Latest news with #Maybury
Daily Record
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Stirling boss finds the positives for group stage finale after Hearts rout
The final game of the group stage in the Premier Sports Cup awaits against Dunfermline Athletic - as the Binos look for some momentum ahead of the League Two curtain-raiser. Stirling Albion boss Alan Maybury admits his side were on the end of a harsh lesson as Hearts swept to victory in front of the TV cameras, but he believes lessons can be taken as the league kick-off looms. The Binos were never in the game against Derek McInnes's slick Jambos, with three first-half goals putting an end to the contest before a second of the game for Craig Halkett sealed a comfortable 4-0 winning margin for Hearts. It leaves Stirling pointless after their opening trio of games in Premier Sports Cup Group E ahead of Saturday's trip to Dunfermline Athletic to round out their group campaign. Dubliner Maybury - who turned out 112 times for the Gorgie club in his playing career - bemoaned his side's lack of positivity in a first half display where they barely moved up the pitch. But he said their second-half improvement gives some hopeful points for the weeks and months ahead. Maybury said: 'You're fearing the worst in the first half when they were playing really well; it was another change in shape which maybe didn't help and opened up some gaps but we quickly went back to what we normally do. 'They got their tails up and you're hoping to catch them on a bad day, but they've got the new manager to impress and we felt their pressure in the first half. 'We tried to be positive in the second half and where we were a little cautious in the first half, we managed to get our shape a little better and frustrate things. 'We're in a game we're not going to win by that stage, but we'll learn more from that second half than we will most games in the season. 'Hearts hemmed us in, but we gave away three goals from set pieces today which are preventable, giving the ball away in the middle of the pitch and that is punished as well so those are things we need to be better at. 'They can say they took the foot off the gas off the second half - and I'd probably agree - but I'm more concerned with my own team having a better mentality and trying to be positive.' Albion once again rotated their side for the contest as the search for valuable minutes in the legs ahead of the season opener at Edinburgh City on August 2 appears on the horizon. The Stirling gaffer hopes playing against a top side which includes several Scotland internationals will offer key points to learn from for some of the Binos' young talents - including midfielder Cooper Knox, who started the match. Maybury added: 'It will be a valuable lesson for the young boys in particular; a top team who don't take too many touches, move it quick and physically stronger, there are so many things to be learned and it's nothing complicated, doing the simple things well every time. 'I recognise my goalkeeper played well and they could have scored more goals, but we let in preventable goals and that's what we want to take out of these games if we're not winning them, playing in the manner we want to and you could see that in the second half.'
Daily Record
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Stirling boss has sunny outlook despite sweltering Hamilton opening defeat
The Binos were edged out by League One Accies in their Premier Sports Cup opener on Saturday - as all eyes turn to their Dumbarton clash. Forthbank was bathed in the summer sunshine for Stirling Albion's competitive opener on Saturday... and boss Alan Maybury insists the outlook for his side is still bright despite defeat. The Binos fell to a 2-0 loss against Hamilton Accies in a tight Premier Sports Cup Group E contest, with Hamilton pulling away in the second half due to an excellent Connor Smith strike followed up by a Russell McLean own goal. Despite the expectations before kick-off - with Hamilton expected to be among the favourites to bounce straight back up to the Championship - Stirling were very much in the game until and even beyond Smith's opener. Maybury bemoaned some key opportunities that went begging for his side in potentially securing a result, but praised his players' commitment in blazing hot conditions. The Irishman said: 'I think there was nothing in the game, to be honest. 'It's really hard against a full-time team, with the sticky pitch and the weather, but we did a lot of good things that we've been working on. 'We had the best chance of the first half with Ross Cunningham and it's a different game if that's goes in and I felt they got their goal out of nothing. 'We had a great chance with [Dale] Carrick as well with the diving header so going forward we created enough in the game, it's just tainted a little for me because I think the goals are preventable on our side. 'If we want to be better than last year, then they are the sort of areas we have to improve on.' The group stage action continued last night, with Stirling making a visit to familiar foes in Dumbarton for a contest that could act as an early litmus test for their ambitions in League Two. The Stirling squad was still stretched slightly for the Hamilton match, with striker Ryan Shanley serving a suspension for a sending-off in the competition for Falkirk last season, while Dale Hilson picked up a knock in a training match. But Maybury admits his squad looks much healthier at this stage than it did 12 months ago - and they will be gunning for full points at the Rock. 'We're setting up to try and win every game in this section; it's really difficult because we're the fifth seed in this group with Dunfermline and Hearts as well as Hamilton who have just come down from the Championship so it's a tough section', the Stirling boss added. 'The plan is for us to give a good account of ourselves, for us to do what we want to do, that was the messaging before today, making sure we use the ball under pressure well, to have the structure we've worked on both with and without the ball. 'We want to go there and win the game. 'We played them in the Stirlingshire Cup, albeit with reduced time, and did well there but they have strengthened and are further along with their pre-season - as are we. 'It will be a good test to see where we're at, working on those structures and organisations which were good today and where I'm hoping for another improvement on Tuesday.'
Daily Record
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Six-goal Stirling run riot in warm-up test as boss prepares for punishing season
The new-look Binos produced a slick second-half display as they ran in six goals against Bo'ness United - with some of the fresh faces getting on the scoresheet. There was fun in the Bo'ness sun for the Stirling Albion fans as they watched their side romp to an easy win in their latest pre-season test. But boss Alan Maybury says it's all hard work for his players ahead of a season which could bring an extra punishing workload. The Binos headed to Newtown Park to take on Bo'ness United from the Lowland League and after a sticky start where both sides traded goals inside the opening 11 minutes, Albion streaked away to a comfortable 6-1 win. The weekend fixture was part of a pre-season schedule which will continue with matches against Glenrothes and Broxburn in the next week, all as part of plans to be firing for the League Cup group phase and the start of the League Two season on August 2. Maybury told the club's YouTube channel: 'It was a worthwhile exercise. We probably found it a little difficult early on, they pressed high and we had to find a solution in terms of getting out, but it was important that we went through that and found some solutions. 'We played some better football as the first half went on and scored a couple of good goals; the second half the wind really helped us and the plan was always to go 60/30 with the team. 'It's all building in for the season and we have a couple of friendlies before the League Cup, then four matches there and it's still another week after that so it's a long build up to the league. 'With the new SPFL Trust groups as well, if you get through the first phase, you're talking close to 50 games in a season which is a big ask for part-time players so we're just trying to get everyone in the squad up to speed.' An extensive summer revamp at Forthbank has led to excitement in the Binos support about possibly success in the season ahead, with a potent-looking forward line among the areas offering real hope. New arrivals Russell McLean and Ross Cunningham were among those on the scoresheet on Saturday - the latter with a stunning long-range free kick - and Dale Carrick also continued his strong early form with a goal. Maybury admits the strength in depth in the forward areas could present a headache, but admits he doesn't mind the sleepless nights. 'There is a good competition for places in those forward positions and most of them getting on the scoresheet is a really pleasing thing', the Irishman added. 'The summer so far has been good, I think this time last year we had eight players signed, so first thing we wanted to keep the majority of our squad and then we've gone out to recruit a certain type of player which I think we've managed well. '[Kyle] Banner has now come in and played today, there are still one or two coming back from injury and we have [Ross] Cunningham and Russell [McLean] up there who will make a difference. 'Goalscoring wasn't our problem last year but we did lose some goals out the door, so those players will help with that.'
Daily Record
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Experience order of the summer for Stirling boss - but skipper's future unsure
It's been just over a year since Albion boss Alan Maybury took the Forthbank hot seat - with some key names already in the door in a more settled summer. Twelve months is proving a long time in football as Stirling Albion boss Alan Maybury insists continuity is key to improve their fortunes in League Two. Almost a year to the day after the Irishman walked into the chaos of the Binos hotseat after relegation, the dismissal of Darren Young and a much-criticised recruitment process, things are calmer in 2025 as he builds up his squad for the 2025/26 season. Maybury has already managed to secure three much-praised signatures in League One's joint top goal-scorer in Ross Cunningham from Kelty Hearts, one of the Binos' bete noires in Forfar forward Russell McLean and most recently, promoted skipper Stewart Murdoch from East Fife. Speaking to the Observer this week, he reflected on the changes made over the past year or so - and his determination to get things right from the off with a more controlled squad build this time around. Maybury said: 'I was very keen on keeping as many boys as we could rather than having a big rebuild like there was last season. 'It was a big job to get things going last season, so I was conscious not to have that - the loan boys have moved on and there have been one or two more who have moved on for various reasons but it has been pretty limited. 'Looking at the squad we had last year, as much I don't really look at age in picking a team, we maybe had too many young players at times and lacked that bit of know-how to get where we want to go. 'I've been making the effort to recruit leaders and guys who have been through it at the top end of things and we're still busy in trying to add one or two more to the mix.' The new arrivals have added early enthusiasm to the Binos faithful after an up-and-down season last time around which flirted with a possible late play-off run, before ultimately petering out to a sixth place finish. But the Albion boss expressed satisfaction in his early work - and said the new arrivals were big targets identified early in the process. 'Ross was top scorer in League One and in the Team of the Year; I've actually been chasing him for over a year and it's been a bit of a long pursuit which has worked out. 'I worked with Russell [McLean] for a short period at Edinburgh and he gives us a physical option that maybe we lacked at points which can allow us to play differently at points. 'I felt when I came in last year that Stirling didn't score enough goals, we brought in Ally [Roy] which didn't quite work out, so McLean has scored a lot of goals against us, we like what he can bring and know him well. 'Stewart was the captain at East Fife and after speaking to him, he is the ultimate professional and has that leadership streak to make sure things are done right.' However, despite those new arrivals, there is still uncertainty over the future of long-time Stirling skipper Ross McGeachie. The popular defender - who has been with the Binos since the age of 13 and had his testimonial match back in 2023 - is one of the names still negotiating a new deal with Stirling as the new arrivals begin to come in through the door at Forthbank. The 31-year-old played 39 times across all competitions last season, eventually holding on a role on the right side of a callow back three as the Binos produced a late season run to the line - including helping to guide impressive loanees Leyton Grant and Scott Constable. But the Albion stalwart is still mulling over a contract offer from Stirling, with boss Alan Maybury also confirming that young defender Sam Denham is set to sign a deal to stay with the club after an injury-hit season. Elsewhere, there is also interest in bringing back Grant and full-back Jack Harkness - who both impressed on loan from Rangers last season - after their release was confirmed by the Ibrox club. Maybury said: 'There is an offer on the table for Ross, there are a couple of issues we're trying to sort out with him to get that deal over the line. 'Sam is staying on with us and will be continuing to recover from his injury - the timetable will hopefully be the start of the season for him. 'We're keeping an eye on those guys' situations after they left Rangers but ideally, I wouldn't want quite as many loan players as last year, you always prefer your own players. 'We've also got some good young ones like MacKenzie Carse, Aaron Weir, Harry Wright and Cooper Knox in the club already - we're expecting a lot from these guys. 'If someone becomes available who we think can improve things then we'll look at it, but we feel the core of what we want is in the building.'
