30 years On...

 

Thirty years on from our entry into the Scottish League system when we were then known as Caledonian Thistle, we head to Galabank Stadium, Annan, for a League 1 game, having already lost there this season in the League Cup group stages. This will be only the fourth meeting between the two clubs having won the first two 8-1 and 4-0 many moons ago before losing 1-0 last month.

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Match/Ticket/Bus Info

Thirty Years Ago Today

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Not much has changed since we played Annan a month ago.

Ethan Cairns is still out with a health issue. Trialist keeper still not signed up. Spoke to the 'Owner', hopeful of adding another couple of players. Wallace Duffy is also still a possibility. 

 

Annan beat Cove Rangers last week in their opening League fixture.

Second half goals from Max Kilsby, Josh Todd and Malik Zaid gave Annan a 3-1 win over Cove. That win put Annan at the top of the table on goal difference.

The League cup encounter was a close affair against Inverness and Tommy Goss got the winner despite a promising display from Inverness where Ferguson felt we were unfortunate not to take something from the game.

Whilst Annan were beating Cove, we were drawing with Dumbarton in a game of two halfs. An opening headed goal from Danny Devine put us ahead just on the interval in a lively opening 45'. Alas we went back ito our shell after the break and the Sons capitalised on that to draw level.

 

The Good Old Days

Who remembers this one?

Four days before the legend that was Alan Hercher scored that opening day League hat-trick against Arbroath at Telford Street in a 5-2 League fixture, we faced East Stirlingshire in the Coca Cola Cup first round and came away with a 2-0 win thanks to first half goals from Wilson Robertson and Alan Hercher.

Report by Ian Broadfoot:  A fine performance by Caledonian Thistle in their first competitive match won them a second round tie against Dundee. The home 'keeper Moffat denied both Hercher and McAllister but the deadlock was broken in the 36th minute when Wilson Robertson scored after a 1-2 with Paul MacKenzie. Just on half time they went two ahead - Hercher distracted Ian Lee and a Scott corner ricocheted into the net off the defender. Alan Hercher was credited with the goal. In the second half the result was never in doubt and both MacDonald and Hercher nearly increased the visitors' lead. East Stirling did come close seven minutes from time when John Scott was forced to clear from his line. A few minutes later Robertson and Noble had shots saved by Moffat. In the last minute a Geraghty shot nearly gave East Stirling a consolation goal but it came off the bar.

 

League Cup - Rd 1
Tuesday, August 9th, 1994, 7:30 PM at Firs Park, Falkirk
Attendance: 899
Referee: M Clark

Starting XI Mark McRitchie  Dave Brennan Mark McAllister Mike Andrew Mike Noble John Scott Danny MacDonald Graeme Bennett Alan Hercher Paul McKenzie (Smart 66) Wilson Robertson Subs: Jim Calder (GK), Martin Lisle, Allan Smart

First draft of the CTO report

 

O yea of little faith, Ketan will come to the rescue. He promised us ‘case by case’ players. You’d need to be ‘nut’s not to believe in him coming good! 🥜🥜

Edited August 10, 20241 yr by big cherly

Another Ferguson masterclass. Our worst ever manager without a doubt.

Just f'ck off you useless pudding. 

He will probably get a contract extension from our new owners

I know it’s stupid saying this while dunc is in charge but even a change in formation could do a world of good. Longstaff looks so uncomfortable receiving in middle of the park 

14 minutes ago, Oferesbumfiddle said:

I know it’s stupid saying this while dunc is in charge but even a change in formation could do a world of good. Longstaff looks so uncomfortable. 

Fixed it for ya.

20 minutes ago, caley100 said:

Fixed it for ya.

I mean he must have something on dunc to be able to get away with always starting whilst consistently churning out horrific sideways performances

54 minutes ago, Oferesbumfiddle said:

I know it’s stupid saying this while dunc is in charge but even a change in formation could do a world of good. Longstaff looks so uncomfortable receiving in middle of the park 

I’ve been saying for a while now that we need to go 4 4 2 with proper wide players, one of whom would logically be Longstaff.

Gilmour tends to sit in front of the defence, so our current back 3 / back 5 is almost a 6, so we never have a decent outlet.

Ferguson is wedded to his formation but we can all see it is wrong and not getting the best of the players.

13 minutes ago, Robert said:

I’ve been saying for a while now that we need to go 4 4 2 with proper wide players, one of whom would logically be Longstaff.

Gilmour tends to sit in front of the defence, so our current back 3 / back 5 is almost a 6, so we never have a decent outlet.

Ferguson is wedded to his formation but we can all see it is wrong and not getting the best of the players.

Sorry, Longstaff is not a “proper wide player” I’m afraid. Can’t control the ball with one touch, can’t go past a full back.

2 hours ago, jagster said:

Good to see you have not lost your sense of humour 

When you go to the circus you have to be able to laugh at the clowns. 

2 hours ago, Yngwie said:

One thing we do have is a proven goalscorer! What we need is tactics that enable him to be in the box and get service.

You need good players to provide service, sadly we don’t have them. Not since wotherspoon.

billy certainly WAS a proven goal scorer, sadly not anymore.

doesnt matter what the tactics are if you don’t have the players capable of executing them..

we don’t look like a league 1 team at the moment , more like league 2 

pep and Jurgen would struggle to keep us in this league.

heres hoping things change once the money starts rolling in.😪

18 minutes ago, bishbashbosh said:

billy certainly WAS a proven goal scorer, sadly not anymore.

Because he's not being played as a striker.

48 minutes ago, bishbashbosh said:

doesnt matter what the tactics are if you don’t have the players capable of executing them..

we don’t look like a league 1 team at the moment , more like league 2 

pep and Jurgen would struggle to keep us in this league

I completely disagree with this. Our first team is League One standard and should be competing for promotion. The tactics are a mistake. A flat back three. Wingers playing in central midfield. Our best striker and last year's top scorer also in central midfield. Shooting from distance not allowed. Possession encouraged in our own half.

There is no way this is not the fault of the tactics. And that's not to mention the stories we hear of player management ("I'm injured". Dunc: "what position do you play?"). Remember his win ratio for Forest Green was 5%. One win in 18 games!

A competent manager would have us competing.

3 hours ago, bishbashbosh said:

billy certainly WAS a proven goal scorer, sadly not anymore.

Aye well, you can hardly be a 100+ goal striker when you're being played as a box to box wingback by an absolute pillock of a manager who thinks his boy, who couldn't run a bath let alone into an attacking position, is somehow the solution to all our goalscoring problems...

Things are only going to get worse before they get better, and I can only we're all on the pish when the Muppet Show gets turfed out onto Stadium Road

Edited August 10, 20241 yr by Jack Waddington

2 hours ago, Fraz said:

When you go to the circus you have to be able to laugh at the clowns. 

 

No interview with Dunc after the game. Interesting....

Out of interest, how many Caley fans went to this one? 

I can imagine it was an early start...and a late return.

 

8 hours ago, forthefanssubstack said:

Out of interest, how many Caley fans went to this one? 

How many fans of any sort?  The BBC is repoting the attendance as 386 

11 hours ago, Jack Waddington said:

Aye well, you can hardly be a 100+ goal striker when you're being played as a box to box wingback by an absolute pillock of a manager who thinks his boy, who couldn't run a bath let alone into an attacking position, is somehow the solution to all our goalscoring problems...

Things are only going to get worse before they get better, and I can only we're all on the pish when the Muppet Show gets turfed out onto Stadium Road

WOW, you can see all that from the bridge. 

12 hours ago, Starscape said:

I completely disagree with this. Our first team is League One standard and should be competing for promotion. The tactics are a mistake. A flat back three. Wingers playing in central midfield. Our best striker and last year's top scorer also in central midfield. Shooting from distance not allowed. Possession encouraged in our own half.

There is no way this is not the fault of the tactics. And that's not to mention the stories we hear of player management ("I'm injured". Dunc: "what position do you play?"). Remember his win ratio for Forest Green was 5%. One win in 18 games!

A competent manager would have us competing.

Starscape,

I completely agree with your right to disagree, but you may have heard the club is on it’s knees at present.

how do we get rid of an incompetent manager and get a competent manager in. That will cost big bucks.

As I have said before I didn’t play at a high standard of football back in the day and have no football coaching ability so I don’t see what you see on a Saturday, hopefully you go to games, ( cue the buy a car scenario from other ) so I assume we will have to completely agree to disagree.

ps…. To state we ARE league 1 standard at present, can you say how many of the other teams in the league have you watched in the last 2 weeks to come to this conclusion.

i think a few on here, myself included, have stated we will do well to remain in this league this year. Promotion is a fanciful dream…… at present.

Edited August 11, 20241 yr by bishbashbosh
Usual spelling mistake

 

15 minutes ago, tm4tj said:

 

He sums it up in the first 10 seconds. 'We were poor' and 'didn't create many chances'. Down to your tactics DF.

Nearly a year on and he has yet to try a Plan B. We're 9th in this League now and likely to remain there with him and the Uncle Fester lookalike in charge. 

Edited August 11, 20241 yr by Duke of Inverness

2 hours ago, Duke of Inverness said:

He sums it up in the first 10 seconds. 'We were poor' and 'didn't create many chances'. Down to your tactics DF.

Nearly a year on and he has yet to try a Plan B. We're 9th in this League now and likely to remain there with him and the Uncle Fester lookalike in charge. 

Yeah I always find it amusing when he says "we were poor, we didn't create any chances".... Like as if the players weren't doing as they were told. They were likely doing exactly as they were told, and have been since DF came in, which results in a poor performance and lack of creative chances. 

The guy really needs to go now, before it's too late and we're drowning in another relegation battle 

13 hours ago, forthefanssubstack said:

Out of interest, how many Caley fans went to this one? 

I can imagine it was an early start...and a late return.

 

Missed this one as we were coming down the road from Lewis. Passed two D&E coaches just south of Aviemore about 8.20 and thought they must have left at ht to get that far 😂 Even from where I am in Midlothian, Annan is a real trek.

Pos Team Pld W D L F A Pts I prefer our table 1. Annan Athletic 2 2 0 0 4 1 6 2. Kelty Hearts 2 1 1 0 3 1 4 3. Q.O.S. 2 1 1 0 2 1 4 4. Stenhousemuir 2 1 0 1 2 3 3 5. Dumbarton 2 0 2 0 4 4 2 6. Alloa Athletic 2 0 2 0 3 3 2 7. Montrose 2 0 2 0 1 1 2 8. Inverness CT 2 0 1 1 1 2 1 9. Arbroath 2 0 1 1 1 2 1 10. Cove Rangers 2 0 0 2 2 5 0