Well done to the underdogs!

The Benchman welcomes Aberdeen, Leicester and Falkirk challenging the pre-season notions.
By The Newsroom
Published 10th Mar 2016, 18:00 BST
Who is this in the Benchman mystery picWho is this in the Benchman mystery pic
Who is this in the Benchman mystery pic

TITLE RACE

What a refreshing change to have a really competitive title race in the top two divisions. Instead of being grateful for some excitement- what do we get from some sections of the media? Standards must be declining. The so-called Big Teams should be doing better. Personally, I’m glad that Aberdeen, Falkirk and Leicester have given us something to look forward to.

ALLOA, ALLOA

What a strange game that was. Falkirk were never in trouble and could have won by five or more goals. As often happens, the away keeper has a blinder and Falkirk were right out of luck, hitting posts at regular intervals. Alloa were well organised, had a game plan and had held Rangers. The main aim was to get a win- and that was achieved. Peter Houston, honest as ever, said he would have taken 1-0 against Alloa before kick-off. Job Done.

DOONHAMERED

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If ever a team has the capacity to upset the odds it is Queen of the South.We have been on the wrong end of score-lines down there and I'm sure Peter Houston and the boys will see the Palmerston game on April 2nd as a real cruncher.

THEY SHALL GROW OLD

Your boyhood heroes remain in your mind for ever. They never change. Denis Law will always have a shock of blond hair and will always be tugging down the navy blue long-sleeved navy shirt, raising his hand to acknowledge another great goal. Was he really 76 just a couple of weeks ago?

THEY SHALL GROW OLD(PART TWO)

A sprightly old gentleman turned up at a Football Memories session in McDiarmid Park and enjoyed the chat and banter. In conversation, itemerged that he had been a professional footballer in his younger days. The staggering fact is that he first signed as a player in 1938, and his club was Falkirk! More details later. He will be 100 years young in a few months.

FOXES ON THE RUN

A friend who has followed Leicester for over 60 years has finally admitted that he is starting to "get excited" about his team’s progress. A year ago they were bottom of the league and looking doomed. Now they are the top of the league and their manager is a model of demeanour and behaviour. Favourites to be relegated and Claudio Ranieri favourite to be the first manager to be sacked. Good on them.

SQUAD ROTATION

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Great to see that we have attacking options on the bench. I can’t recall so many forward players, both young and experienced.

ANSWERS

The mystery player was Tom Finney, one of the greatest ever players. The only Bairn to score in the League Cup Final was Archie Aikman who scored the only Falkirk goal in the 4-1 defeat by East Fife.

TEASER

Which club transferred Jimmy Gilmour to Falkirk in 1984/85 season?

BENCHMARK (Alloa)

Match rating: 7

Team rating: 7

Opposition: 5

Referee: McLean 6

Best Bairn: Paul Watson

Related topics:AberdeenQueenFalkirkLeicester