back soon...

The news and fixtures on the right will continue to function but it is unlikely that there will be any new photographs for a bit. See you in the Third Division (regrettably).

Basement stalemate

Brechin City 2 - 2 Berwick Rangers

Michael Renwick's Berwick Rangers had to settle for a point away at Glebe Park today despite twice going ahead in an entertaining game that very few Berwick fans made the trip to see.

I felt today there were signs of improvement as the boss changed things around. He welcomed back Robbie Horn (above) and introduced "emergency" signing Kevin Davison, the former Sunderland and Gretna player on-loan from Hamilton Accies, on the right of midfield. Bolo and McLeish were dropped to the bench. Little partnered Diack upfront while Wood replaced Fraser at right-back.

Overall, I suspect Gary O'Connor was tested more than Craig Nelson (the Brechin keeper), with the veteran of 251 games pulling off some superb saves this afternoon, but never the less Berwick never looked out of this game.

Ian Little (above) got our opening goal after a little over half an hour. Some neat passing play had seen Berwick win a corner and McMullen's set piece was knocked home by Little.


Brechin, masterminded by ex-Berwicker Darren Smith, started to exert more pressure on the visitors at the start of the second half. Maybe lady luck was with Berwick today we began to think as we watched the home side miss an open goal. O'Connor committed himself too early and allowed Brechin's Kevin Byres to round him before watching in vain as he shot towards the unguarded net infront of him but the ball went wide. Not long after, O'Connor was forced into a tremendous save only for the ball to fall kindly for Charlie King (above with McMullen) who fired home from the edge of the box. All level again.


Berwick's new man Davison (above) got our second goal on his debut after more good build up from Berwick and he strode into the box and calmly fired beyond Nelson. Iain Diack, who put in a decent shift today, could have made it 1-3 not long after when he popped up unchallenged in the box only to knock the ball over the bar.

The game started to turn a little ugly and the ref awarded a penalty to Brechin away at the far end from where I was which Callaghan hammered home, sending O'Connor the wrong way. Again from the same distance I thought Brechin were probably due another penalty not long after but the ref thought otherwise and booked King for diving.

Former Elgin goal-machine Martin Johnson was sent off towards the end for an elbow on Horn but Berwick were unable to carve out another chance to win the game.

above: Gary Wood - played at right back today - possibly to cancel out Darren Smith's threat.

above: David Greenhill, playing on the left wing today jumps above former Berwick right back David Murie.

Mission Impossible - the Review

It's been a real pleasure this week, as I've turned each page of Chris Sanderson's excellent "Mission Impossible" book, to have been reliving the highs of last season's Championship win. Paul Smith and friends at the Berwick Rangers Supporters' Trust have put together a high quality publication that is a must for any Berwick fan.

The book starts way back at the end of the 2004/05 season when Sandy Clark leaves the club and straight away you're immersed in the race to replace him so that no time is lost in the valuable close-season period where so many player deals are done. The appointment of John Coughlin is covered before a whistle stop summary of the heartbreak that was the 05/06 season (the club missing out on the Championship by a whisker) sets up the main action.

Continuing on into the build up for the next season, and the exodus of many of the 05/06 squad doesn't help make Berwick instant Championship favourites for either fans or bookies - but Coughlin assembles a new squad ready for a shot at glory. Sanderson brings in quotes to help illustrate some of the backroom goings on and this from pre-season gave me a chuckle, "We weighed the boys... and there were fines for those that came back overweight" said former assistant boss Matt Kerr, while Robbie Manson shows how the team spirit at Berwick helped him settle into a new squad, "I need not have worried... they went out of their way to make sure we felt right at home."

Early season results are disappointing but the season turns around in the run up to Christmas and through the precisely recorded match summaries for each game you are transported the length and breadth of Scotland to witness the highlights and lowlights of following Berwick Rangers. The open goal misses, the unbelievable tally of red cards, the numerous injuries, refereeing atrocities and spectacular saves are all here. Just before the turn of the year comes a crucial game I remember really well - the memorable first half thumping of Stenhousemuir at Ochilview and the nail-biting second half where we clung on to the three points... just, thanks mainly to the woodwork. Into the new year and back to back wins at championship rivals Queen's Park and East Fife are pivotal to the eventual outcome. Sanderson's informative text builds the anticipation levels just at the right pace as Berwick finally go to the top of the table. Through regular after-match comments from Coughlin and the players you gain a real sense of what it meant to them as they firmly establish themselves as promotion race favourites.

However it doesn't go quite as smoothly as all that as the suspensions mount up. Arbroath also find a knack of scoring last minute goals each week to keep alive their hopes but one unsuspecting Arbroath fan plays a key role at this point. The story of this Pie & Bovril website user's contribution to spurring on a jittery Berwick side is a real gem - worth the price of the book alone.

A book like this is difficult to pull off - we all know how it ends, and that is a great chapter in itself - but even the most die-hard fan who made it to every game will learn a lot. Who are the "Bad Smell that won't go away" that Kevin Haynes talks of? What role does asbestos play in making training plans each week a lottery? You'll need to buy a copy to find out.


There were over 2000 people at the crucial game where Diack sealed the points and McNicoll and Horn lifted the trophy and it would be nice to think that everyone who sat or stood supporting the team in Black and Gold that day would buy a copy of Mission Impossible to help keep alive the memories of that wonderful day last April. Who knows when the next time will be.

'Mission Impossible' is available from December 3rd 2007, priced £9.99, from the the Club Shop and selected other outlets and by mail order from the Berwick Rangers Supporters' Trust. See here for details.

Garbage

Dumbarton 2 - 0 Berwick Rangers

"Garbage" was among the words being hurled from the stands on Saturday as Berwick fans watched on as their Dreamteam went down 2-0 at Dumbarton in the Scottish Cup. Two first half goals sealed the win for the third division side.

It really was dire (not just the atrocious weather), especially in the first half where after David Greenhill's early effort we struggled to really challenge the keeper. A McLeish penalty miss only added to our woe. Berwick had much of the second half possession but created little of any danger with it, bar a Wood header that went wide and a couple of other half chances.

above: Ian Little worked hard as we've come to expect.

above: Jordan Smith attempts to hold off the experienced Brian McPhee who got the home side's second goal.

above: Paul McMullen, one of Coughlin's summer signings, was much improved since I'd last seen him play for us. Linking up with Ian Little, he regularly beat the right back before crossing.

above: David Crawford saves McLeish's penalty

above: Michael Renwick

above: Full moon rises above the new housing development next to Dumbarton's ground.

Sons of the Cup

After their 3-0 win over Forfar tonight Dumbarton have set up a 3rd round Scottish Cup tie against Berwick. The game will take place in Dumbarton on 24 November.

Mission impossible

Christmas presents for all the family are sorted folks. A new publication is coming soon commemorating the club's second ever league championship trophy. Titled "Mission Impossible", the book celebrates Berwick Rangers' Championship success last season and hits the shelves on Monday 3rd December, just in time for the Christmas shoppers. The book covers two contrasting seasons at Shielfield Park, where fans had the disappointment of missing out on the Championship Trophy on the last day of the 2005/06 season but finally had something to celebrate a season later when their team lifted the title for the first time in 28 years.

To get your copy of this limited-run, 128 page publication, written in author Chris Sanderson's own unique style with reports, quotes and colour pictures (some from theducket.com I believe) read on. The book is priced at £9.99 and is available to pre-order online at www.berwickrangers.co.uk from Monday 5th November. It goes on general sale on Monday 3rd December from the Supporters Trust Shop at Shielfield Park; Tyne & Tweed, West Street; Berwick Tourist Information Centre; Bridge Street Bookshop. Other stockists are listed on the Supporters Trust website. There will be an official launch on Saturday 8th December at the Black & Gold from 12.30pm. The players that were involved in the Championship season will be signing copies of the book and the Supporters Trust are organising other events on the day.

Tough times ahead?

Welcome to Michael Renwick who has replaced John Coughlin as the manager of Berwick Rangers. The former Hibs player has taken up his first managerial post after a stint at Cowdenbeath as a coach. An unknown quantity clearly (although every manager has to start somewhere) & with a small squad and a number of players older than he is - it will interesting to see how he imposes his authority on the squad and starts to mould it into his squad.

He's taken over at a very difficult time - the league table doesn't lie - we are adrift at the bottom and conceded three goals or more for the ninth time this season at the weekend and arguably the most talented player at the club about to leave for pastures new. Renwick is quoted as keen to bring loan players in before the Ayr game this weekend.

The next set of games are crucial and in fact they could well come at a good time. There is maybe an "easier" spell ahead with many of the games against the clubs immediately above us and the very ones we need to close the gap on. Ayr (6th place) are next as I mentioned then Peterhead. Then there is the international break followed by the cup match away at either Forfar (in a similar position to us at the bottom of Division 3) or Dumbarton before the run up to Christmas starts with Brechin (9th) and Queen's Park (8th).

Good luck to Renwick as he takes on the new mission impossible.

New blog

It's always nice to welcome a new Berwick Rangers related web site to the scene and this one is well worth keeping an eye on. The ducketblog webmaster, Paul Smith, is promising to say on his site what others are not able to say, if you get what I mean.

Personally it's great, because I guess this is what I'd wanted to do when I relaunched theducket.com last year but have never been able to do it justice. So far, so good - with daily updates and an interesting mix of posts. Good luck Paul.