The Scottish Football League would like to thank Des McKeown for taking time out of his festive holiday to once more provide his insight on a club by club basis on how the 2011/12 season has gone so far.
Des, who played at Airdrieonians, Queen of the South, Partick Thistle, Albion Rovers and Stenhousemuir, also had a spell as a Manager at the Warriors before turning his attention to a career in the media. He is a well known face and voice on BBC Scotland as well as penning a column in the Scottish edition of The Sun newspaper.
Des also heads up Professional Office Supplies Limited, a stationery company that is based in Motherwell and in his spare time(!), he is a judge in the monthly SFL Goal of the Month competition as well as providing his views on the monthly selection of the IRN-BRU SFL Awards across the three divisions.
McKeown trains for and runs in marathons, where he has raised a six figure sum for MacMillan Cancer Support and has been known to help out National Team Manager Craig Levein in assessing forthcoming opponents.
Read on to find out which clubs the 41-year-old believes need to improve on their travels, which sides need to score more goals to improve their results and who needs to tighten up at the back..........
|
ROSS COUNTY |
Position
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GD
|
Points
|
|
1
|
10
|
6
|
1
|
15
|
36
|
|
|
Derek Adams' side started the season slowly and, when they clicked into gear, they really clicked into gear - after drawing four League games out of their first six - they then won ten on the bounce.
That’s the form of champions and if The Staggies can continue with that kind of consistency, they will be hard to catch.
Their squad is jam packed with guys who have been over the course before and that experience and resilience – as shown on Boxing Day - will be invaluable in the title run-in.
|
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|
FALKIRK
|
Position
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GD
|
Points
|
|
2
|
8
|
6
|
4
|
6
|
30
|
|
|
The Bairns are little more than that, yet they have shown tremendous maturity to fight their way into the title shake up and have gone from strength to strength as the season has developed.
After a slow start – six points from the first 15 available – they kicked on after beating Rangers in The Scottish Communities League Cup.
Steven Pressley’s young side is bolstered with older lads like Darren Dods, Farid El Alagui and Michael McGovern and their experience will be needed to help the younger lads like Craig Sibbald, Keiran Duffy and Stewart Murdoch adapt to the pressure of being championship contenders.
|
||||||
|
DUNDEE
|
Position
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GD
|
Points
|
|
3
|
8
|
3
|
7
|
6
|
27
|
|
|
The heavily fancied pre-season favourites again took a bit of time to get going and relied on their performances on the road to get their season moving – they took one point from the first 15 at Dens.
They were unbeaten in seven games prior to their Boxing Day defeat and Barry Smith will need more of that kind of consistency to really force his side into the race to the SPL.
The good news is that they showed last season that they are capable of putting a sustained run of results together and that’s something they will need to do again if they are going to come out on top.
|
||||||
|
PARTICK THISTLE
|
Position
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GD
|
Points
|
|
4
|
7
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
26
|
|
|
Jackie McNamara’s young side have recovered from a poor start to sit in a position that they would be delighted with come the end of the season.
If the Jags can find the net more regularly on their travels – they average less than one per game – they would pick up even more points and be a force to be reckoned with.
The signing of Craig Dargo will add some much needed experience.
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|
LIVINGSTON
|
Position
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GD
|
Points
|
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
4
|
2
|
25
|
|
|
Last season’s Second Division Champions have adapted well to life in the higher division and Gary Bollan will be happy with their season to date.
With only four defeats in 17 games, they have proved that they can compete at this level. If there was one criticism, it would be that they have had too many draws – seven so far.
They have just won back to back League games for the first time this season and, if they can build on that, they will have consolidated their First Division place comfortably.
|
||||||
|
MORTON
|
Position
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GD
|
Points
|
|
6
|
6
|
4
|
7
|
-7
|
22
|
|
|
Morton started the season like a train in the early League and Cup games but were derailed in September with heavy defeats at Palmerston and Firhill.
They have struggled to recover and have picked up only eight points from a possible 27 since then.
Allan Moore will expect much better from his talented and experienced squad and they need to get back on the straight and narrow quickly or they will be fighting relegation - their Boxing Day victory at Dens Park is a good starting point in climbing the table.
|
||||||
|
HAMILTON ACADEMICAL |
Position
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GD
|
Points
|
|
7
|
5
|
4
|
8
|
-2
|
19
|
|
|
Once again, Hamilton have stuck to their philosophy of playing youngsters along with a handful of experienced guys and that has shown in some of the performances and results.
Consistency has been a problem for the Accies and they too need to string a run of wins together.
But, Billy Reid has been over the course before and he will know what you get with younger players better than anyone else. He’s succeeded before and will, no doubt, do it again once his kids have gained more exposure to this level of football.
|
||||||
|
RAITH ROVERS
|
Position
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GD
|
Points
|
|
8
|
5
|
4
|
9
|
-5
|
19
|
|
|
John McGlynn’s side have struggled this season after the highs of the last two years.
Finding the net seems to be their biggest problem and they have drawn a blank in seven of their League matches so far – five at Stark's Park.
John Baird is the top scorer at the club with only six – more players need to chip in with some goals if Raith are to steer themselves clear of the bottom end of the table.
|
||||||
|
AYR UNITED
|
Position
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GD
|
Points
|
|
9
|
4
|
5
|
7
|
-14
|
17
|
|
|
The Honest Men have been exactly that – competing to the best of their ability in every game.
As the only part-time team in the division, many thought they would be detached at the bottom of the table but they are very much in touch with the rest of the division and Brian Reid will hope they can stay up with a positive second half to the season.
With less than one goal on average per game, they will need to increase that statistic to survive.
|
||||||
|
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH
|
Position
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GD
|
Points
|
|
10
|
4
|
4
|
10
|
-8
|
16
|
|
|
Gus MacPherson’s side seem to take one step forward followed by two back the way all too often.
Queens are another club that need some consistency to their play and to go on a run of positive results to climb the table. They could start with working on their form on the road after just one win in nine attempts away from Palmerston.
|
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