Cove Thread

[LeodhasXD]

8 minutes ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

Just read our pre-match and Hartley says he's finished in the transfer market this window. We have 19 players which is light, he recognises that.

https://coverangersfc.com/2024/01/26/queen-of-the-south-preview/

For League 1 historically, I don't think it's too bad - certainly when we were promoted with Jim Goodwin - my recollection was the bench was a few senior players plus the kids. If Plan A didn't work you'd just regroup for next week.

I'd be surprised if we run such a comparatively huge squad again - there's a few seasons of large squads now and I think it's better to be streamlined - barring serious injury to key players of course.

[CoveRangers1922]

38 minutes ago, LeodhasXD said:

For League 1 historically, I don't think it's too bad - certainly when we were promoted with Jim Goodwin - my recollection was the bench was a few senior players plus the kids. If Plan A didn't work you'd just regroup for next week.

I'd be surprised if we run such a comparatively huge squad again - there's a few seasons of large squads now and I think it's better to be streamlined - barring serious injury to key players of course.

I agree that our squad, and Alloa's from looking from the outside in, this season have been too big and likely needed some trimming. We've managed to reduce to somewhere near a more sensible size but our options on the bench are limited far more than I'd like.

Our bench will be fairly young, fairly inexperienced and with little in the way to change games from an attacking sense. Injuries is definitely our worry.

Balint Demus (GK, 21)

Jacob Jones (LB, 22)

Cameron Stewart (CB, 20)

Will Gillingham (CB, 25)

Arron Darge (RB, 20)

Sena (DCM, 24)

Kyle Connell (FW, 22)

Paul McGowan (CM, 36) or Ola Lawal (AM, 23)

 

Edited January 26 by CoveRangers1922

[Jo9]

After watching todays game and hearing the reaction of some of the fans to McGowan coming on, I have to agree with some of the shouts to get rid of him.  Adds nothing to the team and seems to struggle to even get the ball now.

 

Shout out to whoever was booing him whenever he touched the ball.

[Elgin Macca]

Could we please keep Gallagher and Golding next season? Thanks, kind regards etc...

[CoveRangers1922]

2 hours ago, Elgin Macca said:

Could we please keep Gallagher and Golding next season? Thanks, kind regards etc...

We shouldn't have let Gal go out on loan. Hes got something about him; energy and ability both ends of the pitch and we're lacking that. Think Gal alongside Fyvie would have been a good partnership in L1.

 

Golding as well deserved more time. We've got far worse players on our bench than him. His high press and work-rate alongside Rumarn was never seen unfortunately and never likely will be. Dayshonne will leave us in the summer so there's a chance he could sign with you if he doesn't go back down south.

Glad these two are helping you rise the table. Been quite a turn around under Hale so far, keep it up lads.

Edited February 5 by CoveRangers1922

[Elgin Macca]

15 hours ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

We shouldn't have let Gal go out on loan. Hes got something about him; energy and ability both ends of the pitch and we're lacking that. Think Gal alongside Fyvie would have been a good partnership in L1.

 

Golding as well deserved more time. We've got far worse players on our bench than him. His high press and work-rate alongside Rumarn was never seen unfortunately and never likely will be. Dayshonne will leave us in the summer so there's a chance he could sign with you if he doesn't go back down south.

Glad these two are helping you rise the table. Been quite a turn around under Hale so far, keep it up lads.

Yea that's been the main difference under Hale so far is the Energy/work rate/press and those 2 have been a big factor in that. 

I would say that Goldings end product has been pretty poor but the flipside to that is if that side of his game was better we wouldn't have a him on loan and he would surely be a starter for you guys? so I'm happy with everything else he's brought to the table so far.

 

On a side note, what's happened with Vigurs?? He's someone I thought would end up back with us at some point but haven't saw him mentioned in long time. injured?

[CoveRangers1922]

3 hours ago, Elgin Macca said:

Yea that's been the main difference under Hale so far is the Energy/work rate/press and those 2 have been a big factor in that. 

I would say that Goldings end product has been pretty poor but the flipside to that is if that side of his game was better we wouldn't have a him on loan and he would surely be a starter for you guys? so I'm happy with everything else he's brought to the table so far.

 

On a side note, what's happened with Vigurs?? He's someone I thought would end up back with us at some point but haven't saw him mentioned in long time. injured?

Hopefully Golding starts to find the net with more regularity with you. A winner tonight would be perfect. Due an away win and far more likely to get it with the new additions and elevated confidence within the side.

Vigurs last played for us in the league cup in July at Glebe and hasn't trained with us or been at a game since. Wasn’t in the team photo, however, no official communication from the club which is really poor.

He's clearly been told he's surplus and he's not willing to negotiate his release. Out of contract in the summer. Was never the fittest so who knows what shape he's in now!

 

[Watson Nimrod]

A round up of how are loanees did yesterday saw Mark Gallagher scoring a decent goal against the Spartans and playing pretty well and the others getting more game time. I’m all for these guys going off to get experience but yesterday against PL opponents we had 4 subs, against Alloa next week we might be down to 3. OK I’m assuming we can recall players but there doesn’t seem much if any forward planning went into all of this. 

[Moorie]

Has Fraser Fyvie signed a full time deal or he’s he still on a part time one with his new deal? Typical of your clubs social media posting half a story on the socials.

 

I did ask this last night as he was mentioned but my dig at the man behind the socials being more interested in slanting the team down near the beach ended up my comment being taken down 

[Jo9]

I feel that questions need to be asked, and the same standards that were applied to McIntyre should be applied to Hartley.

I don’t think Hartley is the long term answer for the club, but that won’t be solved until those running the club realise that.  He was fine enough for the first few years as the strength of the squad carried the club through.

There is definitely a sense that the fans are getting more and more restless and it won’t be long before they just stop showing up, it will start with disappointment and annoyance and will soon turn to apathy and that’s just on the management situation.

There is multiple areas I feel the club needs to work on, the communication isn’t great, the match day experience isn’t exactly one to write home about, and these are things that could easily be fixed, what they do to fix them I don’t know but I refuse to believe it would take a lot of work.

[CoveRangers1922]

9 hours ago, Moorie said:

Has Fraser Fyvie signed a full time deal or he’s he still on a part time one with his new deal? Typical of your clubs social media posting half a story on the socials.

 

I did ask this last night as he was mentioned but my dig at the man behind the socials being more interested in slanting the team down near the beach ended up my comment being taken down 

I believe he must be still part time given he started a new job in September as a safety advisor (noticed a post from his employer on LinkedIn). Only way he could be full time is if he has a very flexible work schedule, hard to see how that would be achievable.

He's no longer attached to AFC as a coach after recently getting his A license.

[Moorie]

18 hours ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

I believe he must be still part time given he started a new job in September as a safety advisor (noticed a post from his employer on LinkedIn). Only way he could be full time is if he has a very flexible work schedule, hard to see how that would be achievable.

He's no longer attached to AFC as a coach after recently getting his A license.

Did think might been a part time deal but wasn’t sure the club would still be dishing them out with the push to full time. Fyvie is a bit of a gem for you guys so can see why maybe keeping even at PT works. Interesting to see how the deals work or come to anything for the PT players left 

[Watson Nimrod]

23 hours ago, Jo9 said:

I feel that questions need to be asked, and the same standards that were applied to McIntyre should be applied to Hartley.

I don’t think Hartley is the long term answer for the club, but that won’t be solved until those running the club realise that.  He was fine enough for the first few years as the strength of the squad carried the club through.

There is definitely a sense that the fans are getting more and more restless and it won’t be long before they just stop showing up, it will start with disappointment and annoyance and will soon turn to apathy and that’s just on the management situation.

There is multiple areas I feel the club needs to work on, the communication isn’t great, the match day experience isn’t exactly one to write home about, and these are things that could easily be fixed, what they do to fix them I don’t know but I refuse to believe it would take a lot of work.

That’s exactly how I and others feel. It’s not always a popular line tho, in fact I was challenged about my views a few weeks back in Annan of all places. There seems to be some confusion about what a difference of an opinion is. Mine certainly comes from a place where I’m passionate about the club I support. 

If some of the things I read about at other clubs were happening off the pitch then I wouldn’t be so concerned but they are not. There has been hardly any progress in building the fan base and I know that takes time but there is hardly anything to encourage young fans to the Balmoral and nothing for families (unless you confuse a mascot for some clown staggering out of the old players lounge at half time after 20 cans of Stella) It’s a huge opportunity lost. The excuse I heard about why the club has no young fan mascot leading the team out each week was bordering on lunacy. It’s just a creeping negligence that becomes a malaise. 

I see a similar malaise with the dead wood in the coaching set up, often more interested in confrontation with fans when things are not going right and shouting negative stuff from the dugout to the players. Seems all just too comfortable - thats fine when the players are at a level where they can perform to a high standard but it’s not exactly development. No one seems to be challenging them from within. McGowan reflected that negativity on the pitch but it seems to go unchecked too. 

The party line is that it’s a transition season but a transition to where exactly? More of the same? Another transfer window of scouring the lower leagues of Mordor? I’m not convinced a change of manager is the panacea either but if the on pitch product keeps on getting churned out week after week no matter who your father in law is if you can’t get results in a result driven business then it’s time to move on. It’s no use that we are reliant on one player to change our fortunes. It’s actually not even that bad at times on the park it’s just average like so many other things at the club. If Hartley hasn’t the contacts then get someone recruiting who has. Players have been let to go on loan with no back up plan who seem to be man of the match every other week all of a sudden. Seems convenient. We hear rumours of players attitude but when the attitude inside the club is also rumoured to be questionable then it’s the pot calling the kettle black. When you are getting tanked 4-1 by your nearest opponent who have players on their bench who have played at a higher level and you only have a handful of kids on yours because you let the better ones go out on loan then doesn’t take a genius to work out that’s a dereliction of management at best and negligent at worst. I’ve a feeling it’s the latter and it pains me to critique my own club. 

Thats three key parts of the operation that are trapped in a malaise that seem fixable to differing degrees but they choose not too or worse still I wonder if they just choose to ignore them a bit like some notable others did and ended up out of the league  ….

Its not all about what’s happening on the pitch or in corporate it’s about lining all elements of your operation up. You would think experienced O&G men would get that. 

I hear other folk mention it more and more on the likes of Facebook etc so it’s not just a few of us with the same view. We all know that once a club gets stuck in a rut off and on the pitch then it doesn’t take long to fall quickly and it’s not always connected to money. Often it’s just a case of poor oversight, but hey like I say corporate is sold out for another year so that’s all OK! If things continue like this without some kind of check then it will only be corporates watching games and when they disappear off somewhere else then where will we be? Peterhead almost got sucked into the same fate as many before them but they took radical action in all 3 departments I mentioned above. They invested in their young supporters, started providing something for everyone (not just their corporates) and appointed a well connected young management team who identified players that would stabilise them and push for promotion. They also have a young and progressive management team off the park too. We could learn from them. They have aligned themselves to their community while we have only aligned ourselves to the middle management O&G corporate merry go round. 

It’s also maybe time for the board to start taking on board some of the fan opinion that doesn’t just agree carte blance with their view of the world. 

Edited February 19 by Watson Nimrod

[Moorie]

On 19/02/2024 at 14:18, Watson Nimrod said:

That’s exactly how I and others feel. It’s not always a popular line tho, in fact I was challenged about my views a few weeks back in Annan of all places. There seems to be some confusion about what a difference of an opinion is. Mine certainly comes from a place where I’m passionate about the club I support. 

If some of the things I read about at other clubs were happening off the pitch then I wouldn’t be so concerned but they are not. There has been hardly any progress in building the fan base and I know that takes time but there is hardly anything to encourage young fans to the Balmoral and nothing for families (unless you confuse a mascot for some clown staggering out of the old players lounge at half time after 20 cans of Stella) It’s a huge opportunity lost. The excuse I heard about why the club has no young fan mascot leading the team out each week was bordering on lunacy. It’s just a creeping negligence that becomes a malaise. 

I see a similar malaise with the dead wood in the coaching set up, often more interested in confrontation with fans when things are not going right and shouting negative stuff from the dugout to the players. Seems all just too comfortable - thats fine when the players are at a level where they can perform to a high standard but it’s not exactly development. No one seems to be challenging them from within. McGowan reflected that negativity on the pitch but it seems to go unchecked too. 

The party line is that it’s a transition season but a transition to where exactly? More of the same? Another transfer window of scouring the lower leagues of Mordor? I’m not convinced a change of manager is the panacea either but if the on pitch product keeps on getting churned out week after week no matter who your father in law is if you can’t get results in a result driven business then it’s time to move on. It’s no use that we are reliant on one player to change our fortunes. It’s actually not even that bad at times on the park it’s just average like so many other things at the club. If Hartley hasn’t the contacts then get someone recruiting who has. Players have been let to go on loan with no back up plan who seem to be man of the match every other week all of a sudden. Seems convenient. We hear rumours of players attitude but when the attitude inside the club is also rumoured to be questionable then it’s the pot calling the kettle black. When you are getting tanked 4-1 by your nearest opponent who have players on their bench who have played at a higher level and you only have a handful of kids on yours because you let the better ones go out on loan then doesn’t take a genius to work out that’s a dereliction of management at best and negligent at worst. I’ve a feeling it’s the latter and it pains me to critique my own club. 

Thats three key parts of the operation that are trapped in a malaise that seem fixable to differing degrees but they choose not too or worse still I wonder if they just choose to ignore them a bit like some notable others did and ended up out of the league  ….

Its not all about what’s happening on the pitch or in corporate it’s about lining all elements of your operation up. You would think experienced O&G men would get that. 

I hear other folk mention it more and more on the likes of Facebook etc so it’s not just a few of us with the same view. We all know that once a club gets stuck in a rut off and on the pitch then it doesn’t take long to fall quickly and it’s not always connected to money. Often it’s just a case of poor oversight, but hey like I say corporate is sold out for another year so that’s all OK! If things continue like this without some kind of check then it will only be corporates watching games and when they disappear off somewhere else then where will we be? Peterhead almost got sucked into the same fate as many before them but they took radical action in all 3 departments I mentioned above. They invested in their young supporters, started providing something for everyone (not just their corporates) and appointed a well connected young management team who identified players that would stabilise them and push for promotion. They also have a young and progressive management team off the park too. We could learn from them. They have aligned themselves to their community while we have only aligned ourselves to the middle management O&G corporate merry go round. 

It’s also maybe time for the board to start taking on board some of the fan opinion that doesn’t just agree carte blance with their view of the world. 

Good post. I feel for fans like yourself who are there home and away most weeks who seem to have been forgot about for the jolly outing boys.

The old players lounge could have been made in to an entertainment room prior to kick off for the kids, get face painting, music some sort of challenge the keeper more chance of attracting the future fan base. Never going to compete with taking fans from Aberdeen but you might attract some especially if the players started doing appearances at kids training now and then! The old guard aren’t going to be around for ever to keep the funds coming in.

The board have to be looking over their shoulder at what’s happening down the road at Spain Park. If BOD do make into the league in the next few years I can see many being like ships in the night and heading down there as it will be new and shiny.

 

[Bieldside Boy]

I wouldna imagine anyone at the club would be happy looking on watching the fitba product at the moment but we are where we are and need to get to the end of the season and THEN have thorough review of where we are going. Not convinced sacking the manager is the answer and probably lines me for some bile from everyone’s least favourite Cove troll who seems to be taking a break from wishing people dead. Maybe everyone knows who he is now ‍. 

[SLClyde]

Odd request, but my brother and sister in law are in Aberdeen this weekend dog sitting and were thinking of coming along to the Balmoral tomorrow, are dogs allowed into the ground? 

[CoveRangers1922]

37 minutes ago, SLClyde said:

Odd request, but my brother and sister in law are in Aberdeen this weekend dog sitting and were thinking of coming along to the Balmoral tomorrow, are dogs allowed into the ground? 

They were when we came up into L2 for that season as I used to stand next to Harry Milne's Dad and he took their dog. Unfortunately they don't allow it now sadly

Edited February 23 by CoveRangers1922

[Hugh Hillshaveyes]

On 19/02/2024 at 14:18, Watson Nimrod said:

That’s exactly how I and others feel. It’s not always a popular line tho, in fact I was challenged about my views a few weeks back in Annan of all places. There seems to be some confusion about what a difference of an opinion is. Mine certainly comes from a place where I’m passionate about the club I support. 

If some of the things I read about at other clubs were happening off the pitch then I wouldn’t be so concerned but they are not. There has been hardly any progress in building the fan base and I know that takes time but there is hardly anything to encourage young fans to the Balmoral and nothing for families (unless you confuse a mascot for some clown staggering out of the old players lounge at half time after 20 cans of Stella) It’s a huge opportunity lost. The excuse I heard about why the club has no young fan mascot leading the team out each week was bordering on lunacy. It’s just a creeping negligence that becomes a malaise. 

I see a similar malaise with the dead wood in the coaching set up, often more interested in confrontation with fans when things are not going right and shouting negative stuff from the dugout to the players. Seems all just too comfortable - thats fine when the players are at a level where they can perform to a high standard but it’s not exactly development. No one seems to be challenging them from within. McGowan reflected that negativity on the pitch but it seems to go unchecked too. 

The party line is that it’s a transition season but a transition to where exactly? More of the same? Another transfer window of scouring the lower leagues of Mordor? I’m not convinced a change of manager is the panacea either but if the on pitch product keeps on getting churned out week after week no matter who your father in law is if you can’t get results in a result driven business then it’s time to move on. It’s no use that we are reliant on one player to change our fortunes. It’s actually not even that bad at times on the park it’s just average like so many other things at the club. If Hartley hasn’t the contacts then get someone recruiting who has. Players have been let to go on loan with no back up plan who seem to be man of the match every other week all of a sudden. Seems convenient. We hear rumours of players attitude but when the attitude inside the club is also rumoured to be questionable then it’s the pot calling the kettle black. When you are getting tanked 4-1 by your nearest opponent who have players on their bench who have played at a higher level and you only have a handful of kids on yours because you let the better ones go out on loan then doesn’t take a genius to work out that’s a dereliction of management at best and negligent at worst. I’ve a feeling it’s the latter and it pains me to critique my own club. 

Thats three key parts of the operation that are trapped in a malaise that seem fixable to differing degrees but they choose not too or worse still I wonder if they just choose to ignore them a bit like some notable others did and ended up out of the league  ….

Its not all about what’s happening on the pitch or in corporate it’s about lining all elements of your operation up. You would think experienced O&G men would get that. 

I hear other folk mention it more and more on the likes of Facebook etc so it’s not just a few of us with the same view. We all know that once a club gets stuck in a rut off and on the pitch then it doesn’t take long to fall quickly and it’s not always connected to money. Often it’s just a case of poor oversight, but hey like I say corporate is sold out for another year so that’s all OK! If things continue like this without some kind of check then it will only be corporates watching games and when they disappear off somewhere else then where will we be? Peterhead almost got sucked into the same fate as many before them but they took radical action in all 3 departments I mentioned above. They invested in their young supporters, started providing something for everyone (not just their corporates) and appointed a well connected young management team who identified players that would stabilise them and push for promotion. They also have a young and progressive management team off the park too. We could learn from them. They have aligned themselves to their community while we have only aligned ourselves to the middle management O&G corporate merry go round. 

It’s also maybe time for the board to start taking on board some of the fan opinion that doesn’t just agree carte blance with their view of the world. 

Realistically though what is coves catchment area...cove & the new houses at charleston?..I mean if you live slightly north eg kincorth what's going to make you pick cove over Aberdeen...I don't see how it's possible to grow your support & would suggest cove are massively overachieving being in this division 

[Moorie]

6 hours ago, Hugh Hillshaveyes said:

Realistically though what is coves catchment area...cove & the new houses at charleston?..I mean if you live slightly north eg kincorth what's going to make you pick cove over Aberdeen...I don't see how it's possible to grow your support & would suggest cove are massively overachieving being in this division 

The percentage picking Cove over Aberdeen will be very low. There is a bus that runs from cove to Pittodrie and back arranged by the club.

 

only hope is to attract some extra fans when Aberdeen are away. I live in Cove and never any output from the club to promote the game in the area. A small sign next to shell garage pointing you in the direction off the stadium is closest you see.

The manager of the local Coop had even been in touch with the Club to see if he could help to promote more in the area as he does a lot of work here and all he got was radio silence as per.

i spotted on twitter Arbroath promoting a family event for the Raith game next Friday. Domino pizza, unlimited juice, fifa set up, seats in the stand and pie and drink at half time. Yeah it’s £25 but includes your ticket. This what cove need to be tapping into get the future generation in instead of making sure the jobber of the oil world enjoy their sandwiches and crawl out the ex players lounge not knowing where they are and half them I doubt will know half the Cove team.

They have even giving up on the little club shop truck they had. Hasn’t been open all season. Only chance you have to get any Cove Rangers merchandise is getting it sent up from Glasgow from a local sports shop. Go to Pittodrie on a match day and the club shop has queues out the door how you going get the next fan base behind when they ain’t got a chance to get a scarf or top to get behind the team.

 

[Jo9]

While I agree they could be doing more in the local community. Aberdeen is historically a 1 team city.

Cove been in the professional set up for a blink of an eye compared to Aberdeen, yes Cove could do more to get people in, but it’s not going to happen overnight.

its disappointing to read the comment about Kev at the coop reaching out and getting nothing back, but even a few wee signs at then coop isn’t going to make a massive difference straight away.