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.
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.
posted by theducket at 10:51 PM
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