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Daily Record
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Stirling boss hails dominant opening day display as Binos pass Edinburgh test
The Binos could have racked up more goals at Meadowbank - before a late spot kick award made things nervous in the closing moments. It was the ideal start to league business for Stirling Albion — and the Binos boss believes his side could have racked up the goals in a dominant opening day showing in the capital. Russell McLean's early double had the visitors on easy street inside 20 minutes against Edinburgh City and they could have added to that margin considerably with a number of chances throughout a classy opening 45 at Meadowbank. An improvement from the Citizens in the second half following a half-time roasting from boss Michael McIndoe prompted a slight improvement – and a last-gasp Robbie Mahon strike prompted some nervous scenes in the closing moments for the Stirling faithful. But, in the end, it was a thoroughly deserved three points to assauge any concerns from a lacklustre League Cup section and build some optimism ahead of the home league opener against Annan Athletic this weekend. Stirling boss Alan Maybury told the Observer: 'We should have won the game 5-0 or 6-0, I think. We scored two in the first half, one disallowed, hit the post and two one-on-ones we should've done better with. 'Even in the second half, the keeper has made a few good saves but for whatever reason, they've ended the game quite young and it gave them some energy but we were comfortable defending our box and they didn't really open us up. 'Out of nowhere, the referee saw something at a corner which I'm not sure anyone else did and it made things a little nervy at the end. 'But for the most part, we knew how we could hurt them and I think we did well in those areas.' The headlines for the Binos post-match focused on two forwards, past and present for the Binos – with the news of fan favourite Dale Carrick's departure for League One Stenhousemuir calmed slightly by the impressive showing from new man McLean. Carrick moved on to the Binos' Forth Valley neighbours late last week after four years with the club, where he scored 54 times in 159 appearances – including taking the crown as the League Two Player of the Year in 2023 after helping Albion to promotion. 'Russell has been really good since he's come in and I obviously had him here [Edinburgh] as well', Maybury continued. 'He's a handful and was difficult to play against last year and so it proved today for their defence – he was probably unfortunate not to get a hat-trick. 'We've had to let a few go this week in order to get a better balance to the squad. 'With Dale, he got an opportunity to move back to League One; he's been a brilliant servant to this club, he scored so many goals and has been really good in the year or so I've been here. 'He's a good guy who trains well and always works hard, there's never any trouble and that's what I said when I spoke to him, I wished him well for the future and that he deserved to take the chance to move back up a level.'
Daily Record
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
East Fife star Alan Trouten confident he will still be banging the goals in next season at 40
The League Two Player of the Year, from Cambuslang, has enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career in 2024/25 Alan Trouten says a career-best goals total as East Fife sealed promotion to League One proves he can still bang them in next season. Trouten, 39, scored 28 goals in total in 43 games, 22 in League Two, four in the League Cup group stages, and a further two in the play-offs, in wins over Edinburgh City and Annan Athletic. That netted Trouten League Two Player of the Year and Top Goal-scorer as Dick Campbell's side made the step up to the third tier. Trouten, from Cambuslang, said: 'It has been a great season. The big and only probably disappointment was not winning the league, we set out to win it at the start of the season. 'Fair play to Peterhead, I don't think the league table lies, and the best team won it in the end, but I thought it was massive for us to then win the play-offs. 'Usually when somebody does run the eventual league winners so close, they have that dip and they can't get themselves going for the play-offs. 'So I thought to then show that mentality and attitude to win the play-offs, I was extremely proud of myself and the boys to clinch it and win promotion. 'We wanted to win the league, we fell short, but the biggest thing was to get promoted, and we did that in the end. 'When you see the teams in it, I would imagine East Fife will be favourites for relegation – but we saw what Stenhousemuir did last season, they went up and made the play-offs. 'You don't want to put that pressure on you, but it can be done, and you need to set your targets high.' On his incredible goals tally, Trouten said: 'My best ever was when I was at Albion Rovers when I got 28, with 20 being in the league, so I managed to beat my best-ever league total and equalled my overall total. 'I was hoping, as it was getting closer in the last couple of matches, to beat it – and I had a half-decent chance in the Annan game which is still haunting me. 'I thought I should have scored and that would have beat it, and sealed the game, but the main thing was to get the club back to League One. 'It's a good place to be. The club had been relegated the year before I went. In my first season we got to the play-offs but fell short, I don't think we were ready, and last season was a bit up and down with the managerial changes, but we had stability when the gaffer and his coaching staff came in. 'In the first full season under them, we were able to do it.' Trouten turns 40 in November, but has absolutely no doubt that he can still do a job for the Fifers. He said: 'If I didn't have the hunger or desire, or my body was telling me something different... I think I missed one game through injury and that's one of the biggest things that I'm proud of, that what I do away from the pitch allows me to play so many games. 'I imagine I would have been in the top three for minutes at the club, so to do that at my age I think that shows that I'm fit and able to do that again next season. 'I never set myself personal targets. It's not in my make-up, I just want to do as well as I can, and I feel I'm able to do that if my body holds up, and I've been proved correct this season. 'So hopefully it's another successful season for myself and the team.'
Scottish Sun
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
SPFA Player of the Year awards winners announced as Celtic stars go head-to-head for main prize
The winners are already rolling in as we wait to see who will scoop the big one BEST OF THE BEST BEST OF THE BEST SPFA Player of the Year awards winners announced as Celtic stars go head-to-head for main prize Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IT'S the football awards season and tonight the prizes will be handed out at the SPFA Player of the Year awards. And the first winners of the evening are already being announced. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 4 The successor to Lawrence Shankland as SPFA Player of the Year will be announced tonight Credit: Kenny Ramsay 4 Celtic pair Nicolas Kuhn and Daizen Maeda, the big favourite, are both nominated Credit: Kenny Ramsay 4 Celts skipper Callum McGregor is the third Parkhead hero up for it Credit: Kenny Ramsay 4 Dundee striker Simon Murray rounds off the nominees list Credit: Alamy Three Celtic players are nominated for the main award of Premiership Player of the Year. Daizen Maeda is the hot favourite to scoop the prize, as he leads the assisting charts with 10 and is the joint top scorer with 16 goals. Maeda's Hoops teammate Nicolas Kuhn is also nominated, having been an early favourite to win for his form earlier in the season, before tailing off in 2025. And Callum McGregor completes the hat-trick of Celts nominees, looking to be named Player of the Year for the second time after his win in 2021/22. The fourth and final man up for the award is Dundee hitman Simon Murray, who is level with Maeda for goals and is the main factor keeping the Dens Park side out of the relegation zone. A whole host of prizes are also being dished out, with the first gong of the night going to the League Two Player of the Year. The winner was East Fife's Alan Trouten, the division's top scorer with 23 goals, despite Dick Campbell's side falling into the promotion playoffs and being beaten to the title by Peterhead. The League One Player of the Year did come from that division's champions though. Arbroath coasted to the title ahead of Cove Rangers, and midfielder Fraser Taylor, who led the assist count with 12, was given the nod. The second tier was wrapped up in dramatic fashion on Friday night, and the Championship Player of the Year again went to a man from the newly-crowned champions. Sickening moment Celtic fan mocks Ibrox disaster during Hoops' Old Firm clash against Rangers Brad Spencer got the honour for his work in the Falkirk engine room as they sealed back-to-back promotions and a return to the top flight after 15 years away. Another big prize to be handed out is the SPFA Young Player of the Year award, where Celtic and Rangers have one nominee apiece. Arne Engels was Celts' record signing in the summer and the 21-year-old was put on the shortlist, as was a new arrival for Gers, 22-year-old Hamza Igamane. The other young guns in contention are Motherwell star Lennon Miller, 18, and Hearts' own 18-year-old ace James Wilson. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
