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Another season beckons with Annan

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´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport blog editor | 14:53 UK time, Wednesday, 21 April 2010

Well, the call finally came for yours truly to follow the manager in to his office for a word after our weekend win over Stranraer.

After I was a bit apprehensive about what to expect but thankfully it went the way I wanted and it looks like I will be spending another year with Annan Athletic.

Although nothing has been signed and finances haven't been mentioned the manager wants me to stay and it's where I want to be so that's good enough for me.

harry_cairney_595.jpgPersonally, this season has gone well for me in terms of starting games and I've been fairly pleased with my performances in the majority of those matches.

When speaking with the manager on Saturday we spoke about the differences in my performances between last season and this one and we agreed that I have adapted my game to put myself in with a shout of playing every week.

While others may disagree, I think I'm not too bad a footballer; by that I mean I can control and pass a ball, but there are other aspects I've had to work harder on to be able to compete regularly with other players in this division.

But let's not fool ourselves and say that our league is the prettiest to watch.

You have to work hard, make tackles and do the dirty stuff before you can get the ball down and play in most games.

I've hopefully shown the manager I can do that side of things and this has gone a long way in getting me back in front of the other good players we've got at the club.

I know how quickly things can change and I'm not taking anything at all for granted.

A few of us travelled to Stirling University on Tuesday night where we beat East Stirlingshire in a reserve game that means we have just about won our section.

We've possibly got the smallest squad in our division and it's a testament to everyone that's come in and played that we've done so well in the reserves this year.

I'm not sure how many teams take it seriously but in the early part of the season it was great for me and it's important for those that aren't involved in the first team to get some game time and hopefully impress the manager.

We've had a few trialists coming in at various parts of the season and more recently some of the under-19 squad have been involved so the results have shown that everyone has come in and played their part.

They were needed on Tuesday night too, as there were only seven of us that travelled from the squad on Saturday - and only two of those boys had told the manager they were unavailable, so I'm looking forward to hearing the excuses at training on Thursday night.

I'll allow big Kevin Neilson the night off as he has apparently fractured his cheekbone in a work accident, but Derek Townsley is certainly in for some stick.

Degsy couldn't find his boots after the game on Saturday and we all received a text from Harry asking us to check our bags.

Well the big man turned up to Galabank for the game on Tuesday night, had another look for his boots, couldn't find them so he went home.

I quickly checked the results from our league after the game and they couldn't have gone any better for us, if we're to finish higher than last season.

Although we might need a result here and there to go for us we can still manage fifth position which would be a fantastic achievement after the ups and downs of the season.

The victories for Queens Park and Forfar meant we stay ahead of Stranraer and remain only three points behind Albion Rovers.

When it gets to this stage of the season you hope that other teams are looking forward to their holidays and after our poor finish last season we're determined to finish strongly this time round, so we're still hopeful of climbing further up the table.

I see it finishing as it currently stands in the play-off positions and I would just about say that's a fair reflection on the season so far.

Even though we defeated Queens Park in our first game of the season this year, some of the football they played was great to watch (I was on the bench at that time) and I felt they would be a force to be reckoned with.

That being said I'll disappoint their fans once more by saying that I hope they're still in the third division next season so I can enjoy my trips to Hampden another couple of times.

I hope the fans know it's nothing personal, but I enjoy playing against them, and, let's face it - who doesn't enjoy playing at the National Stadium?

They always look like they enjoy themselves down at Galabank anyway.

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Well congratulations are seemingly in order then Chris.

  • Comment number 2.

    So how will you haggle over a contract, if you have already said you will stay? Maybe all they will offer is a post match battered mars bar and a few pints :D Suppose its better than nothing ;)

    Good luck for next season

    Oh and can i ask, what is your other job? I'm guessing in the bottom tier you have a job as well as playing football? Does it affect your game much? Cheers!

  • Comment number 3.

    Just wondering how you train over the close season - Is it just running or do you have a kick-around too ? Cheers !

  • Comment number 4.

    two questions, chris:
    1. i thought the reserve league was abandoned a year or two ago?
    2. how much, if any, financial incentive is there for the team (and/or players) to finish say, 5th instead of 7th?

    anyway, good to see you'll get another season; will the bbc be renewing the contract too?!

  • Comment number 5.

    TimeLord - thanks for the comment although nothing has been finalised as yet.

    Phil - well no figures have been discussed all that's happened is the manager has told me he wants to keep me next year and I have said I want to stay. As for my other job, I'm a gym instructor. My job doesn't really affect the football, probably the other way round as sometimes I have to swap my shifts for midweek games.

    Piorek - personally I tend to just do a bit of running on my own. I won't really stop training, you have to keep yourself ticking over if you don't want to be hanging at the back when pre-season comes around!

    camp6ell - I know the SPL teams don't have a reserve league anymore and we didn't compete at reserve level last season either so I'm not actually sure if this is a new thing for the SFL or not.
    I would imagine the club would gain more money from the SFL depending on where we finish come the end of the season. With regards to the players - that would be an individual thing that could be included in bonuses.

  • Comment number 6.

    Good to hear you'll still be there next year Chris. Am an expatriate Scot who has been following your blog from Gosford on the NSW Central Coast - 100km north of Sydney in the real "Land of Oz". Any of your guys who follow the Aussie A League should be following our Central Coast Mariners.
    Our Manager since inauguration has been another Scots name you may know - Laurie McKinna. Now moved upstairs into another job. All the best to Annan for the rest of the season & next year.

  • Comment number 7.

    Good to hear from you Scozzy. I know a few people who have been out to play in Oz and have friends that have just recently moved from Scotland - so hoping to manage a visit very soon!

  • Comment number 8.

    Hi Chris,

    Been following your blog for a bit now.

    I was covering the East Stirling v Annan game at the weekend.

    Thought you had a decent game, but I could see you smirking when Gilifillan was getting the ''are you Winters in disguise'' chant near the end. :)

    Annan opened well, but that seven minute salvo knocked the stuffing out of the side.

    Good luck with the new contract and I'll prob see you at Galabank sometime during the pre-season.

    Cheers,
    TDT

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