| BELL'S THIRD DIVISION: SEASON PREVIEW 2005/06 by Paul Mullaney |
| Albion Rovers Last season: 9th Manager: Jim Chapman Players in: Martin Bonnar ( Queen's Park ), Thomas Lennox ( Queen of the South ), Thomas Franch ( Symington Tinto ), Philip Creaney ( Falkirk ), George Wallace ( Auchinleck Talbot ), Jamie Ewings ( Motherwell ), Graham McGhee ( East Stirlingshire ), Scott Houston, Kevin O'Neill, Ciaran Donnelly, Steven Noble ( Kilmarnock ), Gordon Lennon, Allan Creer ( Livingston ), Lee Sichi, Ian Chisholm, Craig Young. Players out: Paul McManus ( Raith Rovers ), Chris Fahey, Marc McKenzie, Jim Mercer ( all Stenhousemuir ), Jordan Smith ( Berwick Rangers ), John Bradford ( East Fife ), Jered Stirling ( Clyde ), Danny Black, Andrew Selkirk, Gary Richardson, Garry Fleming, Chris Silvestro, Wayne Gordon, Ricky Patrick, Graeme McCaul, Matthew Carr, Neil Wallace, Shaun McInulty, Kerr Potter, Ian Douglas, Charles Connolly, Fraser Preston. Since the near miss promotion campaign of 2002/03, things have gone from bad to worst for Coatbridge's finest. The past two seasons have seen them finish in 8th and 9th place respectively at the expense of the jobs of our friends messrs. Hetherston, McStay, McAllister and Lindsay. The Cliftonhill baton has now been passed to new coach Jim Chapman. Perhaps his championship-winning time with the Rovers during the late eighties will buy himself some extra time and patience from the fans should things go wrong this season, but even the most ardent of them cannot expect this season to be anything other than one to steady a club that is fast becoming the Lusitania of Lanarkshire. The mass exodus that took place towards the tail-end of last season has given Chapman a massive rebuilding project even before this season begins and realistically, even the consolidation of last season's 9th-placed finish would be seen as a reasonable achievement. In order to bolster the squad in time for the kick-off, Chapman has been trailing through the cast-offs , hoping to find something or someone who has been overlooked or who may be able to offer something at a lower level. The latter will be expected of recent Motherwell departee Jamie Ewings, a goalkeeper, while Martin Bonnar has been brought in to help fill the vacancy in the centre of the park left by Jim Mercer. Bonnar may not have had the most successful stint at Hampden but there was little time for him to make his name in the first XI with Queen's, and new faces and surroundings may bring out the best in the tenacious midfielder. But with all but two of last season's squad opting ( or forced ) to leave, and a much-reduced budget to replace them, Rovers could have difficulty overcoming a challenge from Shire to avoid finishing bottom of the Scottish pile. Predictions Paul: 9th Joe: 10th Martin: 9th Alex: 10th |
| Arbroath Last season: 9th in Second Division ( relegated ) Manager: Harry Cairney Players in: Hugh Davidson, Mathu King, Jay Stein ( all Forfar Athletic ), Roddy Black, Chris Jackson ( both Brechin City ), Andy Reilly ( Dundee ), Jordan Smith ( Albion Rovers ), Peter Cormack. Players out: Gavin Swankie ( Dundee ), Greig Henslee ( Montrose ), Euan Donaldson ( East Fife ), Iain Diack ( East Stirlingshire ), John Cusick ( Cowdenbeath ), John McGlashan, Timmy Woodcock, Chris McLeod, Stuart MacDonald, John McAulay. Losing Gavin Swankie to Dundee at the very end of last season would have disappointed the Arbroath faithful. Jim Duffy made the promising winger his first signing of the close season, and since then Gayfield has also seen the departure of Greig Henslee to nearby Montrose. So it's been Harry Cairney's job to rebuild a squad for promotion and most would agree that he's managed this favourably. Winger Jay Stein, midfielder Hugh Davidson and forward Mathu King have all arrived from Forfar and all have decent pedigrees at a higher level. Roddy Black and Chris Jackson will add some steel and experience to the defence, while behind them there is a choice of two former Queen's Park goalkeepers, Neil Inglis ( already a Championship winner ) and Mark Cairns. It is in attack that they look stretched, with no established goalscorer in place, and Cairney may need to add a striker to ensure his squad is good enough to last the pace, for their aim must be to finish atop the table come the end of April. It may prove crucial how the challenging teams fare against teams in the lower half of the table, and slip-ups could prove fatal to a promotion campaign. Harry Cairney will be sure to bear this in mind when Arbroath travel to Cliftonhill on the opening day and Firs Park on August 20th. Predictions Paul: 2nd Joe: 3rd Martin: 6th Alex: 3rd |
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