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Chappie's Chat 2005 Chappie's Chat 2006

Chappie's Chat

(May 2007)

This is a summary (by the humble Webmaster) of an question and answer session after the final game of the season with a small group of fans.

When asked if Scott Chaplain would be leaving the manager said who knows? Scott made it plain that he wants full-time football and he deserves it. Scott Chaplains story is a message to other players who are released by clubs. They can drop down to Albion Rovers, improve and move back up the leagues. Jim paid tribute to chairman Frank Meade and the people behind the scenes at Cliftonhill.

Jim stated that Rovers got to where he thought they would, 5th or 6th in the league being his estimate and 6 being the final position. In the passing it was mentioned that injuries hadn't helped, especially when key players were out at the same time. The defeat at Hampden being a prime example with several sitting in the stand watching the match.

Jim has special praise for the fans, especially for the ones making so much noise at he away games. His 5 year plan was mentioned and the gaffer pointed out that this season was his first with a squad completely of his own players, the starting point when he took over was of course just a handful of players.

Jim talked about his backroom team pointing out that they weren't a bunch of yes men and that assistant Alan Adamson is his sounding board. One question concerned fans being anxious about progress being hit by key players leaving and Chappie said there's two ways to look at it - the opportunity for players being the less obvious one. As mentioned before pointed out Alan Adamson these players doing well encourages players culled from other teams to come to Cliftonhill when previously they wouldn't have considered such a move.

Jim pointed out that he and other backroom staff gave up a lot to work for Rovers - as did many others around the club and that play-off are next seasons target, not wanting to be outside the top 5 during the season. Jim pointed out how important community involvement for the club and the responsibility that comes with that.

On mention of the manager of the month award Jim said he'd have gladly swapped 3 points at Hampden for it. As talk of players coming and going Jim said it's not his favourite part of the job and said he would be on the lookout for a blend of quality and experience to be combined with the present players. Any players released shall be given help to find new clubs with contacts coming into play.

When asked whether Jim had any specific players in mind the answer was yes but as Alan Adamson pointed out Albion Rovers was not necessarily first choice for players to come to.

When asked about Scott Friel Jim said he had thought of bringing him back but decided against it. A couple of specific players were mentioned and given praise for their attitude, unlike other aspects of the game motivation can't be taught Chappie pointed out.

When asked how far from his championship winning side of 1988-89 season the current one were Jim said miles, better technically but not so tactically.

The players officially report back on 30th June but all have fitness regimes to keep them in condition while away from Cliftonhill. On their return the players will have 10 sessions without kicking a ball competitively. Pre-season was mentioned and Rovers are once more planning a weekend in the north-east of England, Blythe Spartans and Whitley Bay being mentioned as opponents.

As before various psychological elements are included in training.

(14/4/07)

“Laugh at yourself first, before anyone else can.” (Elsa Maxwell)

I bet a few of you out there had a little smirk at the headline in the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser this week! For those of you outwith the local area, it read : “Chappie keen as mustard to learn from Coleman”. Now, given that the newspaper is published on a Wednesday and that Coleman was sacked on Tuesday night, I had a little smirk myself as I thought how the doubters would relish it! Nevertheless, the article remains relevant : I spent time at Fulham Football Club last weekend as part of my UEFA Pro coaching course studying their preparation and indeed how it transferred into the match last Monday. Things might not have worked out for Chris Coleman at Fulham, but he is an incredibly knowledgeable man in terms of football and it was great to be able to go there and learn from his ways and observe his players. Obviously, he was under pressure because of Fulham’s league position but he gave freely of his time and was very open and enthusiastic. 

Tomorrow we face high-flying Berwick Rangers at Cliftonhill in our penultimate home game of the season. John Coughlin’s side has proved the doubters wrong this season : they lost a number of highly experienced players last May but John has worked hard to rebuild his side and they are now fighting it out at the top of the table.

Last Saturday’s fixture against Dumbarton was disappointing in that we lost out to a mistake of our own making. As I have often said of our young players, the important thing is to learn from our mistakes and never repeat them. I think it is important to stress that young David has done very well in goal since his signing and we should not dwell on one error. We have learned a lot this season – through good times and bad – and we must ensure that we build on this in the close-season, pre-season and when season 2007/8 begins in earnest. 

I am already well down the road in terms of planning for next season with a number of pre-season fixtures already in the diary and I am working hard on the players’ fitness and conditioning programme. The players will again be issued with a pre-season preparation programme that outlines the levels we expect them to achieve before they return for pre-season training. This year we have increased the expectation on the players as we want to begin from a higher baseline than last year. We will be including some more sport science programmes this year too as we believe that they served us well at the turn of the year.

On the injury front, Scott Friel continues to make progress from his injury and illness. Jamie Ewings is back in the squad now and could feature tomorrow. Peter Watson injured his foot in an accident and could miss the rest of the season.

Following the final game of the season against East Stirlingshire, there will be a meet the manger session where we will be discuss the highs and lows of the season; so this is your chance to come along and put your points across face-to-face. As ever, we have tried to be open and honest with you this season in terms of communication and I look forward to meeting you all then.

Jim

(9/3/07)

There’s been much made of the five-year plan at the club : some of it positive, some of it negative. As Confucius said :

“And remember, no matter where you go, there you are.”

I would like to think of myself as an optimistic realist. I think that it is important to take the positives from a situation but we have to be realistic. There is no point in sacrificing long-term progress for short-term gain. I believe that I am a fairly honest and objective person, but my outlook and evaluation are based on realism. I will not make excuses. Football is a game where everyone has an opinion; everyone knows better than the manager; everyone would make a better decision than the player on the pitch. For over 20 years, I’ve worked in sports development and focused on SMART targets; I believe that we have set ourselves : specific, measurable; achievable; realistic; time-related. The proof is in the fact that we are right on schedule : just check back to Chappie’s Chat from the start of season 2005-6.

Football, they say, is a funny old game. Well, I can assure you that there was nothing remotely funny about standing in the National Stadium last Saturday. I felt completely alone and totally helpless. There was nothing I could do because our team were giving of their best and working hard; yet nothing they tried came off. The score line is a little harsh on our first-half performance but we were taught a valuable lesson by Queen’s Park, certainly the best footballing team in the Third Division. They share our beliefs about how football should be played in this division : a passing game. They were an excellent side, having laid these foundations in previous years and now building upon them. It’s always easy to make excuses for a defeat, but it’s also appropriate to praise the opposition when they turn up, play attractive football and win the game. 

I did warn you, in the midst of our fine run, that there were hard times round the corner. We have hit those times. We set ourselves objectives this season : a mid-table finish. Whether you have an optimistic, realistic or pessimistic outlook that remains our target. Remember that stability is the key to progress here at the club and we cannot lose sight of that. One thing that did hit home on Saturday was that, with limited resources (no reserves, no youths, a very limited budget, a small squad) you can ill afford to have too many injuries to key players. Sadly, that’s exactly the situation we find ourselves in at the moment. That is not an excuse : just the stark reality.

On the injury front, Scott Friel continues to make progress from his injury and illness. Jamie Ewings is back in training now. David McFarlane is also training but his hand injury must be carefully protected : any fall could result in serious implications for his day-to-day work. I will never compromise the welfare of a player for the short-term gains of the club. Gordon Lennon has a partial tear of the hamstring and is responding well to treatment. He will return sooner than initially thought. Gordon has been an ever-present in the team since he signed for the club and he was disappointed to lose that record. Ciaran Donnelly played through the pain barrier for a number of weeks and it is testimony to his character that he courageously continued to play. That is the psyche of the player we want at Albion Rovers.

I would like to welcome Gill Williamson as the official club photographer. Gill is a colleague of mine at South Lanarkshire Leisure and she has volunteered to assist at the club. As I have often said, you can never overstate the importance of people like Gill – and many of you out there – who contribute so much to this club without reward. Yet you are always there, positive when the going gets tough and supporters in the true manner of the word. We cannot thank you enough for your commitment. I’ll sum it up by using a Winston Churchill :

“We make a living by what we get;
but we make a life by what we give.”

Jim

(2/2/07)

It’s been a fairly hectic time over the past few weeks at the club as I’m sure you can all imagine! January 31st saw the end of the transfer window and it’s an unsettling time for everyone at the club, with the possibility of losing key players and the inevitable uncertainty that subsequently affects planning for future games. Everyone associated with the club was delighted with the outcome of the transfer-window dealings.

Standards at training need to be maintained in the midst of all the rumours and speculation and I believe that, to a man, our squad has been relatively unaffected by the events. Understandably, I was relieved not to lose any key players : I have always made it very clear that we will always act in the best interests of both the player and the club in any transfer dealings. Similarly, any enquiries from other clubs will always be dealt with in a professional and dignified manner. The players concerned have been kept informed and, indeed, been involved in the decision-making process.

We were naturally disappointed with the offers received but it is a mark of the progress that this club has made under the leadership of Frank Meade that we were in a position to reject these offers. I am wholeheartedly grateful to the Chairman for backing my decision and, as I said, delighted to be retaining the services of the players. I think the situation is best summed up in one of my (notorious) quotations :

You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you. (Brian Tracy)

We are aware that it is more than likely that we will lose the players in the summer, but in the interim they will focus on the task in hand and give of their best for the club.

On the playing front, I believe that we have achieved greater levels of consistency over the past month and turned in some excellent performances. It goes without saying that we have had an incredible string of results and, like you, I hope that this continues. A reminder, however, that there will be difficult times ahead as other teams make that final push to finish the season in a strong position. 

I have acted to strengthen certain areas of the team. Eighteen-year-old goalkeeper David Scott has joined the club from Clyde. He has an excellent work ethic and attitude. This now gives us three goalkeepers at the club and should enhance competition for places. My other signing is 18-year-old striker John McGoldrick who joins us on loan from Partick Thistle. John is a local boy and has seen the progress of his home-town club this season. He is here to gain vital match experience and we are grateful to his Manager, Dick Campbell, for facilitating the loan deal.

On the injury front, Jamie Ewings’ groin injury is proving more troublesome than initially thought and he will see a specialist to get to the root of the problem. Scott Friel is recovering slowly from illness and injury. Brian Felvus sustained a bad calf injury in Tuesday’s bounce game against Alloa Athletic; he will be out for 3-4 weeks.

Just as we work to make improvements on and off the pitch, I am also focusing on an important part of my own professional development. I was delighted to be accepted on to the prestigious UEFA Pro Licence course and started my education last Sunday. This two-year course will require a lot of my time, dedication and commitment but the benefits will transfer to the players working under my guidance at the club. I am in quite illustrious company on the course and it is testament to the positive face of Scottish football that all the coaches and managers on the course guide and support each other. I will keep you updated on my progress!

Jim

(5/1/07)

Let me begin by wishing you all the very best for 2007 from Alan, myself and all the players. I trust you had a good festive season.

It was certainly a positive and productive period on the park, with the team picking up all six points and scoring six goals. 

East Stirlingshire came to Cliftonhill having seen their fortunes turn round under the guidance of Gordon Wylde. Rather like Albion Rovers they have had mixed results and have had to deal with inevitable inconsistency that comes with youth. We got off to the best possible start against them and I was pleased with the way the team kept their focus. It was also pleasing to see training ground practice converted to success in a match.


They were quickly followed to Cliftonhill by our 2007 first-footers, Queen’s Park. They too provided formidable opposition and I was particularly pleased to earn a victory over them. 

I cast a retrospective eye over 2006 in that matchday programme : 

We started 2006 still seeking a first home-win of the 2005/6 season. We achieved that early in the New Year and I believe that our home form has improved over the past twelve months. We are still wont to concede silly goals, still sometimes lacking focus immediately after the half-time break, still being psychologically shaken by borderline refereeing decisions, still erratic in our form. These, I remind you, are the foibles of youth but we know these are issues and we are addressing them in training. We are working hard both on and off the pitch to ensure the long-term existence of this club. It was never a case of sustaining what we had; we had no choice but to analyse the situation and cut our cloth accordingly. The majority of us working behind the scenes for Albion Rovers Football Club are volunteers : we do not receive payment for our efforts; we all care deeply about the club; defeat hurts us as much as it hurts you. We ended the 2005/6 season one place higher than season 2004/5 and with a far healthier bank balance. I’m afraid that these two things cannot be separated : they are inextricably linked. Football is a business and we cannot deal in a fantasy transfer market, paying high salaries to players. We have tried to build a squad of hungry players looking to improve their lot : some signings have been tremendous for the club; some signings have not worked out as I had envisaged. Such are the dealings of the transfer market. I will reiterate : if a player is unhappy at Cliftonhill, we will not stand in his way if he seeks to move on. Conversely, if we are not happy with a player’s contribution as a whole, we will certainly move him on.

We have made improvements on the park this season and, in fact, sit a mere 3 points behind last season’s entire total. The league is much more competitive this season, with every team capable of beating each other. Our major success this season was, of course, the Challenge Cup and our great run to the semi-final before losing out to the eventual winners. It’s been a rollercoaster season thus far but we live to tell the tale and there will be more twists and turns before the curtain falls on the season, but I thank you for being there along side us.

When I arrived I listened to your calls for open and transparent channels of communication, I hope that I have kept this up through my matchday column, my regular “Meet the Manager” events and my occasional “Chappie’s Chat” columns. I will be posting monthly “Chappie’s Chat” columns now, principally geared towards those of you unable to attend the matches.

The danger with the written word is that people take from it what they want. It leaves you open to misinterpretation and gives the negative element ammunition to mock. I hear a lot of you questioning our progress. How do you measure progress? Is it an increased points total? Is the entertainment you receive at matches? Is it the very existence of your club? Is it winning?

I suspect there will be a number of answers to that. 

Here’s a parting thought for you :

”Understand that most problems are a good sign. Problems indicate that progress is being made, wheels are turning, you are moving toward your goals. Beware when you have no problems. Then you've really got a problem... Problems are like landmarks of progress.” Scott Alexander (American author). 

Jim

(29/10/06)

The after match question and answer session held in Chicks cafe after the 3 - 1 victory over Montrose is summarised (by your webmaster) below :

A question asking about the previously mooted use of sports psychologists was raised.

Jim Chapman replied that all players had filled in psychological profile forms which had been analysed and returned. Individual players were identified as needing help with problems such as anxiety leading to them trying too hard, feeling doubted and desperate to do well.

The players need to relax and enjoy what they do and youngsters in particular need protection as otherwise inconsistencies can occur. Jim went on to say that ill-informed comment doesn't help.

A question regarding the differing roles in recent matches for players such as Lennon and Donnelly was also raised.

Jim explained that trying different positions helps develop the player as they get a better understanding of what goes on for teammates in that role and in the longer term the player and of course the team will benefit from the extra understanding. This helps his aim to create competition for all places in the team.

Jim explained that he doesn't really have a rigid system although he doesn't favour 2 strikers playing shoulder to shoulder as this lets defenders keep an eye on both at once. He does like the midfield runner who can score goals, Scott Chaplain being top scorer in the division with 10 thus far this term when including cup strikes. The philosophy of the side is to see out games rather than try to shut-up shop when leading as the latter is a dangerous tactic.

The next question related to whether the club could keep hold of quality players.

Jim Chapman said that he'd discussed retaining certain players for next season with chairman frank Meade and that this was on the cards. He also stated that if someone came in with an offer which was right both for Albion Rovers and for the player they would go.

Jim mentioned once more his 5 year plan which was year 1 (last year) stabilise the club (in conjunction with the board of directors) and team. Year 2 make progress which Jim thinks has been made although he warns there shall be good and bad times ahead and the final position in the table is unpredictable at least partly as it's a tight division. Next year will see the team push for promotion and if not gained then year 4 will involve promotion. As for year 5 stabilise as a 2nd division side. Jim emphasised the 5 year plan was all from a starting point of almost zero players and very limited resources when he took on the job.

Jim was of course disappointed to lose the challenge cup semi-final but pointed out that if you'd told him at the start of the season they'd reach it he'd have had difficulty believing it. He saw this as one of many reality checks.

A younger member of the audience asked Jim if he expected a 3 - 1 victory against Montrose and he joked that he expected a 5 - 0 win and he didn't like losing goals. He did show his pleasure at narrowing the gap with Montrose and the mere 5 points from 2nd place it left the club in.

On the subject of the Scottish Cup Jim admitted the draws were not ideal and would be tough on the field and off the field too in a financial sense. He really wants for the club to be in the 3rd round draw and knows that they are capable of reaching that point.

Jim went on to praise the fans in particular the travelling fans who make such a racket encouraging the team at away games. He wished they could have the same impact at home matches, and one suggestion was that it was due to the design of Cliftonhill that made them less potent at home.

One fan asked Jim how the team were motivated to win at Partick Thistle in the cup when they seemed poorly motivated the previous Saturday against East Fife.

Jim said it's because Rovers were the underdogs and folk expected them to get humped when he really believed they could get the win.

As one attendee pointed out that was Joe Savage's debut and Jim said he brought a different dimension to the team as did others that night such as Felvus and McBride.

Jim also praised the contribution of Bryan Felvus during the game and said that Scottish football ignores the contribution of strikers who contribute a lot but don't score goals.

Speaking generally Jim pointed out that scrapping the reserve side this season makes things harder but they now have indoor and outdoor facilities in place for training.

(10/10/06)

2006 - 2007 Edition 5 (Q &A)

I received a couple of questions from fans, which I thought I’d answer through this column. There was a need to have regular “ask the manager” sessions both written and verbal in the past but I think things have progressed since then. I will, however, be staging a session after the next home fixture – Montrose on 28th October – where there will be a slot from 5.45 until 6.30pm to meet me and a couple of the players for a brief question and answer session. Please feel free to come and voice your queries : the opinion of the wee man from Bellshill is as important to me as the opinion of the lifelong season-ticket holder. You are our fans; you come to Coatbridge for your thrills and you pay your money to watch us. 

The first question :

Are you still in contact with any of the 1988/89 Championship winning team ? To commemorate our 125th season as a club could we invite them all to a home game before the end of the season and ask them to take a little bow in front of the fans ?

I have come across some of the players, but only informally. All the people I saw had the same great memories. I do not have many contact numbers but if you can confirm that you have arranged a date for your fantastic idea, I will endeavour to assist you in any way that I can to bring everyone together. Please let me know.

Second question :

How did you feel after we beat Partick Thistle in what turned out to be such a convincing fashion, and basically played them off their own park after coming so close last year, and playing such a poor game the week before against East Fife?

Like you said, we neither played nor enjoyed the East Fife game. We tried to recreate traditional football atmosphere : pies, Bovril, children, “maw and paw”, family values but sometimes the product on the park does not come together. This was one of those days. We allowed our style of play to be influenced by the opposition and so we had a good idea that we would get a chance to play football the way we like to play the game at Firhill. Partick Thistle were doing very well at the time and we knew that it was going to be very tough. We set out our game plan and everyone carried out their responsibilities with 100% focus and determination. This contributed to a truly fantastic performance and result. This gave me an inclination of how far we had progressed in such a short space of time and also proved that all the hard work to turn the club around is starting to come to fruition. However – cautious as ever – there is still a long, hard road ahead and we will need to continue to work very hard to ensure that we achieve the desired progress. 

I hope I have answered your questions in a satisfactory way!

A quick postscript on Iain Chisholm. No fracture was detected in his leg but he has a ligament injury and now he is feeling quite disappointed to be missing out just as he was finding his form and scoring touch. We will be supporting Iain in his rehabilitation programme but we will not risk long-term ill for short-term gains and Iain will only return to the team when he is 100% ready. I know that he appreciates all your concerns.

I look forward to a good turnout at the game on Saturday as we enter this important second quarter of the season. 
Jim

(16/9/06)

2006 - 2007 Edition 4

I’m sure some of you would openly admit that you thought that our Challenge Cup campaign would end at 9.30pm on Tuesday 15th August at Firhill. Yet we find ourselves preparing for the biggest game for Albion Rovers Football Club in recent years and the first semi-final of a national competition since 1921. 

We have the worst possible draw from a practical point of view : we are a part-time club and the players need to rely on the good-will of their managers to get time off work. Let’s just hope none of the boys has a boss from Dingwall! 

Last Tuesday night’s quarter-final with Arbroath was an epic cup-tie. It had end-to-end football, quality goals and a penalty decider seemed inevitable. I believe that the game was an excellent advertisement for the Third Division and that both sides played exciting football. I was delighted with our hard-fought victory : Arbroath were formidable opponents on the night and penalty shoot-outs are never a nice way to decide a tie. Our victory, however, brings about another new chapter in the history of the club. I sincerely hope that we can transfer the experience that we are gaining from our cup run to our league form. 

Once again you, our fans, were quite outstanding on Tuesday night. I am sure that you felt every goal scored and conceded just as I did! People talk about rollercoaster seasons, well we experienced a rollercoaster evening! I was praying for time when we were 3-2 up, but we conceded the third goal and extra-time ensued! A penalty shoot –out brings its own issues : whether it be in the World Cup or in the SFL Challenge Cup, there are untold pressures on the penalty takers and goalkeepers. The comparative youth and inexperience of our side are often cited as reasons for our apparent inconsistency. Well, to a man our players shouldered pressure and responsibility as well as any experienced professional on Tuesday when they stepped up to take their penalties. You can practise as many penalties as you like in training, but coping psychologically in match-play situations is a different thing altogether. I was so proud of the team. Moreover, I was delighted for everyone who is working so hard to promote Albion Rovers Football Club after so many years in the wilderness.

It was quite difficult to follow that match with the Elgin City fixture. “Cup hangovers” are often cited in the media as the reason for disappointing results. It was therefore imperative that we did not drop our standards. We were, as you know 2-0 up after twenty minutes and that calmed our jangled nerves. Obviously they pulled one back but Chaplain’s goal put the match beyond doubt.

It has been a great eight days for the club but sometimes things happen that force you to take a step back and reassess your priorities. Last Monday, we remembered the devastating events of 9/11; it was a day that changed the course of history and changed our perceptions of the world. Many people sat down after those events and re-evaluated their lives. Last Saturday I berated players for a disappointing performance on the pitch. I was frustrated with our play, but that does not excuse my language. I recognise that I am responsible for setting an example and I apologise whole-heartedly to anyone offended. I became subsumed in the match and the desire that we did ourselves justice on the pitch. At about half past five, however, I reassessed myself and my attitude to the game when I heard the news filtering through from New Douglas Park about the life-threatening injury that befell one of their young players. Thankfully, the boy has made a full recovery but, in the grand scheme of things, football should be taken in perspective. I will never compromise my standards on or off the pitch no matter what happens, but a bad day at the office is not the worst thing in the world today.

I would like to take this opportunity to invite the fans to submit questions for our regular “Ask the Manager” session. Please forward any questions to RoversPR@aol.com by 5pm on Saturday 30 September and I will endeavour to post responses on the website the following week. 

Thank you all again for your unstinting support : Alan Adamson, myself and the players are very grateful for it.

Jim

(1/9/06)

2006 - 2007 Edition 3

I thought it was a good time for a brief update from the dressing room as it’s been a busy few weeks for the club. We are definitely progressing on the pitch, but I would – as ever – urge caution as there will be difficult times ahead.

This week’s Challenge Cup draw saw us paired with Third-Division rivals Arbroath in a home tie, so I hope you will turn out in numbers to support us. We need to work hard to continue our fine run, as Emile Chartier dit Alain wrote, “No possibility is beautiful; reality alone is beautiful.” In other words, there’s no point in dreaming about progressing in the Cup : we need to make it happen!

Thanks to Keith Campbell for the pic!

The time seemed apt to hand this column to my trusted assistant, Alan Adamson.

Jim

I am glad Jim offered me the chance to introduce myself to you, the fans. You have made me feel most welcome since I joined the club and I am grateful to you for that. Having played at Airdrie as a boy, I wasn’t too sure of the reaction I would receive!!

I have a long history of involvement in the game and, when I was freed by Airdrie, I joined Strathclyde Police and continued to play Junior football, gaining International recognition at that level. I received a number of offers to return to the senior game but the security of my post with the Police forced my head to rule my heart! Nevertheless, I completed all my coaching badges at Largs; much is made of the so-called “Largs Mafia” and the SFA courses but I can honestly say that I learned a great deal down there. For ten years I was manager of the Great Britain Police Football Team and, indeed, I am still doing that now. 

I have coached for Jim at South Lanarkshire Leisure for about five years, so knew him pretty well. I am also very friendly with Derek Ferguson and it was Derek that suggested to Jim that I become his assistant.

Although we are a part-time club, I try to meet with Jim on a daily basis, be it for a tuna roll at lunchtime or a quick catch-up after work. I am thoroughly enjoying every second of my time at the club and I believe that Jim and I have struck up a good balance of authority. Jim is the angry little man (bad cop) whilst I am the approachable assistant (good cop)! I think that we are making good progress but, like Jim, I urge caution! Success is a bit like trying to trap a snake : just when you think you have caught it, it sheds its skin and is off again. Football is exactly the same : just when you think you’re getting somewhere, something goes wrong and you have to readjust.

I would love to finish mid-table this season : I think the Challenge Cup run has whetted our appetites for quality competition and I am sure we have the squad to do that.

Thank you all for making my first couple of months at the club so enjoyable.

Alan

(19/8/06)

2006 - 2007 Edition 2

Now that the season is underway and we are in the midst of the action, I thought I would provide you with an update from the dressing room. It has been a frenetic start to the season with the two cup-ties interspersing the busy league schedule.

Things are settling down now but I am delighted still to be involved in the Challenge Cup despite the extra fixtures : I’d take that any day over training! 

The heavy schedule of matches has allowed me to bleed new players in different systems. Despite having a full pre-season behind us, we still have to adapt to the opposition. The phrase “horses for courses” is appropriate here : it is my task to set my stall out to cope with and overcome the opposition’s tactical approach to the game. This means that it will not always be the same starting eleven; it will not always be the same starting formation; we will be trying to outfox and outplay our opponents. That is the nature of team sport.

I also believe that we now have strength in depth. There is plenty of competition for places all over the park. This will be necessary for our prolonged league campaign and, if we can keep that cup-run going a little bit longer, then we might need that depth of squad more than ever. 

Thus far we have witnessed both positive and negative performances; we have witnessed both positive and negative results. This will continue to be the case over the course of the season : that’s the nature of football. I do, however, think that you know me well enough now to know that I will not stand for anything other than 100% effort on the park. You can rest assured that I see these instances just as you do; the difference is that I deal with them post-match and in training. 

Last season I pointed out the true meaning of the word “support”. It’s easy to be a “supporter” when things are going well. I’m sure that we have all met more Albion Rovers fans in the past week than we’ve ever seen at Cliftonhill! Conversely, a “support” is also an aid in times of trouble; a crutch if you like. There will be difficult times round the corner and we will need you all there when we meet these; we will need you to out-sing and out-shout the opposition fans; we will need you to get behind us on the park. I know that you will do this : you did it so well last season.

The fact that I know that you will be – and have been – there in tough times made Tuesday night’s result all the sweeter. I took great personal satisfaction from seeing the smiles on your faces at full-time at Firhill. The players were grateful for the standing ovation you afforded them as they left the pitch; they appreciated it. We have a young team : the difficult times hit home hard when their dream is to play the game professionally. We, as a team, thank you for the true support you offered on Tuesday and we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Tomorrow’s fixture against East Stirlingshire will be difficult. They have made significant progress under the tutelage of Gordon Wylde and have backed that up with some strong close-season signings. I am confident that you will provide unstinting support in Falkirk.

The Reserve League starts next week and this will give us further opportunities to try out some other options.

I will arrange a “Meet the Manager” session after a home game once things have settled down. As ever, you will be given the opportunity to ask questions face-to-face and I will endeavour to answer them as best I can.

Thank you again for your support,

Jim

(14/7/06)

2006 - 2007 Edition 1

With our pre-season schedule entering its practice-match phase, I thought that the time was apt to update you on one or two things at the club.

In the close season I have signed a number of new players and I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to them. Alex Cleary (22) joins us from Finart Amateurs. I tried to sign this attacking midfielder at the start of last season but opted to play for Maryhill Juniors before rejoining the amateur ranks. I have also signed Gordon Moffat (23) a midfielder from Annan Athletic. Peter Watson (20) joins us from Dalbeattie Star as a central defender, while Joe Savage (21) was signed from East Fife to play as a striker. Another striker joining us is 20-year-old Bryan Felvus from Queen’s Park. I would like to extend a warm welcome to these new players and I am sure that you will extend to them the same degree of support that you afforded our new players last season.

My search for new faces is, of course, not yet over and I am still actively pursuing a number of specific targets. We have recently played two fixtures against Hamilton Academicals and we used these matches to observe trialists in action. Again, I would like to thank all the players that turned out in these matches and extend my good wishes to them for the impending season. We will continue to monitor many of these boys over the coming months.

An important close-season recruit is Alan Adamson who will be joining the club as my Assistant. Alan is currently the Manager of the British Police Football team and brings a wealth of experience from his playing days in the senior game and his time as a junior internationalist. I am sure that you will join me in welcoming him to Cliftonhill. I was disappointed to lose Derek Ferguson to Stranraer but he heads south with my blessing and my good wishes for their campaign to gain promotion back to the First Division. The rebuilding task facing Gerry and Derek at Stair Park is a similar situation to the one we faced at Cliftonhill twelve months ago.

There has been an incredible amount of off-field work taking place over the close season. We have always said that we are looking to increase our professionalism off the park as well as on it. So many of you have been involved and we are grateful for this but I would particularly like to thank Lew McWilliam and Chick Young for their efforts, along with Eric Stallard and Jimmy McLaughlin.

There will be changes to Chappie’s Chat this season and it will be submitted on Saturdays after home fixtures with an opportunity for questions and answers at appropriate intervals. I will also be scheduling a “Meet the Manager” slot after a home fixture early in the new season.

Today is, of course, le quatorze juillet in France and in honour of Bastille Day my first quotation of the new season is from Marguerite Yourcenar :
Notre grande erreur est d'essayer d'obtenir de chacun en particulier les vertus qu'il n'a pas, et de négliger de cultiver celles qu'il possède.
Roughly translated :
Our great mistake is trying to get people to focus on virtues they don't possess and neglecting to cultivate those they do.

I hope that you all had a lovely summer and I look forward to seeing you at Cliftonhill for the new season.

Jim

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