The Mantis

The Season Begins Now This League Cup tie means that we have now met each of the other 41 clubs with the exception of new entrants Spartans. Bonnyrigg climbed into 8th in League 2 thanks to a last-day win over Elgin. If results had gone differently they could have been 10th and in the playoff. They had the highest attendance in League 2, averaging 920. On Saturday they visit the Caledonian Stadium to kick-off the 2023/2024 season in earnest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ticket Info New Away Kit Adam Brooks Charlie Gilmour Jake Davidson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Inverness, fresh from a couple of low key pre-season kick-abouts against Elgin City and Nairn County, start the season with a much changed squad since the Scottish Cup Final defeat to Celtic. Gone are Robbie Deas, Scott Allardice, Daniel Mackay, Jay Henderson, Shane Sutherland, Tom Walsh, Ben Woods and Steven Boyd. In come Defender Jake Davidson from Queens Park, Charlie Gilmour from St Johnstone and Adam Brooks from Celtic's B squad who will join the rest of the retained squad....which thankfully includes Billy Mckay. With the two pre-season friendlies safely negotiated, it's anyone's guess what our starting XI will be against Bonnyrigg Rose in our first competitive game of the 23/24 season. With our three new signings all getting some air time and a relatively injury free squad, Billy Dodds will have a selection headache ahead of this one. Both pre-season games saw two different teams take to the field after half time with everyone managing to get a kick of the ball at some stage. It appears that only Max Ram and Lewis Hyde missed out. The pick of the new guys might turn out to be young striker Adam Brooks who almost bagged a hat-trick in the 6-0 win over Nairn although he will face stiff competition for a start from Austin Samuels who has also been amongst the goals in pre-season, scoring twice against Elgin City in a 4-1win. Of course you can't keep record chasing Billy Mckay down as he needs one more goal to go level with Dennis Wynes as our top scorer of all time. Rather you than me Mr Dodds. This is our new away kit. Not everyone's cup of tea but I believe it's quite a striking kit. Not many like it about to be honest. It could be worse, it could be like the Gudgies kit, the maroon one with harling splashed over one side of it or the Celtic one designed in a playschool competition. Horrendous ones if you ask me, but each to their own... The Visitors: What do we know about them? Let's ask Mantis... Their manager is Robbie Horn, in his second spell at the club after a short time at Berwick. Like the manager, many of the squad have been at Rose for 5 or 6 years and he remained faithful to the squad which won the EOSL and the LL - a gamble which nearly cost the club dearly. Like many before them, ICT included, the Rose have found that the grind of 36 league games is a whole world away from beating bigger clubs in cup ties. They had a pretty settled back 3 last season, but finishing was a major problem, and they were the league’s lowest scorers with 36, although they had the 4th best defence with 47 conceded. Bonnyrigg started the season brightly but were soon found out and languished in 10th for much of the time, before finishing strongly to escape the bottom spot. They were never pretty on the eye and suffered from a lack of pace throughout the team, and very little quality in midfield. Though I found it interesting seeing them playing in front of a passionate crowd, the highest in the division, a mere mile from my house, they were widely regarded as the poorest team in the league who relied on the long ball - unfairly IMO. It’s a new season and I imagine that they will be stronger with what has been a pretty severe clearout. On our large pitch I wouldn’t expect anything resembling a high line… in fact I would expect them to tire and be beaten comfortably, but then look at the Brechin and Stirling games last year, although they both did eventually win their leagues. I would expect them to offer a similar challenge to last week’s game against Elgin. The following notes are based on the side which beat Elgin 3-0 in May, and a recent friendly v Falkirk. Robbie Horn seldom deviates from a 3-5-2. Goalkeeper: Paddy Martin Defence- almost certainly Robbie Horn will go with his favoured back three: Kerr Young - powerful 29y.o. centre-back who loves to get forward for set pieces. Probably Rose’s best player especially since Dean Brett (Kane Hester-type issues) has now moved on. Joined 2016, previously at Dunfermline and Berwick. 11 yellow cards last season. Josh Grigor - Very promising 20y.o. CB who joined in 2022 from Stenhousemuir. Neil Martyniuk - 26y.o. CB/LB/WB, joined 2017. Dependable player with experience at Montrose and Edinburgh City. Midfield: Ross Gray - Small, nippy 30y.o. wide player who has also played as a striker. Calum Connolly - a strong, powerful midfielder (29) in the Scott Allardice mould. Has a decent shot on him. Jonny Stewart (club captain) - a 33y.o. CM who is a bit of a legend, having been at the club since 2014 after spells at a few SPFL clubs. Doesn’t really have the legs for a full 90 mins but still managed 29 appearances last season. Lee Currie - the number 10, and the nearest the Rose have to a quality CM. Unfortunately he’s 33 and finds himself in the position 10CC was in when ICT reached the SPL. Not nearly as silky as oor Charlie but takes all the free kicks and has a fine left foot. Didn’t feature for much of the season as he fell out with the manager. Depending on what you hear, he was either disgruntled at not being picked every week, or didn’t fancy the travelling, or both… Conor Doan - young signing from Uni of Stirling who appeared semi-regularly last season without becoming a regular starter. Bradley Barrett - a local lad who did well in the LL winning season but didn’t feature much in the SPFL season. Still only 22. Reis Peggie - new signing from Kelty Hearts. He has impressed in preseason and I would expect him to start on the left. Forwards: Kieran McGachie - 31y.o. club legend, joined 2015 and revered in the same way as Billy Mckay is here. Teaches P.E. at the local high school. The player most recognised and despised by opposing fans. Not the quickest but very strong and physical in the air and despite his size he gets accused by opposing fans of being a big jessie who flings himself down to win free kicks. He loves to rumble up defenders and will relish battles against Danny Devine or whoever. His goals were badly missed for a large part of the season due to a recurring knee problem. Alieu Faye - a beanpole of a French striker, signed from Civil Service Strollers in January, yet to convince the Rose faithful that there’s a player in there. Zander Murray - the subject of much media attention after ‘coming out’ as gay. Signed from Gala Fairydean in January but hasn’t yet hit the goal trail. Dean Watson - new signing from East Stirlingshire. Another possible starter as he has scored in preseason and seems to be a hit with the fans. Thanks to Mantis for that in depth look at the Rose squad