Hearty laughter

Hearts continue to provide an interesting side-show to Scottish football. Having carelessly lost a number of managers, officials and players during majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov's short time at the club, things continue to appear far from rosy on Gorgie Road.

You have to wonder what he believes will be achieved by this interfering and dictatorial style of management. Clearly he's been successful in working this way in his other ventures but this is football in Scotland. Wikipedia suggests Mr Romanov has had some experience of seafaring so maybe he's used to a mutiny like the one witnessed on Friday. Gordon, Hartley and Pressley clearly feel they are important enough in football generally to be able to take a stand and who can blame them? Romanov, unless he's recently been on what ever the opposite of an assertiveness course is, doesn't appear to be a man who suffers those who dare to speak out against him. Just ask Burley, Duffy, Rix, Anderton, Foulkes etc. Despite this of course they split the old-firm monotony in the top flight and won the Scottish Cup last season.

This one isn't over yet. Stay tuned.

Mixu

Good luck to Mixu Paatelainen, who quit as the boss of Cowdenbeath this week, when football resumes for his new side TPS in Veikkausliiga (Finland's top division) next April. I'm a firm believer that there are lots of managers in football but few leaders who can inspire, organise and bring out the best in his players such that they perform at a level greater than expected. It's too early to say if Mixu is a leader but the signs are good. He took the Central Park side (who, ok, did include members of his family at times) to success last season and they had made a decent start in division two but today's 1-0 loss up at Peterhead may be the beginning of the end for this chapter in the history of the Blue Brazil.

Hampden blues

Berwick went down to a single goal at Hampden today. Here's my review of the Berwick starting XI, having not seen them play for a month.

Gary O'Connor had little to do but ended up on the losing team.
Robbie Manson had a good game at right back and was part of the exciting last 15 mins or so when moving to right wing back and supplying some much needed width.
Steven Noble again, for me he had a good game. Several nice touches and one the players I enjoy watching in this current Berwick team.
Tom Brittain Team USA seemed off his game today and was first to go off with what looked like a face or eye injury.
Grant McNicoll steady performance from captain McNicoll.
Stuart Fraser reasonably quiet, often as spare man in midfield but looked uncertain when pressed into a back 3 late in the game - but no harm done.
Denis McLaughlin part of what appeared more like a 5 in midfield rather than 3 up front which meant he wasn't that involved. Looked hungy to take free kicks outside the box and had a good effort late in the game when he was able to play upfront.
Ian Thompson the usual tireless performance from Thompson
Gary Wood terrific battle with Sinclair at the back right from an early move in which Sinclair clearly man-handled Gary which the referee chose to ignore. Moved into defence when Brittain went off.
Gary Greenhill worked hard and is clearly nearing his best at the moment.
Ryan McCallum like McLaughlin was played wide and didn't really adjust. Taken off towards the end as Berwick changed formation.

So, the division remains tight with 15 points only good enough for 8th place but 20 gives you a share of 2nd.

SponsorSinkingship

As the ink dries on the Clydesdale Bank's £8m sponsorship deal with the ever-glamorous SPL, the SFL limps on without a sponsor. Ok, so this week Tennent's have also given notice to end their Scottish Cup deal (a new sponsor will be announced in good time I'd imagine) in favour of the Scottish National team but our own SFL Challenge Cup competition, which isn't open to the ever-glamorous SPL teams, hasn't had a sponsor at all this season.

The money from the sponsorship of both the SFL and the Challenge Cup must provide relatively decent income streams to clubs like Berwick and without it the reliance on gate receipts is ever greater. Let's face it, we are a 'small' club - but we're not alone - half the SFL teams averaged less than 800 a game last season. Making the books balance is tough but necessary if these clubs are to continue - most seem to manage one way or another but no doubt the extra cash & the ability to plan knowing that money is coming wouldn't go amiss.

There have been some laughable cup names created through sponsorship - the Johnstone's Paint Trophy being the latest one in England. To be honest though, the SFL shouldn't be so proud as to turn down any companies who fancy putting money their way. Beggars can't be choosers.

That assumes someone is actually attracted to putting money into what appears to be a stale and withering SFL. Right now it would appear not. I'm surely not alone in believing, while the SPL2 idea is atrocious and a short sighted closed shop which through ridiculous stadium criteria denies most clubs one of the fundamentals of football, the SFL does need a good shake up. Let's hope that regular discussion continues on some fresh ideas which bring the SFL into the 21st century. Don't hold your breath though.

Down In Albion

I imagine Berwick's players will be jetting back in from their trips far and wide on international duty right now ;) won't it be good to get back to some 3rd division football this weekend?

With a quarter of the season gone and little between the sides except for Elgin, it's just crying out for someone to go on a run. We kick off the second quarter of the season away to Albion Rovers, followed by Arbroath at Berwick and then Queen's Park at Hampden. Big Kev Haynes is out suspended from all three.

The unpredictable nature of the league this season means you can't go to any game expecting to win. Our Coatbridge hosts this weekend have greatly improved since I saw them last season - they were quite useful in the opening league game of the season I thought, battling back to get a point with a late strike from the former Ayr man, Scott Chaplain. They also reached the semi-final of the Challenge Cup which is a good achievement for any third division side but failed in their bid to reach the final. Having also lost a couple of league games either side of their semi, Jim Chapman will be telling his players that this is a game they need to win. After letting a 1-0 lead slip in our last game against Montrose we need to put some form together now too. Despite Chaplain's excellent scoring record this season so far, hopefully Steve Noble will be the difference against his former club and Berwick will keep up their terrific recent record at Cliftonhill.