Who!? The Rhys Burnett Story

[Yeti01]

In the lead up to this one they asked opposing manager Stuart Mclaren about our chances of avoiding the drop – he was somewhat complimentary. I took the opportunity to tell the media, in no uncertain terms, that we are staying up.

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Midweek Gracen comes sooking about game time. We are 3 games into our campaign and you’ve played one and you are already crying about gametime? I told Brown to inform Gracen I wouldn’t be wasting my time talking with him.

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Apparently though that didn’t go down so good with the team and then they all arrived at my office. I told them that he would play when his performances proved to me he should be playing. That went down well with most but not so well with others. This is where I sometimes need a filter. After seeing that a couple of guys were still sulking I let them have it and told them exactly how unprofessional I thought they were being. That could turn out to be a mistake. Stupid part is I was planning on playing Gracen anyway this week…

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In the sheds before the game I told the boys if we just play our game today we will win. We started off well enough McMullen working himself an opening but the finish was lacking. In the 15th​ minute though we had the goal our play deserved. A well worked move down the right culminated in a Meechan cross and Hodge timed his run to perfection meeting the cross with a full head of steam and powering home the header. We then continued to dominate the proceedings for the remainder of the half but couldn’t find a way through.

I actually felt pretty good about things at half time and told the boys so. We started the 2nd​ half much like we finished the first. We were creating good chances but just failing to find the final product. We finally had our second goal on the hour mark as a mistimed clearance from the Stirling goalkeeper rebounded to McMullan and he finished the one on one chance. I don’t know why he felt the need to stare at me again during his celebration. It’s not like I’ve said anything much about him this week.

We had a bad moment late in the game when McMullen suffered an injury. At this stage it looks like nothing serious but irrespective he will be a loss. In the end we shut up shop and ran out comfortable 2 nil winners. Hopefully that will the team won’t be quite so whingey this week…

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[PatrickLFC]

Drama unfolding already!

 

[Yeti01]

Another Chat​

On the eve of my Scottish League 2 clash with Partick Thistle, Brown Ferguson crashed into my office wearing that usual forlorn look of his. "Aye Rhysie boy, the boys aren't too happy with 'ow ye been managing the team. They all outside". To be honest I am completely over this ****. "Send them in," I said doing my best to mask my disdain.

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I was even less impressed when 'the team' turned out to be 19 year old Eddington and 18 year old Allan. These two jokers seriously think I would somehow believe they spoke for the dressing room?

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"Right, get on with it," I said with a dismissive wave.

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I was furious with Allen's attitude. All I've got to say now is I've got 99 problems but Mark Allan aint one...

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[Yeti01]

Scottish League Cup - Round 2
​

We were drawn against Partick Thistle in the Scottish League cup next. Partick have been going really well in the Scottish Premiership sitting 2nd​ after 4 games, this was going to be a tough one. Before the match I told the guys to go out there and surprise everyone. I must admit that I was only delivering the talk half-heartedly. Most of my mind was devoted to casting my gaze over the room, trying to see who was, and wasn’t, into the talk. We are exceeding expectations across the board so far so I want to nip any of this dissention in the bud early.

The game got underway and Thistle immediately went on the attack and stayed that way. I had given a couple of players a rest to keep them fresh for the league games and the lack of familiarity on the combinations showed as Lyle Taylor nipped in between my central defensive pairing on Lithgow and McCormick to give them the lead.

1 – nil Thistle.

We were being dominated, barely getting a touch on the ball. Taylor had the ball in the goal again on 15 mins but it was correctly called back for offside. The game continued in the same vein for almost the entire first half. Thistle was having 2/3rds of the possession and almost all of the shots. It was no surprise when they doubled their lead on the half hour. It was that man Taylor again as he rose highest to head home. No sooner had the scoreboard attendants changed the score when Taylor secured his and Thistle’s third goal. By this stage the rout was well and truly on. There was still time for Taylor to score his fourth for the day as he slide home a cross at the near post.

At halftime I didn’t give the boys a bullocking. I knew we really had no chance against an in-form premiership side. I told the boys to go out and give the fans who had come to watch a reason to cheer. We did so almost immediately. After winning a corner it was Lithgow who managed to get on the end of the cross and bundle home a goal.

4-1 now.

Shortly after we dragged another back through McMullen who had come on a substitute. By this time the place was buzzing! 4-2 now and game on!!

In the 68th​ minute the comeback was looking less like a pipedream and more like a reality when Sutherland chased down a lost cause and swung a cross in that deflected fortuitously off Hodge and into the path of man of the moment McMullen who made it 4-3! We pressed and pressed for an equaliser but unfortunately there was none forthcoming. I let the boys know how impressed I had been with them though in the sheds. In my eyes, this was the best game we’ve had since I took over.

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[PatrickLFC]

"Aye Rhysie boy, the boys aren't too happy with 'ow ye been managing the team. They all outside". ​

Hahahahahahaha

 

[mask0991]

I was furious with Allen's attitude. All I've got to say now is I've got 99 problems but Mark Allan aint one...​

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So direct. So aggressive.

Loving the drama.

 

[Yeti01]

Hahahahahahaha

So direct. So aggressive.

Loving the drama.

Glad you are enjoying it guys! I almost always play using a minimax strategy so it's been a bit liberating to just approach each scenario as I actually really would (or in the case of this story - would have!). No doubt at some point it will cost me my job but it should be fun to play through.

 

[PatrickLFC]

I think I know what you mean by it, but minimax? As in making what is going to be the smartest or correct choice?

 

[Yeti01]

I think I know what you mean by it, but minimax? As in making what is going to be the smartest or correct choice?

Its more about limiting the downside. So when doing team talk I often find myself asking not "what is going to potentially create the best result" but rather "what is least likely to create a stir".

 

[PatrickLFC]

Its more about limiting the downside. So when doing team talk I often find myself asking not "what is going to potentially create the best result" but rather "what is least likely to create a stir".

Fair enough, so risk free? Makes sense I guess

 

[Yeti01]

Fair enough, so risk free? Makes sense I guess

Having worked in risk management around financial services for some years now I would say there's no such thing as risk free

The term itself comes from wanting to minimise your maximum potential loss.

 

[Yeti01]

Game 6 - Scottish League 2, Ayr (h)​

Next up was Ayr at home in the league. I’m still trying to settle on a first choice eleven and some more changes were made coming into this one. I was pretty happy with the performance against Partick so I was a lot more positive in the pre match talk telling the boys I had faith in them.

We were very much in the ascendency for the first quarter hour and only some inspired goal keeping from Hutton in the Ayr goal was keeping things level. Things continued in much the same way for the next fifteen minutes and it felt like only a matter of time before we would breach the Ayr defence. In the 39th​ minute we did so with McMenimin scoring from close range. Half time arrived shortly after and I told the guys that whilst things were going well I felt there was still more to come.

We made a couple of changes in the 50th​ minute bringing on some fresh legs and their imapact was almost instantaneous as we repeatedly went close in the minutes after. Ayr, to their credit, were defending resolutely and, sensing it might not be our day in front of goal, I asked the boys to tighten up and not push on as much.

We were seemingly doing it easy at this point but a defensive lapse in the 91st​ minute would cost us dearly. Leaving McKenzie all alone in the box Fleming did amazing to stop the first attempt but when the rebound fell back to the strikers feet he made no mistake with the second attempt…

A disappointing way to end a day that, till then, had been quite pleasing. I told the boys what I honestly felt. We were unlucky to only draw that game. And as we become more accustomed to the shape I want to play I feel the results will begin to come.

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[Yeti01]

Game 8 - Scottish League 1, Dunfermline (a)
​

We went into the Dunfermline game in decent form and we hoping to spring an upset away and I told the guys that prior to the match. We started off well enough but were stuggling to retain possession until Lindsay was sent off in the 27th​ minute. We had some quality chance after that point but entered half time scoreless after wasting them.

I told the boys I wasn’t happy at half time and the second half started significantly better but we still struggled to get the breakthrough. On the hour mark I made 2 changes bringing off the ineffectual Luongo and Hodge and putting Sutherland and Millar on in their places.

Try as we might though the goal just wouldn’t come for us tonight. I wasn’t unhappy with the result but I was unhappy with how we hadn’t really dominated possession in this game after they went down to 10.

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Game 9 - Scottish League 1, Peterhead (a)​

After that we played high flyers Peterhead. Although we were missing McMullen thorugh injury we got off to a great start as Grehan smashed in a long range effort on 5 minutes. We continued to play well for the first half and were unlucky not to take a 2 goal lead into the half time break after Sutherland had a shot cleared off the line.

The half time talk was essentially to keep going and just after the break we extended our lead. Sutherland chased a through ball down and swung in a nice low cross that was met by Summers who was making a late run. A well struck finish ensued and, although the Peterhead keeper MacDonald got a hand to it, he couldn’t keep it out.

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Peterhead then pressed for an equaliser and in the 88th​ minute they broke through, Redman scoring off the post. We then had a goal disallowed for offside in the 2nd​ minute of stoppage time. I’m really not sure why they thought that was offside – clearly not.



That meant we have now gone 5 game in the league unbeaten. I am quite proud of that considering we were selected to finish 9th by the media.

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[Yeti01]

Game 10 - Scottish League 1, Morton (h)
​

Next up was Greenock Morton at home. I asked the guys to keep the run going, we didn’t start so well though. Going down in the 6th​ minute to a deflected strike. We settled from there though and were soon level, a nice cross from Grehan was finished by McMullen at the far post. I may have needed to criticize him earlier in the year but he has been good since.

Unfortunately we conceded a terrible goal in the 17th​ minute against the run of play. A missed clearance by left back Twaddle contributed to this. That goal seemed to take the wind out of our sails and we then coasted into half time trailing 2-1.

I took the opportunity to tell them team I wasn’t happy and that it seemed to me that they had started believing their own press. The effort just wasn’t there today. I took off Millar shortly after the break and brought on Summers after Millar took a knock.

We were forced into two more changes shortly after when first Grehan and then Sutherland took knocks meaning we had made our 3 subs. You can imagine my disbelief when Faulds was then injured in the 67th​ minute meaning we had to play out the remaining 25 minutes with 10 men.

It was no surprise then with Morton extended their lead in the 76th minute as we were pushing on for an equaliser. The game ebbed out from there and it eventually finished up 3-1. I wasn’t so disappointed in the performance though this week and told the guys that they had been unlucky. Despite having to play out the match with 10 men we ended up having more shots and possession. We will smash them next time we play.

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[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

Enjoying this, unlucky against Morton.

 

[Yeti01]

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Game 11 – Scottish League 1, Stranraer (h)
​

Our first match this month was against league leaders Stranraer. I had actually been reasonably pleased with our performances recently so I didn’t get on the boys too much before the game. The first half we played quite well and our efforts were rewarded in the 40th​ minute when Ryan Miller, only playing because of injury to some of our other strikers, netted his first goal of the season. Meechan picked up a knock at half time so we had to change the shape slightly going into the second half.

We were playing with an unfamiliar combination at the back and it showed early in the second when Craig Malcolm netted early on. His rifled shot from just inside the area was a nice bit of finishing. We weren’t behind for long. Millar finished off nicely after McMenimin crossed from the right. We had our third not long after as McMenimin struck a sweet volley but the2 goal lead really wouldn’t last long as McShane burst through and finished his one on one chance for Stranraer to make it 3-2. We would definitely be doing some defensive training this week! That’s supposedly Brown’s specialty…

We then suffered a severe setback to our chances of winning when Lithgow was sent off in the 69th​ minute after picking up his second yellow. It was a silly foul to give and he will be paying for that with some hard earned cash! From the ensuing free kick Stranraer were level as McShane again managed to slip the attentions of his marker and guide home their third. I was seething when McShane picked up his hattrick shortly after. I actually don’t blame any of the players on the pitch. Lithgow is responsible for this. Unsurprisingly Stanraer began to run riot picking up their 5th​ and 6th​ goals through Malcolm.

Chasing the game late I told the boys to push right on and a fortuitous deflection from a long ball fell directly to McMullan who made no mistake with his volley which cannoned in off the post. 4 – 6 now but realistically no chance of catching them. We still had time to have another player sent off though! Hodge, who had slid back in defence after Lithgow’s red earned himself any early bath after bringing down Malcolm when he was the last man. Great stuff from one of our better players... We are already starting to be short on number without idiots getting themselves sent off!!

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I took the opportunity to fine Lithgow for needlessly getting himself sent off in the last match. He wasn’t very happy with me and we decided to have a little chat. Whilst I was relatively diplomatic I made it very clear that I had no problems tearing up his contract if this continued at which point Lithgow wisely decided that discretion was the better part of valor that day.

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Game 12 – Scottish league 1, Forfar (a)​

Prior to this match I wanted to jump up and down and rant. Instead, I told the guys assertively that we had been on a **** run lately and I wanted them to go out there and prove to me they still wanted it. The early stages of this game seemed quite drab. I was waiting to see if any of my guys had the initiative to stand up and take the game by the scruff of the neck. I shouldn’t have kidded myself though - on the quarter hour an aimless ball was swung into our box and, almost in slow motion, Dunlop rose to loop his header in. 1 nil Forfar.

We continued to look lethargic and slow. In the 38th​ minute a ball was played into Swankie, he took a nice touch and Duncan simply stuck out a leg, penalty. It was poor technique, poor effort and poor attitude from him. Going into the break 2 nil I could feel my blood boil. I can handle losing, what I can handle is being out enthused, out hustled, this was attitude plain and simple. In the sheds I lost it. There were tape and bottles flying everywhere, spittle was flying from my mouth as I screamed instructions. I grabbed Duncan by his shirt and reefed him off his seat. “Show me how we defend!” I yelled. “Does this look goal side to you??” He shook his head. “Well *bleep*ing prove to me I should even consider playing you next week!!” I stormed out and took my place back on the sideline a full 5 minutes before we were due back out.

I made a triple change 3 minutes into the second half. Sludden, Luongo and Mcmillan coming on for Summers, Eddington and Miller. It made absolutely no difference. Minutes later we we three down. Frankie left unmarked at the back post. I turned to Brown, “that is garbage," I said. I went out to the edge of my technical area and gave the defence an ear full. From there we actually decided to play and dragged one back in the 55th​ minute when Faulds found himself unmarked on the egde of the box and guided home.

It turned out to be a false dawn though as Dunlop again exploited some sloppy marking from a set piece and headed in. Luongo grabbed a consolation goal in the 78th​ but it wasn’t to be anymore than that. The game finished 4-2 and I still have a lot of work to do to get the team playing like something more organised than this ****. I walked in, told the team I wasn’t impressed and walked out. This management stuff was getting to be hard work.

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Game 13 – Scottish league 1, Stirling (a)​

This game was shaping up to be a relegation battle even at this early stage of the season. 10 minutes in and we had ourselves another injury, David Luongo this time, who had got the start after impressing off the bench last week. Although we actually started reasonably well this game we found ourselves in the familiar position of trailing again. It was seeming like another one of those days until McMullan popped up right on the stroke of halftime to draw us level. I didn’t want to go in ranting and raving again at halftime so this afforded me the opportunity to be a little more level-headed, or, at least as level-headed as I can be.

I told the guys I believed we could win this one. We had been more aggressive, had more possession and had more shots so there was no reason why we couldn’t. Except for injuries of course. In the 5oth minute McCormack was hacked down from behind and couldn’t continue. I was absolutely apoplectic at the 4th​ official. That was a dead set red every day of the week. McMillan was brought on in his place. I stood up off the bench and told my boys that we were all over these grubs. I knew we were playing away and I didn’t care who in the crowd heard me.

We continued to have the lion’s share of the possession and the chances. In the 79th​ minute I was forced to eat some humble pie as Lithgow, fresh from his suspension, reacted quickest in the box and fired us into the lead. I told the boys to tighten up and see if we could catch them on the counter. My prophesy came true in the 87th​minute when Hodge finished a nice move and we took a 3-1 lead and were never headed from there. For once, I was all smiles in the dressing rooms.

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Game 14 – Scottish league 1, Peterhead (h)​

Well that was much, much more like it. A goal ahead within 6 minutes as McMullen continued his good form this season and then 2 up inside 20 minutes as Miller got in on the act. It’s amazing how good we can look when we can put predominately the same side out for 2 or 3 games in a row… I was just about falling off my seat in the 28th​ minute when McMullen fired his second home. The opening half hour here was the best we have played all season.

The ref was obviously feeling bad for Peterhead and he awarded them a penalty in the 35th​ minute when their stirker McAllister tripped over his own feet in the area. When the ref blew it was hilarious as both teams stopped dead in their tracks, bemused that such an obviously wrong decision could have been given. McAllister was obviously still suffering from the shame of it all when he stepped up to take the penalty. His weak shot was easily dealt with by Fleming.

My massage at the break was clear. I was happy with how things were going and I wanted it to continue. As we got up to take our place at the beginning of the 2nd​ half I noticed McMullan looked completely puffed still. I made a mental note to keep an eye on him and sub him if need be. I ended up making the change 10 minutes in as I really don’t want to lose him for any extended period.

The change though worked wonders as McMullen’s replacement Sludden was quickly on the scoresheet himself, turning in after McMenimin’s shot came back off the post. We dominated the remainder of the game and really were a bit unlucky not to won by even more. Great performance and a good win.

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[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

Interesting form! Definitely safe, just need to be a little more consistent then you can press for play offs!

 

[Yeti01]

Interesting form! Definitely safe, just need to be a little more consistent then you can press for play offs!

I'm getting the feeling if we can just keep our guys even reasonably healthy we should have no problems in staying up. It's taken a while to get them to even the 'accomplished' level in my tactic and that hasn't helped either.

 

[Yeti01]

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Season 1 - November

​

Game 15 – Scottish cup 3rd round, Rangers (h)

Fresh off our Peterhead win we had Rangers in the Scottish Cup 3rd​ round. This was a great chance for our fans to get out and see us play one of the most storied clubs in Brittan. I’m not sure what was going on but we started like a house on fire, having 7 shots in the first 10 minutes! We kept playing really well until the 30th​ minute when Ryan Miller picked up a knock and we brought Sutherland on to replace him. From then Rangers seemed to grab the upper hand and when presented with his first real chance of note Kris Boyd made no mistake.

We kept pressing though and got our reward. Bateson swung in a nice cross that McMullen meet at the near post and turned it in. I bet the Celtic fans were loving seeing their man on loan score against Rangers!! I told the boys to keep it up in the second at the break but we were one down almost immediately from the restart. Vuckic scoring for Rangers from a difficult angle. We were soon back on level terms as Sutherland made a break down the left and cut the ball back to Hodge who was loitering with intent on the edge of the area. He smashed a piledriver in that beat Rangers ‘keeper Bell at his near post.

That man Vuckic restored Rangers lead in the 55th​ minute as he broke the offside trap and rounded Fleming before finishing into an empty net. We kept pressing for an equaliser but the more we pushed on the more we played into Rangers hands and in the 90th​ minute they scored the goal that would seal their win. There would be no fairy tale at Ochilview today but we could be really proud of the way we had represented the club.

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Game 16 – Scottish League 1, Airdrie (a)

We didn’t start that great in this one but we still took an early lead against the run of play. It was McMenamin who took advantage of some slick lead up play from Millar and Gracen to smash home from close range. McMenamin had his second in the 39th​ minute when he was quickest to react to Faulds free kick that had come back off the crossbar. We really should have had a third in the final minutes of the half. First McMullen and then the returning Grehan missed glorious opportunities.

The last few weeks I have been quite happy with the performances of the team. That has meant the guys have seen a lot more of happy Rhys rather than cranky Rhys. I gave them all a pat on the back as they walked into the sheds at halftime and I told them that I was happy with how they were going. Grehan made way just after half time as he is struggling for match fitness and Sludden came on. The second half continued in much the same way as the first so it was no surprise when we extended our lead on 58 minutes. A Bateson corner was met by Hodge who slammed his header home, despite the best efforts of McNeil in the Airdrie goal. We the 4th​ our play was deserving of in the 76th​ minute when a lovely first time ball from McMenamin found a streaking McMullen who, timing his run to perfection, had sprung the offside trap and he rounded McNeil with ease before slotting into an empty net.

I really wanted us to push on here. The game against Airdrie in the first round we should have won and we likely would have but for a slew of injuries suffered against a team more intent on harming the opposition than playing football. I had said after the first game that we would smash Airdrie when we played them next and, even though we didn’t core again, we really had in this game. I was proud as punch.

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Game 17 – Scottish League 1, Dunfermline (h)

We had the luxury of naming an unchanged lineup for this one and the early signs were good when we had the ball in the net after 5 minutes although McMenamin was adjudged, correctly, to have been offside in the lead up. It was only delaying the inevitable though as we were awarded a penalty in the 7th​ minute and the in-form McMenamin stepped up to score it with authority. We had our second on 25 minutes as a looped header found its way to McMenamin. He swivelled and hit the ball on the half-volley and it screamed past the Dunfermline keeper.

We started the second half a little slow and dunfermline made us pay in the 57th​ minute. A shot that Fleming couldn’t handle fell to El Bakhtaoui and he couldn’t miss from close range. Dunfermline then gave us even more reason to be concerned when they had a goal of their own ruled out for offside. That prompted me to tell the guys that they needed to concentrate!

Things didn’t get much better so I changed the shape and move to a 5-2-3 that contained a lot more defensive cover. That provided us with the stability we needed to see out the game. Another good result. We’ve put ourselves in a great position now to push on for promotion. I’m really starting to enjoy this management caper, I haven't told anyone here yet, but it wont be at Stenhousemuir next season,

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Game 18 – Scottish League 1, Morton (a)

The theme all week in the lead up to the Morton game was revenge. I could see an extra level of determination in training this week and it showed in the early stages of the game as, even though we were the away team, we dominated Morton early. In the 20th​ minute we got the reward for our early play. Grehan was brought down in the box and our old head up front McMenamin made no mistake from the spot. In the 33rd​ minute Hodge extended our lead after some good lead up work from McMenamin and then McMenamin sent us 3 clear in the 36th​ heading home from a Grehan cross – he was having himself a game!

In the 39th​ minute our job got easier when Miller was sent off for a rash two footed challenge on Faulds who did well to avoid serious injury from the tackle. We coasted into halftime from there and at the break I reiterated that the theme of today was revenge. I wanted to stick it to Morton!

15 minutes into the second half I took the opportunity to give a run to Twaddle who has recently returned from injury and also experiment with my shape a bit. I have found that as we got more and more used to the 4-3-3 that we have begun playing it quite well but I wouldn’t mind have a viable plan B and C so we shifted to a 5-3-2 formation with a view to shutting up shop.

Our unfamiliarity in the formation showed as, although we were solid defensively, we struggled to create many opportunities of note on the counter and had to settle for a 3 nil win. Still the performance overall as good and we continue our climb up the table leapfrogging Morton into 2nd​. Stranraer are still yet to lose but the way we have been playing lately gives me some confidence that we will be able to catch them yet.

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After the great month we've had it was no surprise when Stenny made a clean sweep of the awards. McMenamin took out Player of the Month, Millar was awarded Young Player of the month and I took home my first ever Manager of the Month award, it was this award that convinced me to throw my hat in the ring or a couple of other jobs, namely, the vacant Barcelona 'B', Livorno and Helmond Sport jobs. I don't really expect to get any of them but you never know!

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[PatrickLFC]

Great stuff, hopefully a larger club will come in for you soon!