Magic Hat

We ended up before the match coming around the corner behind the Hamilton ragamuffins on the way to the ground When one of them has his top off you know they are a proper naughty bunch.

Appreciate that Brian, no there was no personal abuse at all, just a couple of angry rants. We have both heard much worse over the years but still not particularly proud of it. Anyway got me speaking to the great man, I am a convert. Cheers again and see you at the Recs to witness the all conquering 2023/2024 wasps.

Completely agree, was a surprise to me as well, you wee souls had better watch out on Saturday.

As the final part of my hopeful absolution, would like to apologise to anyone that took offence to my shouting on Saturday, let my anger and passion spiral out of control. After contacting Brian Rice yesterday, what a really nice man, took some of my criticism on the chin but at the same time provided sound reasons for the majority of them, whether that was injuries or proposed loans not coming to fruition. Talked very highly of the club, and especially the players he has worked with over the last 15 months. He was very passionate and sounds as disappointed as I was about Saturday, saying it was the most disappointing result of his career. Certainly convinced me that the club means a lot to him and he is working extremely hard to get success. He has gone up massively up in my estimations and made me feel 100% like s**t at the same time, but serves me right and I am big enough to take it, a major lesson learned.

Heard from a couple of people that there was a bit of trouble after the game on Saturday, which is a bit disappointing to hear, hope nobody was badly hurt.

Assume this is a p**s take, the man is 59. Up until today I wasn't his biggest fan, especially following Saturday, but we had a good discussion and now

Would agree with this, Airdrie have the best team and manager in the play offs. Saying that we have been massive underdogs in the play offs and still went up. On his day Zanetta is still an excellent player at this level and Airdrie will have to keep him quiet.

Don't always agree with Leon, sure he doesn't agree with me often either, but the quality of highlights is as good or better than other teams in our league and indeed most of the ones I have seen from the Championship.

After calming down, watching Brian Rice's emotional interview and reflecting a bit more objectively on yesterday, he is right the sending off and injuries were a killer in a game we were comfortable in. Still don't think any team should concede 5 goals in 10 minutes, whether down to 10 men or not but accept these really were players on their last legs. As I have said before he isn't for me as a manager, but hopefully he can prove me wrong by recruiting well in the Summer, in what will probably be the biggest rebuilding exercise at the club since Paul Hartley. My frustration with Brian Rice wasn't just due to the collapse yesterday but has been building up for some months, that said probably wrong to voice my disappointment so vehemently, need to repurpose my passion as getting too semi-old for that. In summary, hope next season is a good one for the club.

Agree that was good to see, some players would have reacted badly to being subbed so soon.

Surely this will be the last season of the best Alloa defender I have ever seen at the club, Andy Graham. Hope he gets some kind of position at the club.

Fair enough Vegetableman happy to agree to differ. Not confident but hope you are right.

That is your opinion and I have mine, for me it has been a poor season, the quality of football has been awful to watch and have enjoyed very few games this year. Only reason I brought up the Edinburgh game is that along with today they are the worst collapses I have seen from an Alloa team, both under Rice. Don't rate Rice as a manager but if others do then they are 100 percent entitled to their opinion. I have cheered, applauded, been close to tears and shouted at managers over the years borne out of enjoyment, passion and frustration of watching Alloa.

I accept the sending off and injuries were a major reason for the Hamilton come back, and we we're down to the bare bones, but for me that doesn't excuse the tactical misgivings of Rice. Quite often teams galvanise when going down to 10 men and very few shop 4 goals in just over 5 minutes. As I said to Printer, realise I am in the minority but don't rate Rice and this in my opinion has been a poor season, despite finishing 4th.

It probably is Printer and sure he will be here next season based on that. I know I am in the minority but still don't rate him as a manager. If people have enjoyed that this season then fair enough.

You are 100 percent entitled to your opinion but for me Rice has been an awful appointment. That is twice this season that when we have been down to 10 men he hasn't had a clue what to do. No team should ship 4 goals in just over 5 minutes. Poor signings, retaining players that weren't good enough, playing key players out of position and being tactically inept. Unfortunately I think he will be here next season

I have been critical of Brian Rice and his baffling decisions this season, but fair play to him last night, multiple injuries before and during the game, but the shape of the team still looked good. Hope Adam King is okay after his collapse on the pitch. Thought Devine and Coulson were our best two players last night but the whole team deserves praise. Will be a difficult game on Saturday but didn't see anything from Hamilton last night to suggest we don't have a real chance.

You are probably right, it is like having a job, on a Saturday, you need to go and don't necessarily need to enjoy it.

Don't agree that we weren't outplayed by Airdrie, one tame header in 90 minutes at home is unacceptable and they didn't look like they got out of first gear. You have a point about QOS, stupid errors cost us in the 1st half, although we were lucky they weren't out of site. In the 2nd half a mix of us being better and QOS looking like they took their foot off the gas, helped us make a game of it and probably slightly unlucky not to get a point. If Rice gets us into 4th sure he will be here next season, which is a depressing thought. Sure the majority of fans (both Alloa and other teams) will see it as success and it is what Mike Mulraney will ultimately base his season performance on. That said for me after 40 years of supporting Alloa not sure I can bring myself to watching that again next season. Seriously thinking about not getting a season ticket again or even paying £18 most weeks for what is not entertainment.

Imagine criticising a manager as your team are completely outplayed at home for the third game in a row, by local playoff rivals. We are fourth in the league and before the season started would have been thinking that is roughly where we would finish. Normally would be buzzing for the play offs but Rice's football is awful to watch, punting the ball up to Sammon and MacIver who when they play together are poor, constantly playing players out of position and overall poor signings and loans have been frustrating. We have been largely helped by QOS awful start, Edinburgh's implosion and Montrose's inconsistency.

I don't think Strachan has been a particularly great signing but today he looked like he wasn't 100 percent fit and was possibly carrying an injury.

Have to agree that was utter drivel. Three defeats in a row at home. We will probably limp into the play offs but wouldn't fancy our chances against any of the likely opposition at the moment. Rice's football is absolutely f*****g awful to watch and he just isn't a very good manager. The thought of potentially having to watch that for another year is depressing. Nobody was good today, Hogarth was really poor, the defence was all over the place, midfield was getting overrun and the two up front are one of the worst striker partnerships I have seen at the Recs for a long time. Well done to Falkirk you were and are miles better than us.

Think the criticism was definitely merited based on Church's performances last season. That said he is probably our most improved player this year and his goal at Kelty was one of my favourite of the season.

I would put Connor Sammon somewhere in the middle of Alloa strikers I have seen. He is certainly no May, Stewart, Cameron or Irvine but neither is he a Campbell, One, Malcolm or Renton. He has definitely been better than I expected when we signed him from Falkirk and his goal tally has been decent over the last two seasons.

An absolutely awful game to watch but a great header from Connor Sammon at the end to win it.