Stirling Albion Season 24/25 Thread

[Moorie]

Hi guys, heading down in two weeks for the Annan game. Hospitality for my Dads birthday we pick a different lower league team each year to go hospitality in.

just looking for some advice if possible please. Is there any bars near the ground? We will have about 40 minutes to kill before we get in the lounge so looking anywhere near by for a pint? 
Also it’s it quite easy to get a train from the station town centre to the ground? Heard it’s a bit of walk and my dad has a stick? Google says 5 minute drive from station to ground? 

[BB_Bino]

9 minutes ago, Moorie said:

Hi guys, heading down in two weeks for the Annan game. Hospitality for my Dads birthday we pick a different lower league team each year to go hospitality in.

just looking for some advice if possible please. Is there any bars near the ground? We will have about 40 minutes to kill before we get in the lounge so looking anywhere near by for a pint? 
Also it’s it quite easy to get a train from the station town centre to the ground? Heard it’s a bit of walk and my dad has a stick? Google says 5 minute drive from station to ground? 

Welcome @Moorie, and hope you enjoy the day. Our hospitality really is amongst the best (in my experience) so you've made a good choice.

To answer your questions: Pubs near the ground, you only have the Springkerse View ( The Springkerse View Pub Restaurant in Stirling (greeneking.co.uk) ) which is in walking distance. You have the cricket club also, but I've not been there for a few years now and I'm not sure what time it open etc etc. If you want a pint before hand, then head to the Springkerse View or stay in the City Centre would be my advice.

Getting to the ground, the bus station is right next door to the train station, get the park and ride shuttle bus and it'll take you straight to Forthbank/Stirling Village. Buses are every 5-10 minutes and are cheap. You'll see the stadium when you get off the bus, and the Springskerse View is in the same estate, but maybe about 5 mins from the bus stop. With your Dad having a stick, you can't walk that. It's a long straight road but it'll be too far for him mate, get the bus or grab a taxi from the train station.

Get in touch if there's anything else.

[Moorie]

3 hours ago, BB_Bino said:

Welcome @Moorie, and hope you enjoy the day. Our hospitality really is amongst the best (in my experience) so you've made a good choice.

To answer your questions: Pubs near the ground, you only have the Springkerse View ( The Springkerse View Pub Restaurant in Stirling (greeneking.co.uk) ) which is in walking distance. You have the cricket club also, but I've not been there for a few years now and I'm not sure what time it open etc etc. If you want a pint before hand, then head to the Springkerse View or stay in the City Centre would be my advice.

Getting to the ground, the bus station is right next door to the train station, get the park and ride shuttle bus and it'll take you straight to Forthbank/Stirling Village. Buses are every 5-10 minutes and are cheap. You'll see the stadium when you get off the bus, and the Springskerse View is in the same estate, but maybe about 5 mins from the bus stop. With your Dad having a stick, you can't walk that. It's a long straight road but it'll be too far for him mate, get the bus or grab a taxi from the train station.

Get in touch if there's anything else.

Much appreciated @BB_Bino.

Thank you for the info. Really looking forward to it. Usually do Pittodrie for my birthday every year. We’ve done cove, Arbroath previously. Also feel like you get treated special when you go down the leagues hospitality. Always feels like they appreciate you being there 

[leomessi1984]

How's McPake been overall for you guys? Heard he may be a target for us if you end up going down (noted a big if there). Seemed quiet at NCP last week? 

[SA45]

46 minutes ago, leomessi1984 said:

How's McPake been overall for you guys? Heard he may be a target for us if you end up going down (noted a big if there). Seemed quiet at NCP last week? 

He's had a lot of clubs which might tell you something. He's decent but was hopeless at Kelty IMO, spent too much time arguing with linesman and head went down. Right footed Left winger and likes to cut inside but often runs into trouble. I wouldn't be sorry to see him go but others may disagree.

Edited April 19 by SA45

[AlbionMan]

16 hours ago, leomessi1984 said:

How's McPake been overall for you guys? Heard he may be a target for us if you end up going down (noted a big if there). Seemed quiet at NCP last week? 

Fancy footwork, easily marshalled into dead ends by a competent defence, no left foot.  He's not aiming to continue part time, ambition is to return to a full time club.

[Beepee67]

16 hours ago, leomessi1984 said:

How's McPake been overall for you guys? Heard he may be a target for us if you end up going down (noted a big if there). Seemed quiet at NCP last week? 

Ball greedy..doesn't pass...R/F playing wide left, easily worked out now by defenders, they show him outside & double up inside as that's only way he can go, so they either take the ball off him or he gives it away 

Frustrating but definitely has talent, doesn't utilise it & is a one man band, definitely not a team player 

[unitedbino]

I feel like a lot of these comments on McPake have been determined by his performance at Kelty. That was really the first match for us where he hasn't had an influence. Until then he'd been terrific in most matches. I raised the point last week about him potentially making us a poorer team as a whole - and that point still stands. But that's only because our attack is generally so futile that we have become a team that looks for McPake too often. That's not really a comment on him as an individual. I'd be shocked if he's still at SA next season, even if we stay up.

[StewartyMac]

Don't think I've ever seen an Albion team chuck it as much as this current lot have. There's been many worse teams over the years, but for whatever reason, the current lot have just accepted defeat, and that's inexcusable to me. Only chance of still being in League 1 next season is if other teams chuck it more, which isn't looking likely now. 

[SA45]

On 23/02/2024 at 15:35, qpfc said:

Josh McPake is a really interesting one. You’d naturally think that being on the fringes at Rangers and playing a number of games for a team that were a game away from the premiership would comfortably remain in full time football but in truth he epitomised the term “flattered to deceive” alongside a lot murmurs regarding his poor attitude throughout last season.

He has ability and for one month of last season, he was excellent. However, he was a one trick pony, where he’d cut in from the left and have a dig. It worked for a little bit but once defenders sussed him out, he was largely underwhelming

Not sure if he's made us worse but we've been on a woeful run since he joined. Won 2, Drawn 3, Lost 5. (9 pts, Annan got 18 pts). He's scored twice but think defenders have sussed him now. He's far from solely responsible but just wonder if he's upset any balance we might have had in trying to play a passing game.

Edited April 21 by SA45

[Kelheart]

On 19/04/2024 at 18:16, leomessi1984 said:

How's McPake been overall for you guys? Heard he may be a target for us if you end up going down (noted a big if there). Seemed quiet at NCP last week? 

Wouldn't be that fussed for him coming after last weeks display , they tried him down our right wing  doubling up at times  and McKluskey wasn't phased in the slightest and he  netted our goal so no tracking back from Mcpake either , on another note was having a blether with the subs warming up as well and none of them could actually remember if they'd won a game since we got pumped 5-0

[BB_Bino]

On 19/04/2024 at 18:16, leomessi1984 said:

How's McPake been overall for you guys? Heard he may be a target for us if you end up going down (noted a big if there). Seemed quiet at NCP last week? 

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.

[leomessi1984]

2 hours ago, BB_Bino said:

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.

Looks like he's been in training with St Johnstone so clearly after a full time deal. Sounds like he's got ability but not quite where he needs to be. Just a rumour from our side atm anyway.

[WattersIsGod]

On McPake. after the first half of his debut, i was asked how he'd been. i said 'he can beat a man but he seems to always want to beat three'

My opinion hasn't really changed. 

like others have said, he needs more variety in his game. play it earlier and use his teammates sometimes. go outside rather than inside occasionally and keep defenders guessing.  

His defensive work is nothing to write home about so when he's ineffective in an attacking sense he's really not adding anything. 

I can't help but compare him to Kai Fotheringham who we had on loan last season. I don't think there's much between them in terms of ability but in terms of a football brain, Kai is light years ahead of him. 

I'm not sure there is a lack of effort in this squad or that they've given up. i simply think they aren't good enough. when i looked at the squad before the season, it looked lacking in quality and depth. that's pretty much what has played out. some less exciting signings like defenders and defensive midfielders might well have helped. 

 

[SA45]

10 hours ago, WattersIsGod said:

I'm not sure there is a lack of effort in this squad or that they've given up. i simply think they aren't good enough. when i looked at the squad before the season, it looked lacking in quality and depth. that's pretty much what has played out. some less exciting signings like defenders and defensive midfielders might well have helped.

It's already playing havoc with my tactics board for 2024-25 whatever league we're in. I think DY & Co badly underestimated what was required and the decision to extend his contract by 2.5 years this January seems a strange one.

For next season IMO we need: RB, CB, DM, CM (Ross D?), RM and possibly LM - basically a whole new midfield. I'd have Crane back at LB.

 

[WC Boggs]

13 hours ago, WattersIsGod said:

On McPake. after the first half of his debut, i was asked how he'd been. i said 'he can beat a man but he seems to always want to beat three'

My opinion hasn't really changed. 

like others have said, he needs more variety in his game. play it earlier and use his teammates sometimes. go outside rather than inside occasionally and keep defenders guessing.  

His defensive work is nothing to write home about so when he's ineffective in an attacking sense he's really not adding anything. 

I can't help but compare him to Kai Fotheringham who we had on loan last season. I don't think there's much between them in terms of ability but in terms of a football brain, Kai is light years ahead of him. 

I'm not sure there is a lack of effort in this squad or that they've given up. i simply think they aren't good enough. when i looked at the squad before the season, it looked lacking in quality and depth. that's pretty much what has played out. some less exciting signings like defenders and defensive midfielders might well have helped. 

 

I have to agree with all of that.

[BB_Bino]

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?

[WattersIsGod]

1 hour ago, BB_Bino said:

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?

maybe if they get relegated. he might be an effective player at Championship level for a team dominating most games. 

i don't know him well enough and can only go on what i've seen but he could just be trying too hard to do it all himself to earn a contract somewhere. if he doesn't get a full time gig next season, the chances of him ever doing so again go down substantially. Maybe having a pre season with a team and being involved from the start might help, maybe he'll pass more if he's playing with better players but i think most managers prefer signing players with fewer questions attached. 

i can't see him at Premier league level no. Even at Championship level, he's still got a way to go to be a consistently effective player based on his performances for us.  Would he get in Dundee Utd's first team or even Raith's?  Questionable. 

for me, he's got more of that mark of a talented but flawed player who'll ultimately end up being a decent part timer. Even that will depend on his attitude.

[SA45]

7 hours ago, WattersIsGod said:

for me, he's got more of that mark of a talented but flawed player who'll ultimately end up being a decent part timer. Even that will depend on his attitude.

Unless Coach Levein has seen something we haven't then I doubt St.J will sign him. His club history suggests he hasn't learned or progressed. Bet he's great at 5 a-side (but never passes).

[RandomGuy.]

By the sounds of things McPake isn't the only part time, formerly full time, young player whos been allowed to join us training when his current club have a day off.

We've been short in numbers for a variety for reasons so the extra numbers helps us too.