retired_ivonta

When a young man has success at an early age in his life the tendency is for that man to believe that the world is at his feet, and to consequently begin to believe in his own hype and lose the focus that had led him to his original successes. This is nobody's fault, merely human nature. I had recognised that with the success we had last season, the players would now be considered heroes certainly in the local region, and that the attention that some would face (particularly female attention) would lead in some cases to an inflated ego, particularly given the young age of our squad as a whole. So on that first day when the players turned up for pre-season training my task was to knock them down a peg or two. Sure, they were a great bunch of lads who had done everything I had asked of them last season and when one considers that this time last year we were coming into pre-season hoping to be sitting here today having scraped survival, where we were now meant everyone at this club deserved praise. But that was last season. Three months have passed since we lifted the title and the celebratory corking of champagne bottles was now but an echo. I could consider a complacent spirit amongst the younger players as soon as they walked into the dressing room that morning and set about destroying it, starting with an arduous cross-country run.

After the run and having introduced them to the new members of the coaching staff I gave them stern words, informing them in no uncertain terms that if they want to live off the back of last season's achievements and use that success as an excuse to slack off then they will be sold back to the division where they came from. I lectured them for a good fifteen minutes, hammering home to them the importance of hard work, focus and determination and hopefully it paid off because for the rest of the day there was not much laughing and joking around as there had been in the morning. An intensive weight training and sprints session saw to that.

To quote the Beatles, it had been a hard day's night. I had spent the previous week offering contracts to players released from their clubs all around the UK and Europe. I must have spent half a week on the phone and the other half travelling up and down Scotland and England trying to persuade various players that East Fife had a future. Not one person bought it. True, I was going in offering high profile names contracts not really expecting a positive answer, but I was often disappointed when reserve players would not even consider joining us on loan, or free transferred lower league players would reject us as though they were expecting Manchester United to come in for them. I was disappointed not to get Craig Beattie on loan from Celtic after they had agreed to loan him out to me and he flatly refused. We are only one division below them I thought to myself, I tried persuading him that if he were to prove himself in this league then people would sit up and take notice, Celtic included, but he decided loitering in the reserves would be more of a challenge. So be it. It was a frustrating and fruitless period for me, except in the capture of Ross O'Donoghue on a 6-month loan deal from Norwich. The former Aberdeen man would provide more midfield options, and I was now spoilt for choice in that area. Baltemar Brito raved about him in training though, giving me food for thought leading up to our first game of the season in the Challenge Cup 1st round, at home to Ross County.

In the meantime I had organised an away friendly at Cowdenbeath and one at Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Apart from them we were having trouble getting teams to even play us, another sign of our low status in football. Being at such a low profile club was frustrating at times I began to think to myself. So when I received a telephone call one morning in my office I couldn't believe who it was.

'Hello Gino, its Bobby here.'
'Sorry who?' I enquired, not recognising the voice down the phone.
'Bobby...Bobby Robson.' I was dumbfounded. I couldn't believe this great man was ringing me up. I needed to compose myself.
'Oh hello Sir Robson, what a nice surprise. How are you?' I didn't even know how to address him.
'I'm good thanks Gino. Listen, I've been paying attention to your early career at New Bayview and just wanted to congratulate you on a brilliant first season. The purpose of my call is to see if your boys are free for a friendly on the 20th July.'

I couldn't believe it. Sir Bobby Robson, a man respected worldwide, was congratulating me and asking me if his team could play mine. With my birthday only weeks away it was certainly a nice early present. Of course I accepted and we exchanged pleasantries before he told me his secretary would fax confirmation through to us. I was delighted. Suddenly the pre-season friendlies couldn't come soon enough.

retired_besheeran

Congrats, well deserved

PS, down with arrogant Celtic b@stards!

Come one the fife!

retired_ivonta

I always believe that pre-season is the time for a clean slate. It is the only time in the year where the results are not the most important thing and as such it gives a manager the chance to experiment with all aspects of the team, whether it be formation, tactics or personnel. The first thing I tell my players is that places are now up for grabs. Nobody can rest on their laurels that way, and it gives the reserve players a fresh optimism and impetus that rubs off on everyone else in training. It also helps renew my judgement on players and if I have been wrong about a player, or leaving a player out unjustly, now is the chance for them to perform because I will not hesitate to play them. It is with this that I name an unfamiliar lineup for the first pre-season game of the season away to Cowdenbeath. Perennial reserve team players like centre back Les Byle and winger Jon Mitchell are thrown into the starting lineup and I can see that they are delighted to have a chance to prove themselves. After going 1-0 down in the 18th minute we recover well and compose ourselves and ten minutes later Gordon Love equalises, tucking away a neat finish inside the six yard box after good work down the right from Mitchell and a good cross from Fairbairn. From here we go on and win 3-1 with Bobby Duncan and Dean Walker scoring in the 71st and 75th minute respectively. It is a good workout against the 3rd Division side and I learn a lot about some fringe players.

Wimbledon were next up at New Bayview and before kick-off there were several presentations made, with Dean Walker getting his Fans Player of the Year award, Willie Stewart receiving his 2nd Division Player of the Year award, myself picking up the 2nd Division Manager of the Year award and the team getting the chance to show off the 2nd Division trophy to the fans again. It was a beautiful sunny day and everyone was in good spirits, that is until Scott McDonald gave the MK Dons the lead finishing after a powerful run and cross from Patrick Agyemang. Jimmy Rae's left foot volley from around 18 yards out was worth the entry fee alone and a 1-1 draw was a fair result and a good afternoon for the Fifers fans being the first game at New Bayview this season. But the big one was three days later when Newcastle United came to town.

There was a real buzz around the town about this game and tickets sold like hot cakes. Indeed I had gone on record as saying that it was Newcastle who had challenged us to this game in an attempt at raising our profile somewhat, and had gone so far as to mention it in my programme notes. Although it is going to be very difficult to raise the profile of the club(unless David Beckham fancies moving back to the UK and settling in Methil) it is something we need to do if only to allow us to attract decent players to the club. What surely goes down as my highlight in management so far came before the match itself, as Sir Bobby Robson and I spent two hours in my office talking about life and the world of football as a whole. Now I'm the sort of person who could talk to a tramp all day if he had something to say about football, so to talk to and host this great man who has achieved so much in his career was an absolute honour, one I will not forget. He gave me an abundance of advice and help, and indeed I knew he had been studying us becuase he was keen to ask me what I thought of Brian Blair. I told him he would need Freddy Sheperd to mortgage St. James Park to be able to afford him and we shared a laugh. It was a great few hours. In fact the game itself largely passed me by as I spent large spells just watching my opposite dugout and analysing how he manages, what he says to his players, his tone and how he adjusts his tactics mid-match and it was a wonderful learning experience. Newcastle put out their first team which only added to the occasion and in the dressing room prior to the match there were arguments about who would get Alan Shearer's shirt. The game itself ended 1-1 with young substitute Guy Bates equalising for Newcastle after Brian Fairbairn had done brilliantly and beaten Shay Given in a one-on-one situation to give us the lead inside seven minutes. After the game I asked Sir Bobby who their number 9 was and whether he'd fancy joining East Fife but to no avail. He told me to get in touch with him if I had any problems during what he said would be a tough 2nd season in management and I was honoured. Sadly a few weeks later he resigned from Newcastle and retired over what I believe was a contractual dispute with the board, but I would not forget that day in July when I met a true knight of the game.

retired_ivonta

Other Pre-season Results:

Hamilton 1-0 East Fife
Goals: B Carrigan pen'57

Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3-1 East Fife
Goals: K Deuchar '12, D Proctor '45, B Stevens '72, D Macrae '85

East Fife 4-0 Port Glasgow
Goals: B Fairbairn '3, S Nicholas '67, R O'Donoghue '83, G Gilbert '90

------------------------------------
Other News:

East Fife have been made 150-1 no hopers to gain promotion from the Scottish 1st Division this season. The bookies have completely written the Fifers off perhaps understandably given they are newcomers to the Division, and have made Falkirk and Partick Thistle evens favourites.

Other Odds:
Falkirk - Evens
Partick Thistle - Evens
Clyde - 5/4
Brechin - 7/4
St Johnstone - 7/4
Queen of the South - 8/1
¦
¦
V
East Fife - 150/1

--------------------------
Season 2 - 2004/2005

After the laughter must come the tears, so goes the famous saying. I wouldn't go as far as to say I'm crying yet, but one thing is for certain the happiness and good experience of the Newcastle game and from our promotion last season had now fully worn off after crashing to two defeats in pre-season. I had not really given the 1st division much thought in terms of just how difficult it will prove for us to assert ourselves and although it is not the best league in the world by any stretch of the imagination, the 3-1 convincing defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, a team that got relegated from the Scottish 1st last season, has slapped me in the face and woken me up as to just how difficult a season could lie ahead. As part of my 5-year plan, phase one is complete and we now have two years to stable ourselves and hopefully win another promotion in order for my ambitions to bear fruit. I would say that this year could make or break that plan. Stay up and perform well and the players will learn a thing or two about the division, also allowing us to establish ourselves and maybe bring in a few new faces in future. Relegation however, would send us back to square one. That is something I will not let happen, but it must be said that not being able to bring in players has hindered my optimism. Another recent transfer market foray came when Baltemar Brito alerted me to a player he had known for many years and believed would go on to great things.

'He goes by the name of Ederson...,' Brito said in a chat we were having one day.
'And he is the answer.'

The assertiveness with which he praised the boy made me put a bid in for him, which was surprisingly accepted by his club RS Futebol. I decided the best thing to do was to allow Baltemar to negotiate with him and his family, being a Brazilian himself, and I couldn't believe it when he agreed to join us. Brito couldn't either.

'He will transform this side, you can mark my sayings' Brito kept claiming in his not quite perfect English. I was excited about the kid. We had him watched several times and he had impressed with his flair and goalscoring ability from midfield. Now we would just have to wait for a work permit.

For the game against Port Glasgow I played an inexperienced side once again and was impressed by Jon Mitchell and Stevie Nicholas, as well as Craig Lumsden at right back, although his 1st team chances are slightly hampered by the excellent Iain Chalmers, who I can't really leave out on current form. So for our first game of the season I threw Mitchell into the starting lineup in place of Willie Stewart and also left out Brian Blair. Neither had excelled in pre-season and I wanted to remind them that their places are not guaranteed. Ross County were the visitors in the first round of the Challenge Cup and they too were a 1st division side so a good litmus test for my boys. Ross County started very brightly and straight away I noticed the gap in quality between the 1st and 2nd divisions. They knocked the ball around with pace and movement and we struggled to contain their wingers Winters and Mackay. Their corner count was also high in the opening half hour and we had to be at our best to defend them adequately. I sensed that our players too realised that this was the next level, and were perhaps a bit taken aback by the pace and strength of Ross County. Indeed we had 3 players booked in the game and it was a sign of the physicality of the match. We managed to steady ourselves somewhat and the midfield pairing of Chris Miller and Ross O'Donoghue were instrumental in us getting back into the game, keeping the possession and dictating the pace of the game in the centre of midfield. Ross played well on his debut and created chances for us towards the end of the first half, but Deuchar and many others were guilty of not hitting the target, something we failed to do in the whole first half.

At half time I tried to encourage the players and let them know that they had shown they deserve to be at this level already, when in truth I was just happy that it was 0-0. Keep hassling them and try and get the ball on the floor, I kept saying, hoping our passing game would come through. Second half the improvement was immense, but we couldn't break them down. They too created chances but Steven Colgan was more than up to the task, pulling off some magnificent saves to keep us in it. Players soon tired and the pace dropped, so I brought on Stewart and Blair to inject a bit of creativity and urgency to our play but to no avail. 0-0 it ended and we went to extra time. I wasn't sure how the players would react in this period I must say, but I felt that Ross County were being worn down. Their heads dropped when it got to extra time and us being the underdogs I think made them feel they had failed by not beating us in normal time. It was a sloppy extra time with plenty of misplaced passes and when McCunnie hit a free-kick straight at Colgan I was pleased to escape as I thought a set piece might win it either way. Colgan released the goal kick and Dean Walker won the header, giving it to Duncan. Bobby played a pass to Blair in the centre who gave it to Jimmy Rae. Just don't lose possession was all I could think, I didn't want to lose this game in the dying minutes of extra time. Rae played a one-two with Blair, but it seemed Blair had overhit the pass down the left flank. I let out a frustrated sigh. But suddenly out of nowhere, Jimmy found another gear and burst down the flank past his man and got onto the ball, whipping it into the box first time for Brian Fairbairn to tap in. 1-0 to the Fife! There were 10 minutes left and I told the boys to go for a second which we nearly got. Ross County were down and out now I thought, we may as well be positive. The second goal didn't come, but we hung on for a 1-0 victory and a place in the next round. I was delighted, we had shown we could just about compete with a first division side and it would mean a lot to the players as it would give them a bit of hope and optimism, hopefully convince them that they can do it in this league. If the flair that we need is provided by Ederson, we could even surprise a few people I was thinking to myself in the players' lounge after the game until Baltemar rushed in looking downbeat.

'Boss, we've got bad news. Ederson didn't get a work permit. The deals off.' he said, looking most crestfallen. Our luck in the transfer market was out again. After the laughter comes the...sigh of disappointment is how I'd describe it.

Challenge Cup 1st Round
East Fife 1-0 Ross County
Goals: B Fairbairn '109

MoM: S Colgan
Attendance: 1517 - New Bayview


GK: S Colgan
DR: I Chalmers
DC: C Hendry (c)
DC: R Currie
DL: B Duncan
MR: J Mitchell (>> W Stewart '57)
MC: C Miller (>> B Blair '85)
MC: R O'Donoghue
ML: J Rae
FC: K Deuchar (>> D Walker '57)
FC: B Fairbairn

(Subs- J Brain (GK), E Forrest, B Blair, W Stewart, D Walker)

retired_confal2

Congrats, and best of luck for the new season :thup:

retired_ivonta

Cheers for the support OMDave, appreciate it

If there were any doubts in my mind as to whether or not my team could compete at this level, I knew they would be answered straight away. A look at the fixture list revealed that we would face possibly the best team in the league Partick Thistle, who only last season were playing against the likes of Rangers and Celtic in the SPL. They now had a home game against lowly Fife and as if that was not enough we were drawn against them in the 2nd round of the Challenge Cup. 2 massive tests for my squad in the space of three days and a big test for us. In the build up to the opening game of the season I brought in Cameron Bell, a 17-year old goalkeeper that had been released on a free by Kilmarnock. That he was free and talented to boot meant it was too good an opportunity to turn down really, but another reason had come due to several reports from my coaches that they believed Jonathan Brain too lazy and not determined enough in training. I called him into my office on the day of the signing and warned him that there was competition now even for a place on the bench, and told him of the coach reports I had received and how unhappy I was with him. It seemed to hit home and his performances in training improved, but his place at the club is in jeopardy.

I threw Bell into the reserve game at home to Selkirk along with a few other fringe players for them to gain some match practice and hopefully improve their sharpness and confidence. I went along to watch the game and it was an absolutely dire 0-0. Not one player played himself into my good books that day, and several of them will remain in the reserves until things improve, Gordon Love included.

The trip to Glasgow for the first game of the season was a smooth one and spirits were high amongst the lads as they got changed in the dressing room. The teamsheet few up a few surprises for them though as I left Willie Stewart and Brian Blair on the bench to everyone in the room's surprise. They hadn't done much to impress me in pre-season and I see no reason why they should walk into the team.

I was really quite nervous taking my seat in the dugout for my first game at this level. It could go either way I thought to myself, we're well prepared but just how well prepared? This could be a spanking if we dont start well. I had considered packing the midfield and trying to go for a point with just one upfront, but decided to stick to the system we had thus far succeeded with. I kept sipping water to calm the nerves before kickoff. 'Relax' Baltemar kept telling me with a wry smile, calm about his first official game as assistant manager. We started well and were the better side in the first ten minutes, creating good chances. Jimmy Rae spurned a good chance inside the penalty area after 12 minutes, blasting his first time effort high over the bar. I was pleased with our start, but nervous. 'Soon they'll open us up' is all i could think, they'll find a hole and then exploit it. But no. We took the game to them, creating more and more until in the 23rd minute Chris Miller did excellently in winning two challenges in the midfield, throwing himself into the challenges and playing a short ball to Dean Walker. From about 20 yards out to the right of the penalty area Dean just hit one and, amazingly, the keeper flapped at it and it went in. We had scored. It was slightly fortuitous, coming from horrendous goalkeeping, but I didn't care. We had the lead. Just hang on I thought, taking another sip of water.

I had hardly finished taking a swig when it was 2-0. A minute later, Zak Whitbread played an atrocious backpass that left his keeper in no mans land. His defensive partner tried chasing it along with Fairbairn, but Brian shrugged him off with ease and powered it first time into the net from 10 yards out. We were now two goals up and Baltemar gave me a pat on the back. 'Relax' was again all he said. Brian soon doubled his tally with a great finish from just inside the penalty area after a great team move, converting Jimmy Rae's left wing cross in emphatic style and we went in at half time 3-0 up against the title favourites on their own ground, which indeed we managed to hold onto. It was a remarkable performance from the lads, everyone involved performed excellently and I was impressed with our maturity and composure in holding onto the lead in the second half, keeping a clean sheet. But what was to come three days later was even better.


Scottish 1st Division - 14/8/2004
Partick Thistle 0-3 East Fife
Goals: D Walker '23, B Fairbairn '25 '39

MoM: D Walker
Attendance: 3342 - Firhill Park


GK: S Colgan
DR: I Chalmers
DC: C Hendry (c)
DC: R Currie
DL: B Duncan
MR: S Nicholas
MC: C Miller (>> B Blair '67)
MC: R O'Donoghue
ML: J Rae (inj.>> C Hargreaves '45)
FC: D Walker
FC: B Fairbairn

(Subs- C Bell (GK), G McDonald, W Stewart, B Blair, C Hargreaves)

---------------------

Scottish League Challenge Cup 2nd Round - 17/8/2004
East Fife 5-1 Partick Thistle
Goals: D Walker '1 '14, B Fairbairn '8 pen'64, R O'Donoghue '75 A Thomson '20

MoM: D Walker
Attendance: 1522 - New Bayview


GK: S Colgan
DR: I Chalmers
DC: C Hendry (c) (inj.>> E Forrest '45)
DC: R Currie
DL: B Duncan
MR: S Nicholas (>> C Hargreaves '67)
MC: B Blair
MC: R O'Donoghue
ML: J Rae
FC: D Walker
FC: B Fairbairn

(Subs- C Bell (GK), E Forrest, W Stewart, K Deuchar, C Hargreaves)


I couldn't quite believe it. 5-1. Even thinking about it now makes me smile. If the papers wanted to put Saturday's result down to fluke (as they were so keen to do) then they are going to have to think twice. My team has arrived in this league. We scored within a minute which obviously helped settle any nerves prior to kickoff, but I have to say that from start to finish we were the better side. It was easily the best performance under me as manager and I was proud at full-time of every player in an orange and black shirt. Having watched the video again and again, the most telling statistic I have seen is that we spent 46% of the game camped in their half, and had 80% of possession in that third. Dean Walker and Brian Fairbairn seem to be forming a good partnership as well, with eight goals between them in just three games, and Ross O'Donoghue could prove to be a coup for this club. Our next game in the cup is away to St.Johnstone which will be a very tough game, but if we play like that again I will have no worries. Next up though, Forfar at home.

retired_jgirl87

Double congratulations on the club promotion and story of the week award. :thup:

I'm enjoying your writing - good luck for the upcoming season.

retired_ivonta

Cheers Spav, appreciate it, hope your enjoying it

For the second league game of the season we entertained fellow promoted side Forfar to a packed New Bayview, and although we finished 20 points ahead of them last I knew it would be a tough game. They are a good side that seem to always cause us problems, and last season our record against them was not great, both sides picking up a win and two draws from the four league games- it was them too that brought an end to our 21 game unbeaten streak last year. So I knew what to expect in the week leading up to the game and we set about practicing containing their ability from set pieces and also handling their potent strikeforce. In the build up to the game the versatile young winger Chris McMillan came to see me and told me he was upset that I had offered him to Colchester United, who had been sniffing around him throughout the summer. I apologised to him but told him that his value was too high for me not to listen to offers, particularly given that he was a fringe player who had only played a handful of games last year. I told him that I rate him as a player and would personally love to keep him here but that he had to understand the club's position and finances. He seemed genuinely upset at the prospect of leaving the club and I felt quite bad for the boy, but its a simple fact that if a club bid £20,000 for him I could not refuse it. It seems to have affected him which is a shame.

The game itself began in the worst possible fashion. After seven minutes their right winger played what seemed to be a hopeless ball over the top, surely bread and butter for Colin Hendry. But Colin made a hash of it and it fell right into the path of Alan Reid who fired home from just outside the six yard box. Not what I had hoped for. Colin had done the same thing minutes earlier, failing to deal with what looked like his ball along the ground, but instead being outpaced and outmuscled by Tosh, their centre forward, whose run was strong but who fired wide. Our response to going 1-0 down was quite encouraging though and when Brian Blair, restored to the side in place of Miller, whipped in a corner from the right, Iain Chalmers was brought down in the box. Brian Fairbairn wasted no time in hammering home his sixth of the season.

At half time I was not very happy with our general performance and had a few stern words with the players, especially the defence who had been porous to say the least. It only took five more minutes of the second half before I had had enough and brought off Hendry and put Eddie Forrest on for him to make his league debut. We looked better in defence after this change, until the 56th minute when they allowed Robbie Horn, a centre back I tried to buy in the summer, to score a header from a corner. I was furious, given that we'd spent all week analysing their set plays and trying to deal with them. Poor marking from everyone was the reason for the goal and after the game they got a barrel full for that. We salvaged a point when Stevie Nicholas, making his third start in a row (he only played two in the whole of last season) took the ball off George Duncan their centre back and made a good run into the box, firing home a powerful effort into the bottom right hand corner of the net to equalise. The game finished all square at 2-2.


Scottish 1st Division - 21/8/2004
East Fife 2-2 Forfar
Goals: B Fairbairn pen'17, S Nicholas '72 A Reid '8, R Horn '56


MoM: R Horn
Attendance: 1986 - New Bayview


GK: S Colgan
DR: I Chalmers
DC: C Hendry (c) (>> E Forrest '51)
DC: R Currie
DL: B Duncan
MR: S Nicholas
MC: B Blair
MC: R O'Donoghue
ML: J Rae
FC: D Walker
FC: B Fairbairn

(Subs- C Bell (GK), E Forrest, C Hargreaves, A Walker, K Deuchar)

retired_ivonta

Scottish 1st Division - 28/8/2004
East Fife 6-0 Clyde
Goals: D Walker '22 '75, B Fairbairn pen'28 '32 pen'58, J Rae '44


MoM: D Walker
Attendance: 1868 - New Bayview


GK: S Colgan
DR: I Chalmers
DC: E Forrest
DC: R Currie
DL: B Duncan
MR: S Nicholas (>> C McMillan '62)
MC: R O'Donoghue (>> B Blair '76)
MC: C Miller
ML: J Rae
FC: D Walker(c) (>>K Deuchar'76)
FC: B Fairbairn

(Subs- C Bell (GK), G McDonald, B Blair, C McMillan, K Deuchar)

Match Report:
East Fife produced a vintage display today in front of a packed New Bayview to send the home fans home purring and the Fifers up to 2nd in the table. Manager Gino Dooba-Mackay's side surprised everyone last season by romping away with the 2nd Division title against all odds, and with the start the Fifers have had to this campaign so far, it would be ill-advised to write them off again. On the day East Fife's strikers had too much for Clyde's defence to cope with, with Brian Fairbairn bagging a hat-trick and his strike partner Dean Walker bagging a brace. Jimmy Rae also scored on the stroke of half time with a sumptuous free-kick. East Fife came out of the blocks flying, and could have made it 1-0 within 24 seconds. Jimmy Rae attacked down the left hand side from the kick off and managed to beat his man, putting a cross in for Stevie Nicholas,whose right foot volley flew narrowly wide. The game was an almost unanimously one-sided affair at times, but Clyde did have a good chance in the 12th minute. New signing Chris Iwelumo saw his effort saved by Steven Colgan after a well worked move. But from then on the chances were all East Fife's. In the 22nd minute Fairbairn went on a mazy run down the left hand side and put a high ball into the box for Dean Walker to nod home, and the goals did not stop coming. Six minutes later Fairbairn won a penalty and converted it with aplomb, having been brought down by Fraser, and merely three minutes later he got his second goal of the game with a neat finish after Walker nodded a Stevie Nicholas cross into his path. At 3-0 up the Fifers eased up slightly, and Iwelumo had another good chance to get his name on the scoresheet, but was thwarted by Colgan yet again, pulling off a good low save. Minutes before half time Jimmy Rae put the game beyond Clyde with a beautifully struck left foot free-kick, his 1st goal of the season.

In the second half Clyde decided to try damage limitation and reverted to a defensive 4-5-1 formation, offering little in the way of attack, but East Fife didn't let this stop them and continued to open their opponents up with some wonderful football. In the 58th minute Walker latched onto Bobby Duncan's long throw in but was brought down as he went to shoot, and Brian Fairbairn made no mistake, completing his hat-trick. Dooba-Mackay made a few changes after this and brought on the unsettled Chris McMillan for his first appearance of the season. The rout was completed when Dean Walker got his second goal of the game, heading home Ross O'Donoghue's corner, and the thrashing was complete.

----------

It had been a pleasing day for me today, before kickoff I would have been happy with a scrappy 1-0 win, nevermind winning 6-0 and being generally so dominant. Everyone in the dressing room deserved praise and spirits were high at the club. Gordon Dow invited me to his office after the post-match hoo-haa was over with and we settled down to celebrate with a bottle of vintage wine that he pulled from his cabinet. He congratulated me on how far I had taken the club in little over a year, and with the transfer deadline a few days away we discussed players. I had a few in mind, but whether they would join or we had the funds to afford them was a different matter. We were talking about the overall outlook of the playing staff when there was a knock at the door. It was Chris McMillan.

'Err...sorry to disturb...is it okay if I have a word boss?' he asked sheepishly.

'Yeh...is it okay if you give us a minute please?'

'No probs' said Chris, about to leave the room.

'Not you Chris' I said, ushering him back in. 'Would you give us a minute Gordon?'

I don't know how the chairman took that, but I needed to speak with Chris.

'I'm really sorry to bother you boss, but...im just not...I want to ask for a transfer.'

I half suspected him to ask for a transfer really. His behaviour in the dressing room after the game was not that of a man content at having seen his team win 6-0. He had been distant. I tried reasoning with him and offering him a chance to stay, but he had heard of other clubs' interest now and decided that he wanted to try his hand elsewhere. I was disappointed with his decision as I considered him an important part of the future here but there was nothing I could do about it. He was sold to Colchester United for £18,000 days later.

retired_ivonta

With the sale of Chris McMillan to Colchester my options were somewhat restricted down the flanks, so on deadline day I managed to secure a season long loan deal for attacking midfielder Ryan Baldacchino from Carlisle. He was a player I had been aware of following his outstanding season for Gretna last year which earned him his move to the English club, but he was in the reserves there and hadn't made much of an impact. I was wary about making a permanent bid for him because I wasn't sure if he could step up two divisions that easily, but a loan deal suited everyone and gave me more depth down the flanks. He went into the squad for the Challenge Cup game against St.Johnstone, but I left him on the bench and decided to give Wille Stewart his first start of the season having rejected a deadline day bid for him from Ross County. We were performing well in this competition so far this season and a win would take us to the semi-finals of a competition the club has never won before, but I realised it would be a tough game away at McDiarmid Park against a good side, especially when we went 1-0 down in the 24th minute. For the last few games I had dropped Colin Hendry from the starting lineup due to his recent poor performances, but Eddie Forrest and Ross Currie fared no better in dealing with what looked like a hopeful ball over the top to Peter McDonald upfront. Slack marking and pressing then allowed McDonald to get to the byline and cross for Keigan Parker, who too was not marked closely enough by Currie, and he made it 1-0 with ease. We seemed a bit intimidated by the physical presence of St. Johnstone which worried me somewhat and although Brian Fairbairn hit the post before half-time, we were being comprehensively outplayed. I made a few changes at half-time and had to withdraw the injured Fairbairn, replacing him with Kenny Deuchar. I also threw Brian Blair on to add some creativity to the midfield, and told the players to give as good as they got and not to be afraid to get physical and kick a few players. We were generally a well-disciplined side but in a cup game I wasn't too bothered if we amassed a few yellow cards so long as we showed St. Johnstone that we weren't scared of them.

The second half was largely the same as the first, we had brief spells of pressure amongst the general dominance of St. Johnstone. I threw Ryan Baldacchino on in the second half to give us some impetus down the flanks but within 3 minutes he got injured and we were down to ten men. This was frustrating to say the least, as we were having trouble living with them with 11 men let alone ten, but that was that and I had to change things deciding to put Kenny onto the left wing and play Dean Walker up front on his own. I also told everyone just to hoof long balls up to Dean when we had the chance, hoping his aerial presence could benefit us that way. This seemed to suit our play and throw St. Johnstone slightly, perhaps not used to our change in style from the passing game I usually try and employ, and we actually performed better in this last 20 minute spell than when we had 11 men. Still we couldn't break them down though and in the 89th minute I was preparing for my team talk after the game, ready to congratulate them and tell them not to worry about the game at all. To get this far was impressive and we could go back to the bread and butter of the league with our heads held high.

We won a free-kick in our own half on the left hand side, which Bobby Duncan hoofed into the box. St. Johnstone had everyone back and by this time I was convinced we wouldn't be able to break them down and turned round to talk to one of the coaches. That was until I saw Baltemar jump off his seat. I turned round just in time to see Dean Walker leap above a sea of blue shirts to head the equaliser. We had managed to get to extra time somehow, and with that I decided we would continue our system of long balls into the box, relying on Dean's tireless effort in picking up scraps and holding the ball up. Extra time could prove difficult for the lads I felt, as they were understandably tired having chased the ball for the majority of the game, especially with only ten men, and so it proved. St. Johnstone created chance after chance and I couldn't really see us getting through to the next round bar a penalty shootout. In the second period we upped our game slightly, but the final ball often let us down with players almost too tired to chase and harry. It was heading for penalties and I was running through who I was going to choose to take them when Brian Blair stepped up to take a corner from the right. He whipped it in but Ross Currie's powerful header was well saved by Cuthbert in goal, with the keeper seemingly parrying the ball into the path of one of his defenders to hoof away. However, Kenny Deuchar had other ideas and muscled the defender out of the way to power the ball home from close range. The few away fans that had made the trip to Perth went mad, as did our bench. Out of nowhere we had qualified for the semi-final of the Scottish Challenge Cup, with a trip to Hampden Park to face 3rd Division Queen's Park our reward.


Challenge Cup 3rd Round - 31/8/2004
St. Johnstone 1-2 East Fife (a.e.t)
Goals: K Parker '24, D Walker '90, K Deuchar '120

MoM: D Walker
Attendance: 1531 - McDiarmid Park


GK: S Colgan
DR: I Chalmers
DC: E Forrest
DC: R Currie
DL: B Duncan
MR: W Stewart
MC: R O'Donoghue
MC: C Miller (>> B Blair '45)
ML: J Rae (>> R Baldacchino '63)
FC: D Walker(c)
FC: B Fairbairn (inj.>> K Deuchar '45)

(Subs- C Bell (GK), C Hendry, B Blair, R Baldacchino, K Deuchar)