, but most of their fans will admit that Division 2 is around their natural level anyway. Season 2007/08 saw a lot of investment in East Fife from Willie Gray and his financial backing paid off as the Methil side ran away with the Third Division title, finishing with 88 points, 23 more than runners-up Stranraer. 2008/09 was expected to be another successful year for East Fife, but Dave Baikie's side failed to make the impact they hoped, finishing sixth in the Second Division.

Striker Stevie Crawford had now taken over the reins and despite the withdrawal of funds from Gray, he managed to keep the team in the division, edging the dreaded play-offs by one point. Recently, John Robertson has taken over as manager which has allowed Crawford to solely focus on scoring goals again. It's still early in Robertson's tenure, but after beating Stenhousemuir 6-0 in their last league fixture they will be looking to push up the league from their current seventh position.

So there you have it. Considering the size of Fife, its football clubs are prospering and progressing very well. There is a fantastic chance of one of them being in the SPL next season and Cowdenbeath will be keen to stay up and keep punching above their weight in Division 1.

As a side note, it is interesting that Cowdenbeath (Danny Lennon), Dunfermline (Jim McIntyre) and Raith Rovers (John McGlynn) have had their clubs transformed by managers that were in their first permanent managerial job. It certainly backs the theory that older and experienced managers are being forced out of the game by chairmen looking for candidates that are in touch with the modern tactics and theories, as these young guns aim to bring success to the Kingdom.

Give Us Our Game Back

Click on the picture below for my article on the new SPL proposals set by Chief Executive Neil Doncaster. It was published in The Student.

The Student Sport - Semester 2 - Week 1

The Student released their first issue of Semester Two today. You can download page one of the sport section here and page two here. It was edited by Alistair Shand and myself.

“Massive” Foo Fighters Album Anticipated Soon

Click here or read below for my feature on Foo Fighters and their new album, to be released later this year. It was published on Pure Grain Audio.

Do they still have it in them to rock?

Foo Fighters have been a household name in the world of rock music for around sixteen years now and are hoping to release their seventh album this year. It would be fair to assert that their previous two efforts have been slightly disappointing for the hardcore fan as apart from a few decent singles, the music has become stale. Despite this, the Foos' have generally sold more albums with each new record, arguably because their music has become increasingly radio friendly.

However, there is now genuine excitement for the original Foo Fighters fans, who enjoyed the raw debut album and the ear bending The Colour & The Shape. Lead singer Dave Grohl has revealed that the new album, due out before the festival season, will sound 'massive'. The former Nirvana drummer has reunited with Butch Vig who produced Nirvana's classic Nevermind in the early nineties and Vig has stripped back the music to help it become heavier, using as little computer technology as possible.

Picture: NRK P3

The album, as of yet untitled, was recorded in Grohl's garage and will not contain any any acoustic orchestration or ballads, but just pure, hard, rock music.

Do the band still have what it takes though? Grohl has a strong love of pop music and the Washington hardcore punk scene that he grew up with, will now be a far and distant memory. Despite this, it seems that Grohl has somewhat rediscovered his roots. Foo Fighters recently took a two year hiatus which allowed Grohl to step back behind the drums for Them Crooked Vultures and it appears that during this time the 41-year-old enjoyed being part of a band who did not care for fancy effects or quiet, reflective songs.

There are fears that Foo Fighters have progressed too far from their raw beginnings and that they are unable to produce heavy songs with a melodic hook. A prime example of how it can go all wrong would be Feeder's latest album Renegades. The band ditched the acoustic guitars, cranked up the distortion pedal and found themselves looking a little silly with a lot of noise, but little quality.

However, faith must be placed in Grohl and company. They are intelligent musicians whose experience in this sector of the music industry is second to none.

Sunday 2nd January 2011 - Raith Rovers v Dunfermline Athletic [Preview]

Click here or read below of my preview of the forthcoming Fife derby between Raith Rovers and Dunfermline Athletic. It was published on The Away End.

Title honours up for grabs in Ne'erday clash

Raith Rovers are fighting to get their pitch ready for their eagerly anticipated fixture against Dunfermline Athletic on Sunday. The pitch at Starks Park is still frozen in areas, but the club are confident that it will be playable in time for the Fife derby.

The consequences of this game are huge in the race for the First Division title. A Dunfermline win would send the Pars seven points clear of their Kirkcaldy neighbours, a sizeable gap for the turn of the year. However, a win for Raith would see them close the gap on Dunfermline to just one point, with a game in hand.

Raith, despite occupying third place, are on a poor run of form. They have failed to win since 30 October and were unable to score in their last two games. However, John McGlynn's side will be pleased that they have managed to keep a clean sheet in these previous two games after they fell to a shocking 4-2 defeat at Alloa Athletic in November.

Dunfermline on the other hand are on a fairly decent run. They have picked up eight points in their last four games and thrashed Cowdenbeath by five goals on Wednesday night. Jim McIntyre's side have a great attacking threat but have been known to crumble defensively. They have thrown away 2-0 advantages against Dundee and Raith to draw 2-2 in recent months.

What we can expect in this New Year derby is a very stuffy game played at a frantic pace. Raith have a very well organised and hard working defence and it is unlikely that Dunfermline's attacking threat will be sharp enough to penetrate the home defence very often. Dunfermline will probably have slightly more of the ball, but when Raith have possession, they will look to break quickly with the pace of their attacking line.

Raith's key player will undoubtedly be Gregory Tade. The big Frenchman causes havoc every time he plays due to his sheer athleticism and pace. He will be the target man for any long balls and is a key part of the Raith counter attack system.

Dunfermline's key player would normally be Steven Bell or Willie Gibson, but they will miss out due to injury and illness. Therefore, Andy Kirk will be the player that Pars fans will look to for a spark. The First Division joint top goalscorer has struggled to rediscover his scoring form recently, but found himself back on track after he scored the opening goal in the romp against Cowdenbeath on Wednesday.

You don't have to look far for a classic game between Raith and Dunfermline. The sides last met in a 2-2 draw at a packed East End Park on 13 November 2010. The Pars dominated the first period and went in 2-0 up at the break thanks to goals from former Rover, Pat Clarke and Callum Woods. Rovers fans stood in silence at half time as they tried to comprehend the sheer dominance of their west Fife rivals.

The second half began with Rovers finally creating a few decent chances. However, Dunfermline should have sealed the game shortly after the break when Kirk missed an open goal after a deep Clarke cross. The Pars fans had their heads in their hands once more when Neil McGregor picked up his second yellow card of the game after scything down Scott McBride.

Raith were now well in control but fifteen minutes from time their fans were almost rioting. Kirk had left the pitch to be treated by the physio, while manager McIntyre made two substitutions. Kirk was unaware that he had been subbed and after receiving treatment he strolled back onto the pitch to make the teams even again at 11v11. Referee Eddie Smith soon turned his attention to the Raith fans screaming “cheats!” and booing incessantly. He finally realised that Kirk had incorrectly come back onto the pitch and booked the striker before he trotted back off the pitch onto the bench.

Raith managed to grab a goal back on the 83^rd minute when keeper' Chris Smith failed to hold onto the ball and former Par Ian Williamson nicked it off him and slotted home into the empty net.

Minutes later Williamson rattled the bar and Craig Wilson fired a belting shot inches over. The Pars looked to have held out for the three points, but two minutes into stoppage time Allan Walker looped the ball over Smith into the back of the net to level the game at 2-2.

For Dunfermline fans it felt like a defeat, for Rovers, it was a victorious feeling.

With so much to play for, Sundays game should be a cracker too.

Wednesday 29th December 2010 - Falkirk 0 v 0 Raith Rovers

Click here or read below for my match report of the Irn Bru Scottish First Division fixture between Falkirk and Raith Rovers. It was published on the official Raith Rovers website.

 

Stalemate At Falkirk

Raith Rovers rounded off a fantastic year with a well earned draw at the Westfield Stadium.

The majority of the match was an even contest with both sides unable to break each other down but as legs began to tire near the end, opportunities followed.

It was the visitors that had the best two chances, both falling to Gregory Tade in the dying embers of the game. However, Falkirk goalkeeper Robert Olejnik was in fine form, denying the Frenchman one-on-one both times.

Despite a poor first half display from both sides, the signs were initially positive as Falkirk's Mark Stewart broke free at the back post only for former Falkirk stopper Mark Campbell to make a superb sliding tackle just in time.

After twenty minutes of play being stuck in midfield, Mark Twaddle made a neat run down the left hand side but was averted by Rovers captain Grant Murray. After the resultant corner, Raith broke up the pitch and Scott McBride hit an effort wide of the post.

Moments later, the ball was at the other end of the pitch as Kenny Deuchar nodded a dangerous header across goal, but thankfully for the 547 away fans, Campbell was on hand to head over his own bar for a corner.

The rest of the half produced few other chances and it was made harder to watch by referee Stevie O'Reilly as he persisted in talking to players for long spells after strong tackles. Indeed, three minutes from the break Raith gaffer John McGlynn was given a warning by O'Reilly for seemingly voicing some concerns over his performance.

Within five minutes of the second period Raith created the best chance of the match so far, as a cross-cum-shot from McBride was nearly diverted in at the back post by Tade.

John Baird and Allan Walker had attempts on goal for Raith which were followed by a tricky Kieran Duffie shot, however, David McGurn in the Raith goal did well to tip over.

Half chances appeared at both ends, with the majority created for Raith by Tade and Walker while Burton O'Brien and substitute Kallum Higginbotham fired over for Falkirk.

The Kirkcaldy side looked to have taken the lead on the 76th minute as Baird fired a well struck effort into the bottom corner but he was adjudged to be offside.

As the game drew to a close, Falkirk had numerous scrambles in the Rovers box, with the home support often crying for a penalty to be awarded.

In the last minute of regulation Raith should have taken the lead as Tade found himself clean through on goal after a long ball but his effort was well saved by Olejnik.

Much to the Falkirk keeper's horror, three minutes into stoppage time, Tade was one-one-one with him again. The Austrian made another fine block with his legs, but this time the ball fell to Baird on the edge of the box, who fired another shot at goal. With Olejnik beaten, Rovers fans thought Baird had scored, only for Scobbie to clear the ball off the line.

The final action of the match was a Raith corner swung in by Walker and the home fans watched on through their fingers as Laurie Ellis headed the ball across goal, inches from the head of the inrushing Baird, and wide of the post.

A draw was the fairest result, but both teams will still feel that they had enough chances to win the match.

With Dunfermline Athletic thumping Cowdenbeath by five goals, the New Year derby between the Pars and Raith becomes more important. A Raith win on Sunday would take them just one point behind their West Fife rivals, with a game in hand.

The Future's Rosy, The Future's Red

Click here or read below for my article on the recent Aberdeen AGM. It was published on The Away End.

The Future's Rosy, The Future's Red

On Monday night Aberdeen held their 107^th AGM to around 100 weather-beaten shareholders. Nothing out of the ordinary was revealed, but on show was proof that chairman Stewart Milne and the board still put their hands in their pockets more than some Aberdeen fans give them credit for.

First on the agenda was the possibility of new signings for new gaffer Craig Brown. David McNamee does appear to be expected as the first signing, but Milne warned fans that there would not be an abundance of new talent through the doors of Pittodrie in January. Milne then stated that he believes Brown and his assistant Archie Knox can keep the club in the SPL with most of the resources that he has at hand already.

“There's not bags of money available in Scottish football.

“Football is all about getting the best out of a squad available.

“That's what Craig and Archie will set out to do.”

It therefore appears that there will not be a huge turnover of players in the winter transfer window, but more of a gentle alteration.

Also for discussion was the move of the club from Pittodrie to Loriston Loch, which Milne revealed should be in place for the 2013/14 season.

“The aim would be to have all the funding in place by the first quarter of 2012 with a view to starting the project in the second part of 2012 to have the stadium ready to play in for season 2013-14.”

The inevitable question of how and why Mark McGhee was sacked at the beginning of the month was then answered by Milne.

“We came to the conclusion it was the right time to make a change.

“When you don't make a change, there is potentially an even greater cost of not making a change.”

After many Dons fans questioned whether the club could afford to sack McGhee, Milne quickly proved that he and the board were still willing to put hands in their pockets to benefit the club. Quite rightly so, since they were the ones who appointed McGhee in June 2009 for what can only be described as a disastrous reign.

“In neither case did the funds come out of the football budget, we have found that money from elsewhere.”

Some Aberdeen fans should probably be a bit more thankful to have a chairman who puts his hand in his pocket time and time again for what can from the outside, look like a impossible task. In McGhee, Milne may have appointed the wrong man, but on paper it looked like a fairly good appointment. Ultimately it failed, but it is always hard to predict who would do the best job at a football club.

Aberdeen fans should take comfort in the fact that Milne is trying to build a rosy future for the once proud club. The completion of a new stadium may still seem miles away, but once it goes through it should rejuvenate the club and can hopefully be followed up by a fruitful youth academy.

The Dons may be bottom of the SPL right now, but fans should have faith in the wily old foxes that are Brown and Knox. Firstly, to keep their club up this season, push them further up the table the following season and by then the new stadium and youth academy should be well on the way for what will be the start of a new era for Aberdeen Football Club.

Play-off Madness

Click here or read below for my article on the radical SPL play-offs proposed by Dundee United chairman, Stephen Thompson. It was published on www.theawayend.net.

Play-off Madness

Dundee United chairman, Stephen Thompson, has controversially proposed his own Scottish Premier League plans which would determine the winner through a play-off system at the end of each season.

All twelve current SPL clubs were due to meet on Monday to discuss the possibility of a ten team league,only for the snowy weather to scupper the plans. The discussion was to be based around the system proposed by SPL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster, a system which would see the bottom side in the Scottish top tier automatically relegated, with the winner of a 'SPL2' moving up a division automatically. As the regular season finishes, a play-off scenario containing the ninth placed team in the SPL and second, third and fourth in the SPL2 would then take place.

However, Thompson believes the SPL proposals are not radical enough and says that the top four teams to finish in the SPL should battle for the title in a play-off.

Thompson has stated that "just going back to a top 10 will not change anything. If we are to have just 10 in the top league, we have to look at really radical proposals.

“Fans of teams outwith the Old Firm have become fed up of those two sharing the title between them.

"It is incredible and extremely regrettable that the last non-Old Firm title win was 25 years ago.

"I think we need to go further and make things more interesting at the top of the table as well as having promotion/relegation play-offs."

Fair?

Is Thompson's idea fair though? Is there really any justification for a team to finish top of a league after 36 gruelling fixtures, only for the SPL to turn around and say “sorry guys, but now you have a match against the fourth placed side who finished 'x' points behind you, to see who are the champions”. If that fourth placed side knocked out the table toppers and went on to win the play-offs, would they really be worthy winners? Despite (for arguments sake) finishing twenty points behind the first placed side, why should they be rewarded with the trophy because they managed to collect a decent amount of points during the regular season and then winning four games on the bounce, right at the end?

Surely, the worthy and correct champions of a long league system are the side who collect the highest number of points? Scotland's top flight already has two competitions which have a knock-out system. The Scottish Cup (a competition that Thompson's side won last season) and the Scottish League Cup are already in place and give teams outside the Old Firm a better chance of winning competitions because teams do not have to be consistent over a long period of time to win it.

Crowds

Thompson asks us to consider “a top-four play-off with home and away games and a play-off final at Hampden.

"There would be full houses for all the games and it would create huge interest from the TV companies and the fans and would generate a lot of money, perhaps as much as £2m extra income for the teams in the SPL.”

That is all fine and well, the play-off matches would indeed be absolutely exhilarating. However, what about the money and crowds that Celtic and Rangers will lose during the regular season? The last time an Old Firm side finished outside the top four in Scotland was in the 1989/1990 season, when Celtic finished fifth. In every other season since, both of the Old Firm have finished in the top four. So what exactly is appealing to Celtic and Rangers fans about this play-off ending season? All Old Firm fans will realise that their clubs have an extremely rare chance of not making the play-offs. So why do they need to bother going to any league games until the play-offs? There is no incentive at all. Most Old Firm fans would find something else to do on a Saturday because there would be no reason to turn up to watch their team play a meaningless match.

Thompson may not care if Old Firm home crowds drop sharply, but what he would certainly miss, as a chairman, is the thousands of Old Firm fans that pay to come through to Dundee to watch games containing his football club.

Conclusion

Not only is Thompson's proposal grossly unfair, but it is also selfish and clearly only in the interests of his and similar sized clubs. We may well see Hearts or Dundee United win the top tier of Scottish football once more with this new system, but if they finish ten or twenty points behind the actual winner after 36 games, do they really deserve to be holding the trophy?

Scotland says 'snow way' to winter break

Click here or read below for my article on a winter break in Scottish football. It was published on www.thefootballreporter.com.

In recent weeks Scotland has been pounded with copious amounts of snow. Postponements have been rife and so to avoid all the hassle caused by these call-offs, fans and pundits have started calling for a winter break again. But could it really work?

To be blunt, no, it could not.

Some of the flooding during the storm

On 21 July 2009, Scottish First Division side Raith Rovers hosted a friendly against Hibernian. Everything was going well until the second half. The players came out and started the second period, but after just two minutes there was a power surge and the floodlights cut out. In just the next ten minutes, as the lights were turning back on, a freak storm occurred and flooded the pitch. Unfortunately, the match had to be abandoned.

If you had not already observed, this was a friendly abandoned due to weather, not in winter, but in the heart of summer. Admittedly it was a freak storm, but it underlines the point that Scottish weather is unpredictable at the best of times.

The current league campaign has seen postponements because of large amounts of snow (and referee strikes) as early as 27 November, while last season, Scottish clubs still saw matches called off as late as 2 March because of frozen pitches. So going by the events of just one year, 2010, if a winter break was to cover all possibilities of postponed fixtures, it would have to start in mid November and continue till mid March.

Of course this is far too long a period for no football to be played in the current league set up. How are Scottish teams supposed to find enough time to play their 36 or 38 league games, plus cup fixtures, between August and mid November, and mid March till May? Some clubs would have to play at least two games a week for the entire season to fulfil their fixtures. The product on display is bad enough already without having to watch the same players trying to perform whilst physically shattered.

Three or four months of fixtures cannot be wiped out because pitches 'might' freeze or flood, or snow 'might' compromise the safety of fans. Instead, the country has to continue to battle on with what the weather serves up. If Scotland is hit by adverse weather during December and January, then so be it. It can not be predicted when conditions will be unsuitable, so clubs have to stay tough and play the hand they are dealt by nature.

Some may say the solution would be to employ a winter break and extend the season by a few months. However, this would lead to league campaigns finishing in June or July. How are pitches supposed to repair themselves if football is still being played deep into the summer? How are clubs going to afford paying wages for one or two months longer when they struggle to pay wages as it is? And how are players going to have enough time to recuperate for the following season if they have just a few weeks to rest?

The 'winter break' is a pipedream and always will be.

Boyd Seeks Gers Return

Click here or read below for my article on Kris Boyd and his proposed move to Rangers in the January transfer window. It was published on The Away End.

Krismas Comes Early For Boro Fans As Mowbray Punts Flop

Just over a week ago it was revealed that Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray had informed striker Kris Boyd, that his services were no longer required, as the Teesside club aimed to reduce their wage bill. Now, it has been sensationally revealed that Boyd may be seeking a return to former side, Rangers.

Boyd: During happier times at Ibrox

Pre-season promotion favourites Middlesbrough, currently sit second bottom of the English Championship after a staggering eleven losses and just five wins after nineteen games. Gordon Strachan, who resigned after just under one year in charge, was replaced by Boro legend, Mowbray in October and he now seeks to dispose of surplus players which disturb the 'balance' of the side.

Boyd arrived at Middlesbrough from Rangers in July this year with the aim of scoring goals, and lots of them. However, Boyd has struggled to find his finest form and has scored a measly five in nineteen appearances. After chatting with Mowbray, the 27-year-old has reportedly informed his agent to speak to Rangers to try and negotiate a way back into Glasgow.

Rangers of course are still in financial turmoil and currently in talks with a potential buyer, so now is probably not the best time for the club to be signing an expensive player.

Another problem is that Rangers have moved on as a club since Boyd's departure. He was replaced in the summer by strikers James Beattie and Nikica Jelavic and it would therefore be reasonable to suggest that the Gers cannot afford £18,000 a week of wages that were offered to Boyd before he left for England.

Moreover, there seems to be a fairly muted response from Rangers fans around Scotland with the news of Boyd seeking a move back 'home'. After all, some fans feel betrayed that he left for a club they regard as smaller than Rangers and believed it was a money-motivated move.

However, this is not the main root of concern from Rangers fans. In Boyd's last thirteen appearances for Rangers, he only scored four goals, of which two came from the penalty spot. Add this to Boyd's recent Middlesbrough record, Rangers do not need an expensive out-of-form striker on their books.

The other problem holding back a Boyd move to Glasgow is that Rangers do not appear to need the SPL top goal-scorer of all time. The Gers sit top of the SPL, two points clear of bitter rivals Celtic, with a game in hand. They are still in Europe and both of the Scottish cups. This is largely thanks to Kenny Miller, who has looked a totally different player since Boyd left and has scored eighteen goals in the SPL so far, which is seven more than any other player. The importance of Miller is obvious, because Rangers have not had the help of Beattie and Jelavic to boost the 'goals for' column as they have been injured for a large part of the season. Beattie is almost back to full fitness and Jelavic is hoping to be back in the next month so it seems that Boyd is not wanted, nor needed at Ibrox any more.

Miller has been on top form since Boyd left Rangers

So, if Rangers are happy with what they have, where next for Boyd? His perceived laziness on the pitch certainly lowers his chances of finding a top club, but to have scored more goals than Henrik Larsson in the SPL by the age of twenty seven is a fine achievement and should appeal to many managers in the Championship, or even at a higher level. People may scorn at the idea of Boyd in the English Premier League, but it has been argued by many that if you give Boyd enough chances at any level, he will stick the majority of them away.