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The Alloa Athletic Thread


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Hope so; he's steadily improved over the season, and works well with Big Ben.

Someone tell me Ben's signed up for next year, or there'll be tears, I tell you :bairn

I've heard Ben to Aberdeen but nothing confirmed

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Congratulations to Alloa and in particular Danny Lennon, was a brave move taking on the job at a struggling team with very little time to put his own mark on things, but he has once again proved himself capable of getting big performances from his team when it really matters. Another feather in the cap for the must under rated manager in Scottish football, Alloa will do extremely well to hold on to him I think.

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Does anyone know if we'll be entitled to some money when Scott Bain is called up to the Scotland squad next month?

I knew the figures but can't quite remember them something like 100k for call up and 150 for a start or something

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I knew the figures but can't quite remember them something like 100k for call up and 150 for a start or something

Ooft. That's about what we got for Greigy back in the day, isn't it?

Hopefully all of this is going into a Swiss bank account for when the lean times kick in :P

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Ooft. That's about what we got for Greigy back in the day, isn't it?

Hopefully all of this is going into a Swiss bank account for when the lean times kick in :P

That might no be the exact figures but along those lines I'm sure...

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Absolutely amazing day yesterday. Was happy to hear we had our two full-backs in the starting line-up but unfortunately Doyle was clearly struggling and had to go off. Having been up at Forfar on Wednesday, the game started to take on the same feel as that night when Docherty had to go back to the right back position and we then lost a bit of midfield drive and creativity. Game would've probably petered out to a goalless draw had Chopra not produced that finish right on half-time, must've been a real body blow to the Forfar players too. It gave the second half a spark which I feel wouldn't have been there had it been 0-0 at half-time and I couldn't wait for them to come back out. To then get that goal out of nothing (can't believe neither of them just didn't put their foot through the ball!) gave us the impetus in the match and I thought we'd go on to win but when Holmes got sent off (correctly in my opinion) we were under the cosh for a few minutes and it began to look like a game where we would simply just have to try and hold on. Had the game went to extra-time I think Forfar would've made their extra man count and we would've tired quickly, so getting the goal (and hanging on to it) during the ninety minutes was crucial. Seems like it was scripted that Daryll would be the hero. With his performances lately being a bit below par from what we're used to from him, he arguably saved his best of all for us, til last! That tackle at 1-0 kept us in the tie, then he scores the winner thanks to some hesitation in the Forfar defence.

On the subject of the Forfar defence, it was unusual to see the more experienced members of it were the ones who were ultimately to blame for their collapse. Dods and Douglas left the ball to each other and Chopra took advantage which led to our second goal, then Malcolm headed the ball out for a corner with Douglas ready to catch a cross unchallenged. From the corner neither of the centre halfs, or Douglas for that matter, took responsibility for the incoming ball and Meggatt looked like he was going to score from it before he even got his head on the ball. What a wonderful feeling that was, don't think I've jumped about as much as I did yesterday for both Buchanan and Meggatt's goals. Lost my voice for a wee while after the game from shouting them on so much too.

As for the debate between winning the Challenge Cup and being relegated or losing the final and staying up, I'm so glad it was the latter. It was an excellent day at the Excelsior when we won arguably the greatest Challenge Cup Final there has been (we were also promoted that season). Yesterday felt just as good as that to me, perhaps even better. Both those days were brilliant for differing reasons but staying up, especially in the manner we did, eclipses a Challenge Cup win (nowadays) for me.

Just a wee side note: I don't know how many on here actually read the match programme but the article in yesterday's edition by Jonathan Markwell concerned players coming on as a substitute and then being substituted themselves for a variety of reasons (injury, tactical due to someone else receiving a red card, poor performance, on a yellow card, etc). Now I know Holmes didn't get substituted but it just seemed extremely coincidental that a substitute in yesterday's game didn't see out the game on the same day of that particular article.

I know people have mentioned him in earlier posts on here and on the match thread but I must give a big shout out to Paddy Connolly as well. Twice, in such a competitive league, he has come in when managers have left us and he's filled in impeccably and let no one down. A big part of our success not only this season but in the last few years.

Really hope Michael Chopra returns to the Indodrill in January. Most opposition teams supporters have given him stick for his size but I'm sure after seeing him play I'd doubt very much they wouldn't want him in their own teams. For such a big guy, he has the quickest feet I've seen of anyone in an Alloa shirt before. Just imagine what he'd be like fully fit!

It'll be interesting over the next few weeks to see who Danny Lennon offers terms to and who moves on. We'll have a bit of rebuilding to do anyway with both Meggatt and Chopra leaving but I'm sure he'll be able to attract a decent enough standard of player to at least compete with the likes of Dumbarton, Livingston, Morton, Raith, etc next season. It'll also be interesting to see what happens with the Livingston situation soon too. If they don't get their house in order quick smart then they'll not be able to sign (or re-sign) players, perhaps Forfar could end up joining us in the Championship anyway.

Players I'd like to see sign/re-sign are:

Kyle Benedictus

Liam Buchanan

Kevin Cawley

Mark Docherty

Michael Doyle

Iain Flannigan

Ben Gordon

Lionel Messi

Steven Hetherington - not many appearance so far but has the potential from what little I've seen of him

Graeme Holmes

Ryan McCord

Jason Marr - if fit

Stephen Simmons - if fit

I can see Spence, Tiffoney, Weatherston, McDowall, Gibson, Layne, Rutherford, Ferns and Asghar all looking to move on to try and find more first-team football.

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Where's Chopra off to?

He's looking to go back to the IPL (no, not the cricket!). He played in David James' team, the Kerala Blasters, last year (which also had Jamie McAllister and Stephen Pearson in it) and got to the final.

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Chopra's back to India, isn't he? I've been assuming we had him during their close season or something. Please note that's based on precisely hee-haw.

Greigy will surely stay and see more game time next season with The Chop gone. Tiffoney would be a shame, as he's looked promising when he's been on; he's got that bandy-legged thing and can get past defenders surprisingly well. I'd keep McDowall and maybe get him out on loan somewhere as their first choice, as he could be quality if he can improve his confidence and decision-making in the area. He can always come back if our (currently unknown) first choice is injured. It would be a shame to see Layne go without knowing if he can start banging them in at this level.

Weatherston, Gibson, Rutherford, Fast Eddie and Ashgar are safe to go, I think.

Messi can GTF. He'd never be able to do it on a winter's evening in Kirkcaldy.

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He's looking to go back to the IPL (no, not the cricket!). He played in David James' team, the Kerala Blasters, last year (which also had Jamie McAllister and Stephen Pearson in it) and got to the final.

Ah right, kind of like Robbie Keane/David Beckham/Landon Donovan did during the MLS close season over the past few years. Fair play to him, a lot of people sniggered but he seems to have got his head down and worked hard to make himself a success with the Wasps. Seems to be a decent guy as well, just a shame his off field problems scuppered his career to an extent.

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People saying on another forum that Aberdeen are interested in Ben Gordon. Is he any good?

He's been excellent for us. Would be a massive blow to lose him.

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