Yoss wrote:
I can't speak for the first leg, still less the course of the season, but there's not much doubt that Cowdenbeath deserved that one on the day yesterday. Couple of good early chances for Alloa but Cowden were on top for most of the game even if they didn't start getting the breaks in front of goal until well into the second half. Some decent play in the build-up to both goals too.


I reckon that's a pretty fair summation of the game. I thought we had the better chances in the first half, Prunty's header and Jamie Hay's chance that he knocked wide being the pick of them, but Cowden dominated possession for most of the game and deserved their win in the end. As for most of the season we had dreadful luck with injuries in that game, prior to the match we had Scott Buist, Dougie Wilson, Mark Gilhaney, Brown Ferguson and Stuart Noble all out injured, then Declan McAvoy picked up an injury in the warm up, Andy Scott got injured in the first few minutes of the game and Bryan Prunty was playing with an injury and had to be taken off in the second half.

It's pretty galling not to be going up after losing the league by 6 goals to a team who we beat four times this season and then losing in the play-offs to a team who, before Saturday, hadn't beaten us in seven games this season. Still, it's our own fault for not doing well enough against the teams lower down the league.

That's a very stoic way of viewing things, Dink.

The fact is that since the playoffs were introduced, more often than not they've simply been a way for teams to coast along in mid-table for most of the season and steal a promotion slot at the last minute (and I say this as a fan of the first team to benefit from them).

Yeah, I wasn't feeling so stoic on the trip down from Peterhead when we had lost our third game on the trot and it was dawning on me that the league was now Stirling's to lose rather than our's to win. Since we failed to pick up a single point in those three games I've pretty much been resigned to us chucking it all away.

The play-offs have also been a way of totally undeserving teams to escape relegation, and I was pretty damn happy when we were one of those teams. It would be fairly churlish of me to complain about the system now.

I wonder if we might have a record number of new managers in place next season in the SPL. St Mirren sacked Gus Macpherson today and they were one of the clubs I thought probably wouldn't change in the summer.

Rangers - maybe, Smith is still out of contract
Celtic - probably a new manager
Dundee Utd - maybe, if he fancies joining Levien wherever he is at the start of the season
Hibs - can't see him leaving, yet.
Motherwell - Brown has no contract,
Hearts - you wouldn't bet against them having 2 managers between now and then
St Johnstone - won't see him being sacked but some others might fancy him, Hearts, Dundee Utd?
Hamilton - again no sacking but could they hold him if others came calling
Aberdeen - McGee should start the season, wouldn't bet on him finishing it
St Mirren - Macpherson sacked already
Kilmarnock - Calderwood has no contract, & Macpherson must be a fancy for them
ICT/Falkirk - should both start with the same managers but Motherwell again for Butcher?

Morton are looking for a new manager too and apparently want Moore from Stirling Albion.

That's a complete fuck-up by St.Mirren - Macpherson got them up and kept them up on next to no money, and was great at unearthing overlooked gems like Dorman and Mehmet.

Now St.Murn will have to either give the new manager a pot of money (which they don't have), get extremely lucky and find another guy who can make a viable SPL side out of buttons, or (most likely) hire someone not quite as good and get relegated.

Bad move for St.Mirren I feel. It seems like change just for the sake of it. They're still up for sale and a director has also left today. They've only got about 8 senior players contracted for next season too. Still, so did Motherwell last close season and that worked out OK.

Moore's been linked with Morton before but they refused to pay compensation. He could be a contender for the St.Mirren job, along with McDowell and Calderwood.

It seems Angelo Massone of Livingston fame has cropped up again. Rumours that he's trying to buy Kilmarnock. You hope for their sake that there's nothing to it.

Re managerial positions: a return to the top flight for Jocky Scott would be most welcome. Teckle.

I'd be amazed if there's anything in this Massone story, not even our chairman would be daft enough to let that charlatan anywhere near the club (I hope).

Well done Stranraer for a good end to the season !

Looks like we've beaten Southampton to David Arfield from Falkirk. Are we signing a good 'un?

Totally made up that the Blue Brazil have won a second successive promotion - it's good for three reasons:

1. They're not Airdrie
2. It's always good to see wee Danny Lennon doing well
3. Hopefully Cowden's 1st division status will bring a wee bit of money in and scupper Spartans' attempts at franchising their way into the league. Fuck off, vultures.

I'm delighted as well, they've probably set a record by starting the season in the Third Division and ending it in the First, right?

Also means that Dunfermline will have 6 home derbies next season, which is nice.

Good for Div 1 which has been a bit of the usual suspects in recent seasons.

It's also pretty unusual for one of the normally rank teams to get this high up the table.

Pleased for them too. And still amazed to be reminded (by some of the cup final media coverage) that the excellent Morgaro Gomis was playing for them only 3 seasons ago...

Cavalry Trouser Tips wrote:
Looks like we've beaten Southampton to David Arfield from Falkirk. Are we signing a good 'un?

Do you mean Scott Arfield? If you are in the same division next season that you are in today then he'll look a star I think. Up a league might take a bit more adjustment. He did well for Falkirk under Hughes but like most of the Falkirk team he didn't play as well this season. He's an under 21 and Scotland B cap which is still quite impressive while playing for Falkirk. I saw him play against Rangers once and he was the best midfielder on the park.

Yeah that's him. Don't know where I got David from.

As regards what division we'll be in, we'll see what happens tonight...

I wonder what Dundee fans make of this

That talk of 'SPL cost base' makes me a bit uneasy. Though after last season I doubt Melville will be too keen to throw money at the team again.

Anyway - late in getting to this but I wanted to ask y'all who you thought was the best player you saw this season and also who you would have as manager of the year (taking all the divisions into account)?

I watched Raith more than any other team last season and David McGurn was always somewhere between good and amazing. Never saw him have a bad game and in particular he always seemed to make a few wonder saves against Dunfermline.

I think for a manager its hard to choose between John McGlynn and Danny Lennon but just for the sheer wow factor of having Cowdenbeath in the First Division, I'll go with Lennon. Last time you'll hear a manager called Lennon gettin' praised no doubt (ha ha)

I think the BBC article sensationalises Brannan's letter a little, but it was fairly honest and forthright - the original is here: www.dundeefc.co.uk/news_detail.asp?ID=3252

I generally try to avoid plugging my twohundredpercent columns on here but I've already posted up a season review there if anyone is interested: www.twohundredpercent.net/?p=6578 . Manager and player of the year I only did divisionally rather than overall, but I'd probably pick out Danny Lennon too. As far as players go, the best performance(s) I saw personally were from Willie Gibson. I think I saw the Dunfermline four times - three against us and once against Dundee - and in three of those games he was outstanding. (In the other he got sent off.) But apparently I kept seeing him on his good days and I'm told he had more than his fair share of bad or ordinary ones.

I refuse to link to it for obvious reasons but today's Scottish Sun is carrying a rather large story about Celtic signing Kris Boyd. Now it contains not one quote and seems like the most ridiculously unlikely transfer however it is penned by Iain King who among other things wrote Barry Ferguson's book which suggests some level of insight.
Anyway I don't believe it is going to happen but it might be amusing if it did.

AMMS wrote:
I wonder if we might have a record number of new managers in place next season in the SPL. St Mirren sacked Gus Macpherson today and they were one of the clubs I thought probably wouldn't change in the summer.

Rangers - maybe, Smith is still out of contract
Celtic - probably a new manager
Dundee Utd - maybe, if he fancies joining Levien wherever he is at the start of the season
Hibs - can't see him leaving, yet.
Motherwell - Brown has no contract,
Hearts - you wouldn't bet against them having 2 managers between now and then
St Johnstone - won't see him being sacked but some others might fancy him, Hearts, Dundee Utd?
Hamilton - again no sacking but could they hold him if others came calling
Aberdeen - McGee should start the season, wouldn't bet on him finishing it
St Mirren - Macpherson sacked already
Kilmarnock - Calderwood has no contract, & Macpherson must be a fancy for them
ICT/Falkirk - should both start with the same managers but Motherwell again for Butcher?

Morton are looking for a new manager too and apparently want Moore from Stirling Albion.

An update. Calderwood has now confirmed he won't be at Kilmarnock next season.