TWEEDMOUTH RANGERS Berwick Rangers Supporters Trust? Adult Details
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BERWICK RANGERSISSUE 29 FEBRUARY 2017 £2 FREE FOR MEMBERS SUPPORTERS TRUST LEWIS SWANEY FLIES AS TABLE TOPPING UNDER 20s WIN AT ALLOA PEAINSIDE: OLIVER CALLS IT A DAY BERWICK RANGERS TRUST MAGAZINE 02/17 BERWICK RANGERS TRUST MAGAZINE 02/17 for Trust funds. Exactly three months later, the stadium. This was in line with our policy we held our Annual General Meeting also in of donating money for specific purposes. Berwick Rangers ‘The Black and Gold’ at Shielfield. Rangers Consistent with this was an earlier cheque manager John Coughlin came along to give to cover the season’s laundry and minibus Supporters Trust a brief talk and take a few questions about petrol costs for the Development League the team and its performances but our main team calculated to be £600. There was a Magazine No. 29 speaker was ‘Pea’ Oliver whom you can read further outgoing of £300 to JH Greenwood. more about inside. Legally, we are obliged to have our annual February 2017 accounts ‘inspected’ by competent, qualified Berwick Rangers chairman Len Eyre auditors with no direct connection to the was also invited but declined because of Trust and we switched to this firm purely on Address: Chairman: Committee Members: a clash with another the grounds of reduced c/o 10 Golden Square Michael Smyth Ronald Kirk engagement. This was cost. David Spence Berwick-upon-Tweed Vice-Chairman: a little disappointing as Stuart Lee Northumberland Gordon Dickson when he took over from The next important TD15 1BG Brendan Thorburn Secretary: Brian Porteous, he said meeting will be the Telephone: 01890 860329 Isla Barber Designed & he was keen to meet with football club’s AGM Published by: supporters. This would on Monday, February Fax: 01289 306980 Treasurer: InHouse Design Ian Beresford have been a chance to do 13th. With the situation E-Mail: so. It was not an election on the playing field, [email protected] Membership Secretary: Editor: Michael Smyth year for membership of the resignation of Bill Purvis fb.com/berwickrangerstrust the Trust Board but one finance officer Lyndsay FC Board Representative: change was announced, Flannigan and questions twitter.com/berwickrst John Bell Gary Smith stepping about the financial down because of other impact of last summer’s commitments. ‘Shielfield Rocks’, it could be a lively one. A couple of days before FROM THE CHAIRMAN... the AGM, Len Eyre did We can only hope that chair a tri-party meeting by the time of our next Welcome to our latest Winter edition Another feature is entitled ‘A Match to at Shielfield involving issue, we have secured dated February, 2017. From comments Remember’ and no, it is not about the representatives of the club board, the our SPFL status and without the necessity received, our new look magazine, piloted one on January 28th, 1967 though David Supporters Club and the Trust. Various of a play off. It would be a cruel twist if, fifty in our previous issue, went down well. Spence covers the celebrations marking matters were discussed and though there years on from the most famous moment in “A good read,” was the opinion of one that one. The Berwick Advertiser gave was little in the way of definite outcomes, the club’s history, Berwick Rangers were to non Trust member who was given a copy extensive coverage relating to the famous it was felt to be a useful first step towards be out of the league. along with some club merchandise he win over Glasgow Rangers but inexplicably better co-ordination and co-operation with purchased. included a photograph purporting to show agreement in principle that another meeting Michael Jock Wallace’s giant killers in the changing should be held in the forthcoming months. Unfortunately, this has been another room prior to the match which on inspection, season of struggle. Knocked out of two cup featured a different combination of players Len opened the tri-party meeting by thanking competitions by Lowland League opposition, wearing different style shirts and different both supporters’ organisations for their FOOT NOTE: For queries or the big fear is that we will be meeting them socks from those worn on the day! financial donations to the football club with again for league points next season if comments about this magazine or to the hope that they will continue. In fact, offer contributions for future editions, matters do not improve. In his article,’Days Since our last publication, we have held two immediately after our AGM, we handed of Despair’, Ron Kirk details what has gone successful events. The Sleeze Sisters proved please e-mail trust@berwickrangers. over a cheque for nearly £2,700 for the new org wrong and what little has gone right. popular visitors to the town on September gates installed near the main turnstiles of 17th. On the night, we raised almost £300 Front cover photo by David Glencross 2 3 BERWICK RANGERS TRUST MAGAZINE 02/17 BERWICK RANGERS TRUST MAGAZINE 02/17 the recent 3-2 win over Stirling Albion. At Lowland League Spartans, boasting several the other end, despite a promising start ex ‘Gers amongst their ranks, visited Shielfield DAYS OF DESPAIR defensively when they had the best defence in the revamped Challenge Cup or Irn Bru Cup with RON KIRK in the division, Rangers are now beginning as it is now, on a damp and miserable Tuesday to leak goals at an alarming rate. In the 5 evening at the beginning of August. Spartans games played in December, a total of 16 coasted to a 3-0 win with allowances being Saturday 22 October 2016. Scottish Cup half way point of the season. There are still were conceded. given for the lacklustre performance due to it Round Two, Berwick Rangers 2 Hawick 18 league games to play and Rangers are being Rangers’ fifth competitive game within Royal Albert 3. Some have described this far from detached at the bottom. Indeed they Looking back, the competitive season started the space of 14 days. In hindsight, all the result as the worst in the history of Berwick are only bottom by one goal with Stirling in July with Berwick up against Kilmarnock, same, I think that some of the cracks we have Rangers Football Club. Saturday 20 May Albion having accumulated the same number Morton, Albion Rovers and Clyde in the seen since were evident that night. 2017 is of course yet to come round but it of points. If you are a glass half full type of new League Cup group format. Although may turn out to be a day which has far more person rather than half empty, you will point Rangers battled manfully in all four games, Rangers started the league campaign serious consequences for Berwick Rangers. out that Rangers are only seven points adrift they ultimately reasonably well The League Two season is scheduled to end of the promotion play off places. On current lost narrowly to with 3 wins in on Saturday 6 May 2017, but as I write this form it seems unfathomable to think that they both Kilmarnock the opening 6 article, Rangers have just lost to Edinburgh can improve significantly to climb the league and Morton and games and a City on New Year’s Eve and have dropped and challenge for a promotion play off place despite holding total of 10 points to the bottom of the league and into the but they were in a similar position a year ago both Rovers and accumulated relegation play off slot. Should Rangers fail to and we all know the run they then went on, Clyde to draws seeing them climb off bottom spot and then lose the two they lost out in sit in 4th place legged relegation play off, then Saturday 20 penalty shoot in the table. May 2017 will surely become the worst day in outs in both That said, the club’s history. thereby missing they weren’t out on the bonus particularly Relegation to the Lowland League may be the points available. convincing in beginning of the end for the club. Despite a Without question those opening parachute payment which I believe to be in however, 6 matches the region of £40,000, how many of us really Rangers which included believe that Rangers could bounce straight produced a fortuitous 2-1 back up to League Two? The club have their best win against struggled in recent years to sign players of performance Edinburgh City the calibre of Gareth Hutchison, Gary Wood, of the season at Meadowbank Grant McNichol and Robbie Horn and the thus far by a and a 4-2 defeat prospect of Lowland League football will Spartans celebrate an Irn Bru Cup goal (Photo by Ian Runciman) considerable at home to not enhance its prospects of recruiting the distance in the Elgin which, in Berwick about to score in August’s 2-0 win over Annan (Photo by Alan Bell) standard of player required to ensure a speedy especially at Shielfield. It is difficult to see how game against truth, could and return to League Two. And, remember, apart that can be repeated unless there is a major Kilmarnock. They were 2-0 up after an hour probably should have been 8 or 9-2 had the from winning the Lowland League, Rangers infusion of new blood and confidence into the and playing some really good stuff before away side capitalised on the number of times would then have to win a two legged play off playing squad. being undone by two stunning strikes from they shredded open the home defence.