Football in the Highlands (FM13)

[Greyfriars Bobby]

6 August 2014

Ayr United 0-1 Strathspey Thistle

4-4-2
GK: Craig Robertson
D: Alastair Russell, Tim Francis, John Cameron, Shane Bennett
M: Scott Courts, Hugh Strachan, Steven Noble, John Murray
ST: Andrzej Gajda, Stevie Murray

Goal: Courts (80)

Ayr United were fourth in Premier Two last year, so they're a very good side. We played a clean, precise game and got a late goal from Scott Courts to secure a result in our first match at this level.

Our back line was formidable in front of Craig Robertson. Bennett, Cameron, and Francis made 10 interceptions each.

Hugh Strachan controlled the ball like he had it on a string; he completed 73 of his 76 pass attempts. Duncan Ross came on for him on 72 minutes, and it was his inch-perfect pass that laid on Courts' goal.

At some point, the supporters might start to complain about the style of football we're playing if we keep winning 1-0 matches, but I'll take that result every time.

They didn't complain when we played Manchester United's reserve team to an 0-0 draw in our final pre-season friendly.

I chose Steven Noble to serve as Strathspey Thistle captain again this season, and Andrzej Gajda will be vice captain.

I made Andrzej very happy when, on his suggestion, I signed his countryman and friend Jakub Stanek from Huntly on a free. Stanek is comfortable in the central midfield and on the right side of the park, and he provides us with economical cover at several spots for £65/week.

We enter the season with two new faces on our backroom staff. The board approved the hiring of an additional coach, so I signed Paddy Stewart, who is currently studying for a Continental A license. Paddy is adept at coaching both attacking and defensive football, and he has a sharp eye for talent.

The other appointment is even more exciting. Veteran Adam Wright hung up his boots at the end of the season, ending a three-decade career as a player at the age of 47 with two winners' medals in his hands. I'd always known Adam wanted to go into coaching, so I opened up a spot for him on our staff and hired him. Adam is the cleverest coach on our staff when it comes to attacking strategies, and the lads enjoy his motivational team talks.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

9 August 2014
Scottish Premier League Cup, First Round

Peterhead 0-1 Strathspey Thistle

4-4-2
GK: Robertson
D: Russell, Francis, Andy Chisholm, Bennett
M: Duncan Ross, Strachan, S. Noble, Garry McGowan
ST: Willie Nelson, Gajda

Goal: McGowan (45)

Our board only expected us to learn from participating in the SPL Cup, since as a newly promoted club, we're considered the smallest of minnows. For that reason, a result like this one is a pleasant surprise. Since we have a week off after this match, I could field a stronger side than I might usually be able to put together for a cup tie.

Again, we proved that if the other team doesn't score, we can't lose the match. The hero of the day was Craig Robertson in goal, who posted an 8.5 rating and made the most dazzling save of his Strathie career when he punched away a howitzer off the boot of David Gormley.

I was a little surprised to discover that Garry McGowan scored his first career goal today! He's played so many matches for us--and played well--that I would have sworn he'd already found the net. He did have 9 assists in league play last season, however.

I had a difficult decision to make this week. Scott Courts attracted a transfer offer from Grimsby Town, in England's npower League 2. They were willing to pay £7,000 for him. Scott didn't appear eager to leave, but neither did he state that he wished to stay with the club. I accepted Grimsby's offer, and a day later, Scott signed with them...for £800/week, more than four times what he was making with us. At age 30, I can see why Scott wanted to cash in, and I wish him well with his new club.

Now I'm looking to fill a big hole on the left side of the park. Duncan Ross, who is fairly good at a zillion positions, started there today, and he might be the answer if I can't bring in a more natural player there.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

16 August 2014

Strathspey Thistle 2-1 Dunfermline Athletic

4-4-2
GK: Robertson
D: Russell, Francis, Cameron, Bennett
M: S. Murray, Strachan, S. Noble, McGowan
ST: Nelson, Gajda

Goals: S. Murray (5), McGowan (65)

Yes, you read that right; I gave Stevie Murray a start on the left wing and he banged in a goal! He's got a red dot there, so I don't think I'll keep using him in that spot. He didn't seem to want to stay over on the wing, for one thing. When he scored, he was running up the RIGHT channel to take a pass from Hugh Strachan.

Garry McGowan got the goal that turned out to be the match-winner, his second in two games.

Robertson suffered a horrendous mishap that led to Dunfermline's goal. As he came out to challenge Andy Mackay, he tripped and fell, and Mackay simply tucked the ball into an unguarded net.

Alastair Russell had a wonderful game at right back, winning 9 of the 10 tackles he attempted. I handed another new man, midfielder Brent Hunt, his debut as a substitute. Hunt was serving out a ban for some reason; I wasn't sure what he'd done.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

22 August 2014

I went shopping for a left midfielder to replace Scott Courts, and I found him...and two other guys I believe will make good additions to our club. Good thing, too, because we sent three players out this week--one on loan, and two on transfers.

Going out: Calum Noble, whose most notable attribute is his ability to play any position but goal and striker, wanted to play first team football. I valued him for his "super-sub" capability, but I can't blame a lad for wanting playing time. I promised him I'd send him out on loan, and he's going to be with Forres Mechanics for the remainder of the season. He'll join young goalkeeper Kevin Tiffoney, who's also on loan to the Can Cans.

Stephen Brady once seemed like a star of the future. He never truly established himself in the first team, however, and the fact that he can only play one position limited his opportunities. Granted, that position happens to be left wing, but when I found a much more intriguing option, I could say yes to an offer from St. Andrews United, where Mr. Brady will be a star.

Finally, we bid goodbye to George Mackintosh, who got shuffled to the bottom of the depth chart at center back. He's simply not talented enough to play at this level, and we offered him around to see if there was a club who'd like to to have him. George got a nibble from Haddington Athletic, in the Scotia Premier League, and we let him go there on a free.

Coming in: The Mr. Everything role that was once Calum Noble's will now be filled by John Calder, age 25, who has turned out for Alloa, East Stirlingshire, and Clyde during the past two seasons. John is a well-rounded player with lots of attributes in double digits, which should make him very useful at this level. He's better on the left side of the pitch than the right, and he's much better in a defensive role than as an attacker. We paid Alloa £12,000 for him, and he'll earn £300/week for us.

I'm afraid that, one of these days, someone's going to make me an offer for Willie Nelson that I can't refuse, or Willie is going to get a hankering for the bright lights of big cities like Edinburgh or Glasgow and want to join a bigger club. That's why I was willing to pay £10,000 to East Fife for striker Willie Paterson, age 30, who was unhappy when East Fife was relegated out of Premier League Two. Paterson is a big, strong target man, a lot like Andrzej Gajda, with slightly better technique and slightly less physical prowess. He'll earn the same salary as Andrzej, £300/week.

Then, the grand prize. One of our scouts, Bryan O'Connor, has been looking for players south of the border in England. Among the players he saw is Bryan Pelletier, 25, who was released from Tottenham at the end of last season after making nine appearances. He was still looking for a club, so I thought I would take a chance and offer him a contract. We negotiated back and forth, and he accepted a £1,000/week offer. The next day, he announced he was joining Strathspey Thistle.

Pelletier immediately becomes the most talented player in our club. His position is listed as "Midfielder/Attacking Midfielder (Left)/ M/AM (R)", which gives you an idea of his ability to dictate the flow of a game from a variety of positions. Imagine a more talented version of Garry McGowan, and you have a sense of Bryan's ability. He's from France, and he played four times for his country at the U21 level.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

23 August 2014

Livingston 2-4 Strathspey Thistle

4-4-2
GK: Robertson
D: Russell, Francis, Cameron, Bennett
M: Bryan Pelletier, Strachan, Noble, J. Murray
ST: S. Murray, Gajda

Goals: Pelletier (26), Gajda (29, 48), S. Murray (45)

Bryan Pelletier made his Strathspey Thistle debut today, putting an exclamation point on a very good all-round performance with one of the most memorable goals I've seen in my time at the club.

Livingston took the lead through Brian Shinnie, but 13 minutes later, Pelletier picked up the ball deep in his own half. He flew up the left wing, jinking past Livingston left back Tony Martin, who turned the wrong way as Pelletier sliced toward the middle of the park. As Martin gave chase, Pelletier angled into the six-yard box, slicing past another defender, and fired a low, hard shot past the keeper into the right corner of the net. We scored twice more before the half and once immediately after the break, and won our third straight league match.

Livingston were relegated from the Premier League, and they're still looking for their first points of the season, so I won't read too much into today's result. Still, the win puts us second, behind St. Johnstone by four in goal differential.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

30 August 2014

Strathspey Thistle 4-1 Clyde

4-4-2
GK: Robertson
D: Russell, Francis, Cameron, Noble
M: Pelletier, Brent Hunt, Strachan, J. Murray
ST: Nelson, Gajda

Goals: Gajda (42, 51), Nelson (68), McGowan (90+2)

It's still very early in the season, but we're top of the table after a comfortable victory home to Clyde, who joined us in promotion from the SPFL Premier last season. We fell behind in the first quarter hour, but big Andrzej Gajda powered in two goals to turn the scoreline around, and we took it from there.

Tim Francis might be even more effective at center back than he was on the left; he was a tower of strength for us again today. His performance continues to attract the attention of bigger clubs, who offered us £30,000, even £35,000 for him as the transfer window closed. I'm not used to managing a player for whom teams are willing to offer five-figure transfer bids; my Football Manager experience has all been with lower level clubs. At what point might I decide I want the money Francis might bring in more than the services he can offer on the pitch? He's a homegrown player, and I enjoy managing him, so for now I'll keep him.

I did sign one more player today, veteran defender Colm Cunningham, whom I brought in from Hibernian on a free transfer. He saw action in 24 matches for Hibs last season but, at age 36, he had yielded his regular spot to a younger player this summer. Colm is equally comfortable on the right or left sides, and his outstanding mental attributes make him a natural leader and a stabilizing influence on a team that is the youngest in Premier League Two. Colm will be paid £700/month, plus various incentives.

We sold Zander McLeish to Lossiemouth for £1000, in order to give him a chance to play regular football; he wasn't going to get that chance with us anymore. Lossiemouth play three levels down the pyramid from us now, and Zander will be a great fit there.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

3 September 2014

Strathspey Thistle 1-2 St. Johnstone

4-4-2
GK: Robertson
D: Russell, Francis, Cameron, Chisholm
M: Pelletier, Noble, Strachan, McGowan
ST: S. Murray, Gajda

Goal: Nelson (84)

This was a heck of a football match, very well-played, with lots of exciting action. The only thing wrong with it was the scoreline. It's really a shame either side had to lose this match.

Willie Nelson, who came on for an exhausted Gajda, pulled us within a goal, and we had two good chances to equalize in stoppage time.

St. Johnstone came into today's match having conceded only one goal, so I'm satisfied with our performance against them. The result puts them top, with 13 points in 5 matches. We're right behind them on 12 points.

The media seems to think that since we've lost a match and broken our run of results, we're going to slide down to the bottom of the table, where they think we belong. Honestly, I think we're going to be a mid-table club. I've looked at the rosters of the other teams in our league, and I don't think we have quite enough talent to run with the big dogs right now.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

September 2014

Our roster has experienced quite a bit of turnover in the past few months, so I thought it was probably a good time to take a closer look at the club. I'll list the starters, reserves, and prospects at each position, beginning with the goalkeepers.

GOALKEEPERS

First Team: Craig Robertson (age 20)
Craig has established himself as our first choice between the posts. In 24 league matches last year, he conceded only 18 goals, and he kept 13 clean sheets. He'll face a tougher task as we move to a higher league, but he's still a quality player at this level. Our back room staff agree that he could get even better.

Reserve: Chris Christie (age 24)
Chris has appeared in 55 league games for us, and he was our starter two years ago. Robertson, who is better and younger, has forced him into a clear number two role. He's probably a bit over his head at this level.

Prospect: Rab Hamill (age 16)
Rab's potential has us extremely excited; our staff believes he's a Premier League-calibre keeper in the making. He's improved quite a bit since we signed him to a youth deal last summer, and he's already about as good as Christie is. He'll play a lot at the U19 and reserve levels, and he'll possibly make his senior debut this season. Keep an eye on him.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

DEFENSE

Left Back

First Team: Alastair Russell (age 19)
Alastair came up in Hearts' youth program, but they released him at the start of last season. He appeared in one match for Airdrie, went to Alloa for a spell, and was released on 1 July. We like his marking, tackling, and passing ability, and he has a mature understanding of the game while he's still a teenager. He looks like a good fit for us.

Reserves: John Calder (age 25), Sebastian Cabaj (age 29)
Both these players give us solid coverage at several positions, especially Calder, who plays a solid, well-rounded game of football. He was Alloa's property the last two seasons, but spent most of them on loan. Seb is very athletic and has very good ball skills. He was a regular for Lochee United and Montrose the past two seasons.

Prospects: Kenny Kerr (age 16), Kris Noble (age 16)
Both Kenny and Kris were released by big clubs, Kenny from Inverness and Kris from Hibernian. Kenny is more apt to push forward, while Kris is a more traditional, defense-first fullback. If they develop, they could both be stars at this level, and solid contributors to a Premier League side.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Center Back

First Team: Tim Francis (age 21), John Cameron (age 23)
If interest from bigger clubs is the measure of a player's quality, then Tim is the best player in the team. His attributes continue to improve, and he draws regular praise from our coaching staff for the quality of his training. The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that I'm going to hang on to Tim as long as he's happy here, and build my club around him. John is a solid stopper, an excellent partner for Tim, who usually plays a covering role. He is slightly better with the ball than Tim, better at getting the ball to the team's more creative players. John is also developing into a team leader and could wear the captain's armband one day.

Reserves: Andy Chisholm (age 19), Robert Muirhead (age 19)
Andy can play anywhere across the back line, and has started for us at all four defensive slots. He has made 40 league appearances for Strathie since he joined the club in early 2013. Robert joined us from Stirling Uni last season, and spent time on loan at Huntly. Both are old-fashioned center backs, big, strong, hard-nosed characters who police the back line with their physical presence.

Prospects: Steven Sharp (age 16), Nathan Stevenson (age 16), David Stewart (age 16), Stuart Greenhalgh (age 19), Dave Reynolds (age 17)
We're loaded with talented youth players who can play center back. Sharp is probably the best of the group right now, but Stewart seems to have slightly better potential. Greenhalgh is the oldest, but he's the least polished player of the group. Stewart, who was a Partick Thistle apprentice, is huge: 6'7", 205 lbs. We found Stevenson on Inverness' scrap heap, and Sharp and Reynolds are local lads.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Right Back

First Team: Shane Bennett (age 17) or Colm Cunningham (age 36)
If we want youthful energy and athleticism here, we can go with Bennett. If we want technical expertise, experience, and a more robust attacking threat, we can go with Cunningham. Either way, we get a very good player. Cunningham can play other positions well, while Bennett is only comfortable at right back. We signed Colm from Hibernian last month, and besides making 34 appearances for Hibs, he's won 12 caps for Ireland--which makes him our squad's only full international.

Reserve: Sipho Tshehla (age 16)
He might be only 16, but he's already good enough to play in the first team if we need him to. Dundee United released him on a free, after he helped them win the Under 19 Cup last year. Tshehla's most notable attributes are his tackling and positioning. He is eligible for both Scotland and South Africa.

Prospect: Dylan Sinclair (age 16)
Of course, Tshehla is also a prospect, but Dylan might have an even bigger upside. He made two appearances for Celtic last year, but they let him go in June. Our scouts are discovering some very promising players who were once youth candidates for bigger clubs. If we can develop them properly, we'll have a Premier League-ready side within a few years.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

MIDFIELDERS

Left Wing

First Team: Bryan Pelletier (age 25)
I wondered how the arrival of a star like Pelletier would affect the chemistry of the team. Would its stars and leaders, players like Stevie Murray, Steven Noble, and Andrzej Gajda, accept him, or feel like their places were threatened somehow? It seems that every man in the team lists "Believes Bryan Pelletier will become a vital part of the team" among the things they believe to be "Good Relationships." I would agree with that assessment. It's hard to imagine a player as talented as Pelletier being anything but a success at Seafield Park. The supporters miss Scott Courts, whom they list among their Favoured Personnel, but hopefully BP will win them over soon.

Reserve: Jamie Tiffoney (age 20)
Tiffoney was cut loose by Ayr United after scoring five goals and making their Best Eleven for 2013-14. He also had a very productive loan spell at Clyde, which is where I first saw him. He can play on either wing, and he's too good to languish on the bench all the time.

Prospect: Johnny Neill (age 18)
Green as the grass on our newly laid pitch, Johnny is some time away from making an impact on the senior team, but if he realizes his potential, he'll be a big time player one day. He'll probably develop into a dangerous offensive winger, and he uses both feet equally well.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Central Midfielders

First Team: Steven Noble (age 34), Hugh Strachan (age 21), and Brent Hunt (age 21)
Noble is the club's captain, and the intangibles he brings are almost as important as his contributions on the pitch. He is a set piece specialist who delivers corners and free kicks, and he is best in a holding role. If we play a DMC, he's the man. Strachan came to us on loan from Partick Thistle and played a crucial role in helping us win our historic double. Like Noble, he is better in a deep-lying role, and we often move Noble higher up when we pair Strachan with him. Hunt is a New Zealand youth international whom we signed from Queens Park. He netted 10 goals for them in two seasons. Hunt is useful as an advanced playmaker, and he's comfortable at AMC, too.

Reserves: Phil Potter (age 19), Duncan Ross (age 20), Joe Linton (age 19), and Declan Neill (age 21)
I like having several versatile players to cover a variety of roles in the midfield, because fatigue and suspensions invariably take their toll in the middle of the park. Potter, a recent signing from Dunfermline, is a dynamic offensive force whom we can bring on when we need goals. He will push for a starting role sooner rather than later. Ross is a box-to-box midfielder with size and good ball skills. Linton, a pocket-sized (5'3") powerhouse, is a lot like Colin Brown, who made valuable contributions to last year's team. Neill is currently playing regularly for the Northern Ireland U21 side. He can play effectively on the left side as well as in the center, and he is an especially good defensive player.

Prospects: Willie Sinclair (age 18), Peter Weir (age 19)
We aren't quite as young here as we are at some other spots, but Sinclair might eventually be the best player we have at this position, a playmaker who can orchestrate our attack with a deft touch. He began his career in St. Mirren's youth program. Weir is a flashy attacking player who can score, a regular with Carnoustie (SFL Third Division) at age 17.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

STRIKERS

First Team: Stevie Murray (age 24), Willie Nelson (age 18), Andrzej Gajda (age 28)
Murray is the most popular player in the team, idolized by the supporters and well-liked by his teammates. He's also the driving force of our offense, with 24 goals in league play in each of the last two seasons. Not simply a goalscorer, Stevie Wonder led the SFL Premier with 16 assists last year. Nelson's first season with Strathie was cut short by injury, but not before he fired in 19 goals in 19 appearances. Gajda captained Huntly for two seasons before he joined us last January, and he's now our vice captain. He scored 7 goals in 10 appearances for us. We employ Murray as a deep-lying forward, with Nelson in a more advanced position. Gajda, who stands 6'6" and is massively strong, is the textbook definition of a target man.

Reserve: Willie Paterson (age 30)
Paterson, who turned out for Stenhousemuir and East Fife the last two years, is a lot like Gajda--big and strong, able to command the air and score off set pieces.


Prospects: Robert Murch (age 16), Mark Love (age 17), and Jonathan Gillespie (age 16)
At some point, we'll either make room for Murch by selling one of our other forwards, or sell Murch himself for a pile of money. He's that talented, with a sniper's touch in front of goal and enough pace to create chances all by himself. Right now, he's knocking in goals in bunches for the reserves. Love signed from Rossdale, where he scored 11 goals as a 16-year-old. Gillespie, a hometown boy, is currently on loan at Deveronvale; he is the least polished of the teenage trio, but his speed makes him an intriguing prospect.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

17 September 2014
Scottish Cup, Second Round

Strathspey Thistle 1-0 Partick Thistle

4-4-2
GK: Robertson
D: Russell, Francis, Chisholm, Sipho Tshehla
M: Pelletier, Hunt, Noble, McGowan
ST: S. Murray, Gajda

Goal: Pelletier (86)

It would have been nice to think that a club that played in the Scottish Cup Final last spring might have been able to avoid a matchup like this one, but the vagaries of a random draw granted us a very tough tie. Partick Thistle are a Premiership side, and they currently hold the Scottish League Cup. Still, a big, loud home crowd and a late goal by Bryan Pelletier, combined with a stout defensive performance, saw us through.

Pelletier was played in by a perfect pass from Garry McGowan, and he knew exactly where he had to place the ball.

Tim Francis was Man of the Match, and he earned the honor. Partick Thistle's potent attack kept him and his fellow defenders busy all evening. Francis won 13 of 14 headers and amassed 20 interceptions. The effort of our back line kept Craig Robertson from having to work terribly hard; the keeper made only two saves...but both of them were very good ones.

Youngster Sipho Tshehla made his debut at right back, and we had to cover for John Cameron, who injured himself in training; he'll be out for about six weeks. The fact we played so well defensively with two regulars in the stands is even more impressive.

We'll return to the pitch in only three days, for a League Cup tie against another Premiership club--this time, it's St. Mirren.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

20 September 2014
Scottish League Cup, Second Round

Strathspey Thistle 1-2 St. Mirren

4-4-2
GK: Robertson
D: John Calder, Francis, Chisholm, Declan Neill
M: Pelletier, Hunt, Strachan, J. Murray
ST: Nelson, Willie Paterson

Goal: J. Murray (35)

I feel horrible for Declan Neill, who will want to forget his Strathie debut as quickly as he can.

We were deep in stoppage time, level at 1-1, when Neill clattered St. Mirren skipper Derek Tracey in the area. The referee pointed to the spot, and Tracey did the honours himself. Craig Robertson guessed which way Tracey would shoot and got his fingertips on the ball, but Tracey put enough power behind the shot that it ripped through Robertson's fingers, off the post, and over the line.

John Murray got his first goal for us and put us ahead 1-0, but St. Mirren drew level just after the hour mark. That's where we remained until the aforementioned penalty was given.

John Calder and Willie Paterson also received their first start today, and both played well. You can expect to see quite a bit of squad rotation in the days ahead; we're dealing with a decent amount of fixture congestion right now.

We're out of the League Cup, but I'm honestly not terribly torn up about it. Neither is the board, which is always a good thing.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

24 September 2014

Arbroath 0-3 Strathspey Thistle

4-4-2
GK: Robertson
D: Russell, Francis, Chisholm, Bennett
M: Pelletier, Noble, Phil Potter, McGowan
ST: S. Murray, Gajda

Goals: Gajda (3, 29), S. Murray (14)

Back to league play, with a comfortable victory away to Arbroath. We were outshot, 13-7, and Arbroath had possession 57% of the time, but Arbroath had only one good scoring chance, and Craig Robertson made a sweet save to thwart it.

Andrzej Gajda was Man of the Match, as much for his dominant play in the air (13 headers won in 13 challenges) as for his two goals. Captain Steven Noble played well in midfield.

Sixteen-year-old striker Robert Murch made his first appearance for the senior team, coming on as a sub at 58 minutes. He looked secure with the ball, and I'm going to try to find a way to get him some additional time very soon. I don't want him becoming frustrated and wanting to leave because he's not getting any first team football.

We have two days off before we're back in action, away to Peterhead. We'll go into that match top of the table, with 15 points to St. Johnstone's 14.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

27 September 2014

Peterhead 1-1 Strathspey Thistle

4-4-2
GK: Robertson
D: Russell, Francis, Chisholm, Neill
M: Kevin Tiffoney, Hunt, Strachan, J. Murray
ST: Gajda, Nelson

Goal: Gajda (39)

This was a very tough fixture, away to the third place team in the league. We were only seconds away from a result, but Peterhead got the equalizer deep in stoppage time, and we left the Blue Toon with a point in hand.

Andrzej Gajda continues his run of good form, scoring on a left-footed volley of a ball from John Murray.

Could we have won if I'd started Stevie Murray or Bryan Pelletier, both of whom were on the tired side? I doubt it would have made much difference. Tiffoney and Nelson are first team quality players, especially Nelson.

St. Johnstone beat Cowdenbeath, 2-1, so they move to the top of the table on 17 points. We're second with 16, three clear of Dumbarton.

There is a 10-day break in the programme now, which should allow fullback Colm Cunningham to return to full fitness. He's been waiting for a sports hernia to heal, and I hope to give him his Strathie debut against Cowdenbeath on 8 October.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

4 October 2014

I realized this week that our board has allowed me to bring in more coaches, so I've hired two new backroom staff members with specialized skills.

Our new Fitness Coach will be Paul Steele, 29, who hung up his boots last spring after a spell with Winton Rovers. Paul will handle our strength and aerobic fitness program, and his skills could make a big difference here.

We also hired Craig Stewart, 32, as a Goalkeeping Coach. Craig also retired last spring; he was the first choice between the posts for Rotherham in England's npower League Two. He's extremely good with young players and has a strong knowledge of tactics, so I think he will work well with our youthful goalkeeping corps.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

8 October 2014

Strathspey Thistle 4-0 Cowdenbeath

4-4-2
GK: Rab Hamill
D: Russell, Francis, Chisholm, Bennett
M: Pelletier, Noble, Potter, J. Murray
ST: Robert Murch, S. Murray

Goals: Murch (2), Russell (17), S. Murray (54), J. Murray (82)

We couldn't have scripted this one much better.

We gave debuts to Rab Hamill and Robert Murch, who are both 16; Hamill kept a clean sheet and Murch was Man of the Match with a goal and an assist.

We put four goals in against a Cowdenbeath side that played with four defenders and two DMCs, in an effort to strangle the game and try to get a 1-0 result.

Alastair Russell, whose spot in the first team was being questioned by the supporters, played to an 8.2 rating and got forward for a goal.

Bryan Pelletier created John Murray's goal with a perfect cross to the far post, leaving Murray with nothing to do but push it into the goal.

Dumbarton beat St. Johnstone away, 2-1. That result, combined with our victory, put us top again.

We were able to rest some regulars, and sub others out at the hour mark, and still get a result. We have a Scottish Cup tie in three days, and we will be relatively fresh.

The only thing I'd call a negative was an injury to Andy Chisholm, who will be out of action for two or three weeks with an injured elbow. Fortunately, John Cameron returned to training this week.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

I'm never sure what is the best approach to take against a team that parks the bus, like Cowdenbeath did in our last match.

This time, playing at home against a team that's in the relegation zone, I took an Attacking mentality. I used a touchline shout to tell the players to work the ball out of defense; if Cowdenbeath don't have many players forward, they shouldn't be able to interfere too much with our ability to pass the ball out of our own end. I didn't think working the ball into the box would be a good idea, since they had six players who didn't seem to be doing anything but guarding the fort.

It worked well, but I'm not sure if that's because my strategy was sound or because we had much better players than Cowdenbeath.

I've read that it's actually a better idea to instruct my team to drop farther back, in an attempt to tease the opponent into pulling forward and opening up more space for your guys. Or would they still simply sit back in front of their goal, content to take a goalless draw?