The rise of Albion Rovers

Craig Telfer from @tellhimhespele looks at the rise of Albion Rovers in his latest blog for the SPFL website…

It is surely only a matter of time before Albion Rovers win the League 2 title.

Despite losing to East Fife at the weekend, the Wee Rovers hold a five-point advantage over second-place Queen’s Park – with three games remaining, they surely cannot lose.

The Spiders’ inconsistency and Arbroath’s sharp decline have played their part in Albion Rovers’ surge to the top of the table but, make no mistake, they fully merit their position at the summit.

Darren Young’s team have been steady rather than spectacular, efficient rather than electrifying, and their pragmatic approach has taken them to the cusp of their first league title since 1988/89.

The manager
Darren Young has done a fine job since replacing James Ward last June. The 36-year-old had previously played under Paul Hartley at Alloa Athletic before taking over at Cliftonhill and has brought his mentor’s style and training methods with him to Coatbridge.

Alongside his assistant Sandy Clark, Young has developed a fit, well-drilled, motivated squad of players. Young has alternated between a couple of systems this season but has utilised the trendy 4-2-3-1 formation for the majority of the campaign. It is has brought out the best of a hard-working central midfield and pace on the flanks.

Young has also fielded himself over the course of the season. He featured between July and October, providing a steady ballast in the middle of the park, before dropping out in favour of Scott Chaplain or Liam Cusack. After a four-game losing streak in February, Young restored himself to the starting XI and it coincided with five successive victories.

Young perhaps embodies the side more than anyone else – he is an unspectacular force but always seems to have a knack of being in the right place at the right time.

The players
Picking out a star performer in the Albion Rovers team would be difficult because the whole squad would merit inclusion – it is very much an “all for one, one for all” mentality at the club. Their miserly defence is perhaps their most impressive facet – the team have lost just 29 goals this season, the best record in the division.

Goalkeeper Neil Parry has done a fine job of marshalling the defence and his assurance when coming from his line has been a boon to those around him. Centre-backs Mick and Ross Dunlop are sturdy competitors and a rotating cast of full-backs have done well enough whenever called upon.

Further forward, players like Ross Davidson, Marc McKenzie and, more recently, Eddie Ferns provide the spark. Mark McGuigan has emerged as Young’s first-choice striker and the big forward plays an important role as a pivot, a target man and a poacher. It is telling that quality players like John Gemmell and Scott Chaplain (who has 10 goals this season) have found themselves out of favour lately.

The key matches
Albion Rovers’ season has been defined by their ability in the big games against Queen’s Park and Arbroath. They enjoy a flawless record over the Spiders, winning their four encounters (as well as knocking them out of the Scottish Cup in November) and all five victories have been by one-goal margins.

They were beaten narrowly by Arbroath in August but went on to win the next two encounters, with Ally Love and Gary Fisher scoring the goals in March’s vital match. That game put the Rovers into what looks like an unassailable lead while effectively ending the Lichties’ title charge.

When the curtain finally does come down on the season, it will surely be venerated for some time to come by everyone connected with the club.