Robin Bairner Column – Part 8

It was like seeing the four horsemen of the apocalypse and then having to wait patiently until the world ended in a whimper four months later, knowing that the day would come but hoping with all your heart that it would somehow stay away…this was the day that every Albion fan had been dreading for weeks and months beforehand. Relegation to the 3^rd Division was now not just a fear but a stark reality and one to which the club was not accustomed after a decade of (mostly) brilliant football under Brogan and Drinkell.

The process of relegation had been long and drawn out to this stage; virtually the whole season had been horrific. Only 2 wins were recorder in the first 9 games, although the Bios were only beaten themselves twice, not really pointing the way to the collapse that would follow. Between the time Albion beat Stranraer in September until the time they won in Stranraer in late March not a single win was recorded in 17 games worth of football league. The fans were anticipating the team to start playing with the undoubted potential that was there, however a couple of scrappy wins later had given the fans a slaver of hope.

In Greenock the previous week, the battle had been drawn out further after a late Alex Williams goal had equalised Alex Burke’s earlier effort for a now renamed Clydebank side. But all this would prove ultimately to no avail. The prolific Peter Weatherston had Queens ahead just before the break. The Doonhamers had dominated proceedings for the most part in the first half and it came as no surprise when the Geordie’s volley bulleted past Chris Reid. Stirling’s afternoon was a microcosm of their season as they struggled to get anything going, were second to every ball and lacked the fight and confidence to gain a proper footing in the game.

Some hope was restored when Craig Feroz forced an equaliser just after half time and the fans were back to thinking “maybe…just maybe” again. This week it was not to be though. Despite expectations from the fans Stirling never laid siege, or even attacked the Queen’s goal menacingly in the last half hour so by the time the final whistle was blown by John Rowbotham it almost seemed like a vet pulling an old dog down.

Many fans thought that day we had hit rock bottom but it was not to be. The following season was to be one of the worst in the history of Stirling Albion F.C. However, my columns have all been full of doom and gloom; hopefully things on the park have lifted your spirits somewhat! Hopefully the team can pick up today after a couple of disappointing results in the last couple of weeks, they’ll have to as next times article doesn’t get any cheerier(have no fear, they begin to pick up after it).