This is sad viewing. The former home of East Stirlingshire FC now gone to rack and ruin.

I used to like going to Firs Park to see the Sons play there. It might have been utterly basic but it was a proper old style football ground.

It was certainly diminished by having that concrete wall built at one end of the ground behind the goal to stop the ball going on to the Retail Park’s access road but it’s really sad to see the state it’s in now.

I see the club has ended its rental agreement with Stenhousemuir at Ochilview to become tenants of Falkirk FC at the Falkirk Stadium. Imposing surroundings for the Lowland League even if Stirling University have been playing there too recently.

(aet 0-2.)

SPFL Tier 2 Play-off Final, Second Leg, The Rock, 13/5/18.

Well; we all knew that the good times wouldn’t last forever.

Yet for 93 minutes of this we were still a Tier 2 team.

Then all of a sudden no longer. That it was such a scruffy goal only put the knife in even more.

But after that I knew it was hopeless. Our defensive substitutions meant that there was no way we would be conjuring a goal in extra time. Our only hope was hanging on for penalties and that was unlikely given the momentum was against us and Alloa would be lifted and us deflated.

And the final nail in the coffin was driven in by an ex-Son in Jordan Kirkpatrick. Cracking goal though.

If only….

Kevin Nisbet had directed his header downwards more – or even to the near post rather than back across the keeper….

Andy Stirling had kept that rebound chance down instead of skying it….

Liam Burt had taken the ball for a walk to the corner flag instead of trying to score in injury time….

Alloa had scored from that double chance in the first, not the last minute. We’d have had to come out a bit and at least try to score. Froxy might even have been given a run-out….

We’d made the most of our breaks up the park in the second half last Wednesday….

Craig Barr hadn’t been suspended again. Dougie Hill looked much less comfortable than he did against Arbroath and Andy Dowie seemed affected too….

We actually had a striker….

Manager Stevie Aitken was not so wedded to defensive tactics….

It was a game too far really. We looked leggy and inhibited. All those catch-up games and the Challenge Cup run had taken their toll.

And so the great adventure comes to an end after six years.

Back to proper football grounds again next season. Ones where you can stand, not sit, that you can walk round to the other end at half-time, where you’re not stuck in a wee corner of the main stand. (New Broomfield, Stark’s Park and possibly Ochilview excepted.*)

We’ve had seven promotions in my lifetime. And now eight relegations.

I wonder how long it will be before we get promoted again.

And from which division.

*Edited to add:- and New Bayview. I’d forgotten it’s a one stand effort like ours at the Rock. Only the Angus grounds for the old-style experience, then. I can’t see me making it down to Stranraer.

The access is up a small street which also houses the entrance to the now sadly defunct (again) McCowans Highland Toffee factory.

This is the “away” end. Every time I’ve been in there since it got covered over by a canopy the Sons have lost the game.

I go to the main stand now. It’s called the “Norway” Stand for some reason I forget.

The view from the stand is below. There used to be a stand like the one opposite the pavilion stand at Boghead over there but it’s been gone quite a while now. There’s a cricket pitch in the distance believe it or not. The town of Stenhousemuir boasts both a football and a cricket club.

A couple more photos of the ground are on my flickr.

SFL Div 2, Station Park, 14/2/12

I said we’d have to be sharper; but we weren’t.

Instead, we were more profligate.

Stephen Grindlay had a great save early on then four gilt-edged chances for us elapsed before Forfar scored. Over-elaboration, failing to shoot first time, too many touches, passing instead of taking responsibility for a shot, every possible failing in front of goal was in evidence. Their keeper did OK but should have been beaten: more than once.

Midway through the half play became rather scrappy.* (*Thank you Ian McMillan – those of a certain age will remember his summations of games for BBC TV in the long ago. Wiki says he is the grandfather of former son Iain Russell.)

In the end at half time I was grateful for the equaliser. Brian Prunty seemed to have taken the ball on too far but finally got a shot away into the corner of the net.

Our formation was puzzling for a time. I hadn’t really noticed among the mayhem on Saturday at Ochilview but we are playing three at the back. Onebrow was of the opinion that the two full backs aren’t pushed on enough to make it work, though, and our midfield can get overrun with this system.

The second half more or less followed the pattern of the first, both teams having chances – one shocking miss by a Forfar player who blazed wide when he should have placed it, a good save by Grindlay after a headed back pass fell short – our failure to shoot early enough enormously frustrating. Their keeper had a great save from the only one Scott Agnew really got hold of all night and scrambled a Mark Gilhaney effort away late on.

Gilhaney nearly always takes the wrong option. The system may be employed to free him up but too often he flatters to deceive. When wide he wanders infield instead of taking on the man on the outside and trying to get a cross in. Typically he ends up losing the ball. I can’t remember when I last saw him really play well. When Mark Lamont came on for James Creaney he became predictable very quickly.

We kept threatening to score up till the end but never convinced that we would.

Still; a point’s a point and we’re now third. How on Earth did that happen? Our goal difference is still to hit positive numbers.

When I got home I discovered the reason why our winning run had come to an end.

SFL Div 2, Ochilview Park, 15/10/11.

You may have picked up from my mentioning a pub in Cambridge two posts ago that I’ve been away. As a result of being knackered by the driving I hadn’t intended to go to this one but Onebrow said he would if I would and so I went.

I wish I hadn’t.

I now know what the poor home fans at The Rock have had to suffer. It was the bad Dumbarton that turned up for this one. We were appalling.

Stenhousemuir were much more up for it. Scott Agnew wasn’t given a moment’s peace. Two Stenny players were snapping at his heels every time he got the ball and so he couldn’t make any play. Mark Gilhaney tended to wander infield and lose the ball, Martin McNiff had a dreadful game after a not bad start. James Creaney again looked better with Ross McKinnon in front of him but their third goal came from his side. Pat Walker gets pass marks for effort.

The first goal was offside. I was in line when the pass was played forward, the linesman was ten yards upfield of the back four and couldn’t see the offence. The second, a more or less free header from a corner just before the half-time whistle killed the game.

We did get the ball in the net early in the second half but Pat Walker was given offside (by the same sodding linesman) as being in front of the play when Gilhaney shot. We might have made a game of it if that had counted but I doubt it. Stenhousemuir were better in all departments.

Their third was a totally free header by their centre half when the ball came back in after a corner had not been cleared thoroughly.

Scott Agnew’s late free kick was beautifully placed but not much consolation for a poor afternoon.

I also forgot my camera – which was in any case loaded with pictures from my trip away – so there’ll be no photos of Ochilview from this visit.

Next up, on Tuesday night, we’re at home (no points there yet) against an Albion Rovers side stuffed full of ex-Sons. Even though they’re below us and have scored only eight goals I’m fearing the outcome.

SFL Div 2, The Rock, 5/3/11

Comprehensive defeat. Since Livi became Livi we haven’t done well against them, though, and they’re at the top of the league so it’s to be expected. Plus our goals against is our weak point and our usual central defensive partnership was disrupted due to suspension.

It could have been worse; at least Stenny and Peterhead didn’t win.

We’re locked in a four way tie on 30 points with the worst goal difference and the most games played of the four. Two of those play each other midweek so we’ll be worse off after that.

The game at Ochilview on Saturday is a big one now.

SFL Div 2, Ochilview, 23/10/10

League goals for predictor:- 15.

Two must win games in succession both lost.

Now every game will be a must win until relegation is confirmed. (At this rate that will be sometime in January.)

This is the penance we must suffer for the good times.

Onebrow opined during the game that he’d always thought that the way we won promotion two seasons ago was too good to be true. And so it proves.

This was 4-0 going on a complete embarassment. And to the team merely one place above us in the division.

It was over as a contest as early as the third minute when we lost the sort of scruffy goal you concede when you are going to be relegated.

A routine ball into the box wasn’t hoofed away by Devlin as it should have been – Chissie would have got rid of it no bother – Grindlay flapped at it, knocking it onto the Stenny player, off whom it trundled into the net.

I don’t think Michael White would have fumbled that ball. He was in goal, as Onebrow pointed out, in the only two games where we’ve managed to get any points this season.

Grindlay doesn’t come for crosses – the defence is clearly unsettled; three of them had a go at him for staying on his line a few minutes after the goal, when we could easily have lost another – and his kicking from back passes is appalling.

Next up, the obligatory penalty against us at Ochilview. I thought Ben Gordon got there first, the ref didn’t. That all started when Andy Geggan had, I think Devlin, free in space on his right in a good position in their half but hit the ball too short, straight to a Stenny player. Promptly up the park, whistle.

Up steps Ross Clark. Remember him, Chappie?

Stenhousemuir could have gone home then. We still wouldn’t have scored.

The next one you could see coming from halfway through the move. The defence was posted missing from the crossball and Ross Clark (remember him, Chappie?) drilled it home. Grindlay stood still.

We played a bit better in the second half but Stenny had taken their foot off the gas.

We keep finding ever more bizarre ways of conceding goals. The fourth was a complete joke. Nugent had the ball covered. All he had to do was play it, back to Grindlay (OK, maybe not) or out the park, or pass to Ben Gordon, or even turn and go upfield. Instead he just stops running and a Stenny player breezes past him – the report on the club website says as if out of nowhere but he was clearly visible all the way – rounds Grindlay and pops it in.

The Stenny announcer gave the man of the match to Ross Clark. (Remember him, Chappie?) He did score twice, I suppose, but (a much slimmed down in appearance – Ed) Stevie Murray had a good game for them, too. Remember him, Chappie?

Stenny won’t have an easier three points all season.

Until they play us again of course.

It’s past time for Jim Chapman to consider his position. The players either aren’t playing for him or just aren’t good enough. He’s got rid of, or let go, the more robust characters. There was nobody on the field inspiring the team to get into the game. A complete lack of fight, competitiveness and effort. Where’s Chissie when you need him?

During the week Gordon Strachan was noble enough to fall on his sword. Sadly, I don’t expect Chappie to have it in him do the same.

Oh; and Grindlay must go.

SFL Div 2, Balmoor Stadium, 16/10/10

League goals for predictor:- 16.

I was going to say back to dreading Saturdays, then. The thing is I wasn’t actually dreading today. There’s just an awful inevitability about the result. I was resigned to it even before I checked the score.

I feel it’s going to be a long time before things get any better. We’re likely going to draw some non-league – or even Junior – team in the Cup; and lose to them.

Ochilview next Saturday.

I suppose I’ll be there.

And it could be worse. At least I’m not a Dundee supporter.