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Bartholomew quit "shock"

Tempremental Ayr United Iain Bartholomew boss shocked the club's fans when he walked out on the club after a 2-0 aggregate loss to Slovan Liberec in the Third Round of the UEFA Cup last week, however those who know him best were not surprised.

"Iain's an emotional guy" said one friend "and he's always prone to do something off the wall like this, always has been."

Another childhood friend told the press that Bartholomew was "unstable" and "somewhat mental", adding that she "hopes he doesn't do anything stupiderer next soon."

Indeed.

Many observers presumed Bartholomew had something lined up, either abroad - maybe in international management - or possibly at Rangers, who's boss Rudi Voller has come increasingly under pressure, so his announcement that he was taking the reigns at Raith Rovers in a caretaker/consultative capacity until the end of the current season was a shock.

Raith are almost certain to be relegated to the Scottish Second Division, and it is expected that Bartholomew will leave the club if they do not manage a miraculous escape. In the meantime he is coaching and picking the team, whilst assisting in the assessment of potential summer signings. It will be interesting to see what he does in the summer.

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Bartholomew back as Berwick ends

Former Ayr United manager Iain Bartholomew exploded back into Scottish football yesterday, six months after ending his short-lived, ill-fated association with Raith Rovers. The managerial appointment was a major coup for Ruaridh MacDonald as the Kirkwall native brought League football to Orkney for the first time after completing a buy-out of Third Division side Berwick Rangers.

"Deireadh!" MacDonald's first word at the press conference, and the new club's motto, gaelic for 'at last', is seen by some as unnecessarily aggressive, but neither MacDonald nor Bartholomew have ever been known as men who tow the party line. The buyout cost around £600,000, and the contracts of all Berwick's players will be transferred to the new club, Kirkwall Town, although MacDonald was keen to express that he knows demands on part-time players are high, and that many may prefer to stay in their full-time jobs in the Borders. He continued that full-time football would be the norm at Kirkie, given the situation regarding full-time work in the area.

Work has already commenced on a £6,000,000 10,000 all-seater domed stadium, the Kirkwall Dome, due for completion at the end of the season after next. Make no mistake - this is a club with ambitions - delusions perhaps - of grandeur. MacDonald summed it up in the press conference when he said:

"Orkney has no league football tradition, no history to be proud of, so we shall have to give the local people a present to be proud of. Buying out the only non-Scottish side in the league was a no-brainer - why should an English club play in our national league whilst the islanders of Orkney, Lewis, Shetland, and all are left unrepresented. This day has been long coming, and finally it is here. Deireadh!"

Bartholomew was noticably quiet during the interview, making little comment on the move, referring only to MacDonald's "ambition, vision and commitment to the project." Football fans around Scotland will likely be revulsed at the move towards a "franchise" scenario, but today was MacDonald's day. As for tomorrow, only time will tell.

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Hitting the Kirk-wall

After consecutive promotions from the Third to Second Divisions Kirkwall Town have found the First Division a little bit tougher with defeats outnumbering victories in the early going, owner Ruaridh MacDonald has been openly critical of manager Iain Bartholomew.

MacDonald put emphasis on the fact that Kirkwall won neither the Third Division nor Second Division titles, and finished slowly both year, "backing in" to second place due to the ineptitude of rival teams. He went on to insist that "second place is not good enough in this division" and that if things did not pick up then Bartholomew would be out on his ear.

Bartholomew responded on live television during Sunday's Scotsport programme, saying that MacDonald's comments were "factually accurate" and that his side "had to pick it up, and fast" if he was to extend his tenure beyond this season. He blasted back later though saying that "three consecutive promotions is unrealistic. Albion Rovers did it in 03/04, 04/05 and 05/06, but that was a freak occurance and they were relegated with a record low points total. Look at them now after another year in the First - competing for European places. We do not have to go up this season. We must not go down."

The trial continues.

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Scottish Third Division 2009-10

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag GD Pts 1st C Stirling 36 21 9 6 65 31 +34 72 2nd P Kirkwall 36 18 8 10 55 43 +12 62 3rd Montrose 36 15 14 7 67 42 +25 59 4th Stranraer 36 16 6 14 41 37 +4 54 5th Peterhead 36 15 7 14 55 50 +5 52 6th Gretna 36 11 13 12 39 47 -8 46 7th East Stirling 36 12 6 18 49 62 -13 42 8th Arbroath 36 10 11 15 58 54 +4 41 9th Dumbarton 36 10 6 20 30 53 -23 36 10th Queens Park 36 8 8 20 38 78 -40 32</pre>

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Scottish Second Division 2010-11

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag GD Pts 1st C Falkirk 36 18 10 8 55 40 +15 64 2nd P Kirkwall 36 17 9 10 60 37 +23 60 3rd Airdrie Utd 36 18 3 15 56 49 +7 57 4th St. Johnstone 36 15 10 11 58 53 +5 55 5th Cowdenbeath 36 14 12 10 51 46 +5 54 6th Ross County 36 11 13 12 56 63 -7 46 7th Raith Rovers 36 11 11 14 41 45 -4 44 8th Stenhousemuir 36 10 12 14 49 56 -7 42 9th R Stirling 36 11 7 18 49 56 -7 40 10th R Alloa 36 7 9 20 25 55 -30 30 </pre>

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Kirkie boss Bartholomew remains at odds with MacDonald

The simmering tension between Kirkwall Town owner Rhuaridh MacDonald and manager Iain Bartholomew flared up again at the weekend following the club's shock 2-1 Scottish Cup Third Round defeat at Love Street. When journalists asked Bartholomew about his relationship with his chairman he replied that it was "frosty" - a remark that seems to have upset MacDonald.

The Orkney-based magnate hit back in a Monday morning article in which he branded Bartholomew "arrogant" and "out of touch", emphasising his disappointment in the team's form, despite a recent revival that has seen them move into third position in the league after nineteen games, six points behind Partick Thistle. MacDonald is also thought to be disappointed that Bartholomew has seen fit to sign an Argentine to the previously all-Scots squad.

Bartholomew has been linked with the vacancy at Premier League Albion Rovers, but neither man would comment. Bartholomew is not thought to be the Wee Rovers' first choice, but he is by no means a long shot. We expect developments over the next week or so - Rovers do not have a reputation as slow movers, as four promotions in five seasons in the early 21st century testifies to.

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Goal Difference Disaster Leaves MacDonald Fuming

Reports emerged last night that Kirkwall Town chairman Rhuaridh MacDonald was set to terminate the contract of manager Iain Bartholomew despite his side failing to win promotion to the SPL only on goal difference in their first season in the First Division. Kirkie played some dazzling football in the last few weeks of the season, but it was Motherwell who held on to go up on goal difference, with Brechin City coming down from the top flight.

The only factor working in Bartholomew's favour is the support of the fans and the lack of a realistic alternative, plus the fact that the upcoming season is the last of his current contract (though there is an automatic 2-year extension which would be activated by promotion to the SPL) and he would be due all £700,000 up front for the year were he to be dismissed. MacDonald is known to be an emotional man in his dealings with the media, but his decisions at a business and football level are often less reactionary, and so we may well see Bartholomew back at the helm next season.

It is known that MacDonald has sanctioned the signing of six players targeted by Bartholomew, even an Italian despite his known preference for Scots players! Therefore, don't be overly surprised if Bartholomew is not fired as MacDonald has promised. *In related news, literally, Ross County have signed Bartholomew's nephew, a Mauritian national known only by the name "Bartholomew". If he impresses a move to Kirkwall would not be a major shock.

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Cup Heroics Heal Kirkwall Rift, Media Blamed for Perpetuating Doubts

In a joint statement released yesterday afternoon by manager Iain Bartholomew and owner Rhuaridh MacDonald the former's position at the club was renewed with the signing of a rolling one-year contract at increased rates. Despite a raft of injuries, in particular to the club's two major summer signings, Ed Ross of Ayr and Gustavo Martini of Celtic, the team's form has been good, sitting four points clear atop the First Division after sixteen games and with a League Cup Semi Final against Motherwell a reward for a magnificent 4-2 Third Round win over Celtic at Parkhead, and a Quarter Final win against Frank Rijkaard's Elgin side, themselves safely through to the Third Round of the UEFA Cup alongside Ayr United and Hearts following a run in the Scottish Cup last season. Bartholomew and MacDonald placed the blame for their previously ongoing rift with the media's penchance for linking the manager to every vacancy and potential vacancy that springs up in Scottish football. Bartholomew has re-emphasised his desire to stay at Kirkwall and lead them to the top flight.

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Kirkie Double Does The Trick

...following their sensational League Cup triumph with a 2-1 win over SPL side Kilmarnock. Clinching the league title with three games to go took some pressure off, and it's great credit to the manager and his staff that the league was won so early...Anton Eadie, who's 27 goals not only set a club record, but took his Kirkwall career tally over fifty...offers from Hearts and Albion Rovers, Bartholomew opted to stay and take on the SPL with Kirkie, a decision that pleased chairman...

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<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag G.D. Pts </pre><pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">1st C Kirkwall 36 22 8 6 71 26 +45 74</pre><pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">2nd Brechin 36 19 7 10 53 38 +15 64 3rd Partick Thistle 36 14 9 13 39 40 -1 51 4th Livingston 36 13 11 12 61 48 +13 50 5th Ross County 36 13 10 13 55 50 +5 49 6th Queen of Sth. 36 13 9 14 53 57 -4 48 7th Elgin 36 13 7 16 64 77 -13 46 8th St. Johnstone 36 13 7 16 42 55 -13 46 9th R Clyde 36 9 8 19 37 55 -18 35 10th R Falkirk 36 9 8 19 41 70 -29 35 </pre>