BB_Bino

Pabs has had a fine season for us. There were doubts whether he could still perform at this level with his age and injuries, however, he's arguably been our best player. Thank you. Just for the record, I would also prefer Offord for Hilson (and Cooper for Leitch) but like you, I doubt we'll get it.

We've obviously got our own battles......but just wanted to take time out to wish Stranraer the best of luck in the relegation Play Offs. It's all been said above, however I genuinely mean it when I say that you've always given us a warm welcome every time I have been down over the years and I've always found a lot of good people involved.

Gee, well....here we are, tonight is indeed the night. I said in the run up to the season ending that if we were to end up in the Play Offs then I think we'll go down, and I standby that. I don't know if the sucker punch will come from Dumbarton or either of the other 2 teams, it's quite hard to tell when you haven't seen them play in a year. I like to get around the grounds when I can't make Stirling games, however I've not seen Dumbarton this season. I'll leave the "where did it go wrong" post for the Stirling Albion thread when our season is over, however to answer some of the questions that were raised earlier in the thread, it's simply down to not improving when we were on top and as a result we've struggled to score goals all season. For the first 3 quarters of the season, I feel we did well, in fact we have actually competed well throughout the whole season, however if you can't score, then it's only a matter of time when the opposition bang one in and that's happened all too often and even that has often been through defensive errors. Carrick just hasn't had a suitable partner all season, so has had to do a lot of work upfront himself and he's had to live off scraps. I've felt for the guy because he's worked tirelessly but it's just not happened for him, through no fault of his own. Hilson was brought in to add to our fire power and has failed miserably, and has been a poor addition in my opinion and although he is fine, I don't think Spence is up to League 1 level any more.....and that's been another of our problems, we're a very good League 2 team, however I don't think we've got many players that are of real quality in League 1. Our effort levels and our huffing and puffing got us so far, but we fell short because the ability just wasn't there. Saying we are a "very good League 2 team" would make you think that I'm confident, as I said at the start, I'm not. I think a lot of the time, football is down to confidence and momentum and I don't think we have either. Darren Young (who I still back) has shuffled the pack time after time but with little to no difference. I suspect Weir will continue in goals, which baffles me but what can you do. After Saturday, he's got to change the Right Back, Scouse's performance was abysmal and he couldn't hide his anger when he was hooked, McGeachie should be straight back in having done ok again, after that the remaining back 4 pick themselves, Pabs, McGregor & Clark, all pretty decent for League 2. Midfield will depend on what formation Young goes with, over the past 2 months he's chopped and changed to find the answer and hasn't. I suspect Banner, Crane & Leitch will be given the nod with McPake, Histon & Carrick as the wide 2 and Forward. McPake will hold the key for us as he has done so often since joining. If he can make things happen then we have a chance, if not then I fear for us. I can't make it along tonight, I just hope we are still in a position where we are in a game on Saturday, whether that' winning comfortably or drawing, then I would take that. Dumbarton have a chance, they have a good chance, but we have to believe that our squad can do what we did against them last season. 1,600 and something were at Forthbank on Saturday, really hope we can get that again this week.

If I was on the board at QOS, then I’d be begging McCall to take it, if ever there was a good fit and an obvious candidate, then it’s this one. I voted for Murphy in the poll, suspect the old pals act will come into play, and I don’t think he’d be a bad appointment for you either, although a wee bit of a gamble. I heard the BBC Football Day podcast linking Kevin Thomson to the job and in his own words, he gave a diplomatic answer. I would actually like to see him back in, he’d be a good appointment somewhere but this isn’t the time for a “style over substance” type manager, it’s time for someone like McCall to come in and revamp the club, in the same way that McGlynn has done at Falkirk. That’s my outsiders view anyway!!

The club have recently announced that Season Ticket holders will be allowed free entry into the 2nd Leg of the Dumbarton tie. What a fantastic gesture by the club and let’s hope similar numbers to Saturday make it along.

The last time the 2 teams met, I genuinely believed that we were a club on the up and we were building all aspects of it in a positive trajectory…….how wrong I was!!

Yip, January and February time, I thought we were pretty safe and was happy that we were on course for finishing 7th or 8th, but since then, we’ve simply gone one way and we deserve to finish in the Play Off spot and today was another example of why. There’s no faulting this squad for effort, despite what the regular behind me says, the lads are trying and give us bags of effort, but the actual quality of creating and taking chances, it’s been our downfall and has cost us. That saying, Annan have Greig Fleming to thank with two wonderful reaction saves in the Second Half. He’s been an excellent Goalkeeper over the years, and on those occasions he’s kept Annan in the league. I thought today was incredibly frustrating, Annan had a game plan to frustrate and as much as you hate to see it, they executed it perfectly and achieved the goal, The Ref did nothing to stop them, so they continued. We started poorly and the Annan goal was a lovely finish but again, poor defending cost us. After that we huffed and puffed but like has been said above, only McPake really makes anything happen, and again, it’s frustrating. I actually thought Leitch had one of his better game, and in the Second Half Hilson stepped up to the plate and started driving at the Annan Defence, but sadly for us, they didn’t have the ability to create. Hilson has scored 1 goal all season and you can see why when the ball dropped to him 7 or 8 yards out and he squared the ball when it was easier to smash the shot. It’s that decision making that cost us (again). So it’s onto the Play Offs, more about that another day, but for now, well done on your survival Annan, your form has been unbelievable over the last few months. The league table never lies, well done!!

Just when Alba start to make you believe they are building some kind of momentum, they choose to do this.......talk about a monumental f- up. Can't see how they'll ever build anything now, they'll certainly not be getting my 2nd vote.

Tickets are now on sale for those who would prefer them, a cash gate will be open for both Home and Away fans, and the South Terrace will also be open for Home fans

You can pay at the gate anyway folks

It's actually a joke....get in contact with the Chairman.....oh wait, who's Chairman again???

Totally disagree with the Labour part but totally agree with the rest. A "Scotland United Party" consisting of SNP, Alba, Greens, SSP and dare I say it, Labour Left should have been put in place by now to win it. Yes, they all might disagree on how an Independent Scotland might look but they are all in agreement that it needs to happen so should be working together for that imho. However, I remember when the socialist parties got together for RISE (Respect Independence Socialist Environment), it should have worked and it should have been a political juggernaut, but it fell at the first hurdle because people with differences just couldn't work together, so I fear this would be the same.

Tickets will be on sale via the website from Wednesday going by others games this season, however you can also pay at the gate. From my knowledge, I don't think getting a ticket gets you in any quicker, a Season Ticket certainly doesn't. I think this was the case up until the end of January, however the work rate levels have dropped since then which is why we find ourselves where we are. Football tends to be a lot about momentum, Annan have the moment, which is why I fear the worst. Can't help but think we've blown it and for as much as I love him and I want him to remain as manager, Darren Young has to shoulder a big chunk of the blame for that.

Anthony Gomes in Bannerman's Edinburgh last Sunday. Went along because a mate wanted to, and had an awesome night. Fantastic Blues Rock guitarist and some really catchy hooks and riffs in most of his songs. Think the capacity was about 150-200 and it was rammed, and I mean rammed, the only thing that spoiled it for me was the chatting in amongst the crowd, I just don't get people who do this.........it's happening more and more at gigs I go to, and I'm actually getting to the point where it's putting me off going.

Delighted to read this, cracking lad and a cracking player. Glad to hear he is getting some recognition

Having watched them against Camelon yesterday, I would disagree and think they’ll finish on -3. They’re a poor side, although I did think their No 5 & 9 would be good players in better sides.

Been twice this season and a rough guess would be 20….maybe 30 max, and most of them seemed to have relationships with the players

This is exactly what I didn’t want…….ah well, bring on the drama!!

Off topic I know, and I did post it when the poo hit the fan with Edinburgh a few months ago, however this is the reason why Edinburgh City really have to look at (and secure) an alternative. I fall in @peternapper’s camp here and it’s the reason I’m not going tomorrow, I’m sure there are hundreds or thousands like me across all clubs. At the end of the day, when you strip it back, we’re consumers and if consumers aren’t coming then how do you expect to make any money? I’m sure everyone associated with ECFC know this, and for your sake, I really hope there’s a better alternative out there, for the sake of your club and for the home fans experience

Fair points @WattersIsGod and very true mate. Totally agree that the Thommo/Carrick partnership wasn't working at this level, however it was never really addressed when Thommo went sadly.

Yip, here we are indeed. I have to be honest and say that a few months back, I didn't think this would be the case but we are where we are. The last 3 or 4 months of the season have been awful, I just want it finished now and I hope that Darren Young has plans in place that will help kick us on, and obviously I hope that's as a League 1 club. I really don't know why he changed it. Our squad is balanced enough to have kept it and was geared around that formation and it obviously worked so well for us last season. The big problem for us this season is the lack of goals, I think that's partly down to the fact that Dale Carrick hasn't had a Robert Thomson to work off and has been fed scraps. I don't think Spence has it for this level anymore (neither does Hilson) but that would be my front 2 going into this match, and on his day, Spenny is a right handful for Defenders and the League table doesn't lie, Edinburgh don't have Defenders for this level. I've kind of said it all over the past few weeks, so lets hope we can achieve the task. I'll not be heading along, refuse to pay the money to watch football in that stadium, but will be glued to the X updates and keeping my fingers crossed we bag the 3 points.

Looking forward to getting along to the Falkirk Stadium on Friday and cheering on Steins.

Fantastic season for Danny and everyone associated with the club. Over the moon for them all after all the hard work that's been put in over the years.

Well if the rumours are to be believed, then he'll be a St.Johnstone player next season anyway. Guessing none of us can see him being effective at that level?

It’s all been said in the comments above. When he first came in, he looked a right handful and my instant reaction was that we must do our best to keep him longer, I even posted in here that we should be looking to build next seasons team, in an attacking sense, around him and Carrick. He looked like the kind of player that’s a class above what you would normally expect of someone who is Part Time these days and I thought once he got up to speed, he probably wouldn’t look out of place in the Falkirk squad. At the time, a Queens Park fan posted on here that he is good at cutting in and shooting but once Defenders suss that out, he becomes ineffective…..and I would say this is what has happened during his time with us. He’s targeted for fouls and is often doubled up on. If he was to stay, I do think he’d be a positive addition to the squad, but he over plays ALOT. Some times he gets away with it, other times he loses the ball. I would prefer it if he would move the ball quicker personally. There was an example of that yesterday when he held onto the ball for too long, Dale Carrick stopped his run and when the ball was finally played it was subsequently too far for him to knock it in. The positive side to his game is that, he looks to be, something of a game changer. He has the skill and ability to play higher up and his mazy runs and ball in the box can be top drawer. In a team that dominates the game, you’d fancy him to be one of their top players, for a team fighting, he becomes frustrating, especially when he can’t get the shots away.