Spartans v Dumbarton (Play off final double header)

[macclyde+]

Well done Sons

If you can hold on to the likes of Ruth and Gray I think you will do well in L1.

[squeezebox-son]

So much to process after last night.

I can't believe how well we managed the ties vs Stirling and Spartans. Fair play the the management team for that! Just about played out perfectly in what we done ourselves. But for the early goal conceded last last, things more or less went according to plan.

That being said, what a difference in this group from a few months ago. To pick themselves up so well and get straight back in the match. Furthermore, to be the better side across both the ties was so impressive. From a group who have been labelled as bottle merchants and such, and rightly so given how they have handled themselves in important ties over the last couple of years.

Durnan is superb and what an influence he has on the players around him. It's no coincidence that Hogarth, Lennon and (last night) Lynas look so calm and in control with him there. I think Crighton looks far better with him alongside too, fwiw.

Ruth is miles better than Henderson. In fact, he is miles better than any other striker in League 2 and if we could hold onto him, alongside having the like of Carlo and Durnan... if we could keep Ruth (and Gray) and add a couple of solid league 1 players then we could be a difficult team to beat next year.

Financially, promotion is huge for Dumbarton and I don't think you can emphasise just how huge this could be for our future and, even more so, if we could consolidate in League 1 next season.

Mon the Sons! Hope everyone enjoys a real party this evening. Once again, I'm gigging tonight so will miss out but I'm sure it will be a great night for everyone 

Edited May 18 by squeezebox-son

[SLClyde]

Saw a fair bit last night and can’t say Dumbarton didn’t deserve it, Spartans looked fairly toothless going forward. 
 

Thought Stirling would’ve had enough to win the play offs, but pleased to have them down as it’s a good day out. 
 

Enjoy league 1, until next time sons! 

[AllyMonc]

Congratulations Dumbarton, hugely impressive display over the 2 legs and should have won the tie more comfortably.

 

Decent chance of consolidating in League 1 next season I think. 

 

Surprised by how poor Spartans were, far too direct and asking Henderson to do things he can't do (compete physically with a decent centre back). Delivery from corners was excellent but that's about it. 

 

Assuming we don't get punted out the league and assuming we don't find another reason to drift to the brink of liquidation then the derbies should be good fun next season. 

[Hard Graft]

Well done Sons, glad you made it and see you next season.

[George Parr]

Michael Ruth's second goal is simply one of the best moments I've seen a Sons' player produce. Particularly given the occasion. 

The first touch is outrageous, the driving run phenomenal and the left-footed finish divine. 

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

And to think Michael Ruth was excluded from both the team of the year or the top 4 for player of the year in favour of some absolute bums. Some laugh.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

I haven't the energy to go into detail on last night but I am reminded of the words of a Morton-supporting friend who said that supporting a Scottish provincial club is like making an emotional bank deposit every week, and every rare while you get to make a withdrawal. 

We took a huge one last night and everyone connected to the club deserves huge credit, and special mention to Faz, you are now in an exclusive club of Sons managers.  And yes, we'll soon come back to earth and realise the hard work that lies ahead but for now let's enjoy the moment starting with tonight's Awards Evening at The Rock.  

Finally, if there is a more enthusiastic and sporting club than Spartans then I'd like to see it.  Great hosts and very gracious in defeat - you fell just short but what a hugely impressive debut this season.  

[The Moonster]

2 minutes ago, O'Kelly Isley III said:

I haven't the energy to go into detail on last night but I am reminded of the words of a Morton-supporting friend who said that supporting a Scottish provincial club is like making an emotional bank deposit every week, and every rare while you get to make a withdrawal. 

We took a huge one last night and everyone connected to the club deserves huge credit, and special mention to Faz, you are now in an exclusive club of Sons managers.  And yes, we'll soon come back to earth and realise the hard work that lies ahead but for now let's enjoy the moment starting with tonight's Awards Evening at The Rock.  

Finally, if there is a more enthusiastic and sporting club than Spartans then I'd like to see it.  Great hosts and very gracious in defeat - you fell just short but what a hugely impressive debut this season.  

Perhaps the Spartans officials and fans were sporting but I thought their team based their entire tactical approach over the two legs as being dishonest, dirty, cheating b*****ds. Every single one of them were falling over looking for players to be booked, Henderson being the worst culprit but even Sonkur tried to get Graham booked in the last minute when he cleared a ball and pretended Graham had stuck a javelin through his leg. I'm delighted we've beaten that pish. Absolutely delighted.

There's so much I want to say on ourselves, absolutely everyone stood up to be counted and the management got absolutely everything spot on. What a difference having a dressing room that sticks together when things get tough. Durnan brings us so much confidence at the back, Cian Newbury was brick wall in the middle of the park, Orsi done well considering he is clearly not fit and Michael Ruth done what Michael Ruth does. We may well have some job replacing a few of this squad over the summer but we are at least going to be at a level that should make attracting players a bit easier, Farrell has never struggled to sell the club to players so I'm hopeful we'll be very competitive. We do also have Brett Long and Greig Young to come back which is basically like signing two new League 1 players. And can I just say how much I enjoyed seeing Young on the pitch in his full kit celebrating last night

It felt like a bit of a sliding doors moment last night, if we didn't come through it I had real horrible feelings about where we went from there, but everyone has worked their bollocks off and given us a huge boost. Well done to everyone involved. 

[Jan Vojáček]

Last night was incredible. It was largely 93 minutes of torture. Followed by the biggest outpouring of emotions I think I've felt. Annan and Airdrie were a party. That was an emotional rollercoaster. And one which felt so, so important given how strong League Two will be next season and our financial situation.

There's no point in me trying to say anything objective about the game. I spent it pacing around trying to enjoy myself but feeling like a cardiac arrest was imminent. 

What I will say though is, that this team thoroughly deserved that. We've had better sides quality wise - the 2008/09 group were exceptional for that level. 2011/12 had some of the best players in part-time football. But this group are as good a team as I've seen. In the sense of working together, working their arses off and being a united force on the park. There's such a strong spirit in the group, and that's what has got us over the line.

Fair play to Faz and the coaching staff for signing players with the right character in that regard. Last season we signed some good players but it didn't ever feel quite right. This group grew and grew; and despite setback after setback (losing a tremendous young full-back for the season, then losing our captain for five months, then losing our goalkeeper for the season, then losing the exceptional young full-back who had replaced our injured exceptional young full-back) they have just kept bouncing back.

Every single player in this squad is a credit to the club and a credit to themselves. They are guys that will be superb role models for any young Sons aspiring to be them (just as I aspired to be Jan/Ross Forbes/Aggy, and now Michael Ruth). I can't say I've seen a team who could beat them for sheer grit, bravery and determination. And they are led by the best skipper we've had since Andy Graham. With no disrespect intended to everyone who has come since then, Mark Durnan is a tremendous leader who really gets the most out of everyone around him. It's no coincidence how much Gallagher Lennon and Jay Hogarth have grown in stature, confidence and their reading of the game since Durnan came back. He felt like a captain everyone could rally behind, and I thought he was superb last night. Just as he has been in every game since returning from injury.

No player deserved to be our hero on the night more than Mikey Ruth though. I'm proud to say I was hyping him up from the start, but his progression and growth this season has been exceptional. He's the best striker in League Two. And his performance last night genuinely must have him up there as one of the best out and out forwards in part-time football. I'm sure he'll get a full-time move if he wants it, and fair play to him. Almost a bit like Jim Lister, if that's him done in a Sons shirt then he will leave a hero after just one season.

You couldn't have asked for anything more from him at all. He gave everything every single time he pulled on a shirt, and even when he was struggling to find the net - he didn't once let it get him down. The longest run he's been on without a goal all season was that run at the start of the year (six games). He's been consistently scoring since then. Admittedly it's a much lower level; but he's combined Christian Nade's link-up play with Chris Kane's work ethic. And last night he showed Kane-esque predatory instincts. It's like a striker you'd design in a lab.

In January Spartans brought in Marc McNulty and Callum Booth. We brought in Gallagher Lennon and Cian Newbury. Two 18-year-old kids who I knew next to nothing about. The growth in Gallagher has been tremendous to see, and the way he responded to a really tough start has been exceptional. It speaks volumes of his character because, at 18, it would be very easy to sink. But he didn't.

Newbury meanwhile is arguably our best loan player since Dom Thomas. On his debut at Peterhead I messaged my brother at half-time and said 'This boy will play for Scotland'. It was semi-joking. But you'll be hard pressed to find a better 18-year-old midfielder than him in the country. I honestly believe that. He's unflappable, technically superb, a hard but really good tackler, someone who reads the game like a veteran but has the body and athleticism of a teenager. He should be starting for Hamilton at the very least next season, and I'd be fascinated to know if any youth coaches who worked with Lewis Ferguson could talk about how they compare at this age. 

A wee word for Aron Lynas too. Who has been in and out of the side, and went through a rocky spell when he was having to play at centre-half all week. He came on, after not featuring for a while, and was up against the top scoring striker in the country who is about a foot taller than him. And he dominated him. Aron's obviously out of contract now, so who knows if he'll be staying or not. But he's a real scrapper and a top guy who has never let us down.

Since I started covering us we've lost a cup final in injury time, been relegated in injury time, gone from League One favourites to relegation battlers in the space of three months, had to contend with Duffyball, a season where we scored just 12 goals, been humiliated and relegated in the playoffs, chucked a double figure league lead and then got humiliated in the playoffs again. It does leave you wonder why you do it at times. But last night made all the pain, all the horrible afternoons, and all the horrible evenings writing about defeats worthwhile. I was up on four hours sleep to get the match report and reaction written up for Monday's paper. And it feels really special finally being able to cover a promotion.

[The Moonster]

Glad you mentioned Andy Graham, Jan, as the p***k stuck a dagger through my heart pre-match when he said he thought Spartans would have too much for us. Get it round him as well. 

[cowdenbeath]

Well deserved result for Sons over the 2 legs. Thought Spartans offered little apart from the early goal.

Punting the ball to Henderson dosn't work when the opposition have 2 giant central defenders and they lacked a plan b.

Special shout to the sons fans who travelled in huge numbers.

[George Parr]

9 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

Glad you mentioned Andy Graham, Jan, as the p***k stuck a dagger through my heart pre-match when he said he thought Spartans would have too much for us. Get it round him as well. 

In fairness I feared the same after scarcely 3 minutes.

[Jedi2]

Went along to this last night. Dumbarton definitely did manage the game well. Always looked a threat going forward and deserved to win the tie.

A lot of effort from Spartans particularly late on, but final ball around the box lacking when needed.

[microdave]

29 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

Glad you mentioned Andy Graham, Jan, as the p***k stuck a dagger through my heart pre-match when he said he thought Spartans would have too much for us. Get it round him as well. 

I was speaking to Andy on the way out and he was delighted that we've been promoted. 

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

Well done the sons.

A great bunch of lads

[The Moonster]

50 minutes ago, microdave said:

I was speaking to Andy on the way out and he was delighted that we've been promoted. 

As long as he doesn't poach Ruth from us I'll forgive him. 

[microdave]

7 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

As long as he doesn't poach Ruth from us I'll forgive him. 

I'm hoping that by going up, we might hang on to Ruth. But if he does go, I'd hope it's to the championship because 1. I think he deserves it and 2. we don't have him facing us.

[19QOS19]

3 minutes ago, microdave said:

I'm hoping that by going up, we might hang on to Ruth. But if he does go, I'd hope it's to the championship because 1. I think he deserves it and 2. we don't have him facing us.

He was out of his depth in the Championship so a year in L1 will be a sensible option for him. Reading the comments he's clearly a different player to the one ourselves and Falkirk had. But I think one more good year at L1 should be what he's aiming for. 

[FifeSons]

I’d consider taking a punt on Blair Henderson, if he’s available. He didn’t look amazing over the two legs, but his physicality and goal-scoring record would make it worth a shot.

I fully expect @Jan Vojáčekdown at Faz’s office, with his list of recommended signings, first thing Monday morning.

I also wanted to green dot some of the great posts above, but apparently I’ve used them all up for the day on all the lovely messages of congratulations we’ve had.

Edited May 18 by FifeSons