In another action-packed weekend of Scottish football, Aberdeen fail to capitalise on last week’s epic win against Rangers, Hamilton record a rare win but a tunnel fracas after their game with Hearts will keep the SFA busy this week. And it’s a sign that all is not well in Scottish football when only 16 goals are scored in the Highland League and Fort William win again. Strange days indeed…
Posts Tagged: Airdrie
7
Sep 09
Livingston – The Neverending Story
It is certainly not easy being a fan of Livingston FC these days. The club is in administration for the second time in its short history and facing a very uncertain future, back in the division from which they started their ascent to the SPL in 1995.
Today, Livingston will appear before the SFA appeals committee, chaired by Lord McLean, hoping their case against their demotion will fall on sympathetic ears.
In the last few days, stories have emerged in the press that casts a very negative spotlight on the men that run Scottish football. Neil Rankine, one of a group of five who invested in the club in an attempt bring it out of administration has alleged that leading members of the SFL are guilty of serious misconduct, including breaching the leagues own rules on dual interests in member clubs and – more seriously – an alleged ‘cash for votes’ attempt by the SFL’s own treasurer.
Rankine claims that Donnie MacIntyre asked him for £43,000 in exchange for a favourable vote in an upcoming meeting to decide Livingston’s fate as a First Division club: MacIntyre later resigned over these allegations.
Rankine is also seeking an investigation over the conduct of Jim Ballantyne. Like MacIntyre, Ballantyne is a member of the League Management Committee and, according to draft minutes leaked to te Scotland on Sunday newspaper, took an active part in a meeting that eventually confirmed Livi’s demotion to the Third Division.
At first sight, this may not seem unusual until you take into account that Ballantyne is also chairman of Airdrie United, the club promoted back to the First Division.
Neil Rankine is clearly not a happy man. Some might say he has a point. The credibility of the committee that effectively oversaw Livi’s demotion to the Third Division has been called into question, with a treasurer who is open to bribery, and a voting member whose club stands to gain from Livi’s demotion.
The outcome of the appeal could have far-reaching consequences, not just for Livingston, but for the 12 other clubs directly, and indirectly involved in this long running saga.
Should their appeal be successful, the results of all games played by Livingston, Airdrie United and Cowdenbeath (the third club promoted following Livi’s return to the Third Division) will be declared null and void. For Livingston, who have won only 1 of their 3 games so far, this is probably the best outcome. Neither Airdrie or Cowdenbeath (9th and 8th respectively) have exactly had good starts to their seasons, but a return to lower league football is not something they’re exactly looking forward to.
And for the opponents of the teams involved (Berwick, Albion Rovers, Arbroath, Brechin, Alloa, East Fife, Ross County, Queen of the South, Dundee and Dunfermline), it’s not hard to imagine that they’ll be too happy about having these games, in which most of them where the winning side, declared null and void.
Whatever happens to Livingston, we can be sure that this story will rumble on and on, as the various appeals are heard.
26
Jul 09
Alba Challenge Cup: the misery continues for Livingston
While the rest of the UK is still fannying around in meaningless friendlies, up in Scotland the season has started for the clubs in the Scottish Football league, as this years Alba Challenge Cup kicked off.
The season just doesn’t seem to get any better for LIVINGSTON. The club where placed in administration on Friday while the Council look for ways to recoup their unpaid rent arrears. For now the football continues in Livingston, but the club will not be adding the Challenge Cup to their honours roll: a single goal by QUEEN OF THE SOUTH’s Barry Wilson was enough to separate the sides and send Livi crashing out of the competition in the first round (report)
Like Livingston, CLYDE are currently facing a few troubles of their own. Manager John Brown has worked wonders to rebuild his squad after the club where relegated last season – a series of open trails has brought in a new squad that recorded a great win against First Division side Partick Thistle. Unfortunately, that good form didn’t continue against fellow Second Division side STENHOUSEMUIR (report). Craig O’Reilly, a former Clyde player scored the opener, with Scott Dalzeil adding a second.
There was some good news for the other two clubs in Scottish football who’ve been hitting the headlines of late. STRANRAER, relegated last season from the Second division and currently in full fundraising mode won a hard-fought game against BERWICK RANGERS. The 4-2 win for The Clayholers came in a bad tempered game that saw both teams reduced to 10-men.
STIRLING ALBION finally received some good news yesterday afternoon as they progressed to the next round of the Alba Cup. Their 2-1 win over last season’s Second Division champions RAITH ROVERS (report) was quite comfortable, from all accounts, with goals by Andy Graham and David McKenna see Stirling through to the second round.
Elsewhere, MONTROSE pushed Terry Butchers’ INVERNESS CALEY all the way to extra time and penalties. A Sean Creighton own-goal put Caley in the lead before half-time, but the Angus side equalized against the run of play when Jordan Leyden put the ball over Ryan Esson in the Caley goal. With no more scoring in extra-time, the game went to penalties, with Caley eventually going through 5-3 on the night (report).
PETERHEAD failed to capitalize on their excellent showing in their friendly against ABERDEEN earlier in the week – they lost 2-1 at home to COWDENBEATH (report). ANNAN ATHLETIC’s first ever home match in the Challenge Cup ended in a 2-0 victory over QUEENS PARK with a Mike Jack double, with both goals coming from the penalty spot (report).
There’s one more game taking place today, as DUMBARTON take on MORTON. This game had to be moved to Sunday because of a wedding at Strathclyde Homes Stadium today (no, really!).
Full Results
Dunfermline Ath 2 – 1 Arbroath
East Fife 0 – 2 Forfar Athletic
Elgin City 3 – 1 Brechin City
Inverness 1 – 1 Montrose Inverness (CT win 5-3 on penalties)
Peterhead 1 – 2 Cowdenbeath
Ross County 3 – 2 Alloa Athletic (aet)
Stirling Albion 2 – 1 Raith Rovers
Airdrie United 0 – 1 Partick Thistle
Annan Athletic 2 – 0 Queen’s Park
Ayr United 0 – 2 Albion Rovers
Queen ‘O South 1 – 0 Livingston
Stenhousemuir 2 – 0 Clyde
Stranraer 4 – 2 Berwick Rangers
10
Jan 09
Scottish Cup Fourth Round Reviews
The weather may have gotten the better of the Scottish Cup games at Forfar, Brechin and Inverurie, but there was plenty of action in the other fixtures taking place. We round up the Scottish Cup action with the reports from the various club sites (where possible) and some nice piccies, thanks to the BBC.
Scottish Cup Fourth Round
- Ayr United continue their good run of results against Kilmarnock as they fight back to earn another replay (2-2)
- Celtic need Aiden McGeady to make up for Artur Boruc’s latest goalkeeping disaster to earn a hard-fought win against Dundee (2-1)
- Aberdeen’s win over Alloa was not without its problems, but into the fifth round they go thanks to Chris Maguire and a late Sone Aluko strike (1-2)
- Falkirk also go through as they beat Queen of the South (4-2)
- Three new signings help win the battle of the Thistles in Inverness‘ favour as they overcome Partick Thistle (3-0)
- There was no upset on the cards in Airdrie as the last of the non-league sides go out. Spartans lose out in poor conditions (2-1)
- Ross County manager Derek Adams blames refereeing blunders on their Cup exit to SPL side Hamilton. Complain as he might, it’s not going to change the result (0-1)
- Clyde lose out to Dunfermline (2-0)
- Peterhead head to Hampden! Not for the final, but for another replay with Queen’s Park (2-2)
- Stenhousemuir go out to a ‘bizarre’ winner by East Fife’s Bobby Linn (0-1)
Picture Gallery
Courtesy of the BBC Website.
- Another lovely Scottish winter’s day, but Aberdeen progress on Alloa’s artificial surface.
- Simon Lynch puts an end to Spartans dreams of a Cup upset.
- Pasquali scores for Killie against bogey-side Ayr United, but a replay beckons.
- Artur Boruc doing what he’s good at, i.e. making a mess of it and allowing the other team to score.
- Spartan fans arrive in Airdrie. The smiles would soon disappear as their side go out of the Cup
