Latest news with #StirlingshireCup
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.'
Scottish Sun
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Ex-Celtic ace Scott Bain endures nightmare for Falkirk as he ships THREE goals in first half against lower league side
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HE left Celtic so he could give his son and wife-to-be the chance to watch him play regular first team football. But Scott Bain's family were hopefully absent from this afternoon's friendly between Falkirk and Edinburgh City as he endured a nightmare between the sticks. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Scott Bain is aiming to be Falkirk's No1 this season Credit: Kenny Ramsay Former Celtic goalkeeper Bain, 33, made his Falkirk debut in the Stirlingshire Cup last weekend and kept a clean sheet as the Bairns beat East Stirlingshire 2-0. That was his first outing in over a year after failing to make a single appearance in Brendan Rodgers' team last season. He did feature in pre-season against Queen's Park but his last competitive game for the Hoops came in the final game of the 2023/24 season against St Mirren - replacing Joe Hart in the dying moments of the contest. Bain has made it clear he hopes to change that this year in the Premiership with his new team and manager John McGlynn. But he didn't pain himself in the best light in latest appearance for the Bairns as he shipped THREE goals in one half against a Scottish League Two outfit. Falkirk hosted Edinburgh City and it finished 3-2 after a pretty end-to-end showdown, with the League Two side coming out on top - both in the first half and at full-time. The Bairns found themselves 3-0 down at the interval following an electric start from City. Tiwi Daramola netted a brace with James Stokes scoring as well to take a commanding lead at the break. It was a shock first half showing from the newly-promoted Premiership side after McGlynn named a very strong starting XI. Former Rangers star Scott Arfield started the game and pulled one back following the restart, with Sean Mackie the other goal-scorer for the hosts. Falkirk boss John McGlynn on his one remaining management dream and how his PLUMBING skills were put to use Speaking after sealing his move to Falkirk, Bain outlined his reasons for leaving his Celtic. He said: 'I think I was getting to the age now, where if I stayed on at Celtic for another year, as much as I loved being there and loved the club, I would have been another year older and it would have been harder to get back to playing regular football. 'A big thing for me was for my fiancé and little boy potentially getting the chance to come and watch me play, which will be a different experience for them than it's been for the last couple of years. 'So that was a big factor, as was getting the chance to come to Falkirk and work under the manager and the staff here. 'Seeing how well the club is run, was another big factor in me coming here.' Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Daily Record
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Stirling new boy keen to make impression on boss second time around
Russell McLean made his Albion debut in the Stirlingshire Cup win over Dumbarton last weekend - and hopes to make an impression on boss Alan Maybury after a difficult time together in the capital. New Stirling Albion forward Russell McLean is on a mission of redemption with boss Alan Maybury as he aims to make his mark in a potent Binos strike force. The towering forward impressed at Forfar last season - including five goals in matches against Stirling - and has been captured to offer a physical dimension to a front line already boasting quality in Dale Carrick, Ryan Shanley, Dale Hilson and fellow arrival Ross Cunningham. The 27-year-old netted seven times for the Loons in the last campaign and has also had stints at Peterhead and Montrose. But his brief time at Edinburgh City - which was marked by a financial collapse at the club - under the now Stirling boss has left a bitter taste in his mouth and a keenness to prove himself this time around. Speaking after making his Binos debut in the 2-0 pre-season win over Dumbarton, McLean said: 'The gaffer signed me at Edinburgh and what happened there happened. 'It wasn't great at that time just with the way the club was and when he spoke to me after the last game of the season [against Forfar], it was a move I was keen to make happen. 'I like working under the gaffer and I probably let myself down when I was at Edinburgh and didn't do as well as I would have liked to there, but he's known me for years and he has trust in what I can do and I'm looking to prove that here.' He is part of impressive recruitment across the board at Forthbank this season, with the returning Lee Hamilton and Kyle Banner joined by Ross McGeachie signing back on for another campaign in a red shirt as the Stirling squad begins to take shape. The Albion faithful were given a flavour of what to expect in an impressive display from McLean as he linked up well with Carrick through the match against the Sons - with the former Airdrie and Hearts forward netted both Stirling goals. 'The Stirlingshire Cup is quite a good thing, an hour is all you need at this stage of pre-season and we played well and kept the ball, so it's a positive - it's all about the fitness. 'I've never played with Dale but having played against him for years, you get an understanding of where he's going to be so that allows me to maybe let one through or flick it around the corner. 'The connection between the forwards we have is only going to get better with games and I imagine that will all have time to play with each other. 'We have a good, experienced, proven front line and one which can score lots of goals on paper, so let's hope we can do that this season. Stirling are back in action for their next pre-season encounter tomorrow (Saturday) when they make the trip to take on Lowland League side Bo'ness United with a re-arranged kick-off time of 11.30am at Newtown Park.
Daily Record
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Returning Stirling Albion midfielder talks club connection as overhaul continues
Kyle Banner was one of three returning faces announced as the Binos played their first pre-season match of the campaign - and insists the squad has high expectations for the season ahead. Absence makes the heart grow fonder – or at least it does for returning Stirling star Kyle Banner after he sealed a move back to Forthbank after a year away. The 25-year-old left Albion last summer in the wake of Darren Young's departure from the club, marking the end of a stint with the Binos which had begun when Banner was just a youngster. But after a season with playoff-chasing Stenhousemuir in League One, the versatile defender/midfielder signed on for a return last week and made his second debut for the club in the weekend in the Stirlingshire Cup – ironically against former club Stenny. After the 2-1 defeat in the Binos' second match of the afternoon on Saturday, Banner (right) said: 'It's been in the pipeline longer than people maybe realise, I think it was discussed back in January and it wasn't quite right then but as soon as the season finished, I spoke to the gaffer and got it all sorted. 'Not many people actually knew it was in the works, maybe just Geeks [Ross McGeachie] and the manager, so it was funny to see the surprised faces when I came back to training. 'It was a tough one to leave when I did, it was 50/50 in terms of what was going to happen [last summer], but the circumstances made me go elsewhere. 'It's my local club and I've been here since the age of 13, it just makes me look forward to the season ahead and delivering success.' Banner's return to the club marked another impressive weekend in the transfer market for Stirling and boss Alan Maybury as he delivered on his stated intention to add more experience to a side which often relied heavily on young players last season. The ex-Stenny man's signature was added to by the return of ex-Binos favourite Lee Hamilton – most recently the skipper for fellow League Two outfit Clyde – for a third spell at the club and the confirmation of a contract extension for youngster Harley Ewen. Saturday then saw the return of Stirling skipper Ross McGeachie, with the Albion lifer signing a one year extension with the club after some uncertainty about his future. It means that between Banner, Hamilton and McGeachie that a total of 733 Stirling appearances have been added to a defence which boasted one of the worst defensive records in League Two last time around. Those additions complement the arrival of impressive captures in the forward areas, with two of the new boys – Russell McLean and Ross Cunningham – also given their first run out in Binos colours at the weekend. Banner added: 'There are loads of good people still involved with the club; it's different on the pitch to what it was two years ago but we've got to fancy our chances with what is in that changing room.'
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Graham scores as Falkirk win Stirlingshire Cup
New signing Brian Graham scored as Falkirk won the pre-season Stirlingshire Cup with a 3-1 victory over Stenhousemuir. Graham left Partick Thistle to join Falkirk this summer, and manager John McGlynn is convinced Tuesday's display is a sign of things to come. Advertisement "He took the goal very well, that's what he's about," McGlynn said. "There'll be a few more of them to come for sure, especially with the way we play. "That's what he's done all his career, so there's no reason to think otherwise. He'll go and score goals for us as well."
