| BELL'S THIRD DIVISION: SEASON PREVIEW 2005/06 |
| East Stirlingshire Last season: 10th Manager: Denis Newall Players in: Ally Graham ( Queen's Park ), Iain Diack ( Arbroath ), Paul Gaughan ( East Fife ), Aaron Gillespie, Steve Blair, Brian Gordon, Steven Dymock Players out: Greig Denham ( Stenhousemuir ), Chris McGroarty ( Berwick Rangers ), Graham McGhee ( Albion Rovers ), Gordon Parks ( Clyde ), Tony Mitchell We're at the start of yet another season, and the Shire again are favourites to finish rock bottom. Looking back over last season, very little progress was made during 2004/05, and Newall's task of finishing off the bottom is again looking difficult. One plus point that they can take from last season was the calamitous decline of Albion Rovers, and it is a mark of the situation Shire find themselves in that their only hope of finishing anywhere other than 10th lies outwith Firs Park and relies heavily on the major collapse of another team. Chris McGroarty, who bagged nine goals for Newall's side last season from midfield has opted for a move to Berwick Rangers, and they have had to look elsewhere for someone to give them a goal threat up-front. They have just signed Ally Graham. Actually in all fairness, despite his descent into total immobility towards the end of last season, Ally had a mostly successful spell at Queen's, including his goals against St. Mirren, Caley Thistle, Forfar and the hat-trick against East Fife at Bayview. Six goals he bagged last season; that many this time around would prove him to have been a more than worthwhile signing, Ally always being more a provider than a scorer. But there could be a hidden context to the Graham signing: should things go wrong for Newall this season, except Ally to be a strong contender for the managerial chair at Firs Park. Predictions Paul: 10th Joe: 9th Martin: 10th Alex: 9th |
| Elgin City Last season: 6th Manager: David Robertson Players in: Stewart Easton ( Stenhousemuir ), Martin Johnston ( Cove Rangers ), Patrick Scullion ( Dunfermline Athletic ), Mark Booth ( Forfar Athletic ), Chris Gardiner ( Heart of Midlothian ), Alan Muir ( St. Mirren ) Players out: Willie Martin ( Montrose ), Craig Higgins ( Stranraer ), John Allison ( Cowdenbeath ), Martin Harty Elgin will take some heart from taking Raith Rovers into extra-time in their first round Challenge Cup tie, and although Davie Robertson will be disappointed with the result, it will give the players confidence going into their opening league fixture at home to Montrose. Their start to the season is a difficult one, though they do have two home games ( Montrose and Cowdenbeath ) sandwiching a very tricky journey to Championship hopefuls Stenhousemuir. In all honesty they will be lucky to get a win from the first few games, before they play Queen's at Borough Briggs on September 10th. With Willie Martin leaving for Links Park, Elgin will be doing very well to better their highest-ever finish of sixth last season, although Martin Johnston may well prove to be a successful signing. After leaving Peterhead, Johnston kept up his prolific ways in the Highland League, and he will be keen to continue scoring goals on his return to league football. Predictions Paul: 7th Joe: 8th Martin: 7th Alex: 7th |
| Montrose Last season: 5th Manager: Henry Hall Players in: Greig Henslee ( Arbroath ), Andy Cargill ( Ayr United ), Martyn Fotheringham ( St. Johnstone ), Willie Martin ( Elgin City ), Paul Doyle ( Clyde ), Andrew Reid ( Hibernian ), Stephen Fraser ( St. Johnstone ), Jamie McKenzie ( on loan from Hibernian ) Players out: Craig Smart, Ross Graham ( both East Fife ), Daryn Smith, Darren Spink, Matt Slater Henry Hall has been steadily improving things at Links Park, and with the division this season the most open it has been since his arrival, he will fancy that these next 10 months will give him a good chance of steering his Montrose side out of Division Three. And with signings of the calibre of Martyn Fotheringham and Willie Martin, they probably have a squad capable of reaching the top four and hence the play-offs. Realistically there are three, perhaps four sides who I would rule out being able to challenge, but Montrose find themselves in the top bracket, the remaining six sides who are all more than in with a chance. If they are to be successful this season, then they'll have to improve their form in front of their home fans, having lost half of their matches at Links Park last season. Any team that can get off to a good start will stand a chance, and with Elgin, Rovers and East Fife to face in their opening fixtures, who is to say they won't have the maximum nine points going into their local derby against Arbroath on August 27th? Predictions Paul: 6th Joe: 6th Martin: 5th Alex: 6th |
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