Mixed bag as QP bow out of the Premier Sports Cup

It has been a long time since your scribes at The Web put their proverbial pens to paper to colourfully describe the intrepid adventures of Glasgow's newest footballing superpower, and while so much has happened (on and off the field) during our extended hiatus - it seems fitting to focus on the present and analyse QP's endeavours in the Premier Sports Cup to kick off the new campaign.

Saturday's 1-1 draw at New Douglas Park against our Championship rivals Hamilton Academical saw the curtain come down on another tilt at the League Cup, but there is plenty to get our teeth into as we look back at handsome victories over lower league opposition in Stranraer and Forfar, a narrow defeat to recently relegated Championship favourites Dundee, and Saturday's stalemate against The Accies.

Spiders find their shooting boots at Stair Park

On the back of a promising pre-season in which Queen's posted an eye-opening 4-2 success over Dutch Eredivisie cracks FC Utrecht, Spiders supporters headed down the A77 to Stranraer in a positive frame of mind as we kicked off our cup campaign. Impressive pre-season performances from the likes of new signing Grant Savoury, attacking midfielder Patrick Jarrett and a rejuvenated Simon Murray had the away support hopeful of a goal glut and that is exactly what they got in the first half of an incredibly open game.

Both sides had early chances, Queen's goalkeeper Callum Ferrie needed to be lively to deny ex-Queen's player Paul Woods an opener, but the aforementioned Simon Murray settled any nerves with two smart finishes before the game had seen 30 minutes. A third goal in the 42nd minute, a fine strike from former Celtic and Peterhead youngster Grant Savoury, should have had QP on easy street but last season's defensive frailties reared their heads once again and all of a sudden it was game on in The Toon.

Quickfire goals from Scott Robertson and another former Queen's man in Scott McLean gave The Blues a sniff before the break but Queen's showed impressive composure to race up the park and restore a two goal advantage before the referee's whistle. A corner from another new boy, the ex-Dunfermline winger Dominic Thomas, was headed home by Murray at the near post to put the icing on an entertaining first period and seal his first Queen's Park hat trick.

In comparison to a lively first period, the second half was quiet. Both sides created the occasional opportunity but the excitement of the opening 45 minutes had clearly taken its toll on both sides on what was an uncharacteristically roasting hot day at Stair Park. There was to be a fifth goal for away supporters to cheer late on, Savoury putting the finishing touches on a dream debut with another impressive finish in injury time. All in all, this was a very promising start to the campaign for Owen Coyle and his charges, who could look forward to the following Tuesday's 'home' fixture against another League Two outfit in Forfar Athletic.

Substitute Williamson steals the show at Awfulview

It goes without saying that Awfulview is truly dreadful patter - but we are all on board with as much negative spin on Queen's Park's incredible decision to play home fixtures at Stenhousemuir this season - and we will therefore be sticking with it throughout the year with absolutely no regards to good taste.

As the Lesser Hampden debacle rolls on into a third year and following the well publicised issues with the playing surface at Firhill Stadium last season, this proud Glasgow club are now hosting games 25 miles from the city they have called their own for over 150 years. This allegedly short term arrangement has caused much consternation within the support - but as long as the club's highly paid CEO and seemingly powerless committee continue with their heads in the sand to the ongoing public relations disaster - there would be no great deal of surprise if home fixtures in Falkirk continued until the end of season 2022/2023. (Speaking of sand, rumours abound that the ancient Egyptians completed the Pyramids quicker than Queen's have managed to build a 1,000 seater football arena).

I digress, with all this in the background 220 hardy souls traipsed to Ochilview Stadium on a sunny Tuesday evening to watch QP host League Two outfit Forfar Athletic. Forfar, boasting former Queen's Park midfielder Craig Slater within their ranks, are widely tipped to do well in Scotland's bottom tier this season but 'home' supporters were expectant of a similar display and result to that of the previous Saturday afternoon.

As a football match, this one failed to catch fire the way in which the tie at Stair Park had. Queen's were comfortable but lacking attacking intent for much of the first period. Large spells of confident possession didn't translate into clear chances and when we did take the lead it was from an unlikely source, skipper for the night Lee Kilday sweeping home at the back post after an incisive pass from Louis Longridge.

Spiders led at the break thanks to this finish from Kilday but the lead didn't last long with some more concerning, fragile defending at the beginning of the second period. Ex-Spider Slater swung in a free kick, and The Loons managed to bundle the ball home with QP goalkeeper Ferrie stuck to his line and his defenders static. From here, the game had potential to get rather sticky for Queen's (the visitors growing in confidence on a difficult looking surface) but we had young substitute Scott Williamson to thank for restoring our advantage in the 70th minute.

Williamson, signed in January during an incredible 50 goal season for non-league Cambuslang Rangers, showed an impressive turn of pace to latch on to a flick on from Murray, run 30 yards, round the keeper and finish with aplomb. Williamson's performances for the reserve side and in pre-season had already earmarked him as one to watch, but his first team displays over the last few weeks suggest he could play a larger role in the forthcoming season than we might have previously thought. It will be a huge step up from Cambuslang to the Championship, but so far young Scott has looked like he could well be the real deal.

Late goals from another substitute, the much-maligned Lewis Moore (a sweet strike from 16 yards) and a second for defender Kilday put some gloss on the result but QP were always in command and with six points from six had a realistic change of progression from the group ahead of a free weekend and ties to come against Championship rivals in Dundee and Hamilton Academical.

Dees give stark reminder but Queen's finish strongly

If the results and performances against Stranraer and Forfar filled Queen's supporters with optimism, the 2-1 defeat to Championship favourites Dundee (a week following the victory over Forfar) was a stark reminder of the quality this league possesses and the performances that the Spiders players will need to supply on a weekly basis to compete at this level.

Backed by an impressive away support, which helped give this clash at Ochilview a more competitive feel than the success over The Loons the week prior, Dundee put in an excellent first half performance and they had Queen's on the back foot for the entirety of the opening 45 minutes. Experienced stars Niall McGinn and Paul McGowan in particular impressed and it was an extremely difficult opening to the game for Queen's defenders Jake Davidson and Lee Kilday who clearly struggled with the step up in pace.

We had goalkeeper Callum Ferrie to thank for keeping us in the match as the visitors created a host of chances (his early save from Ryan Sweeney a highlight from the ex-Dundee keeper) and at no point did we look a serious attacking threat with the opposition backline untroubled. Owen Coyle's men were perhaps fortunate to only be 2-0 down at the break following goals from Alex Jakubiak and Cammy Kerr.

It had been a chastening first half and there were some concerned home fans at Ochilview fearing the worst, but Coyle and his players deserve a massive amount of credit for a much improved performance after the break. Experienced winger Louis Longridge was introduced in place of Jack Thomson at the break (Thomson another who had struggled to influence proceedings) and the substitute made an almost instant impact slamming an excellent shot high into the net from a difficult angle to reduce the arrears five minutes after his introduction.

With Patrick Jarrett in the centre of midfield and Jason Naismith on for the injured Kilday, Queen's performed admirably in the second period, keeping possession much better and creating chances to equalise. There was the occasional problem at the back with the pacy Paul McMullan keeping Davidson and Naismith busy - but we were the better side throughout the half and passed up the best opportunity at the death when Lewis Moore inexplicably failed to connect with a bouncing ball in the middle of the six yard box.

Over the piece, the Dundee performance was a real mix of good and bad. On the first half showing, we looked an inferior outfit to the Dees - but a much improved display after the break gave renewed hope that Queen's might escape from their Premier Sports Cup group section for the first time with a result away to Hamilton Accies.

Jekyll and Hyde QP crash out at Accies

With the powers at be at Hamilton Accies inexplicably opening only one turnstile for away fans at New Douglas Park on Saturday - we couldn't possibly tell you what happened in the opening ten minutes of the game with any detail. What we do know is that Accies led after 3 minutes thanks to Andy Winter, that Owen Coyle had sprung a surprise starting young prospect Alex Bannon at centre half, and that the popular ex-QP captain Michael Doyle started for the home side (a mystery for most Queen's fans as to why he hadn't been offered a new contract in the summer). 

Truth being told, this was a poor game of football between two sides who failed to hit the heights. Queen's struggled to get a foot on the ball in the first half but there was the occasional glimpse of something special from midfielder Patrick Jarrett whose bursting runs from midfield looked most likely to yield goals for the away side. Striker Simon Murray (so impressive against Stranraer and Forfar) had little influence on proceedings.

There were half chances for both sides (the best falling for Accies with Andy Ryan and Daniel O'Reilly coming close in the first half) but this was another game where Queen's showed Jekyll and Hyde tendencies. A fine equaliser from defender Jake Davidson twelve minutes from time sparked Coyle's boys into life - and we looked the most likely to snatch the winner we needed for qualification as the match drew to a close. New boy Josh McPake, signed on loan from Rangers, looked threatening from the right and full back Tommy Robson passed up a gilt edged chance to win it, firing straight at Accies keeper Fulton after being played in off the left.

The 1-1 draw suited neither side who both needed a win to progress, and Accies 5-3 'win' on penalties was an irrelevant footnote on a frustrating afternoon for both teams. Hamilton will be the kind of side Queen's need to compete with in order to consolidate our position in the Championship, and while we should be encouraged by our strong finish to proceedings, our slow start and lack of creativity (particularly in the opening 70 minutes) were of concern to the Spiders support. One real positive for Queen's supporters to take however was the performance of youngster Bannon who looked comfortable on his full debut. He certainly looks as if he could be a success story of the future.

A mixed bag

Over the piece, the Premier Sports Cup campaign was a mixed bag of the good and the bad from a Spiders perspective. The victories over Stranraer and Forfar (and the nine goals scored in them) were of great encouragement - with standout performances from the likes of Murray, Jarrett and Savoury in attacking positions giving plenty reason to believe that Queen's will be able to score goals this season - even in a higher league against superior opponents.

The matches against fellow Championship outfits Dundee and Hamilton were a clear step up, and barring a difficult opening half against an impressive Dees outfit, we never looked out of our depth. After scoring in both games we looked an entirely more threatening proposition - but the failure to start strongly cost us the chance of progression and the serious financial benefits that come with it. If one thing is for sure, it is that we cannot afford to start as slowly against a highly rated Inverness outfit in our first league fixture on Saturday afternoon.

The squad looks light in number and in depth of quality, with big question marks remaining over our defensive options. Jason Naismith was signed from Kilmarnock with fanfare from director of football Marjin Beuker, but he has barely featured and his place in the team does not look assured. Doubts also remain over the fitness of Lee Kilday (the experienced defender who spent much of the last season on the treatment table and once again limped off against Dundee) and the readiness of Jake Davidson, who seems to have been catapulted from the fringe of last season's squad to first choice right back. The rumoured signing of Nigerian international Stephen Eze, a former charge of Coyle's in the Indian League, would do much to allay these fears.

Despite the off field shenanigans which continue to cloud the club on a weekly basis (much more to be written on that in the near future), this remains an exciting time to be a Queen's Park fan. For the first time in many years, we will compete in the second tier of Scottish football, something we could have barely dreamed a few years ago as we toiled towards the bottom of the SPFL, glancing nervously at the trap door opening below.

In Owen Coyle we have a manager of gravitas and some ability (even if his great success at Burnley is now some years ago), and we have the makings of a squad which should be able to compete with anything the Championship can throw at us over the course of a 36 game season. Two or three more signings in key positions could be the difference between a comfortable campaign and a relegation battle - and as a support we look ahead to Saturday's trip to Inverness with excitement - and not trepidation.

I'm back, and better than ever...

Ladies and gentlemen, your eyes are not deceiving you, for the first time since May 2021 The Web has published a new post on what, prior to an enforced hiatus, was quickly becoming one of the must see news and opinion platforms for supporters of Scotland's oldest football club, Queen's Park FC.

Why the elongated break I hear our loyal fanbase ask? Was the well travelled The Web editor Vic Venom exiled in the Ecuadorian Embassy in an attempt to dodge extradition to St. Kitts and Nevis? Or were our contributors silenced by Labour peer Lord William Haughey due to a penchant for quick witted criticism and a potentially scandalous article we published from the pen of Homes Under The Hammer star Martin Roberts?

These are questions for which we may never know the answer - but rest assured loyal readers - The Web will be back for season 2022/23 and you can expect a full review of The Spiders Premier Sports Cup campaign (in a typical, relentlessly positive style) to be published sometime early next week.

Until next time - hasta la vista.

The Web Player of the Year 2020/21 - The Nominees!

The strangest and most unusual football season in history is over, and it has been an incredibly successful one for Scotland’s oldest football club. The League Two trophy is in the bag and despite numerous issues off the park (and the small matter of a pandemic) Ray McKinnon and his boys have managed to delight the Queen’s Park support with an excellent campaign.

Goals and wins have been in abundance (as have clean sheets, thanks to an incredibly solid defensive unit) and The Spiders have responded to the raised expectations of a full time budget better than anyone could have wished.

The end of the season traditionally brings the awarding of individual prizes, and with our new status as the Number One Stop for Queen’s Park Gossip and Rumours; it's only fair The Web awards the stand out individual performer with a six pack of foreign lager in lieu of a trophy.

The inaugural ‘The Web Player of the Year’ is surely the individual award that all Queen’s Park players want to win, and after lengthy discussions with our team of contributors; a shortlist of four has been constructed. Read on as we dissect the seasons of these four individuals, and cast your vote on our Twitter page like a good little boy. Enjoy! 

Peter Grant

The most handsome man in Scottish football signed in January 2020 and even pre-pandemic, it was clear to any Spiders fan with two eyes and a brain that Grant was a class above League Two. Imperious in the air, relentless in the tackle and a master of defensive organisation, Grant’s performances in the heart of the Queen’s Park defence have played a pivotal role in the maintenance of our record breaking defensive record.

It took him only a matter of weeks to endear himself to the Spiders support (his trundling long ranger against Stirling Albion and subsequent celebrations sealing the deal) and it was no surprise to see him take the role of vice-captain from the beginning of season of 2020/21 in October. His influence on this side was clear from very early on, clearly honed at his terrific spell at Falkirk earlier his career,

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Grant is a terrific defender at this level but the only question mark that surrounded his presence in the Queen’s Park side was a terrible injury record throughout the early stages of his career. Despite this, Grant has started 20 games in all competitions this season putting any doubts about his long term fitness to one side.

His virtues as a defender are there for all to see but Grant is also a threat in the opposition box and he has managed two goals this season. His header against Cowdenbeath helped us on our way to a routine 3-0 victory at Central Park but it was his headed goal away to Edinburgh City in our title clinching victory that will go down in Queen’s Park folklore.

A terrific player with an equally impressive attitude, no one could complain should Grant sweep the board in terms of end of season awards .

Michael Doyle

Full back Michael Doyle has made a serious impact at a number of clubs through his ten year SPFL career but it's fair to say he wasn’t one of the most recognisable names out of the influx of summer 2021. 

Doyle, a SFL Third Division winner with Paul Hartley’s Alloa back in 2011, had since enjoyed productive spells at Morton, Queen of the South and Falkirk - and with that kind of career path it was no great surprise to see him rock up at Hampden in the summer.

The right back wasn’t expected to be one of the stars of the season but he has thoroughly impressed the Spiders support with an incredible level of consistency. Having started all but one of our games in all competitions, Doyle has shown an incredible level of fitness while also producing numerous excellent performances. 

This is a Queen’s Park outfit which has been consistent since the start of the season, and there are many players that deserve praise for the high level of performance over a long period, Doyle belongs at the top of this list. His all action, high energy approach down the right has typified the attitude of Ray McKinnon’s team - and he has a number of assists to his name as well as a stream of terrific individual displays. 

The Web editor Vic Venom’s pick for the award - an opinion which means the square root of nothing due to a lack of footballing understanding and a penchant for watching games drunk. Rumours abound that Vic just likes his Twitter content. 

Grant Gillespie

Combative midfielder Gillespie made his name over a nine year spell in the engine room at Hamilton Academical, and with spells at Dundee United and Derry City also on his CV it was clear Queen’s were getting a player of very decent pedigree when he signed in summer 2020.

It is no insult to say that Gillespie is a pretty unassuming player to the naked eye, diminutive and slight in build in comparison to some League Two midfielders, but his influence on this Queen’s Park team throughout the season cannot be downplayed. 

He is quite simply the kind of player that keeps a team ticking. A lot of his play is unseen, and the majority of his passes short, but Queen’s Park have been a better team when Gillespie has been on song. Grant started the campaign brilliantly but he tailed off before the enforced pause in the season and had a horrible day in the 3-3 draw against Edinburgh City, with some questioning his value to the team on the back of it.

The jury was out for some, but Gillespie took the bull by the horns with a series of excellent displays throughout the second half of the campaign (winning ‘Man of the Match’ on three occasions). His stand out display, controlling the centre of the park as we battled with ten men at Stenhousemuir, summed up his contribution to the team, and even the doubters must see now that Gillespie is a key man in this Queen’s Park team. 

Louis Longridge

Silky midfielder Longridge took his time in establishing himself as a fixture in this Queen’s Park side, but he has forced himself into the Player of the Year reckoning with a series of stand out performances since the season restarted in March.

In truth, it took Louis time before he really managed to impress the Spiders support, but there were glimpses that we’d signed a player with the ability to really shine at this level. His second half display in the 3-3 draw with Edinburgh City, where he almost single handedly rescued a point for a bumbling Queen’s Park side, showed his value for the team and this was quickly followed by his first QP goal in the edgy 3-1 victory over East of Scotland jobbers Dundonald Bluebell in the Scottish Cup.

It has, however, been the second half of the season which has illustrated Longridge’s value to this Queen’s Park team. When we restarted in March, his status as a starter was by no means certain, but a series of stand out performances saw him make the position on the left of the four man midfield his own.

Further goals against Brechin City, Stenhousemuir and Edinburgh City have followed but it is his creativity and ability to unpick an opposition defence that has made Longridge so valuable to Ray McKinnon in recent weeks. In a squad brimming with creative wide men (see the likes of Galt, Quitongo and Maclean) Longridge has stood out and will surely have a key role next season as we make a full frontal assault on the top of League One.

 

TV's Martin Roberts looks at potential venues for Queen's Park in season 2021/22

One week ago, Queen’s Park’s ‘new’ Chief Executive Officer, Leann Dempster, told the BBC that we had secured a ‘temporary new home’ for season 2021/22 - as Super Ray McKinnon’s boys look forward to life in League One as newly crowned League Two champions.

As seems to be tradition within the professional Queen’s Park, there has been no further news on where our home games will be played next season since Dempster’s interview, and members and supporters have been left guessing over potential venues. In the absence of news - speculation is given space to breed - and with the best interests of Queen’s Park fans in mind, The Web can’t allow this to pass without comment. 

Whats App groups and football forums have been ablaze with rumour and gossip about where the grand return of fans may take place, and it is time to evaluate the pros (and cons) of these potential venues.

 

In what is a massive coup for this relatively new addition to the footballing lexicon, The Web has recruited the expertise of Homes Under the Hammer star Martin Roberts to run the rule over potential homes for 21/22. 

The Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk

The home of Queen’s Park FC for the last 9 games of the truncated League Two season, Falkirk has proven to be a happy home for the Spiders with a series of enjoyable victories over the likes of Cowdenbeath, Edinburgh City and Stirling Albion.

Despite the relative success of the past few months (the League Two trophy memorably lifted by skipper David Galt just last week) the Falkirk Stadium surely cannot be a serious contender for the upcoming season. The pitch appears to have played a role in recent injuries to key men like Jai Quitongo, while Raymond McKinnon remains persona non-grata in the FK postcode area following a disastrous spell in charge of the Falkirk Bairns before he rocked up at Lesser Hampden Park. 

Besides this, the stadium (built in the style of a miniature Hampden Park) is a lung busting 20 minute walk from Falkirk Grahamston train station and is closer to the petrochemical plants of Grangemouth than it is to any acceptable public houses. The IBF will surely not tolerate such a decision, but the QP committee may be swayed by the luxurious conference suites and lush new carpets in the main foyer.

The Fortress of Solitude, The Arctic Circle

Typically depicted as being located in the frozen tundras of the north, miles away from anything resembling civilisation, the legendary home of Superman has become a front runner due to excellent transport links in comparison with The Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld. 

Its welcoming frontage could make the Fortress a must see footballing destination for tourist hipsters (one for the ‘gram certainly), and its complex system of underground caves would give space for the committee to hold typically clandestine meetings. 

Potentially exorbitant rental fees, disgruntled Kryptonians not willing to share a venue with a Glasgow club and the looming threat of a bald egomaniac (Lex Luthor, of course) could see the Fortress lose out on hosting League One games next season.

The Fountain of Youth Stadium, Hamilton

An early favourite for members of the IBF due to its proximity to Hamilton West railway station (and the excellent Academical Vaults pub) the stadium formerly known as New Douglas Park will surely be of interest to the Queen’s Park committee when choosing a venue to host Glasgow’s finest next season. 

It is fair to say that The FOYS is an unusual stadium in Scottish football terms, but I must say that I like it. A soon to be opened function suite in the main stand will make sure all members retain vital access to mugs of Tetley and tiny biscuits; while the excellent transport links will save the Club having to bus supporters from the Social Club as they did when Queen’s moved to Airdrie in 2014.

The Fountain of Youth Stadium looks like it could be an excellent option for season 2021/22, but it is unclear if mysterious benefactor Lord Willie Haughey could live with the shame of playing home games in the shadow of a Sainsbury’s superstore, owned by his long time Conservative rival in the House of Lords, The Baron of Sainsbury. One to watch. 

The Green Belt Mansion, East Kilbride

If all other options fail, could Queen’s be forced to play home games on the sprawling lawns of Lord Willie Haughey’s Green Belt Mansion, located near East Kilbride? The six bedroom, 83 acre site on the outskirts of Glasgow is one of the most grandiose buildings in South Lanarkshire, and Haughey may be forced into drastic action as the Lesser Hampden construction project continues to falter. 

Scotland’s most notorious fridge tycoon allegedly played a role in the recent resignation of Scottish Labour top dog Richard Leonard, and with Leonard gone, he may have some time on his hands to prepare his land for League One football in the near future. 

Access to on site refrigerators will surely allow Queen’s to maximise income through hospitality, and proximity to Glasgow will allow our Club Doctor to job share as a Tory MP in the unlikely event he wins a list seat in a few days time.

Neverland

Having spent the last few months dealing with the fallout of allegedly substandard building work at Lesser Hampden, if rumours are to be believed the Queen’s committee could be ready to throw their lot in with PIRATES for season 2021/22.

Located somewhere in the Irish Sea (visible on the road to Stranraer according to the much missed ‘Vicar’, Stewart Hendry) J.M Barrie’s fantastical island would give The Queen’s Park Charitable Trust a whole new community desperate for a football team to call their own.

The presence of the villainous Captain Hook could be a problem but Lord Haughey’s experience working with Conservative MPs during the 2014 independence referendum has given him expertise in doing deals with shady pirate kings. 

There have been some concerns with regards to the indigenous population of crocodiles and alligators, but with a victory at Cliftonhill under The Spiders belt last season, this shouldn’t pose too much of an issue.

William Muir: Queen's Park Legend

Amidst the tremendous league-clinching celebrations of Tuesday night, it would be easy to overlook another significant milestone that was reached during the game. Queen’s Park number one William Muir reached 200 appearances for the club when he lined up at Falkirk Stadium against Elgin City, equalling the record for a goalkeeper set by Derek Atkins between 1978-83.

While Atkins completed his service to the Spiders over one spell, Muir has taken more of a ‘prodigal son’ approach, re-signing for the club for a third time in 2019. Circumstances have greatly changed at the club since he first stood between the sticks for Queen’s, however it is a testament to his consistency that ‘Super Ray’ has had unwavering faith in him since his appointment in January 2020. Eight goals conceded and 13 clean sheets in 18 league games this campaign tells its own story, but Willie Muir’s contribution to Queen’s Park FC is far more significant than that. 

In order to truly appreciate the impact that Muir had in his first spell at the club, it is important to take a glance back at the season before he signed in July 2014. The mere mention of season 2013/14 is enough to provoke a sense of dread amongst Queen’s Park supporters. A campaign which began with significant losses in personnel, resulted in 22 league defeats and a grand total of 68 goals conceded. Add the beginning of our exile in Airdrie into the mix and this certainly was an example of bad things coming in threes.

That same adage could be applied to our unsuccessful attempt to fill the goalkeeping position over the course of that season. Michael Brown, Blair Lochhead and the enigma that was Lucas Birstingl fumbled the number one jersey from one to the other, in the midst of a managerial change from long serving coach Gardner Speirs to the vastly experienced Gus MacPherson. Without being overly harsh on this trio of custodians, none will be remembered in high regard by the Queen’s support. Birstingl in particular (the man with arguably the most misspelled name in Scottish football history), is a figure that remains synonymous with that catastrophic season. 

Having inherited this omnishambles, it was inevitable that the position of goalkeeper was one of MacPherson’s top priorities for the following season. Enter Willie Muir, signed without a senior appearance to his name after spells as a promising youth at Aberdeen, Motherwell, Celtic and Ayr. Several other much needed signings would board the ‘Gus Bus’ that summer but the impact of Muir was unquestionable. By the end of the campaign, there would be a 50% reduction in the number of league goals conceded.

However, his time at Queen’s did not exactly get off to a flying start. Making his debut in a drab 1-1 Challenge Cup draw with Berwick, in which he failed to save a penalty in the resulting shoot-out defeat, set the tone for an inauspicious start to the season. Muir’s league debut came on the opening day, a ‘home’ fixture against Clyde. This game gave us a taste of what was to come from Muir, when he made a fantastic diving save to keep out Clyde’s Scott Ferguson in the first half. Despite this (and Queen's taking a one goal lead from a Darren Miller corner) we stumbled to a 2-1 defeat thanks to a late Bully Wee winner from former Queen's hero Mick Daly. Queen’s continued to muddy their way through the opening games of the season; conceding further losses at home to Arbroath and away to Dirty Rovers (a sign of things to come). This led us into to a home meeting with Elgin which can justifiably be seen as a watershed moment for Muir's career at the club.

With the teams locked at 0-0 towards the end of the first half, a hopeful punt over the Queen’s defence should have caused few issues. However, Muir inexplicably raced from his goal to clear, only to be rounded by Shane Sutherland who walked the ball into an empty net. Given the goalkeeping howlers of the previous season, QP fans would have been forgiven for fearing the worst at half time that day at the Excelsior. The second half was an altogether different story. Queen’s rallied to seal a 2-1 win, with Muir turning in an assured second half performance which put the minds of the fans at ease. This result significantly altered the trajectory of the season for both player and team. 

The Elgin game triggered a remarkable run of results between September and Valentine’s Day 2015, during which time our only defeats in league and cup were against the same opposition. Albion Rovers went above and beyond the requirements of any goof bogey side, trumping us at every opportunity as we became embroiled in a three-way title fight with themselves and Arbroath. During this period, we began to realise we had a player on our hands in Muir. Demonstrating a command of his penalty area we had sadly missed, Muir racked up the clean sheets which fuelled the Gus Bus for a title challenge. 

One game that stands out in that run was our New Year’s meeting with Clyde, a fixture that also marked our return to Hampden after 14 months away. A bumper crowd of over 2000 witnessed what was perhaps Muir’s finest individual save as a QP player. With the team looking like they were sliding to a 1-0 defeat, a cross from the left was bundled towards the Queen’s net by Brian McQueen. With the ball already behind him, Muir displayed incredible athleticism to get a hand to it and claw it away from danger. To top off the display, Muir even managed to win the late penalty that allowed us to escape with a draw from our homecoming performance. 

Season 2014/15 eventually ended in familiar play-off disappointment for Queen’s. Four league defeats to Rovers proved fatal in our title bid and despite a stirring triumph over Arbroath in the semi finals, Stenhousemuir proved a bridge too far. During this run in, Muir had continued to endear himself to the Queen’s support. His performance against Arbroath in the second leg was particularly eye-catching. Excellent saves with the game poised at 0-0 enabled Tony Quinn to volley home a late winner, one of the most iconic moments for Queen’s fans in recent memory. It was clear that retaining Muir would be key to our attempts to go one better next season. 

The start of the new campaign saw Muir joined by several other key members of the squad in signing on for the season. An ever-present in both league and cup, Muir displayed a consistency that proved crucial in the team’s success. In an incredibly tight League 2 table, a mere six points would separate the top five teams at the end of the season. A closer look at the statistics reveals how important Muir’s presence between the sticks was. Queen’s conceded a league low 32 goals, with Muir’s clean sheet total continuing to rise steadily. The caveat to this was a team that struggled to find the net, with only 46 league goals scored. It is a fair assumption that the season could have finished very differently had it not been for Muir’s significant contribution. Particularly during a nerve-shredding final day showdown away to fellow promotion chasers Annan Athletic. 

QP entered the day knowing that any result other than a defeat by two or more goals against Annan would be enough to once again secure a play-off berth. However, the day that would be dubbed ‘Haturday’ by certain members of the IBF proved to be far from an easy ride. Annan had replaced Albion Rovers as our bogey side for the season. Three successive defeats had been recorded against the Galabankies, including a chastening 3-1 home pummelling in the previous meeting. Veteran striker Peter Weatherson had been a painful thorn in our side during this period and when he netted the opener just before half-time, the atmosphere was ominous amongst the Queen’s support. During the second half onslaught, it was Muir who emerged as the saviour. As our backline was peppered with crosses, his excellent handling got us over the line by the finest of margins and allowed the QP support to breathe a collective sigh of relief. 

Muir’s imperious performances would continue into the play-offs as the next two Saturdays followed an almost identical pattern to that day in Annan. Holding two goal leads over both Cowdenbeath and Clyde, we would contrive to concede the opening goal in the second leg of both ties. Muir once again stood up to be counted, demonstrating a calmness under pressure that inspired us to finally break our recent play-off hoodoo. The word ‘calmness’ could not be used to describe the scenes back at the club after promotion was sealed. During wild celebrations between players and fans alike, Muir showcased his excellent reactions when catching an unnamed and unsteady IBF member from the sky. The pair subsequently smashed through a table and legendary status among the fans was secured. 

As the dust settled on the promotion win, we witnessed the first parting of the ways between Muir and QP. League One rivals East Fife managed to convince him that Methil was the place to be. However, this turned out to be an extremely short-lived arrangement. Muir was back in a Queen’s shirt by September, ousting new recruit Andy Murphy from the number one spot. At the time, there was some justified sympathy for Murphy. He had recently recorded a trio of successive clean sheets against Brechin, Livingston and Morton. The game at Glebe Park had even spawned a chant in his honour. These feelings proved to be fleeting once Muir re-established himself in the team. 

Muir’s return to the team coincided with a poor run of form for QP as we initially struggled with the step up in division. The tide started to turn as we entered the winter months, resulting in a seven match unbeaten run before our visit to Almondvale to play the runaway league leaders Livingston. Muir’s performance in this match would demonstrate all the qualities we had come to expect from him. Facing a penalty with QP 2-1 up, he kept out a scuffed effort from Liam Buchanan. As the striker moved in for the rebound, Muir flung himself in the way, taking a sore one in the process. When asked about the incident post-match, his response was: “My head’s fine, it was worth it”. Further evidence, if it was required, that our goalkeeper had become a totemic figure. 

Muir continued to turn in high-quality performances as we entered the second half of the season and we punched well above our weight. With four games remaining we were in the driving seat for an unlikely play-off place, before running out of steam during the run-in. Sadly, steam continued to be in short supply as we moved into season 17/18. The loss of Ryan McGeever in front of Muir was keenly felt as we endured a torrid start to the campaign. 30 league goals were lost by early November including being hit for five by Raith and Albion Rovers. Our shakiness in defence was epitomised by an uncharacteristic error from Muir, as he fumbled an Andy Graham header into the net during another scudding against Alloa. This run culminated in a 3-0 loss at Stair Park, which saw Muir pick up a knee injury. Michael White stepped in as number one and would remain there. After a run of games on the bench, Muir left Queen’s for the second time in January, joining Airdrie on a six month deal. 

Both Muir and QP then seemed to experience what could be described as transitional phases in 2018/19. Muir had two more short-term spells at Forfar and East Kilbride as Queen’s slogged their way to a mid-table finish in League 2. Player and club were then reunited for a third time in summer 2019. Despite not playing regularly the previous year, Muir seamlessly picked up from where he left off at Queen’s. A clean sheet in the Betfred Cup draw with Hamilton Accies reminded us of the quality he possesses. Despite his return and a host of new signings, Queen’s continued to be underwhelming under Mark Roberts, before the winds of change blew through the club. After the arrival of Ray McKinnon and the advent of the professional era, Muir demonstrated his value almost immediately. An outstanding late penalty save against Albion Rovers in January secured a scarcely deserved point. Muir then successfully fended off the ‘challenge’ of former Scotland cap Cammy Bell to retain the number one spot for the rest of the soon to be curtailed season. Admittedly, it is unclear how much competition Mr Bell was providing him with! 

That brings us almost up-to-date on Muir’s service to the Spiders. This season we have watched his performances via dodgy streams but his consistency has continued to be remarkable. Yes, he may now have a far superior defence in front of him but there have still been key moments in which he has had to deliver. A crucial save in the tight 1-0 victory over Stranraer early in the season springs to mind. Far more recently, his reaction stop to keep out Elgin’s Kane Hester essentially sealed the league title. Aptly, Muir finished the game by picking up the man of the match award. A fitting way to mark his 200th appearance. 

After last Tuesday’s game, Muir stated in his post match interview that he “hopes he has given something back to the club” in his 200 games. I think every QP supporter will agree that Willie Muir has contributed to some of their best memories following the team. Now a member of two promotion winning QP teams, he enters a new realm of legendary status. I feel privileged to have watched both of these sides and there might yet be more success to come. Our chances of achieving further success are unquestionably boosted by the presence of Muir. A player who has endeared himself to supporters both on and off the park over the course of his double century, we all hope he is now here to stay! 

 

Champions-(Elect)! Queen's close in after thrilling day in Edinburgh

Pandemic football has been a strange and surreal experience. With fans locked out of grounds up and down the country, we have had to make do with remote viewing from home. In many cases, this has stifled the passion and emotion of the game we all love - with fixtures (particularly in the top leagues) played at a noticeably lower tempo and your everyday supporter as far removed from the action as they have ever been. 

It would be a lie to suggest this hasn't had an effect on what should have been Queen's Park's greatest season in a generation. At times, weeks and matches have passed without any great deal of emotional response, and the nerves and excitement you would usually associate with a title charge haven't always been present for supporters who would usually be chomping at the bit to tour the grounds (and pubs) of Scotland watching their heroes wreak unadulterated havoc on helpless League Two opposition. 

All this being said, even in this unprecedented campaign, football retains the ability to thrill, disappoint and delight like no other sport or past time imaginable. Perhaps, with our only interaction with our team being felt through the screen of a laptop, it takes a little bit more to evoke these emotions within a fanbase - and with our status as champions all but on the line, the Queen's support were certainly put through the wringer this past Saturday lunchtime.

Your humble editor has no shame in admitting that this past Friday was the first time in a long time where a good night's sleep was an impossible prospect due to the Queen's Park fixture the following day. A victory at Ainslie Park wouldn't be enough to officially wrap up the championship, but it would leave us in a position where only one point would be required from our final five games - the champagne was well and truly on ice before kick off on a beautiful spring afternoon in the Capital.

Victory however, would be no mean feat. Edinburgh City are one of only two sides to take anything from Ray McKinnon's men in the league this season, and their performance in an exciting 3-3 draw at Hampden in November was the best produced by an opposition outfit in League Two competition. In truth, City should have won that day. Queen's were miles off it and despite a stirring second half comeback to somehow lead going into the final minutes, it would have been daylight robbery had we taken all three points at The National Stadium. Everyone knew that Queen's would have to produce their very best to have any chance of taking three points home along the M8, and in turn all but securing their status as champions. 

Despite the gravity of the task ahead there was no reason for Queen's to be anything but confident prior to kick off. The players had shown great character to win 3-1 at Stenhousemuir the previous Saturday (Peter Grant's second half red card not enough to halt our momentum) and had eked out a 1-0 victory over Annan at the Falkirk Stadium despite never approaching our best in terms of performance level.

It had a big game feel, even without supporters in the ground, and it was hard not to wish you were there as the sun shone down on the players for an unusual noon start (the funeral of a public figure in London deemed important enough for the powers that be within the SPFL to shift from a traditional 3pm kick off). 

The match itself certainly didn't disappoint. Queen's roared out the traps in the first half and Louis Longridge and Bingo Bob McHugh both passed up decent chances to give us the lead. Our profligacy in recent weeks has been an area of concern for supporters - despite our great run (and largely impressive performances) we had been passing up lots of chances - and everyone knew this couldn't once again be the case if we wanted to see off Gary Naysmith's charges (themselves on a fine run of form). 

The goal our play deserved did however come on 26 minutes, and it was worth waiting for. Luca Connell delivered one of his trademark raking crosses from a set piece, and skipper Peter Grant looped a  header up and over Callum Antell in the City goal. Grant wheeled away to celebrate as the ball landed beautifully in the bottom corner of the net - sparking big celebrations within the QP squad and in living rooms and back gardens all over Glasgow's southside.

Queen's didn't take the foot off the pedal for the remainder of the first 45 minutes - stroking the ball about beautifully. Edinburgh City were in truth, nowhere to be seen for the majority of the opening half and the previously mentioned profligacy in front of goal once again reared its head as we passed up a number of chances. This theme continued into the beginning of the second half as The Ginger Prince Simon Murray passed up a glorious opening after rounding Antell in the City goal - it was hard not to think we might regret such a glaring miss and it almost came to pass as the home side hit us with a quick one-two. 

One of our greatest strengths this season has been a rock solid defence (with only six league goals conceded prior to kick off) but for eleven second half minutes they were all at sea, City turning the game on its head from two set pieces. The first, a corner from the far side, was initially blocked - but it wasn't cleared and defender Liam Henderson was on hand to smash a low shot past a helpless Willie Muir.

The home side were energised from this moment on and it was no surprise to anyone with experience of following Queen's Park to see them score again not long after. A soft free kick awarded by the referee was swung in with venom, and Josh Campbell made no mistake with a precise header past Muir.

While we have been excellent front runners for the entirety of the campaign, it is no stretch to suggest that this is the first time this set of players have been tested in such a manner. While far from catastrophic, a defeat would have certainly led to the formation of some seeds of doubt about whether or not this team would get over the line - and some supporters no doubt considered putting the bubbly away for another day. In truth, they needn't have worried.

This team is made of stern stuff and they proved it in a swashbuckling last fifteen minutes. The introduction of Buffalo Bill and Ross McLean in place of McHugh and Darren Lyon seemed to change the momentum and Simon Murray made up for his earlier missed chance in style, his two goals securing one of the most important Queen's Park victories of the modern era.

His first, on 78 minutes, was a fine close range header from a Michael Doyle delivery (Doyle, who had a quiet first half - really came to life in the final stages, and I would personally be stunned if he isn't voted Player of the Year by supporters when the time comes). Murray's second, a left foot finish from around six yards, was a thing of real beauty. 

Fans favourite Baynham had made a real impact in his brief spell on the pitch and he played a huge part in the winner. He received possession from Doyle just over the half way line, headed the bouncing ball beyond a despairing Edinburgh defender before showing a surprising turn of pace to gain a yard on his man. His dinked right foot cross was exquisite, and top scorer Murray showed great composure to stab the ball past Antell. 

Cue delirium within the squad who knew exactly what the goal meant. Murray was booked for his celebrations but he certainly won't be losing sleep over that fact. After fifteen months out with a serious knee injury, Murray must have thought days like this were behind him before he joined Queen's last summer. He has taken time to shine in a Spiders jersey but his performances in recent weeks have shown just how good a player he can be - and if anyone deserved a moment of glory like that it was him. 

When referee Grainger blew his final whistle the emotion on the faces of the Queen's players was a sight to see. Peter Grant, another player who has went through injury hell throughout his professional career, dropped to his knees in tears. A scorer in a Scottish Cup final for Falkirk, Grant is no stranger to the big occasion, but it was clear to see how much this victory meant to him on a personal level. He is another who should be in the reckoning for individual honours come May. 

Players and staff were careful not to use the 'C Word' in post match interviews, but this was the three points that sealed the title. The cheap fizz was successfully popped at The Web HQ and another bottle might just need to be bought in time for Tuesday's home fixture against Elgin, where a point would officially seal the championship for Ray McKinnon's men. 

A strange and unusual season it may have been, but in the annals of history it will go down as a great one, and the supporters cannot wait to celebrate together with this squad of players when the time comes. 

Binos; Blue Brazil defeated as Super Ray's rampant Spiders march towards the title.

The move to our new home at The Falkirk Stadium may have caused some consternation within the support when announced a few weeks ago - but there has been no such drama for Super Ray, his staff and his players who haven't missed a beat over the course of two impressive victories - firstly against promotion challenging Stirling Albion, and then relegation threatened Cowdenbeath.

This has been, without doubt, a massive week for Ray McKinnon's men. Another six points on the board, another two clean sheets protected and another four goals scored - we are now at the stage where it is extremely hard to see Queen's being overhauled at the League Two summit - and it is surely a matter of time before captain David Galt lifts the first Queen's Park league title in 21 years. 

The clash with the Binos on Saturday was rightly touted as a huge match for the prospects of both sides, towards the end of what has been a challenging season. Stirling (one of only two teams to prevent a Spiders league win all season) were only seven points behind your favourites at kick off in FK2, and while there was a degree of confidence within the Queen's ranks there was also no doubt that the visitors would provide a sterner test than those experienced at both Glebe Park and at Cliftonhill. 

Stirling were hampered by the absence of main goal threat Andy Ryan through injury but Kevin Rutkiewicz was still able to name a strong side which included two ex-Spiders in centre back Darryl Meggatt and creative midfielder Kurtis Roberts. A tight game was expected, and so it proved, but in truth this was a match which never really got going and good chances were at a premium (particularly in the first half where the Queen's opener was the only moment worth writing home about).

Luca Connell has been hogging the headlines in his formative weeks as a Queen's Park player, and following a virtuoso performance against Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill a few days before, it was no surprise that the only goal of the game came from one of his pinpoint in-swinging set pieces. Connell's ball in was begging to be met, and after a couple of nicks off attacking players, the ball spun past Binos keeper Cameron Binnie.

The final touch appeared to come off the forehead of unfortunate ex-Queen's defender Meggatt (Strawberry's uncharacteristic faux-pas coming ten years to the month since his last Spiders goal). Queen's controlled the remainder of the first period without really stamping their authority on the fixture - the midfield pairing of Connell and the revitalised Darren Lyon were controlling the tempo of the passing and the Binos could only chase shadows. When they did find controlled possession, the tireless Lyon was in their faces and he received a yellow card for his troubles following a crunching slide tackle which disrupted the early phases of a promising visiting attack.

The second half continued in a much similar vein, but to Queen's credit, we did manage to create more in the way of clear chances - and its hard to believe that we didn't add to our lead. Salim Kouder-Aissa was guilty of two horrible misses (the second in particular, not one he would've fancied watching back on QPTV), sub David Galt was somehow denied by Binnie from close range and fellow replacement Buffalo Bill Baynham had a towering header harshly ruled out for an apparent push on Meggatt. 

The Binos had one clear chance of their own to salvage a draw, Jack Leitch (I am told no relation to public health buzzkill Jason) headed wide when it looked easier to score, but Queen's deserved the three points even if they did not manage to hit the heights we all know these players are capable of, particularly in the attacking areas. 

With our closest rivals dispatched homewards with nothing to show for a plucky effort, confidence was rightly sky high when relegation battlers Cowdenbeath rocked up at the Falkirk Stadium for last night's 7pm kick off. The quick turnaround from Saturday's fixtures no doubt suited Ray McKinnon more than his opposite number Gary Bollan, and the Queen's gaffer surprised the support by not only changing personnel, but by moving away from his tried and tested 4-4-2 formation. 

Buffalo Bill, Grant Gillespie, captain Galt and Jai Quitongo came in from the start and there was no place for the misfiring duo of Bingo Bob McHugh and Kouder-Aissa. Simon Murray, Canice Carroll and Tommy Robson were back on the bench - but the impressive young Brody Paterson kept his place at left back and Baynham was deployed as a lone striker with Galt and Louis Longridge roaming in behind. 

Our visitors The Blue Brazil have had a miserable season, and by reading the contributions of Cowden supporters on popular Scottish football forum Pie & Bovril, there appears to be serious concern over their league status going into what will be a difficult final few months of fixtures for The Fifers. Last night's performance (coupled with results from elsewhere) would have done nothing to allay the relegation fears which will be dominating the thoughts of all those involved at Central Park. 

In contrast to Saturday, where Queen's knew a good performance would be required to see off high flying Stirling Albion, this was a display from a side who never really had to move out of second gear (particularly in a dull first half). Cowden offered nothing in an attacking sense, and while McKinnon's boys were timid in attack for the first 45 minutes - they enjoyed complete dominance of the ball and held a 1-0 half time advantage thanks to a rocket of a shot from Jai Quitongo. 

The usually impressive Connell, quiet in the first period and recipient of a few tasty challenges, was replaced at half time by Darren Lyon, and Lyon's almost instantaneous close range goal (following more superb work from Quitongo on the right) set the tone for a much improved second half performance from Queen's Park. 

The home side were working harder and pressing higher, and Cowdenbeath were really struggling to cope as the minutes ticked on. This should have been the night where Queen's dished out a real doing to the opposition. We created chance after chance in the second period, but flabby finishing and the fine form of young goalkeeper Nicky Hogarth limited us to just one more in the forty minutes that remained following Lyon's 4th goal of the season.

It was Buffalo Bill Baynham, terrific throughout, who got it - heading in from the centre of the box following a sweeping delivery from Mr. Consistent Michael Doyle. In truth, Baynham would have had a hat trick if not for the performance of Cowdenbeath's number one - but it was good to see the big man back in the team and back amongst the goals. 

The fixtures continue to come thick and fast for everyone in the league, but with our superior resources and full time status - we are no doubt in a much better position to cope than our divisional rivals. This has been a great few weeks for Ray McKinnon and his coaching staff and they will be particularly be pleased with the performances of players who had found themselves on the fringes of the squad prior to the lockdown in January.

Midfielders Lyon and Gillespie were maligned in some quarters in the first phase of the season, but both have been in excellent form since the restart, and the significant presence of Canice Carroll has not been missed whatsoever which is testament to the form of both players. Young loanee Brody Paterson has proven himself a more than capable backup to Tommy Robson on the left of our steely defence, while wide men Quitongo and Longridge have put in a series of eye catching displays since the return - these two should be nailed on starters for Saturday's trip to face Stenhousemuir. 

While clarity relating to some serious off field problems remains nowhere to be found, Queen's supporters can at least be reassured that everything is going to plan on the field. Five games have been played since the restart, and with fifteen points (and five clean sheets) added to the record books - we look in a superb position to finish the season strongly - and lift the League Two championship in a blaze of glory come May.