Albion Rovers Latest News

The Ex Factor
Chris Hamilton formerly of Queen's Park scored the two goals which beat his old side at Cliftonhill today and former Rovers player Martin McBride got a controversial consolation goal from the penalty spot late on.

Stein Match Scheduled
The club agreed with Celtic that the Jock Stein Friendship Cup match held over from pre-season will take place on Saturday 4th September at Cliftonhill with a 3.00pm kick off. Admission will be a flat rate £6 for all. There will be no concessions.

Rovers and Celtic have no league match that Saturday as it's set aside for international matches. We await word whether the match will be all-ticket as in previous years.

Derby Day Defeat
Rovers exited the Co-operative cup at the hands of Airdrie United by a goal to nil at Cliftonhill yesterday. A disappointing display form both sides was slightly marred at half-time by a skirmish on the terracing which was extinguished by stewards and police, no regular Albion Rovers fan was involved.

Managers Column
Gaffer Paul Martin has provided Bill Walker with his thoughts on Rovers cup exit to Queen of the South and rounds up player news and previews the upcoming Co-operative Cup clash with Airdrie United. Read the article HERE.

Friendly Draw
A Rovers XI drew 1 - 1 at St. Anthony's tonight. A first half Rovers goal by a trialist was equalised in the second half by the home side.

Palmerston Pics
Thanks to Ger Harley of www.scottishfitba.net for the below photos of yesterdays match!

Creditable Result
Despite exiting the Alba Challenge Cup in the first round, a defeat away from home to a top division one side by a single goal (2-1) has to be seen as a creditable result. Rovers started without a sub keeper and when stopper Derek Gaston took a knock five minutes in a chill went down the spine of Rovers fans and Paul Martin! Luckily the custodian carried on and made a few quality saves despite not looking quite 100%.

A cracking equalising goal from Ciaran Donnelly made the second half in particular interesting for the fans.

Airdrie Tickets
Tickets for Albion Rovers fans are still available for next Saturdays visit of Airdrie United to Cliftonhill in the 1st round of the Co-operative Cup. They're available from the club Monday to Friday 9.30-1pm and from The Candy Store (aka Tommy Tangos) in Whifflet till they shut! Numbers are limited and when they're gone that's it. Postal applications are also welcome.

Friendly Cancelled
The friendly pencilled in for August at Bo'ness has been cancelled.

Narrow Victory
In contrast to last seasons 6 - 0 thrashing of Selkirk from the East of Scotland League Rovers managed a 1 - 0 victory at Yarrow Park yesterday. New signing Darren Dalrymple scored the goal. Derek Gaston save a spot kick to preserved Rovers lead and another Rovers new boy Chris Hamilton failed to convert from the penalty spot at the death of the match when his shot rebounded from the crossbar.

Match Cancelled
The friendly pencilled in for this Wednesday at Ardrossan has been cancelled.

Bus Alteration
The bus to Selkirk next Saturday will now leave half an hour later than previously advised, 12.30 from St. Andrews bar and five mins later from Owens. Full details on the bus page!

Draw
A Rovers team formed of mainly signed players drew 2 - 2 with Morton at St. Andrews high School today.

Tickets Go On Sale
Tickets for Albion Rovers fans for the Co-operative Insurance Cup match versus Airdrie United on Saturday 31st July go on sale next Monday (12th July).

They will be available from Cliftonhill from 9.30am to 1.30pm Monday to Friday. Prices are £12 for adults and £7 pensioner only concession. Due to segregation issues concession tickets are limited. There shall also be a limited number of free child tickets available on purchase of an adult ticket on a one for one basis.

Airdrie United fans tickets shall be sold separately and their club will announce details!

Pre-Season Matches
Rovers had their first outings this week in the build up for the new season. A team mainly made up from signed players lost 1-0 at second division Alloa on Monday and a team made up mostly of trialists went down 4-0 against first division Stirling Albion at St. Andrews High School on Wednesday evening.

Season Tickets
They are available at Cliftonhill from 9.30am to 1.30pm Mon-Fri and via post!

Prices

Adult - £120

Concession - £70

Youth (13 years to 16 years) - £30

Under 12s will still be admitted free provided they are accompanied by an adult.

As usual the tickets cover league games only!

Cup Prices
ALBA Challenge Cup 1st round Saturday 24th July versus Queen of the South at Palmerston Park, Dumfries.

Co-operative Insurance Cup 1st round Saturday 31st July at Cliftonhill versus Airdrie United

Tickets are priced at £12 for adults and £7 for concessions (League admission price for adults at Palmerston £17)

The Airdrie United match is all-ticket and an announcement about their availability in expected in next couple of days

Supporters' Bus
The bus to Selkirk on Saturday July 17th will depart from St. Andrews Bar at 12.00pm and at Owen's approx 5 mins later.
The cost will be £10.00 for adults & £7.00 for under 16's.

The bus to Dumfries on Saturday July 24th for the ALBA cup match will depart from St. Andrews Bar at 12.30pm and at Owen's approx 5 mins later. The unconfirmed cost is likely to be £12.00 for adults & £6.00 for under 16's.

Fixtures Released
The SFL today released the fixtures for the forthcoming third division campaign. Rovers open with a home game against Berwick Rangers. The full list along with cup dates and pre-season friendlies can of course be found on the fixtures page!

The Annual General Meeting of Albion Rovers Supporters' Ltd. takes place at Cliftonhill Stadium on Thursday 17th of June at 7.30pm. All members are welcome!

Co-operative Draw
The draw for the first round of the Co-operative Insurance Cup has paired up Rovers with local rivals Airdrie United. The game will be played at Cliftonhill on Saturday 31st July. The two clubs have never met in a competitive game although Rovers were their first opposition in public in a friendly in 2002.

Dumfries Beckons!
For the third time this century Rovers have been drawn away to Palmerston Park, Dumfries to take on first division Queen of the South. The Alba Challenge Cup first round match will take place on Saturday 24th July. Rovers last visit there was in the same competition and they lost 4-0. The previous year saw Rovers triumph 2-1 there in the CIS Cup.

Cup Draws
The old season is less than a month gone but already the new season is on the horizon. The ALBA Challenge Cup draw is made tomorrow (Thursday) at Hampden and the draw for the first round of the Co-operative Insurance Cup will be made at Almondvale, Livingston on Friday at the home of the then 1st division side that Rovers beat 3-0 in last years opening round.

The ALBA cup is regionalised so Rovers shall not have a long trip north although they could have a trek south, a rousing 2-0 victory at Somerset Park last year kicked off that cup nicely. The Co-operative draw is seeded so Rovers will be drawn against one of the top 15 finishers in the SFL last season. Round two will consist of the 15 winners from round one and the bottom seven sides from the SPL last season. The first round will be played on 31st July and once again this year under 16's will be allowed free entry to the games provided they are accompanied by a paying adult.

Managers Summer Bulletin
Paul Martin has put finger to key to give us the gen on player movements etc. and that can be found on the managers column page.

Fully Licenced
The club this week received an SFA Compliance Licence which is, in our eyes quite an achievement for a club with such limited resources. The lack of compliance with licence conditions has forced the Cowdenbeath board to look at ground-sharing with other clubs and has reportedly caused major financial headaches for other clubs with thousands of pounds of fines being made or threatened.

In particular Cliftonhill now exceeds the SFA requirements on the floodlight lux (brightness) and uniformity levels, which is down to painstaking measurement work carried out by club director Lew McWilliam and electrical contractor Stuart Russell.

New Message Board
Due to the ongoing unavailability of the message board I've set up a new one. It can be accessed through www.albionrovers.net, if the old one is repaired soon we may decide to revert to it but in the meantime the new one is now available. It does carry adverts which shall hopefully not spoil things too much. We shall refine the board in the coming days/weeks to make it prettier as it's somewhat Spartan at the moment.

New Signings
Manager Paul Martin hasn't hung about and has already brought two new faces to Cliftonhill for next season. Midfielder Chris Hamilton from Queens Park and Darren Dalrymple from Kilsyth Rangers.

Message Board Fault
You may well have noticed that the message board associated with this website is currently out of action. We have contacted the US company who operate it and have as yet received no reply. It has to be noted that they provide it free of charge and therefore we have limited leverage over them.

If it's not fixed soon we will look to procuring an alternative board but unless paid for they do tend to carry adverts which is one advantage of the current board.

Friday Bulletin
Well it has all come down to the final game. We are no longer in control of our destiny after our defeat on Tuesday, but we will give everything tomorrow to put the maximum pressure on Queen’s Park. I was happy with the performance of the players on Tuesday. They gave everything as usual and were very unfortunate in the manner the goals were conceded. We had enough chances over the piece to get back into the game but unfortunately it was not to be. Given the volume of games played and the injuries we have had I do not think that there is a huge gap between ourselves and Livingston, and as a result we must take confidence into tomorrow.

Tomorrow we must gamble. We have a lot of players carrying injuries but it is all or nothing now. Some of the players carrying injuries will play tomorrow to try to get us into that fourth spot. There was a suggestion this week that we have been saving players for Saturday which is wide of the mark. The players who missed Tuesday were declared unfit by the physio. John has the ultimate power in our dressing room in determining who can play and who can’t in physical fitness terms. He has done brilliantly so far in getting me 11 players on the park in the last three weeks, as it looked bleak for some games! Definitely out tomorrow are Marc Pollock and Todd Lumsden. The list of those who didn’t train is almost as long as that of those who did: Mick O'Byrne, Michael McGowan, Mark Canning, Paul McLeod, Marc McCusker, Alan Benton, David McFarlane, Danny Ferry and Chris Boyle.

It’s a big day tomorrow but I know that the players are looking forward to it. Opportunities like this come rarely in football for us and we must give everything to ensure that we finish at 5pm with no regrets!

Enjoy the match!

Paul Martin

Down To The Wire
A defeat of two goals to nil at Almondvale tonight took Rovers play-off hopes out of their own hands.

If Rovers win against Stranraer we'll be relying on Queen's Park to lose or draw at Station Park, Forfar.

If Rovers draw against Stranraer we'll be relying on Queen's Park to lose in Forfar and as our goal difference would be superior than theirs a play-off place would be ours. Rovers and Queen's Park currently have an even goal difference.

Should Rovers lose on Saturday another season in the third division beckons!

Free Bus To Livi
The Albion Rovers Supporters' Trust is running a free bus to Livingston on Tuesday for the vital league match as Rovers try to gain a play-off place. Bus details can be found here!

Still In The Mix
A hard fought 2 - 1 win at Shielfield for Rovers left their quest for a play-off place in their own hands. Goals from Boyle and O'Byrne sent all three points to Coatbridge and all but ended the English sides chances.

Rovers win both Tuesdays match at Livingston and Saturdays home match against Stranraer and the play-off place is ours whatever the Queen's Park score.

Rovers win one and draw the other we'd be relying on Queen's park to lose or draw in Forfar and that'd be enough. If Queen's win it'd come down to goal difference, currently Rovers have +2 and Queen's Park are even. If both clubs have the same goal difference then goals scored would be counted and at the moment Queen's Park have bagged 5 more than Rovers.

Rovers win one and lose the other we'd be relying on Queen's Park to lose or draw at Station Park, Forfar next Saturday.

Rovers lose one and draw the other we'd be relying on Queen's Park to lose in Forfar and our goal difference to be better than theirs, currently Rovers have +2 and Queen's Park are even. If both clubs have the same goal difference then goals scored would be counted and at the moment Queen's Park have bagged 5 more than Rovers.

Friday Bulletin
Tuesday nights late goal has given us a mountain to climb in our attempt to get to the play offs. I didn’t think that we played well the other night, particularly in the first half, but we showed great determination and organisation throughout. There is no question the games have started to take their toll on the players, and this has been compounded by an injury list which is extremely long. This hasn’t allowed in recent games to freshen up our team as much as we would have liked. It has been frustrating but we will fight on! On that subject matter it is not the leagues fault that we have been forced into this programme. For sure it has been tough on us but the rules are the rules. I don't think the league could have come up with any other solution given the extremely inclement weather we've had!

The penalty incidents certainly were pivotal moments in the game the other night. Decisions come and go however it was our most important game for some years, and if they had gone the direction most people thought they should have went then we would have had a platform to go on and achieve the result that would have kept our fate in our own hands. I am sure the footballing gods will make it up to us in some shape or fashion!

Tomorrow we will go to Berwick to try to keep the season going into the last day. We have Mark Pollock, Todd Lumsden, Steven McKeown, Paul Tyrell all out. Chris Boyle and David McFarlane are 50/50 and we may be forced to gamble with them. Mick O'Byrne, Danny Ferry, Mark McCusker, Michael McGowan and Mark Canning all picked up injuries on Tuesday and will face late checks. There may be a sticky plaster or two at Berwick tomorrow but we are determined to put Tuesday behind us and put pressure on QP right to the finish.

Paul Martin.

Play-Offs Within Reach
After a huge morale boosting 1 - 0 win over Queen's Park at Cliftonhill, Rovers stand just a win on Tuesday at the National Stadium from relieving the amateurs of their coveted fourth place which on May first will gain it's holder a second division play-off place. A win would see Rovers leapfrog Berwick Rangers who have no midweek match and Queen's Park. Rovers currently have two matches in hand over Berwick and one over Queen's Park.

The Irn-Bru crew will get inflatable kicking game ready to inflate when gates open at 2pm. When the gates open and fans will invited to have a go at the back of the net inflatable to win prizes. There will be lots of freebies for the fans too. At 3pm – the inflatable will be deflated and put back on the bus. After the match Irn-Bru samples will be handed out as supporters leave.

Bulletin
Paul Martin writes: We go into tomorrow’s game knowing exactly what we have to do. Monday’s win set us up nicely for a repeat on Wednesday, but it was not to be. The players were terrific on both nights but I felt that the better of the two performances was the latter.

Our tempo and commitment were great to see. It’s easy to complain about the injury time added, but it looked at the time as if we were the team that was going to win, so it would be a bit hypocritical to complain.

In addition, we did make it difficult for ourselves with suicidal defending for the first goal. Goals conceded in that way have been the exception rather than the rule this year, but it was a gift to Stranraer.

The free kick awarded was certainly of the debatable variety, but that’s football. It’s a great game that can sometimes deliver blows you don’t deserve, and that’s exactly what happened to us on Wednesday.

We will however fight on in the belief that we are as good as anyone in this league. We have five games still to play and we should bear in mind that not so long ago, the boys did come back from being ten points off the play-offs to within touching distance. Opportunities like this come along very rarely, and we must do everything within our capabilities to grasp the chance of success.

The games this week have taken their toll physically. Out are Todd, Paul Tyrrell, Chris Boyle and Marc Pollok. Mark McCusker is suspended but would have been out anyway with the knee injury he sustained in a poor challenge last Saturday. We do however expect him to be okay for the Hampden version of this fixture. I imagine that Mark will enjoy the space that Hampden will offer him.

Tomorrow we will freshen the team up once again, and the eleven most able-bodied players will take the field at 3pm tomorrow to do battle for all of us. Tomorrow’s game will be a big one. The Queens Park players are well rested and are in good form. In most peoples eyes they are heavy favourites. However it is always dangerous to write us off: we have come back before, and I am sure we can do it again.

Thanks for your support.

Friday Bulletin
Paul Martin writes: After last weeks disappointing display we are ready to face Elgin to get our season back on track. I knew we would have set backs in the run-in, but when they come they are crushing.

However in the grand scheme of things, we have split the points with East Stirling this year, which is progress on last year. Hopefully we will get the opportunity to play them again before the season ends and make amends for last week's poor performance.

Tomorrow we have Marc Pollok out, and Ciaran Donnelly is suspended. Todd and Boyley will face late fitness tests. Everyone else is available.

We have four games this week. A big task lies ahead of us. However, there are only three Saturdays left beyond tomorrow and we start every season with the dream of getting out of the division. We have a genuine chance this year of getting into the play offs and we should enjoy the pressure that the next few games will bring us.

To have meaningful games at this stage of the season means we are on track for a good season - but to make it a great season, we need to get into that top four. We have the squad capable of it, and your continued support may help us get over the line in the next few games.

Race Night
The Albion Rovers Supporters' Trust annual race night shall be held in the lounge at Cliftonhill on Friday 16th April. This years event shall be horse racing with eight horses competing in each of the eight races. As usual horses are up for sale for the measly price of £3 each, the owner gets to name their cuddy and that name appears in the racecard. The owner of the winning horse in each of the races picks up a prize given by the race sponsor, often a bottle of booze!

Races are available for sponsorship, although no actual cost is specified the sponsor is expected to donate a prize for the winning horse. As sponsor you get to name the race.

Entry is just £2 per person and it is bring your own bottle as we don't have a drinks licence!

To sponsor a race or buy a horse please speak to any trust committee member or email race10@albionrovers.com

Friday Bulletin
Paul Martin writes: We are really looking forward to the upcoming league programme. After Saturday, we face eight games in twenty-one days. It will be a tall order, particularly as in the eight weeks prior to Tuesday’s postponement we had played seven midweek games.

We have therefore decided to give the players a couple of days off after Saturday’s match. They will have a well earned night out on Saturday and return to training on Thursday April 8, hopefully refreshed both mentally and physically for the run in.

Tomorrow we face an East Stirling team anxious to secure the couple of wins they need to secure their play-off place. We too have plenty to play for. Every game gives us the opportunity to climb further up the league. Our games in hand are immaterial at this point. We must keep pace with the top four, Saturday to Saturday.

Out tomorrow will be Todd Lumsden, Marc Pollok and Chris Boyle. Derek Gaston is carrying a slight ankle injury picked up at training on Thursday, but should be able to take his place on the bench. David McFarlane is fit, but we will not gamble with his fitness on the artificial surface; there are too many important games coming up. Finally, we are hopeful that both Todd and Chris will be available for the Elgin City game on the 10th of April.

Enjoy the match.

Double Headers
The SFL has set the date for the twice postponed Stranraer match at Cliftonhill. It shall be played on Monday 12th of April with a 7.45pm kick-off. This means that Rovers will host the Dumfries and Galloway 48 hours before visiting them on the Wednesday evening. Ironically the following Saturday Queen's Park visit Cliftonhill three days before visiting them at The National Stadium.

April Fool
As most people figured out the story we carried below this morning was indeed an April fool wheeze!

New Kit Revealed
Today we can reveal the new kit that Rovers will wear next season, in addition the club have obtained permission from the SFL to wear the kit in play-off matches this May should the team qualify for them.

The kit has been designed by Raindrop Raffia Sine and he points out that it features a bold "v" design which has drawn many admirers. Über fan Ian Lochhead known to all at Cliftonhill as Prof said "it's the best we've ever had and I can't wait to buy them, well done to the imaginative Mr. Sine".

Irn-Bru Bus
The Irn-Bru bus will be visiting Cliftonhill on April 10th for the Elgin City match. Although it's been at a few Rovers away matches this season this is the first time it has come to Coatbridge. It has fun items and activities for the younger fan and free (wee bottles) of their product for all! We shall let you know exact details nearer the time.

Stranraer Match Off
Tonight's match at Cliftonhill against Stranraer has been postponed due to heavy rain/sleet/snow waterlogging the pitch. Unless rescheduled for next week or the season is extended which seems unlikely this will result in Rovers having to play two matches (expected to be Monday and Wednesday) one week. Stranraer already have an away match at Berwick next Tuesday.

Programme Honoured
The Albion Rovers match programme has been awarded the title of division three programme of the year by Programme Monthly magazine. The programme is published by the Albion Rovers Supporters' Trust and the main people involved in its compilation are David and Andrew Herd, Bill Walker and Donald Ashwood. Credit must also go to printers Akros!

Albion Rovers 61.86
Stranraer 57.60
Livingston 57.00
Queens Park 56.43
Montrose 54.00
Forfar Athletic 49.50
Berwick Rangers 48.14
Annan Athletic 46.67
Elgin City 46.33
East Stirlingshire 37.86

Fifth Place
After collecting all three points against Annan today at Cliftonhill thanks to a Marc McCusker penalty Rovers climb to fifth place on the league table just7 a single point behind Berwick Ranger who've played two games more and have an inferior goal difference.

Free Bus
The Albion Rovers Supporters' Trust are funding a free bus to East Stirlingshire next Saturday (3rd April). It leaves from St. Andrews bar at 1.30pm and a few minutes later from Owens bar.

Friday Bulletin
From Paul Martin: The players gave a very brave and determined performance to win on Tuesday. That victory, allied to the good away point at Forfar, has kept us on the edge of the play-offs.

Between Saturday and Tuesday we used 18 different players. It will be the same again over the next four days. Going into tomorrow's match, Todd Lumsden and Marc Pollock are definitely out, Alan Benton will have a late fitness test, and there will be late checks on Paul McLeod, Marc McCusker, David McFarlane, Mark Canning and Chris Boyle. Derek Gaston will be fit again for a place on the bench.

Disappointingly, Jamie Gilmartin, who did really well on Tuesday in his full first team debut, went over on his ankle at training last night and is likely to be out for some time. Physio John McMenamy will not know the extent of the damage until the swelling goes down.

We've had more than our fair share of injuries over the season and this busy spell has put additional strain on the squad, but the players are handling everything that is thrown at them. Tomorrow will be a new battle for us. We will need to give one of our best performances of the season to secure victory, as I believe that Annan will be keen to exact their revenge after our win against them at the end of February.

Friday Bulletin
Paul Martin reflects on what has been a very difficult week…

On a personal level it has been a very difficult week for me. When I became manager of Albion Rovers it was never my intention to feature in the back page headlines of the national press.

I need to clarify, however, that my comments - which were made on Monday morning - were not spoken in anger. Yes, I was disappointed that for the fourth time this season we received negative post-match press. But I never at any time set out to cause such a stir. For it to be described as a war between Steven and myself was way over the mark. My comments were, I thought at the time, clearly intended to be tongue in cheek ; I believed it was acceptable to make humorous remarks about the situation. With the benefit of hindsight, I was wrong, especially given that the story found its way into the national press. How it found its way there disappoints me. I feel really let down by the person involved.

My comments in the Evening Times on Thursday were not, however, made in jest. I flew down to London for an early morning meeting and when I arrived and switched on my phone at 7.45am it was crazy. I was at that time unaware that the story was in the Sun. But by the time the Evening Times phoned me I was very annoyed that I had allowed myself to get embroiled in such controversy.

The Evening Times reporter caught me off guard – but I should emphasise that any financial references were not made by me. I did attempt to defend myself by saying that it seems it is always fair game to have a go at the Rovers, and that I felt that enough was enough - I had to stand up and defend the Club, the fans and the players. Again, I realise I would have been better off saying nothing. It was indefensible, to be honest: I am not a young boy and have been caught out before. I need to learn to trust less.

My comments relative to reviewing my position at the end of the season are consistent with my position at the end of last season. I feel it is important to take stock of both your own position and that of the club every year. Episodes like this week’s do kill my enthusiasm for the game, because I believe that I am at the Rovers for the right reasons. I have a young family and situations like this makes me wonder if it is worthwhile spending all the time and effort on football. I miss out continually due to my football commitments, and that has really hit home over the last couple of days.

It is well documented that I take no financial remuneration from the club, but that is certainly not to suggest that there is any unwillingness on the part of the Chairman. I regard Frank as a friend, and I believe we both have the same objectives at heart. It’s not about the money for either of us, and that gives us common ground. Everyone at the club works their socks off in an effort to make us a little bit better every year. That is what makes being at the Rovers special.

I have had other paid opportunities in the last couple of seasons and I have knocked them back because I believe in what I am doing at the Rovers. The fact that other managers do get financial remuneration at this level is of no concern to me. I am fortunate in that I am able to provide for my family through my business interests, and I recognise how fortunate I am to be a manager. There is absolutely no bitterness from me towards anyone who does get paid. Perhaps in years to come my personal situation will change and I will take a different view.

Turning to on the field matters, I was disappointed by the result on Wednesday. In some respects our performance was okay, and in some ways it wasn't. I felt we didn't make the most of our opportunities in the final third, and that East Stirling did. However the players gave their all and kept working right to the end, and the disallowed goal did take the wind out our sails a little. Video evidence would suggest that Chris Boyle was behind Mark Canning when Mark shot, and that Chris had both the goalie and the right back ahead of him. It was not to be, however, and we must move on and try to secure the victories that will take us up the table.

Tomorrow we face Forfar who, like ourselves, have had a disappointing week. They have a highly experienced side and I am very surprised by their recent run of results. Mark Pollock and Alan Benton are both out, but Derek Gaston will be fit to take his place on the bench and David McFarlane is available again. We had a number of players in at the physio last night with minor knocks, but none sufficiently serious to keep them out of the game. We will, however, look to freshen up the side from Wednesday.

Paul Martin

Friday Bulletin
Derek Gaston and Alan Benton will both miss Saturday's match through injury, with Alan Reid rated a serious doubt due to a groin strain. A number of other players reported aches and strains at Thursday night's training session, and will face late fitness tests.

Now for the good news: David McFarlane is fit and will be included in the squad for the Montrose match.

Paul Martin adds: 'It will be a really demanding two months, and we need to make sure that we get our fittest eleven out on the park every game. Our games in hand mean nothing to us at the moment - it will be April before we catch up. We therefore need to focus on making up the seven points deficit in the current run of games. To do that we will need to be as clinical as we were in that 20 minute spell at the start of the second half of the match against Berwick Rangers'.

Wee Gers Humbled
Rovers scored four goals for the first time this season to send Berwick back south with no points. Although Rovers are sixth in the table they have an incredible four matches in hand over fifth placed Queen's Park and three over Berwick in 4th place.

Berwick Pre-Match
As Derek Gaston joins long-term absentee Marc Pollock on the injury list, efforts continue to bring in another goalkeeper as cover for Jamie Ewings. There will be a late check on on-loan striker Denis McLaughlin, who has been ill all weekend.

'Time to stop talking and start delivering,' said Paul Martin, as his team prepared for tonight's rearranged match against Berwick Rangers.

Stop press - Chris Fahey is the favoured candidate to be sub 'keeper tonight.

Livi Match
This match scheduled for last Saturday in West Lothian has, as expected been rescheduled for Tuesday April 27th with a 7.45 kick-off. This leaves Rovers with just one free midweek before the end of the season which has implications for the fitness of part-time players especially if there are any further postponements.

Stranraer Match
The kick-off time for Rovers match at Stair Park, Stranraer on Tuesday 14th of April has been put back to 7.45pm..

Friday Bulletin
Everyone is disappointed that the Livi game is off, but come Tuesday we should have everyone available with the exception of Marc Pollock!

Paul Tyrrell, Marc McCusker and Steven McKeown all trained last night and another session should get them up to the level required to play on Tuesday if selected.

We were all disappointed with the result and performance on Tuesday, but we must take the positives from the fact that we had another clean sheet, and that Jamie Ewings handled everything very well when he came on.

Derek Gaston is likely to be out for a fortnight, but we are currently trying to arrange backup in the form of an emergency loan.

Livi Match Off
Tomorrows match at Almondvale has been postponed as their pitch is frozen and covered in two inches of snow. This game is likely to be rescheduled for Tuesday April 27th.

No Goals At Links
For the third time this season a match between Rovers and bottom side Montrose ended goalless.

Wee Gers Match Rescheduled
The new date for the Berwick Rangers match scheduled for last Saturday at Cliftonhill has been set as Tuesday 9th March with a 7.45pm kick-off.

Match Off Again!
Albion Rovers suffered their 14th postponement of the season following a 10am inspection at Cliftonhill which called off the visit of Berwick Rangers to Coatbridge. Overnight snow made the pitch unplayable.

Pitch Inspection
Tomorrow there is a 10am pitch inspection scheduled at Cliftonhill for the visit of Berwick Rangers.

Friday Bulletin
Paul Tyrell, Steven McKeown, Marc McCusker and Marc Pollock will all miss the Berwick match through injury.

Marc McCusker will be available again from the 9th March, when the recovery period required following his recent concussion comes to an end. Paul Tyrell should be fit in time for the Livingstone match, and Steven McKeown should return the week after.

Adds Paul Martin: While we are all disappointed at the recent criticism of Danny Ferry on the messageboard, it did at least give the boys a good laugh at training! Danny's team won again for the umpteenth time this season, and his professionalism in dealing with what were pretty unfair comments speaks volumes for him as a person. Danny is an integral part of Albion Rovers and will continue to be as long as I am the manager.

Fixture Alterations
The league game at Hampden against Queen's Park postponed from 2nd January has been rescheduled for Tuesday 20th April. This was originally rescheduled to be played on 6th April but the clubs agreed to the later date which sets them up for a double header as Queen's visit Cliftonhill on the previous Saturday.

Last Saturdays postponed match at Stair Park, Stranraer has been rescheduled for Wednesday 14th of April.

Ewings
Dignam, McGrath, O'Byrne, Gilmartin
Thomson, Canning, Ferry, Hoolickin
McLaughlin, McLeod

Subs
Donnelly for Canning 45 mins
Trialist for Hoolickin 60mins
Trialist for McLaughlan 65mins

Thomson and McLeod scored the 2 goals our players put in the net, the first being an o.g.!

Pay What You Like
East Stirlingshire have announced that fans will be able to pay however much they want to gain entrance to the rearranged league match against Rovers at Ochilview on March 17th. This was tried recently in England where Mansfield Town got a crowd at least double the norm for their Blue Square Premier match against Gateshead which had the kick-off delayed by 10 minutes to allow the crowd in. Amounts paid at the turnstiles varied from 3p to £50, their usual price is £16.

Monday Workout
After another enforced layoff at the weekend Rovers take on Clyde tonight at St. Andrews High School in Coatbridge with an 8.10pm kick-off.

New Irn-Bru Deal
The following statement has been released regarding SFL sponsorship.

IRN-BRU, Scotland’s favourite soft drink, and The Scottish Football League at a Press Conference on Thursday 18th February announced that their partnership will continue for another three years, until the end of season 2012/13.

The new deal was unveiled at Hampden Park by A.G. Barr’s Head of Marketing, Adrian Troy, and SFL Chief Executive, David Longmuir. The agreement, which will commence at the start of the 2010/11 season, is worth in excess of £3 million over the course of the sponsorship and will comprise of both financial investment and added value activity.

Both parties announced that they are looking forward to continuing to build on the investment and development the previous sponsorship deal has provided at grassroots level and also promised fans that there will be several exciting new initiatives introduced during the new sponsorship in which they can get involved with to help their local club.

Adrian Troy commented: “We are delighted and proud to be extending our sponsorship of The Scottish Football League Championship. The SFL and IRN-BRU are a great partnership for one another with their shared strong Scottish heritage and community involvement. The partnership over the last two and a half years has proved a very successful one for us, helping us build IRN-BRU at a national but also a community level.

“We hope that we have been able to make significant contribution to the League not only through financial support but also throughout marketing and promotional activity. We look forward to working with the SFL over the next three years and we are already working on a range of exciting new initiatives, which clubs and fans nationwide can enjoy.”

David Longmuir, Chief Executive of The Scottish Football League, said: “On behalf of myself and The Scottish Football League, I am delighted Scotland’s best loved and iconic brand, IRN-BRU, will continue to support the League. The two brands have a long and established history in Scotland and are a part of daily life for many people throughout the country. It is fitting that this successful partnership will continue.

“Our partnership with IRN-BRU has worked hard to promote and develop the League in communities throughout the country and I am sure clubs and fans across the country welcome this exciting news. I look forward to continuing our hard work with IRN-BRU and to more exciting and innovative campaigns ahead.

Friday Bulletin
The Stairs Park pitch has passed a Friday afternoon inspection, but in the event of a hard overnight frost, Rovers will call for a second inspection at 10:00am on Saturday morning.

O'Byrne and McGrath are both now free from suspension, but Pollock, McCusker, Tyrrell, McKeown and Boyle will all be missing through injury. McFarlane and McGowan will be given late fitness tests - as will Todd Lumsden who is experiencing breathing difficulties following the incident which saw him taken off the pitch for treatment (during which time Annan scored) on Wednesday.

Manager Paul Martin is looking to his side to build on the victory over Annan (achieved despite playing for 10 mins with 10 men!).

Stranraer Match On!
After an inspection this afternoon tomorrows match against Stranraer at Stair Park has been ruled on! If there is a heavy overnight frost there will be another pitch inspection by 10am.

Rovers Win
Todd Lumsden returned to play after more than six months on the sidelines with an ankle injury and was on sparkling form as Rovers won their first league match for four months at Galabank in Annan. Boyle scored a cracker and McLeod converted a penalty too as Annan were beaten 2-1. The Annan goal was scored while Lumsden was off the pitch being treated for a bloody nose.

Matches Rescheduled
The SFL have set dates for all outstanding league matches and they are as follows:

Montrose away Tue 2nd March 7.45pm kick-off
East Stirlingshire away Wed 17th March 7.45pm kick-off
East Stirlingshire home Tue 23rd March 7.45pm kick-off
Stranraer home Tue 30th March 7.45pm kick-off
Queen's Park Tue 6th April 7.30pm kick-off

Update
Today's match is off due to the section of pitch in front of the stand being frozen.

Pitch Update
At the 10am Cliftonhill pitch inspection this morning it was decided to leave a final decision until a further inspection at 1pm.

Pitch Inspection
There is a pitch inspection at 10am tomorrow morning at Cliftonhill to see whether the East Stirlingshire game will go ahead.

Friday Bulletin
Breaking news: Paul Martin this afternoon confirmed two new additions to the Rovers squad.

International clearance finally came through for former Annan winger Lee Hoolickin, who impressed in a recent closed-door match.

And Dumbarton forward Dennis McLaughlin has been fixed up on a one month loan deal.

If tomorrow's match goes ahead (very doubtful, as the Cliftonhill surface was reportedly "rock hard" on Friday afternoon) Rovers will be without central defenders Mick O'Byrne and Paul McGrath (both suspended) and the injured quartet of Marc Pollock, Stephen McKeown, Mark McCusker and Chris Boyle.

David McFarlane and Paul Tyrrell (tight hamstring) were both rated doubtful for the East Stirlingshire match.

On a more positive, Todd Lumsden is set to make his competitive comeback in the near future, and Messrs McKeown, McCusker, O'Byrne and McGrath should all be available for Wednesday's rescheduled match against Annan.

McCusker Injury
Marc McCusker was treated at hospital last night for concussion from a head knock during the match. He was released late on and will return home today. The club have praised Elgin City for their "first class" assistance with his treatment.

Due to illness yesterday Alan Reid didn't feature although it's likely he will be available on Tuesday.

Disappointment In Moray
Rovers missed out on a chance to climb to 5th place in the table after going down 3 - 1 to second bottom Elgin City this afternoon. Elgin ended an 8 match streak without a win, Rovers haven't won a league match since their last trip to Elgin on October 10th!

Marc McCusker was stretchered off after a head knock which will make him unlikely to play on Tuesday against league leaders Livingston at Cliftonhill.

Friday Bulletin
This is the first of a Friday Bulletin from the club (this week manager Paul Martin and chairman Frank Meade).

The word from Elgin is that barring a major change in weather overnight (none is forecast) tomorrows game will go ahead as scheduled.

On the playing front Marc Pollock, Todd Lumsden and Chris Boyle will certainly not feature due to injury although Boyle should be back next Saturday.

It seems that new arrival Lee Hoolickin and another couple of fresh faces will feature next Saturday.

New Date
The Livingston match at Cliftonhill postponed on 16th January has been rescheduled for next Tuesday (9th February) with a 7.45pm kick-off.

New Column
Just after the transfer window closes Paul Martin has penned a new column! Click HERE to read it.

Annan Match Off
The match was called off just before 1.30pm due to the frost not having cleared from the Galabank pitch. Wednesday 17th February has been pencilled in for the game to go ahead.

Annan Weather
Due to frost on the Galabank pitch this morning there is some doubt about this match going ahead this afternoon but the clubs believe this will clear by kick-off and the decision will be left to the match referee who is expected around 1.30pm. Rovers already have six matches outstanding mostly due to bad weather this season and can do without another being added to that tally.

O'Byrne See Red
Mick O'Byrne has the dubious honour to become the first Rovers player to be sent off in a league match after receiving 2 yellows in the defeat at home to Forfar who themselves had gaffer Dick Campbell sent to the stand.

Out But Not Down
Rovers went down 3-1 at Forthbank tonight but the scoreline does not truly reflect the balance of play. Rovers had 11 attempts on target compared to the home sides 4, off target attempts were equally unbalanced with Rovers having 10 to Stirlings 3. Visiting fans made far more noise that the deathly quiet Stirling fans who weren't noticeable except when they scored.

Admission Prices
We have just been advised that admission prices at Forthbank tonight shall be £12 for adults and £8 for juveniles and senior citizens. Family gate pries are £12 adults and £7 juveniles (maximum 3 juveniles).

Replay
Rovers and Stirling have to do it all over again on Wednesday at Forthbank after their goalless 4th round Active Nation Scottish Cup match at Cliftonhill tonight.

Meanwhile Rovers found out that should they progress to the 5th round it will involve a trip north to Victoria Park, Dingwall to face Ross County who dispatched Inverurie Loco Works from the cup in a 4 - 0 rout. That is scheduled for Saturday February 6th when Rovers are due to travel north to Elgin for a league match, which would then have to be rescheduled.

Game On
The Cliftonhill pitch passed it's morning inspection and tonight's cup match against Stirling Albion goes ahead!

Cup Inspection
This site shall not be updated until around 7pm to advise if the 7.45 kick-off match is on, the best place to find out up to the minute information is on the messageboard.

Cup Update
A rapid thaw in the Coatbridge area means that there is now (according to the club) a 75% chance that the match will be on. A 9am pitch inspection on Monday will decide.

Pollock Injured
Rovers made the best of the weather by playing a bounce match against Bellshill Athletic at Toryglen Regional Football Centre near Hampden Park this lunchtime. They had a good run out winning 4-1 with Donnelly and McCusker scoring one goal each and Walker bagging two.

There was bad news however when Marc Pollock who had just signed a contract extension went down with what's thought to be a ligament injury and left in an ambulance.

Livi Game Off
Saturday's league match at Cliftonhill against Livingston has been postponed due to the renewed bad weather.

Cliftonhill
The stadium which turned 90 years old back on Christmas day is of course completely blanketed in snow (as can be seen in the photos I took today). The snow on the pitch is at least five inches deep and the grass underneath is frozen. It has suffered some winter woes with burst pipes which has occupied chairman Frank Meade, director Lew McWilliam and groundsman Hugh McBride.

Bobby Barr
Former fans' favourite Bobby Barr has signed an 18 month full-time contract with league leaders Livingston and would likely have made his debut for them at Cliftonhill this Saturday had the weather not intervened.

Cup Tie
There shall be a pitch inspection at 9am on Monday morning to decide if the cup tie against Stirling Albion will go ahead that evening.

Team Update
Manager Paul Martin expects to complete the signing of two new players shortly. Although all involved have bee frustrated with the shutdown over the last month it has allowed the long injury list to dissipate. All the players on the injury list are back to a level of fitness except Assistant manager Todd Lumsden who was injured pre-season who is now back in training and Dave McFarlane who around a week from returning to training.

Cup match Off
The Active Nation Scottish Cup match against Stirling Albion from last Saturday which was rescheduled for tomorrow has been postponed once more. The game is now scheduled to be played at Cliftonhill next Monday (18th Jan).

If the match is postponed on Monday it shall be scheduled for Wednesday 20th, should the match go ahead Monday and end in a draw the replay shall be at Forthbank on Wednesday 20th.

Cup Draw
The draw for the 5th round of the Active Nation Scottish cup was made today and if Rovers get past Stirling Albion in the 4th round they will have to travel north to take on the winners of the Ross County v Inverurie Loco Works tie. The match is scheduled for Saturday February 6th when Rovers are due to travel north to Elgin for a league match.

New Year Managers Column
Paul Martin has written a new column and as always it's very informative! Click HERE to read it.

Cup Match Postponed
As expected the inspection of the Cliftonhill pitch today led to the postponement of the Stirling Albion cup tie on Saturday. There seems little chance of the match going ahead next Tuesday and an inspection will be made on Monday to decide that.

Trust Membership
All members are advised that their membership expired on 31st December! Many have already renewed, mostly by standing order but those not having done so are invited to do so via Paypal, post or in person once we get a match played!

Cup Match Inspection
There is a pitch inspection scheduled for 1pm tomorrow (Thursday) at Cliftonhill for Saturdays Active Nation Scottish Cup match against Stirling Albion. With the snow coverage in the area it would seem to be a formality and that the only decision can be a postponement. The match would be rescheduled for next Tuesday (the 12th) but the weather forecast makes it unlikely that could go ahead.

Queen's Park Match Off
Due to concerns for spectator safety - there is heavy snow there, todays match at Hampden is off.