Albion Rovers F.C – The Match Programme #3

Coatbridge. “The industrial heartland of Scotland.” Or that’s how it was once known. As a beacon of production in the 19th Century and right at the heart of Scotland’s Industrial Revolution – famous for coal mining, blast furnaces and iron works – a genuine old fashioned working class town.

That is all but a smoggy memory now.

Geographically, the ‘Iron Burgh’ sits in an area called The Monklands in North Lanarkshire, clinging not only to it’s former glory but also onto the edge of Greater Glasgow, it’s fair to say this North Lanarkshire town is not the most attractive proposition we’ve had to undertake.

And that’s an understatement.

Maybe we’re being harsh but what we both knew about Coatbridge going into this did not set our hearts racing. I mean, what’s appealing about a football team that has been essentially irrelevant in Scottish Football since at the latest the 50’s, with a town sighted for it’s ‘devastating unemployment, appalling housing conditions and some of the worst overcrowding in Scotland’. Or that’s all we had to go on.

The previously mentioned Monklands, is made up of not only Coatbridge’s Albion Rovers but also Airdrie’s Airdrieonians. A rivalry which flies very much under-the-radar in Scottish Football but brings fans from both towns out to play in their numbers, fervently supporting either the Wee Rovers or the Diamonds. This fixture stuck out for us because previous meetings have been eventful affairs, as well as the fact that it is a derby which seems to have no real cover or recognition in the media. We could not even find any background on ‘The Monklands Derby’ when trying to do our research.

With that prior knowledge in our minds, it was time to put Albion Rovers to the test as we stepped off at Coatdyke Train Station. With no idea where we were really going, we decided that stalking 3 elderly Rovers fans down the road until we found ourselves nearing Cliftonhill, was our best bet. Passing barricaded corner shops and the odd “still game flat” on our way to the ground – we were blessed to have our teeth still intact.

With the Cliftonhill Main Stand rearing it’s sponsored head into view, Aaron did not even realise we had arrived outside the ground, thinking instead it was a big ‘hut’. Decipher that if you can. Mikey on the other hand could see a subtle beauty in the stand, rising high over the town – like the Coal Furnaces of old. Speaking to the steward’s outside the ground we were told our names weren’t on the ‘media’ list and suddenly we realised that we’re not quite the ‘Scottish Louis Theroux’s’ we believe ourselves to be.

Undeterred, we managed to speak with previous contact at the club Colin Woodward who managed to wriggle us in and lure Rovers chairman Ronnie Boyd into an interview – a good humoured man, who came to speak with us straight from forking the Cliftonhill turf to make sure the game would go ahead. That speaks volumes about the club to us from top to bottom, more on that later. Here is our interview with Mr. Boyd;

Q1. It is the New Year and Derby Day at Cliftonhill, do you think this is the biggest game of the season so far?

• “Yes I would say so, the fans look forward to the 4 derby games every season” great for the fans and they love the atmosphere, it gives the players real a lift as well. Ronnie mentioned they were also expecting a bumper crowd today of roughly 1,000 compared to the usual 350-450 mark. Mr. Boyd added “there’s no horrendous rivalry there and it is not too temperamental” but further mentioned it obviously existed and both teams go out of their way to beat each other.

Q2. Do you feel Airdrieonians and yourselves have to stick together, despite the rivalry, due to the harsh climate of the lower leagues?

• “I think so, all the teams in this division are in the same boat”. Signalling the loyal crowds of a similar size that follow their teams day and night. He also said that both Rovers and Airdrieonians “appreciate each other” in a way, as Albion’s biggest gate is against Airdrieonians and vice versa. Ronnie also said “if you ask the Airdrieonians board they would have a similar reaction”.

Q3. What would you say this seasons objectives are for yourself and the club?

• Ronnie Boyd stated he was “happy with how things are going” with the team performing well in the Betfred Cup and also currently fulfilling the goal of finishing “8^th or above”. In the words of the chairman, “obviously I would love the playoff’s, but we have to be realistic and we’re punching above our weight in League 1 as it is”.

Q4. It is the opening day of the 2020/2021 season, it’s a scorching hot day in Coatbridge and the Caramel Wafers have been fully stocked, who are you kicking off against?

• “We’ve got a real hankering to have a crack at the Championship”, said Ronnie with an optimistic humour about him. However, more seriously he mentioned teams like Cowdenbeath, who have “had a season up there but suffered for it and are now in freefall”. Whether this was due to overspending or not, he was unsure. Mr. Boyd made it clear they were very happy with their position right now and would prioritise the football club above all else, not wanting to jeopardise their current standing. Finally, Ronnie Boyd ambitiously predicted kicking off against Airdrieonians in the Championship 2020/2021.

Q5. Finally, what’s the score gonna be today?“

• “I’m known for my wild predicitons, going to say 4-2 Albion Rovers!”

After a very pleasant but brief chat with Mr. Boyd, we were left with a little to be desired, no complaints however as you could tell he was rushed off his feet with the interview interrupted several times, the chairman had a million and one things to do in preparation. Many thanks again for sparing some time to speak with us at short notice on such a big day for your club Mr. Boyd.

With nothing else left to do before kick-off we nipped back up the road to a local boozer called ‘Owens’ just 5 minutes away from Cliftonhill, where we managed to sneak in a couple of cold ones. Albion Rovers tops and scarves were also apparent, giving us a feeling of being right in amongst it with the Wee Rovers faithful – like we were in their local. Interestingly, while ordering a delicious Coors Light, Mikey found out from the barman that Celtic colours are forbidden in ‘Owens’ but Albion Rovers colours were embraced. Something we found especially curious given that Coatbridge is known for being a Celtic loyal town, due to the Irish background.

Sinking our jars and heading out to the ground, we felt it was time to engage with some of Coatbridge’s finest. We paid our £7 concession fee for entry (£14 – Adults, £2 – Under 12’s) and headed into the main stand at Cliftonhill, walking about the cramped wooden benches or concrete terracing, we picked out a pair of friendly faces. Grandfather and Ex-Rangers man Ian, who had been converted to the Wee Rovers, along with enthusiastic young grandson and Wee Rover in the making, Robbie. Here is our conversation with them below:

Q1. It’s the first game of the New Year, at home to your rivals, how are you feeling?

• Ian reiterated the fact it was a big derby game, stating that Rovers had not beaten Airdrieonians in 6 home games. He also informed us that “We have the worst home record in the league and they have the worst away record but I’m hoping for a win”.

Q2. What would you consider to be a successful season for Albion Rovers?

• “Getting a run in the cup and it is also important to stay up in this division”, said Ian. He also echoed Ronnie Boyd’s thoughts about “punching above their weight” and needing to be “realistic” for the future.

Q3. What is your favourite memory following Albion Rovers?

• “Probably beating Hamilton in the League Cup!” said Ian, which was a statement young Robbie thoroughly agreed with. Ian also mentioned that playing Celtic in the cup and seeing Cliftonhill packed to the rafters was a good memory. He is an Ex-Rangers fan however…

Q4. What’s your worst memory following the Wee Rovers?

• Ian said that there was nothing which would be considered outright ‘the worst’ but “obviously anytime losing to Airdrieonians is up there.” Ian continued, “You can never be sure with Albion, there’s a deal uncertainty on the pitch, we never seem to go on a good run”.

Q5. It is the opening day of the 2020/2021 season, it’s a scorching hot day in Coatbridge and the Caramel Wafers have been fully stocked, who are you kicking off against?

• Robbie piped up in the background with a hopeful “Airdrie!” Ian said “it would be of course great to get promotion, but we have to be realistic. I can see us kicking off in League 1” (same division).

Q6. What’s the score gonna be today?

• Robbie predicted  2-1 to Albion and Ian went with a more optimistic 3-1.

After taking our seats in the antiquated ground, with our legs crushed and the rain beginning to hammer down on the tin roof of the Cliftonhill stand, we spotted an elderly gent called Peter standing on the terrace below, who we thought would provide us with a greater insight to what it was really like to follow the Wee Rovers through thick and thin, as Ian and Robbie had only recently been charmed by the Coatbridge side. Clambering over the benches, knocking past a couple of disgruntled fans and praying we would be spared by the already fired up crowd we snuck in a quick interview with Peter, the Rovers Diehard:

Q1. What’s it like to be a lifelong Albion Rovers fan?

• “The only difference between us and teams like Man United or Chelsea is numbers” Peter went on to say they had the exact same passion and level of commitment as those clubs. “The shed behind you here is like our Kop.”

Q2. Is this the fixture you look out for at the start of the season?

• Peter said this was the one to look out for, but continued saying “We’ve not played them too often because we’ve been in different divisions for so long”. He also mentioned that crowds had fallen away since back when he was younger, “for the younger generation football is becoming more of a TV sport, you have a Scottish game in the morning, 2 Premier League games in the day, a Spanish game at night”. Clear to see that Peter felt this TV ‘overload’ affected teams like Albion Rovers and their gates.

Q3. What’s your favourite memory as Rovers fan?

• “Beating Airdrie both 8-2″ in the 1965/66 season, as well as “7-2 in 2011 have got to be the best of course”.

Q4. It is the opening day of the 2020/2021 season, it’s a scorching hot day in Coatbridge and the Caramel Wafers have been fully stocked, who are you kicking off against?

• “Just to still be going at this level really, there’s not much money in the club to be doing much more”

Q5. What’s the score going to be today?

• “I think it will be a close game with goals, I’m going a score draw

After speaking with the wrapped up Peter, we shivered our wee arses back to the cramped wooden benches to take our seats for the Monklands derby.

THE MONKLANDS DERBY

The two towns of Airdrie and Coatbridge make up the Monklands of North Lanarkshire, possibly not the most glamorous area in the world but an honest, blue collar town that we’re sure can be said to be similar for a lot of other Scottish towns we will visit on our travels – far from the poster boy like image of Edinburgh Castle or Loch Ness.

The teams of Airdrieonians and Albion Rovers have rarely met in recent times, with differing leagues being the wall coming between this clash, possibly the reason that there’s a lack of coverage on this particular rivalry. The first meeting of the new Airdrieonians and Albion Rovers in the league was in September 2011! With Airdrieonians running out 4-0 winners. Historically the better team, Airdrieonians have won more silverware, competing in 4 Scottish Cup finals and winning the famous trophy in 1924. The team from Airdrie also have a better head to head record against their rivals

Albion have had their moments in the sun however, notably beating the old Airdrieonians 8-2 in the League Cup as well as 7-2 in more recent times. Albion Rovers, sadly for them and their loyal fans have not added any major silverware to their cabinet, despite a Scottish Cup Final appearance against Killmarnock in 1920 where they were defeated 3-2.

The actual Monklands Derby match, especially in recent times always seems to be a corker, with good gates for both sides, goals galore and a must win atmosphere all in the melting pot. It’s almost as if the furnaces never burnt out in Coatbridge on Monklands derby day.

THE MATCH

We are now going to enter how the 90 minutes ended up going;

FIRST HALF

There was a small pre-match guard of honour and presentation for Rovers centre-half, Alan Reid, someone who the fans clearly appreciated given his 400 appearances for the club. As the rain continued to batter into the already soaking Cliftonhill turf, referee John McKendrick got the match underway. The game started with the words ‘GET INTAE THESE SCUM’ shouted from right behind us and we knew the crowd were proper up for it, which is always a good environment to be in – the Airdrieonians fans filled up their allocation also – so big ups to both sets of fans. More on that later. There were few chances in the early phases of the game, with both teams seemingly lagged by the rain, Albion forward Joao Victoria forced a mistake from Airdrieonians keeper Rohan Ferguson but blocked shots and poor finishing let the travelling team off the hook.

Airdrieonians started to come into things more as the first half progressed and the reward for their good play was the lively winger Jake Hastie being thumped into a puddle on the Rovers by-line. Lovely stuff.

Nobody really dominated overall in the first half, with Airdrieonians striking the bar and Albion nearly in behind on a number of occasions. Soon the rain finally began to relent and John McKendrick signalled the end of a stalemate first half, both teams went back into the dressing room with it all to play for. Mikey went to get his half time pie thinking the Tour of the Terraces curse may yet be real.

The second half set that all right.

SECOND HALF

The teams came out into a drier environment for play to resume but this did not seem to change too much as the second half began like the first, with nobody overly controlling the game. Aaron’s words were wise however “this game needs one goal and then it will all open up”. Seemingly just as the words had left the guru’s lips Alan Trouten had turned the ball home for Rovers, giving the Coatbridge faithful something to cheer for “A-R, A-R-F, A-R-F-C, OK!”, we were certainly loving it as the curse had come to a swift end. Thank you Mr Trouten. After this Albion Rovers were the team on top, seeming to smell blood, they had numerous positive moves up the park but nothing came from it.

The equaliser then came not too long after, as the Diamonds managed to go evens, as Willis Furtado was in behind the leaky Albion defence, his shot was saved but luck was on his side as the save bounced off him and hit the net. The travelling fans were going ballistic, the bounce when they scored was quite something as pyro made its debut on Tour of the Terraces. Airdrieonians built serious momentum and only 5 minutes later they saw themselves take the lead in the Monklands Derby. An un-defendable delivery saw the away side’s number 8 Dean Cairns nod one in from close range at the back post.

If you thought the bounce for the first goal was mental, this surpassed it, with numerous fans taking the field to celebrate in a huddle with the player, along with more pyro being tossed onto the Cliftonhill turf. Truly we were stunned sitting there in the Cliftonhill Main Stand, this really did have all the passion and desire of a real meaty football rivalry and we have to say we did not expect it to be quite as feisty as it was. Very enjoyable.

With around 10 minutes left to play, the Wee Rovers seemed to have run out of ideas with the Airdrieonians defence slowly falling deeper and deeper into their penalty box and shutting out whatever Albion Rovers could throw at them. Around the 90th minute Rohan Ferguson made a fingertip save onto the bar for Airdrieonians and there was a definite feeling that this game had one more twist in it. The ball came into the box from an Albion attack, the Airdrieonians defence could not clear and from the resulting stramash in the box, the ball found it’s way into the net with virtually the last kick of the game. Scott McLaughlin’s 92nd minute goal saw them wheeling off in celebration, as the Albion fans jumped all over each other on the terracing silencing their local rivals. Some ending.

And that was that.

A superb finish to the second half which saw us witness our first goals for a team we are covering. Made it well worth the 3 changeover’s on the journey out to Coatbridge as well as freezing our baws off for the 90 mins.

A-R, A-R-F, A-R-F-C, OK!

Our Tour of the Terrcaes MotM:‘Gary Fisher’ has to be selected. The captain lead by example, putting himself about, making sure his presence was felt. A very composed figure on the ball, spraying some lovely passes given the conditions and put other players around him at ease.

MIKEY’S RAMBLE

I have never been to Coatbridge before and without being harsh I wasn’t exactly springing for joy at the thought of visiting. I have to say, that throughout the trip my expectations were continually surpassed, right up until Scott McLaughlin’s equaliser I did not expect a lot of what happened during my day out there. First off I have to say that the pub we found ourselves in pre-game ‘Owens’ had a great wee atmosphere and I could have easily stayed for another pint or two if I was an Albion Rovers fan going to the match. Fair play to them for allowing Rovers colours in the bar but not Celtic, the reason for them doing this will no doubt be to stop any conflict between Celtic and Rangers fans, still though, looking around and seeing only the yellow and red of their famous Tunnocks Caramel Wafer jersey was encouraging to see.

As for the club itself, I have to say I did not really feel like there was a vibe of much really going on around them, they are very happy to consolidate their position and that’s fair I suppose when you look at the relative size of the club, the Championship must seem a million miles away. ‘The Atmosphere’ rating that I have given the club reflects this, as this rating is judged more on the atmosphere around the place, the sort of ‘feeling in the air’ if you will. However, seeing more or less a fully filled stand and away allocation is exactly what you want to see. As the game wore on I definitely felt myself getting more and more behind Albion Rovers – the desire and eventual joy was clear to see all over the home support. I really did like that.

The facilities were a tad grim in fairness, pish overflowing in one of the bogs and toilet roll rammed down the other. My halftime pie was a little bit cold which is not what you’re after on a freezing day in Coatbridge, not moaning about it though just giving my honest reflection on what it was like – it’s not like I was expecting silver spoon service of course. One quirky thing that I enjoyed was the landing inside the main stand was like a sort of coffee lounge rather than a big cold concrete space, which was nice to warm up in at half-time whilst waiting for my icicle scotch pie.

Finally, as much as we’ve already strawed them – you have got to say fair play to both sets of fans who totally outdid all I was looking for. The last thing I was expecting was pyro and a pitch invasion or fully fledged chanting, it is very true that all these guys share the same passion as any football fan.

I have to say that I will only leave Coatbridge with positive memories as I got everything and more that I came for, keep doing what you’re doing lads and I’m positive they will stay up this season, something which would I think the club should consider an achievement given the facilities as well as the resources they have in place.

Thank you for scoring for us.

AARON’S COLUMN

An excursion which reminded me of what a proper Scottish grotty town is like, with low expectations I certainly came back more surprised than I thought I would have. There wasn’t much life to Coatbridge when we first stepped into the Albion territory; in contrast to the pub we later set foot it and ultimately the Wee Rovers themselves. I won’t lie upon arrival at the ground I barely noticed the stadium, as I was ready to keep trotting past, until my sheepshagger companion pointed it out. From here I could easily tell the facilities weren’t of any great standard, just a team down the bottom doing what they can to keep afloat almost. It was £7 for me to get into the stadium, fair price, no complaints. Inside the stadium itself it was just about what I expected, small cramped stand with terracing and a bobbly turf. But next time I visit Clinftonhill remind me to bring a pillow for my arse.

Or I should just grow a set.

On the pitch under the conditions they managed to make a decent game of it and you fine well knew it was a derby. Players clattering into one another and roaring from both sets of fans, was a cracking atmosphere. You could see that Albion were a team struggling at the back, but weren’t shy of a goal either, which is evident in their previous score lines. I think in the end a draw was a fair result, however, the Diamonds may feel hard done by. Albion’s ‘Gary Fisher’ for me a real stand out on the field, stuck in about everything and very comfortable on the ball, top credit to him as that’s exactly what is needed on that occasion. Hard not to rate a player who is willing to throw himself about.

Speaking with the man at the top ‘Ronnie Boyd’, the club seems to be extremely happy with where they are at. I fully agree with what was said that the club if anything is over achieving, however, watching them they looked absolutely smitten playing in League 1. If they can manage to find some better players at the back, I can see them asserting themselves as an established League 1 side for the foreseeable future. Given the clubs previous history and current resources this may be hard to sustain. I wish Ronnie – great, down to earth gentleman – Albion and most importantly their very loyal fans the best of luck, never know might see you lot sneak into the Championship, would absolutely love it. A-R, A-R-F, A-R-F-C, OK!  Been a pleasure.

THE RATINGS

So there it is Wee Rovers fans, an overall rating of 54 might seem low at first but all things considered at the club in terms of finances, resources and where they are we thought it was fair.

There’s no reason this team can’t be a Cowdenbeath and wriggle their way into the Championship in the future and it would be great for the town of Coatbridge. From Aaron and Mikey, thanks for a cracking game that we will not forget in a hurry – you caught us pleasantly off guard.

If you live in Coatbridge and fancy snacking on a caramel wafer, watching a team with a great core of passion and embracing the glory of gritty lower leagues then Cliftonhill is the place for you.

One more time?

A-R, A-R-F, A-R-F-C OK!