Next Season’s Opponents

[The Mantis]

Elgin will be gutted - the derby next season is looking unlikely. 2-4 down to Annan at home at half time. Meanwhile Stenny 0-2  Airdrie so more visits to the Station Hotel in Larbert looking very likely. 

[The Mantis]

Getting clearer...

Alloa
Hamilton
ICT
Kelty
Montrose
Peterhead
QoS
Stenhousemuir
Airdrie or Cove
Annan or East Fife

[big cherly]

Cove and East Fife my take. 
bc

[Kind of Blue]

East Fife with Dick Campbell as manager. Always interesting to hear his balanced take on how ICT has done against his team

[STFU]

Nobody in that who should give us the fear.

Hamilton, Kelty and Cove all with serious money issues. Any or all of them could be administration candidates next season.

[The Mantis]

4 hours ago, big cherly said:

Cove and East Fife my take. 
bc

I take it that’s a prediction rather than your preference? &nbsp
I would like Airdrie and East Fife but predict it’ll be Cove and Annan. I’ve really seen enough of those two this season. Although Cove might be easier for the points than Airdrie who could be potential title challengers.

[big cherly]

52 minutes ago, The Mantis said:

I take it that’s a prediction rather than your preference? &nbsp
I would like Airdrie and East Fife but predict it’ll be Cove and Annan. I’ve really seen enough of those two this season. Although Cove might be easier for the points than Airdrie who could be potential title challengers.

Yeah exactly,

Feel Airdrie will be too strong for Cove. Didn’t see anything from Annan the season just finished that East Fife will think they’re not there for the taking. Like also to see Dick Campbell yelling his head-off at our stadium. Not enough football guys like Dick left in the game for me, so that’s my reason. 
Bound to be Annan noo! 
bc 

[Eagle4Caley]

Think Airdrie will be way too strong for Cove, shame as their stadium is a good visit

Fingers crossed that East Fife beat Annan, as I have worked out the logistics of getting there from London! [Helpful the train now goes to Leven]

Both Montrose and Hamilton are on my awayday list for next season [esp now that Hamilton look like they will play at Broadwood stadium]

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

The way Ross County are playing we could be playing them in two years either in League 1 or the Championship.  

[tm4tj]

Not who we will be playing this season, but Partick v Livi (7:45pm) live on BBC Scotland tonight in first leg of semi. Return on Friday night is also televised.

[DWH]

Living in Leven, I'd be very happy to see East Fife coming up to League 1.........

[+CaleyD]

2 hours ago, DWH said:

Living in Leven, I'd be very happy to see East Fife coming up to League 1.........

I've just moved to Kirkcaldy...hello neighbour!

[Scotty]

2 hours ago, CaleyD said:

I've just moved to Kirkcaldy...hello neighbour!

Don't go dancing in the streets of Raith now !!! 

[The Mantis]

6 hours ago, tm4tj said:

Not who we will be playing this season, but Partick v Livi (7:45pm) live on BBC Scotland tonight in first leg of semi. Return on Friday night is also televised.

I’m going to start with EFFC v Annan on Alba at 7.30 and see how it goes. 

[The Mantis]

10 hours ago, Eagle4Caley said:

Think Airdrie will be way too strong for Cove, shame as their stadium is a good visit

[bishbashbosh]

1 hour ago, The Mantis said:

I’m going to start with EFFC v Annan on Alba at 7.30 and see how it goes. 

Watched the EF v Annan game. East fife no. 11, jack healy, 23 year old winger, fast, direct, gets to the bye line and decent crosser of the ball. Someone like that we have been missing last few seasons.

[The Mantis]

10 hours ago, bishbashbosh said:

Watched the EF v Annan game. East fife no. 11, jack healy, 23 year old winger, fast, direct, gets to the bye line and decent crosser of the ball. Someone like that we have been missing last few seasons.

Correct choice I think, 3 red cards and 5 goals, played like a proper cup tie. Had the odd glimpse of the Partick game but it seemed like they had burned themselves out against Ayr and Brian Graham going from hero to zero. Better watching wee Dick swearing at the ref.
I’ll reserve judgement on Healy as I’ve seen his name come up for a few years but he seems to be used a lot as a sub. The other flair player Laaref didn’t impress me all that much, plenty skill but not a great contribution.
Looking forward to the second leg as it’s wide open. The Fifers have a load of experience from players we know well - Trouten, McKenna and Austin, and the two ancient centre backs Munro and Easton. The left back is Reis Peggie who by coincidence spent a year at my local team, Bonnyrigg, but was lured back over the Forth by wee Dick.

I still feel Annan will prevail…

[Eagle4Caley]

14 hours ago, The Mantis said:

I'm referring to Airdries stadium not Cove's!   Obviously I'm not expecting  Airdrie to be relegated to our division

[The Mantis]

2 hours ago, Eagle4Caley said:

I'm referring to Airdries stadium not Cove's!   Obviously I'm not expecting  Airdrie to be relegated to our division

Ah right. My apologies, my ageing brain is struggling to cope with teams trying to win to stay in our league and others trying to win to get out.
Mind you I’m not too fond of the Excelsiordome or whatever it’s called these days. Apart from losing a cup final there and suffering a record defeat, it’s soulless, out of town and far too big due to the 10000 seats.

Edited May 14 by The Mantis

[bdu98196]

5 hours ago, The Mantis said:

Had the odd glimpse of the Partick game but it seemed like they had burned themselves out against Ayr and Brian Graham going from hero to zero.

Argument goes back to the imbalance of the Premiership play-offs where the number of games and frequency is heavily stacked to the status quo and protection of the Prem team - the chances of a 3rd or 4th place Champ team coming out on top in 3 ties over 6 games at 3 days apart is low.

Should be 11th V 4th & 2nd V 3rd over 2 legs with winners playing a single game final at a neutral venue.

[The Mantis]

1 minute ago, bdu98196 said:

Argument goes back to the imbalance of the Premiership play-offs where the number of games and frequency is heavily stacked to the status quo and protection of the Prem team - the chances of a 3rd or 4th place Champ team coming out on top in 3 ties over 6 games at 3 days apart is low.

Should be 11th V 4th & 2nd V 3rd over 2 legs with winners playing a single game final at a neutral venue.

Oh aye, we've experienced it ourselves in 2022 when we had that marathon against Arbroath then we had to play the final without Devine & Duffy after the sendings off.
Even fairer would be a straight 11th v 2nd but that's never going to happen. I think I heard that the SFA or SPFL keeps the bulk of the takings at that level so more games suits them.

[Huisdean]

SFA/SPFL take 50% of gate money for Championship play offs. Think part of if goes towards parachute payments to relegated Premier league team which is a nonsense. Just another case of Premier league keeping money which should be spread to Championship teams.

[Eagle4Caley]

23 hours ago, The Mantis said:

Ah right. My apologies, my ageing brain is struggling to cope with teams trying to win to stay in our league and others trying to win to get out.
Mind you I’m not too fond of the Excelsiordome or whatever it’s called these days. Apart from losing a cup final there and suffering a record defeat, it’s soulless, out of town and far too big due to the 10000 seats.

Good point, we had a mare there in August 2023, an own goal in the first minute and a complete defensive hash up for their second. Billy Dodds got quite a bit of flak that day

It feels like an entire lifetime ago

Anyway East Fife have the edge over Annan in the play-off, I'm hoping they can close it out

[Scotty]

On 5/14/2025 at 5:33 AM, The Mantis said:

Ah right. My apologies, my ageing brain is struggling to cope with teams trying to win to stay in our league and others trying to win to get out.
Mind you I’m not too fond of the Excelsiordome or whatever it’s called these days. Apart from losing a cup final there and suffering a record defeat, it’s soulless, out of town and far too big due to the 10000 seats.

Oh, I remember that place ... the Sh***berry Excelsior Stadium!  Prior to permanent emigration, I flew back into Glasgow one time, got a lift to the ground, cases and all, from InterTheNet, then endured a first half that saw us ship a record number of goals, fell asleep for most of the second half and got up the road on the supporters bus ....   those were the days

[The Mantis]

12 minutes ago, Scotty said:

Oh, I remember that place ... the Sh***berry Excelsior Stadium!  Prior to permanent emigration, I flew back into Glasgow one time, got a lift to the ground, cases and all, from InterTheNet, then endured a first half that saw us ship a record number of goals, fell asleep for most of the second half and got up the road on the supporters bus ....   those were the days

Peanut sat amongst us that day…