Searching for some Larbert fizz

The last encounter at SHS

So today it's Stenny again. The trip to Larbert, after a quick stop over for a cuts protest in Edinburgh, is only an hour or so - pretty much a 'home game' for a Leither. There's a funny psychological twist to playing Stenhousemuir again on their plastic pitch, mind. Dumbarton won there 2-1 (well, the youngsters did) in the Stirlingshire Cup back on 24 August. Then the Warriors visited SHS on 11 September and we won our only League game of the season thus far. So in spite of seven defeats out of nine in the first quarter of the season and only five goals scored, two of them penalties, we have a 100% record against this afternoon's opponents. That's a bit worrying. Still, I'm hopeful (when am I ever not?). Plus, the manager is apparently still in bullish mood. The reserves remain unbeaten. The under-19s are filling their boots. We are in another cup final, against Falkirk (the aforementioned Stirlingshire Cup), and could theoretically win silverware for the third season in a row. But the first team just can't seem to translate themselves into a coherent unit. A win in Larbert might help to change that. I hope so, for all concerned. Better bring a hip-flask, though.
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Happiness envy

Mixed signals?

And so to Peterhead, in eager anticipation that dear Dumbarton might relieve themselves of their current, er, ‘foundational’ position in Irn Bru Scottish Football League Division Two. No such luck, but how were we possibly to know?

The journey to Balmoor (capacity 4,000 – 1,000 seated, it says optimistically in my ground guide) turned out to be a 330 mile round trip – my earlier  iPhone-fuelled calculation having proved exaggerated. It was not without incident. No, I didn’t say ‘excitement’, I said ‘incident’. When events on the field are as they are for Sons at the moment, even a throw-in is ‘one for the diary’. The very same principle applies to the preceding pilgrimage.

Thus the woman in the queue at the Strathcathro motorway café fixed me with her puzzled stare. “Is that a football team?” she asked, pointing to the black and gold crest on my fleece. Given our current plight, a number of possible answers crossed my mind. But as my mouth opened I thankfully found that I had swapped “allegedly” for a rather wan “yes”. She was a stranger, after all. Fitba grief is best kept private in such circumstances.

Road to nowhere

Coincidentally, the supporters’ coach from Dumbarton had arrived in Strathcathro at the same time as the Edinburgh crew. I say “coincidentally”, but given that our ever-focused driver, Graeme Robertson, gleefully announced that we were “only three minutes over-schedule” on the way back, I suspect it might have been carefully planned.

Anyway, having been diverted by an earlier accident and bridge closure, I conspired to eek a few more precious seconds from Robbo’s log by forgetting to use the word “takeaway” when ordering two coffees and a tea. Since “latte” hadn’t worked, I guess I figured that crockery wouldn’t come into the equation, either. But I was wrong. So Graeme, Cliffe Jones and I found ourselves socialising briefly with our DFC festooned fellow-sufferers. No-one mentioned the match directly. We kind of knew, I think. My official prediction remained 2-1 to Dumbarton. Well, I got one of those goals right. But not one of ours.

Premonition...

Mr Robertson was keen to be on his way after this accidentally lengthened pit stop. As he swung our vehicle round in the service area (while I was still wondering whether we should have made a bid for the café shop’s five foot stuffed black horse, just as a terrace talking point) some supporters were milling outside. You could see from the glint in his eye that he was wondering, “is that five or ten points for getting a Sons fan?” Not really. It’s just foot-of-the-table mental catharsis.

Meanwhile, the growing strangeness of “going north” manifested itself some minutes later, when a keen young driver decided that it would be a good idea to try and overtake us, starting from the slow lane, at about 50 miles an hour in the very small gap between our car and a rather large lorry. Sensible. It turned out to be an L-Plated local Stirling Moss on a comedy death-wish, I think. At times like this I feel glad to be a non-driver. Knowing what’s going on doesn’t really help.

The look says it all...

We made one more stop, at a gas station (my wife’s American, that’s how we say it in our household.) I rather wish I’d taken a picture of the big poster opposite the pumps. “You can’t be too careful!” it warned us – above a picture of a woman with a giant oil gauge and a rag. “Is that how family planning works around here?” I found myself asking. Only joking, dear Aberdonians. Your honoured birthright is not in peril.

And so to the Peterhead ground. A neat little affair, I must say, with a very friendly bar and social club. Dumbarton director Alan Jardine’s gesture of lunch for a number of us was much appreciated. The vegetarian option was duly negotiated: macaroni cheese, quiche and garlic bread. Delicious, and the Guinness was superbly poured and finished with the traditional shamrock nozzled onto the head. I texted a picture of the delicacy to my beloved’s mobile phone, since I knew she would be amused. “Look, not a veggie in sight!” I observed drolly.

It went wrong after the warm-up

As to the game itself, I’ll leave that to the match report below. It was fairly grim stuff, but I still believe we can dig ourselves out of this footballing grave. Always believe, Barrow. Mind you, there was what could well have been a 'signifier' (as old Jean Baudrillard might have put it) on the way. The ‘Coma’ guest house. Yes, really.

Curiously, given the disappointment of yet another defeat, the return journey went quickly. Sleep does that. And we were only three minutes off schedule, as I mentioned. Pity about the game.
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As time goes by

Silent scream

Seriously, he’s a really nice guy, but this is a man you don’t want to mess with on match day!

Very loyal Dumbarton supporter Cliffe Jones, whose day job is to be the Edinburgh Glencorse golf club professional, is here engaged in an activity which produces enough steam to heat the stand for around ten minutes. Solo. That’ll come in very handy when the winter really sets in.

Yup, he’s reading the team sheet. And yes, around that mild demeanour, the air you see is indeed blue, even though it looks white in my picture. Don’t worry, Cliffe. The season starts next week. Honest. And thanks for the Peterhead ticket – much appreciated, in spite of the result.
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PM on the penalty spot

The Prime Minister was given the opportunity to back a supporters’ bid for a football club facing liquidation today. He ducked it, except in the most generalised terms.

The issue concerns Ilkeston Town FC, which is in liquidation, but could be brought back from the brink by a fan initiative with small business backing. The time of judgement comes later this month. I've written about the Ilkeston challenge, and some wider issues of football governance and finance, over at the Sonstrust  site in a piece entitled Reforming Football Ownership and Funding. 

You can sign the petition to back the fan buyout here.
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Disappointment at Peterhead

First published on Dumbarton FC's website as Sons beaten again, with Donald Fullarton. Slightly adapted.

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It had been dubbed Dumbarton's 'must win' game, but in an intense tussle today with Peterhead at Balmoor, Sons lost 1-0, failing to secure the breakthrough they so badly needed. They now sit marooned at the foot of the Second Division table with October only half over.

A nervy start saw the home team's no. 9 Martin Bavidge miss an early chance after the Blue Toon broke through on just four minutes.

Peterhead looked more comfortable on the ball in the early exchanges, as Daniel Moore flashed a header past Stephen Grindlay's left post.

But Dumbarton held their 3-5-2 shape in spite of the pressure, and on 20 minutes, after beginning to take possession again, Iain Chislom almost broke through on the right-hand side for Sons.

When former Dumbarton striker Dennis Wyness gave way to Scott Ross on 26 minutes, Chisholm had another half chance before Keiron Brennan almost deceived Toon 'keeper John Bateman inches away from his goal.

Peterhead pinned back the visitors with three corners shortly after the half hour, but then Andy Geggan's free kick five yards from the home side's area signalled a fresh bout of energy from the Sons.

Towards the end of the first period, Dumbarton began to thread together a number of promising moves, but could not capitalise on them in the box - though Ross Campbell again went close.

Shortly into the second half, Peterhead substitute Ross dashed Sons' initial hopes with a sweetly struck goal high and to the right of the flying Grindlay.

The visitors immediately began to push back, but Toon had taken heart from their lead and made it difficult for Dumbarton to get back into the match.

After the hour Mark Gilhaney replaced Ryan McStay for Sons. Paul Maxwell came on for Tony Wallace six minutes later. However, Dumbarton struggled to regain momentum and confidence.

On 77 minutes Sons won a corner, and then rapidly found themselves tracking back in a see-saw final period of the game.

Ben Gordon had a shot deflected away as the whistle drew near, but Dumbarton's last throw of the dice with Ryan Metcalf replacing Iain Chisolm, a header from Martin McNiff and a shot blasted over the bar by Gilhaney came too late to thwart another disappointing defeat.
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Farewell, Big Mal

"A lot of hard work went into this defeat" declared the late, great Malcom Allison on one memorable occasion. He was one of the game's abiding characters, a King of Bling before the concept was invented, and rightly termed by Henry Winter "a coach of immense stature". As far as the quotable gem above goes, it's the almost perfect exemplar of what is now grindingly known as "taking the positives"... with tongue firmly in cheek.

Big Mal is best known for his time at Manchester City, of course, and Crystal Palace too. But he also had a strong relationship with lovable minnows Bath City, who have bravely fought their way into the Blue Square Premier Division this season, with the backing of one of my favourite film-makers, Ken Loach, among others.

Another City: A Week in the Life of Bath's Football Club was made in 1998 and features Allison. It is included in the DVD package that comes with Loach's thoroughly enjoyable recent movie, Looking for Eric. A must see, both of them, along with a good documentary about FC United of Manchester.
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Big day out up north

Clash of the mini-Titans

My good friend and former colleague Kai Funkschmidt writes: "I see you make best use of Edinburgh residency to write in-depth analysis of why Dumbarton are doing fine despite losing. That's the spirit. I'll declare you an honorary St Pauli supporter!"  Honour accepted, Kai. Except that today I am forsaking the Athens of the North for a long day out on the search for goals and points at Balmoor. Our opponents Peterhead haven't exactly had a great start to the season either, but the maths of this encounter are stark. Win and we escape the basement. Draw and the we stay in the doldrums. Lose and we go at least four or five points adrift. I shall travel in hope - and early, and then late. Of course the 170 odd miles between Edinburgh and Peterhead is but nothing compared to the near 800 mile round trip between my old haunt, Exeter, and Dumbarton. But even so, we'd better play well!
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An alternative pitch

Yes, I know. The descent of Dundee FC into their second period of administration (and possibly much worse) in seven years is the result of two successive seasons of foolish over-ambition on the part of people with more money than sense - but not quite enough money, when it really counts. Looking back to 2003 provides some sickening warnings. Yet any fan of Scottish football worth their salt can only feel sorrow at the plight of the fans, the players, the backroom staff - all who love the game and the club who are staring dissolution in the face. Hopefully it won't come to that.

The answer to the deep money-driven malaise in British football, played out at a stratospheric level in the sometimes ludicrous Liverpool soap-cum-docu-drama, has to be in supporters playing a far greater role in running clubs. Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens are among those who have talked, in different ways, about a statutory 'people's stakeholding' in every professional club. The Tories mocked before the election, of course. But reality bites, and fans need a way of biting back that is about wrenching the game back to those who love it, rather than just whining from the sidelines. 'Big Society', anyone? Among other things, as I've said over at the Sonstrust site, Trusts can make a real difference... in small matters, and (given the opportunity) in large.
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The wrong trousers

So near, so far

Due to the inconveniences of life and work, I managed to miss two Scotland Euro 2012 qualifiers on television, and one Under-21 game up the street at Easter Road in person. Sadly, all of them ended in defeat. But one loss is not necessarily the same as another. The national team's performance at Hampden against world champions Spain was substantial, with only Fernando Llorente's late strike snuffing out a remarkable fightback from two down. But this heroism and endeavour only accentuated the folly of the "look, no front line" 6-4-0 formula - 6-2-2 if you're being generous - adopted by Craig Levein for the match against a significantly weaker (and weakened) Czech Republic side a few days earlier. The cost of that piece of calculated over-caution could be great indeed come the final countdown in 2011. The fear of losing is one of the greatest blights on modern football. It's easy to criticise for the sidelines and with hindsight. But the Scotland boss, in spite of his bullish defensive of unpopular tactics, has surely been made to think at least twice by the contrast between these two matches. Ah well, according to at least one commentator on the Press & Journal, the future is brighter than many would think - if the Under-21s performance against Iceland is a fair marker. Let's hope so.
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Unassailable football wisdom No. 427

How I love this game, not least for its seemingly endless fund of indisputably sound advice.

However, should you harbour any lingering doubts about the depth of Jim Jeffries' tactical acumen, following Hearts' recent performances, may I suggest the following routine droplets of proven football wisdom: "Try getting it up the field, son!"; "stop letting them take the ball off you!"; "do something with it!"; "if you don't concede you can't lose!", "make 'em work for it!"... and my personal favourite: "no-one ever won a football match by failing to attack!"

That last pearl was obviously generated by someone who never bothered to watch Rangers in the UEFA Cup in 2008. Well, until they met Zenit Saint Petersburg in the final, anyway.
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Banking on the Sons

Down but not out...

"So how are you going to get something positive out of that game for your next column?", I was asked by the couple at the bar in The Counting House after Sons' sorry defeat yesterday. Well, it was another grim afternoon, in football terms at least. But it's still early days, and in a division where no-one excels, I still think Dumbarton can steer to safety. Ten or twelve games is when judgments start to harden. Then again, eight games from the end of the 2008-9 season no bookie would have had us for promotion from the Third Division, either. That was a fantastic achievement -- though we're in no hurry to forsake the Second Division again. There's also a good way to go in 2010-11, though I'm sure it's going to be an emotionally draining eight months. Oddly, in spite of the result, I had a very enjoyable day out. Getting to see my team on a regular basis after 41 years undoubtedly has much to do with that.

Short-changed... almost

 

 

So with clan Robertson (the driving force - literally - behind the Edinburgh Sons) ensconced in the drink-don't-drive hospitality posh seats, I took the opportunity to train over via Glasgow Queen Street and stay on after the game for a Guinness or two and a natter. Cars are convenient and have good company, but trains take the strain and let you stretch your legs out. Meanwhile, at the ground, I was multi-tasking. I'm doing match summaries for instant relay on the DFC site now, as well as contributing to the Sonstrust website (send 'em your subscription now, if you haven't already).

Yesterday I was also selling Sons View at the home end. ("You write for it, you flog it... next you'll be knitting it out of muesli", one wag noted). This is also a good chance to catch up with people I've got to know, like fellow Sassenach Dean King [pictured]. He's been coming to Dumbarton for three years or more now. Mind you, we were so wrapped in conversation that I not only almost short-changed him for a tenner, but also failed to give him his programme. Ker-ching. Sorry Dean, it's not company policy. Honest! Hopefully you'll be meeting him as a 'fan of the Week' in the not-too-distant-future. And equally hopefully, Sons will will a game again.
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Grounds of hope

Rock steady crew

Over the years I've bumped into a number of 'ground hoppers' at Dumbarton games, mostly with English accents. On the train from Glasgow over to the Rock yesterday I met up with Roy and Gary [pictured],  who had made the journey from Cheshire. They have visited all the professional grounds south of the border and are now catching up with a few in Scotland. Unfortunately, they'd never had the pleasure of Boghead Park - but had to admit that SHS has one of the most pituresque settings in British football (being biased, I'd say the  most attractive), even if the game against Airdrie United was far from pretty at times. At least you can catch a glimpse of Sons' old home in the 2001 film (made in 1999) A Shot at Glory, lads. Available in all good DVD bargain bins.

Incidentally, Gary and Roy's home side Crewe Alexandra had a rather special day on 2 October 2010. While they were watching Dumbarton lose to the Diamonds, the Railwaymen (apparently named after a pub bearing Princess Alexandra's name) were involved in a ten-goal thriller at Chesterfield, eventually drawing 5-5. That's the kind of action we hope for down the Rock. 7-3 would be better, of course.
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Dumbarton remain in the doldrums

  First published on the Dumbarton FC website as Disappointment for Sons against Airdrie Utd.

Sons kick-off against Airdrie Utd

Dumbarton still find themselves rooted to the foot of the Second Division table this evening, after another disappointing result in the home clash with Airdrie United.

Following a cagey first 15 minutes in which they found themselves pinned back by a tenacious Airdrie front line, Sons began to push steadily forward as the first half progressed.

In a tight game, Dumbarton struggled to find space out of midfield. On 25 minutes a header glanced down by Paul Maxwell almost found Derek Carcary on the break, but he was beaten to the ball by Airdrie keeper Mark Ridgers.

Scott Chaplain replaced the injured Stirling Smith on 27 minutes, with Dumbarton still not finding the necessary shape and direction.

Carcary was again in the action on 29 minutes, but could not control the ball for a close range opportunity that flew well over the bar.

Seconds later he headed into the arms of the keeper as Sons tried hard to turn possession into pressure. In a flurry of action before half time, Dumbarton had to scrabble the ball out of their area after Stephen Grindlay made a fine reaction save from Airdrie's McCord.

At the other end Maxwell almost pipped Ridgers on his near post before driving fractionally wide with a firm strike from the edge of the box moments later.

As the game opened up in the second half, it was Ryan McCord who put the visitors ahead on 52 minutes - shortly after Ben Gordon had gone tantalisingly close for Sons with a driving header.

A defensive mix-up ten minutes later gave Airdrie a second goal, as Ryan Wallace drove high into the net from close range.

Dumbarton responded with a double substitution, bringing on Keiran Brannan and Mark Gilhaney. But it was Maxwell who pulled one back for Sons on 65 minutes as the home fans roared life back into the team.

However, just as it looked as if Dumbarton might pull level, Airdrie's Scott Gemmell beat a forlorn offside claim and took the ball round a stranded Grindlay to make it 3-1.
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Identifying the way forward

First published in Sons View, 02 October 2010, Dumbarton -v- Airdrie United

For most of the first quarter of the home game against Brechin last week, it looked as if Dumbarton might be about to turn the corner and secure another positive result. In the end, it all unravelled, with City gradually grasping control of the midfield. Sons were also unable to capitalise on several chances or to get behind their opponents in the box.

Even so, some good football was played, and this week it is important that we take the game to challenging opponents Airdrie United, who previously came from behind to claim all three points in their match against Forfar at Station Park, while Sons were frustratingly losing out to the Hedgemen.

Jimmy Boyle’s North Lanarkshire outfit sit just outside the play-off zone in the Second Division, and will be as keen to maintain their current momentum, as Dumbarton are to return to winning ways at the Rock.

The Diamonds are theoretically legitimate successors to the mantle of our old rivals Clydebank. But with Bankies fans reconstituting their side in junior football, and bringing them to SHS for a pre-season 1-1 draw back at the end of July, most people – friend and foe alike – think of United as the continuation of the town's previous side Airdrieonians, for whom manager Boyle once played.

Such identity confusion seems a common feature in modern football. For example, here I am, happily ensconced in Scotland at last. But when I return from watching the Sons of a Saturday, the TV fare available in the evening is from another country. That’s right, I can see every goal in the English Premier and Football Leagues, but have to rely on the internet, radio and the Friday night STV show to follow what’s going on up here.

Still, at least the English games enable me to track a couple of ex-Sons heroes. Our former captain Neill Collins, who won his under-21 Scotland cap the year after departing from Dumbarton (for whom he played 63 games), is establishing himself well as a central defender for Championship high flyers Leeds United – in spite of the setback of that own goal against Barnsley three weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Stephen Dobbie, who revived his career to Sons’ considerable (if brief) benefit in 2006, is now plying his trade as a striker at Swansea City. He got his first goal for the Welsh side in a 4-0 home win against Preston North End (for whom Collins also made 5 appearances earlier this year) on 14 August. He followed that by finding the net against Leeds and then Scunthorpe, giving himself a tally of three goals from eight appearances this term.

On the other hand, it’s possible that things may work in the opposite geographical direction if Scotland manager Craig Levein follows through with his interest in QPR striker Jamie Mackie, moving him into the national squad for the October games against the Czech Republic and Spain.

Mackie is another of those “grandparent Scots” who Tartan Army followers often have distinctly mixed feelings about. There’s no Sons link in there, but when I was based in southwest England, making as many forays as I could to the Rock, but also seeing locals Exeter City for my routine football diet, Jamie was making 87 appearances and scoring 19 goals for the Grecians between 2005 and 2008. That was the year of their return to the English Football League. He crossed my journalistic path several times, and his recent success was forged on the back of a controversial (but logical) move to Devon rivals Plymouth Argyle, and thence to Loftus Road.

Over the past week, Premier League side West Ham United have been linked with Mackie, as well as the manager of the national team. It’s the latter Scots will care about, obviously. My own view is that if he’s prepared to be genuinely committed to playing for Scotland, he would be well worth investigating.

Meanwhile, Dumbarton are urgently looking for their own solutions up front. The magnificent strike that Derek Carcary achieved on 72 minutes against Brechin last Saturday was the latest in a series of impressive goals from the ‘impact’ striker. But it was also only the second goal from open play scored by Sons so far this season.

That statistic tells its own story. Sons have often started to weaken after applying pressure on opposing defences to no avail, and at that point mistakes have crept in at the back too. It’s a cumulative problem. Undoubtedly a couple of goals would galvanise confidence and help to turn the tide in Dumbarton’s favour. That’s the scenario we very much want to see unfold against Airdrie United this afternoon.
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Mackie the knife

"Me and my grandfather used to speak about playing for Scotland a lot, and it is a real honour for me to finally get the chance." - Jamie Mackie

Let's be honest, Scotland's latest recruit for the international squad for the double-header against the Czech Republic and Spain is English, even if his grandad was a proud Scot from Kilmarnock. Not that I hold that against him. After all, I'm English too - and if I'd been any good at football I'm sure I'd have been ringing my agent to find out whether my maternal great grandmother from Ayrshire was any use. As it was, my mother and I always supported Scotland and my father England. That was down more to gentle family rivalry and a certain romantic attachment than wafer-thin kinship - but sometimes feelings run deeper than blood. Or even logic.

As for young Jamie, I watched him play many times when I was living down in Devon and went to see Exeter City. He's transformed into a fine young player. I suspect most Grecians fans will be less concerned at his turn to Scotland than they were at his defection to loathed neighbours Plymouth Argyle!  But now he's got used to wearing a bit of blue at QPR, and I hope Craig Levein stays with his instincts and gives Mackie a spin against the Czechs. He's quick, tricky, and has a goal poacher's instincts. Admittedly the step up from the English Championship to this kind of Euro international is a large one, but we have relatively few options and fortune does indeed reward the brave in football. Sometimes. Yep, I know, the grandparent rule is a bit daft. But that's the way it is. 'Mon Jamie!
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Pounds of flesh

 First published on the Sonstrust site as On the money again.

When it comes to football, it seems that money is rarely out of the news. The media focus right now is on the crisis at Dundee. But the SFL is also searching for new League Cup backers after Co-operative Insurance called time on their 12-year involvement with the competition, there are rumblings at Partick Thistle… one could go on. Over at Dens Park, manager Gordon Chisolm (who Sons fans will remember from his involvements at Clydebank and this weekend’s opponents Airdrie United) reckons an expanded SPL is the answer. But BBC journalist Jim Spence, who has been following the situation for many years, points the finger at another multi-millionaire investor and says Dee fans, who are being asked to fork out yet again, deserve better. The Club’s Trust, Dee4Life, are naturally putting out appeals to the faithful.

Here in Scotland we could really do with an equivalent to the redoubtable Dr John Beech, unpicking the threads and putting sense back into management and finance. While we wait for his next instalment, which concentrates on English clubs but has valuable lessons for lower league supporters here too, can I also recommend Wyn Grant‘s Football Economy blog. There’s plenty of useful news and info there – including basic financial data on a number of Scottish clubs.
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Breaking through

Half-time at Ibrox, Rangers are 1-0 up against Turkish champions Bursaspor, and according to Dutch analysts InfostradaLive, Steven Naismith is the first Scot for over three years to score a Champions League goal for the 'Gers at home. The last was current Blackpool captain Charlie Adam against VfB Stuttgart on 19 September 2007. Also, Lee McCulloch scored at Ibrox last season in the match against Unirea Urziceni. But unfortunately it was in the wrong net. Meanwhile, it's a 0-0 borefest in Spain between Valencia and Manchester United.  [Coda: Rangers won it with that single goal. MUFC found a get-out-of-jail car right at the end.]
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