Danny Lennon Axed By Airdrieonians After 56 Days In Charge
Danny Lennon has become the latest managerial casualty as Airdrieonians have pulled the trigger on him after only 56 days following a 4-0 home defeat at the hands of Dunfermline. Danny Lennon, a seasoned manager, returned to the game in August after a 3-year hiatus, returning to Airdrieonians where he had previously spent a short interim spell in charge in 2016. However, the former League Cup-winning manager will now be on the lookout for a new job as the Airdrie club has decided to sack him after he remained winless in his 8 games in charge, with 6 defeats and 2 draws. It’s not been a good return to management for Lennon, who has failed to turn around the club’s fortunes as they remain rooted to the bottom of the Championship table, 4 points off Ross County in 9th and winless in the league this season. In his time in charge of the club, he has watched helplessly from the sidelines as his team shipped 15 goals during his tenure, only managing to score 5 goals themselves as the bad results piled up. It has been a rough time for the past season for the Airdrieonians, despite reaching the play-offs in their first season in the championship. Last season saw them needing a relegation play-off victory against Cove Rangers to secure survival. Airdrie will now be on the lookout for their third manager of the season following the highly rated Rhys McCabe’s departure earlier this season, and now Danny Lennon is being shown the exit door. Whoever comes in at the Albert Bartlett Stadium has a big task on their hands to turn the club’s fortunes around. The key things that the new man will have to sort out are the defensive frailties of the squad as well as finding the goalscoring touch as Airdrie look to retain their Championship status.
Ange Postecoglou Axed By Nottingham Forest After Dismal Spell In Charge
Nottingham Forest will be on the search for their third manager of the season as Ange Postecoglou has been sacked after only a month in charge following 3-0 defeat to Chelsea. The Australian took charge of the Forest at the start of the season replacing the outgoing Nuno Espírito Santo who was sacked after poor results and a breakdown in relationship with the ownership. After failing to win any of his first 8 games in charge Postecoglou has been shown the exit door by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, making him the shortest serving manager in the clubs history. The writing had been on the wall for the Aussie as pressure from the fans grew with each passing game as Forest looked to regain their form that gave them European football for the first time in 1996. Postecoglou who guided Celtic to two consecutive Premiership trophies as well as a treble in his final season has found his fortunes much worse since switching Scotland for England. Despite winning the Europa League ending Tottenham Hotspur’s 17 year trophy drought he was shown the door a mer 16 days later as the club finished 17th in a dismal league campaign. Whilst the Australian’s high pressing attacking style of play captivated the Scottish game he has not been able to transform his fortunes to the Premier League and he will be on the hunt for his third job this year. Postecoglou has faced criticism from the English media from the day he was appointed and it remains to be seen what his next move will be as his Premier League experiences have been far from ideal. It remains to be seen who the City Ground club will turn to in a bid to get there season back on track and it will be an interesting process to follow. The early contender is Sean Dyche who was reportedly on the shortlist should the axe fall on Postecoglou.
Arbroath Hand St Johnstone First League Defeat With Sensational Second Half Comeback
A sensational second half comeback from Arbroath handed St Johnstone their first league defeat off the season as the Smokies ran out 3-1 winners. It was a very even start as both teams looked to create chances but within five minutes the visitors were in front. A through ball by Reece McAlear found Josh McPake where the striker put St Johnstone ahead. After the goal, it was one way traffic as Arbroath controlled most the play but failing to get the game level. On 20 minutes, Findlay Marshall had a chance to equalise but his effort from range just going over by a slight margin. Other than that, there was much to speak about as Arbroath controlled majority of the game but failing to take their chances. St Johnstone struggled to get further ahead but luckily for them, Arbroath just couldn’t find a goal. Some very dodgy passes by the Saints backline in the first half but at their fortune, Arbroath were unable to make them pay. Arbroath responded immediately as Findlay Marshall fired the Smokies back on level terms with an effort from range striking bottom right hand corner. Arbroath continued to create chances and cause St Johnstone all sort of issues as soon on Arbroath were ahead as Gavin Reilly scored a tap in from close range following an initial attempt saved. Arbroath then quickly added a third, a similar goal to the equaliser, Findlay Marshall completing a brace with a strike from distance finding the bottom right hand corner. St Johnstone late on did have some chances but not testing the Arbroath keeper as the hosts were more than happy to sit back and soak up the pressure. St Johnstone had no response as Arbroath were simply outstanding. Anytime the visitors went forward they were unable to test the Arbroath number one. A very poor display by the Saints as Arbroath pick up a very deserved three points. Arbroath: McAdams Stewart Muirhead O’Brien Wilkie Gold Flynn Marshall Reilly MacIntyre Dow Substitutes: Cochrane Kabongolo Todorov St Johnstone: Steward Smith Boyes Diabate Foulds Fotheringham Holt Sprangler McAlear McPake Gullan Substitutes: Ikpeazu Franczak
Former St Mirren Chairman Stewart Gilmour Steps Down From SMISA Board
Stewart Gilmour thé former St Mirren Chairman has resigned from his position on the SMISA board citing the funding model as the key reason behind his decision. The former Buddies chairman who relinquished control of the club in 2015 has been a member of fan owned group board since 2022 as SMISA alongside Kibble took control of the club in 2021. Gilmour in a Facebook post said: “It is with deep regret I must announce that I have resigned from the SMISA Board, this is very much against my wishes, however the regulations attached to being a SMISA Director do not allow me to express my own opinion publicly. Therefore, I have done so within the confines of the Board and as such those objections are in the minutes.My decision concerns the great change in the SMISA Funding model that is about to take place should the Members approve the new Build the Buds policy going forward. “I should highlight there are many good things about the Build the Buds, however the capping of the Reserve Fund at ONLY £500,000 is something I must speak out about. “This was a figure voted on, by no doubt well-meaning individuals, most of whom have absolutely no experience of downsizing either a company or indeed a football club with a £5 million plus turnover. “This figure represents a mere 10 per cent of St Mirren Football Club’s annual turnover and does not even match ONE MONTH of our current outgoings. “The Club could, and in all probability will, face difficult decisions in future should our fortunes fade, and history bears out that they will. Dealing with this is a very difficult and costly operation to carry out. Employees do not just walk away; you cannot get out of contracts.” Gilmour has highlighted his concerns at the clubs ability to operate in the event the clubs recent high times come to an end and they find themselves in financial difficulty. The former Chairman has used Motherwell, another fan owned club, as an example as to why this funding model is the wrong direction for the SMISA board to go down. “You should be aware that another club of similar size, Motherwell FC have a fund of £1 million, by coincidence exactly the figure I believe should be our minimum at this point. And one that should be subject to review in five years. “There unfortunately is a belief among some sections of our support that we shall never hit hard times, possibly caused by relegation to the Championship. I assure you clubs of our size have their wonderful times, but unfortunately also times when it is tough. Very tough. I have been there. History tells us this happens to clubs of our size. “The Membership numbers of SMISA rose dramatically when we had the opportunity to buy the majority shares in the club, of which we are still the majority shareholder. “This was an investment made by around 1,200 supporters, many of us bought into this process with the view that the club was better in the hands of St Mirren people rather than overseas investors! “However, this football club we all love is an asset we must protect. We simply must! If we do not protect it with forward thinking and no short-termism, allowing for our experienced reality of Saints’ capacity and capabilities then we could lose it. “The proposed figure of £500,000 is far from what would be required in an emergency. It is simply not enough to ensure that we could ride out that initial hard period, should the worst, or perhaps the inevitable happen. “This would be a disaster for all the Members who have invested their hard-earned money into SMISA in the belief that SMISA would have a war chest able to cope.” Gilmour finished his statement by again hammering home his belief that the proposed cash reserve figure of £500,000 is nowhere near enough to sustain the club should a return to the Championship be played out. “To me this proposal is the equivalent of your house burning down and not having insurance: the Reserve Fund IS OUR INSURANCE, and it requires to be at a level that will ensure Saints can survive a problem cash period. “This argument for me comes from the heart (and the head). This is about our club always being here, it is about our Grandchildren following in our footsteps. “To succeed and survive you must have an adequate plan. I respectfully warn that this proposal in inadequate and should be reassessed. I do hope fellow Members will see that we do need a much larger reserve to protect our investment in St Mirren Football Club.”
Sheffield Wednesday Facing Winding Up Petition after Unpaid Tax Bill
Unpopular owner Dejphon Chansiri could be forced to sell the club he has owned for the best part of a decade as Sheffield Wednesday face winding up order over an unpaid tax bill to HMRC. Whilst results on the pitch haven’t been smooth sailing for Sheffield Wednesday the club faces a hammer blow off the pitch as they are just days away from receiving a winding up order due to an unpaid tax bill. The Hillsborough club who have faced a turbulent few years under the ownership of Thai businessman Dejphon Chansiri including multiple late payments of wages, unpaid tax bills and points deductions the end could be near for the historic club. The Owls who are currently banned from paying fees for any players until the end of 2027 as a result of the financial mismanagement of the club reportedly now face the prospect of administration over money owed to HMRC totalling £1 million pounds. In recent weeks there have seen protests against the ownership of Chansiri including a pitch invasion in a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Coventry as fans pile on the pressure on their owner to sell the club and end the sorry state of affairs that has plagued the Championship club. It was also revealed the players for the 5th time in 7 months would receive late payments of their wages owing to cashflow problems in Chansiri’s other businesses. The latest development in this long running saga could finally be a turning point as the Thai businessman now may be forced to sell the club and plunge them into administration as the financial situation at Hillsborough has become perilous. Chansiri has placed a £40 million pound valuation on the South Yorkshire club however should a winding up order be given and the fine be unpayable the value of the club will diminish significantly. Off the pitch it would be a catastrophic turn of events for the Sheffield based side however on the pitch the club could suffer further as should they be put into administration a points deduction would follow which would drastically affect the clubs already slim hopes of Championship survival. It remains to be seen what will occur in the coming days however the future is looking bleak for Sheffield Wednesday a historic name in English football history.
Imrie family donate £18,000 in memory of Baby Remi
Morton boss Dougie Imrie and his partner Lauren McCreaddie have donated a staggering £18,000 to the neonatal unit at Wishaw hospital in memory of their child Remi who sadly passed away earlier this year. Earlier this year, the couple welcomed Remi into the world as she was born 14 weeks early weighing 1lb 4oz. Tragically after spending 20 days in the Neonatal Unit at the University Hospital in Wishaw, baby Remi passed away. On Baby Loss Awareness week the couple returned to the hospital to deliver a £18,000 donation to the staff who supported them throughout the most difficult period. Imrie said: “We’ll never be able to thank the staff enough for everything they did for Remi and for us. “Those 20 days we had with her were the most special days of our lives, and the care and compassion and support we received gave us memories we’ll hold forever.” The couple held a fundraiser at the funeral to raise funds for the unit as they want to continue fundraising for as long as they can. McCreaddie said: “At Remi’s funeral, we had a collection for the unit, but we want to continue fundraising for as long as we can. “It’s the very least we can do to give back to those who gave us so much- so that they can keep on helping families like ours through the most difficult journeys.” The funds raised will be used to support the neonatal unit as well as providing help to families whose babies need to spend time in the intensive care unit. Baby Loss Awareness week which is held annually from the 9th to the 15th October is used to support and bring together families who have suffered similar loss as well as raising awareness of the issue of Baby Loss and how you are not alone in your journey. A link can be found down below too donate to the Remi Imrie fundraiser: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/remiimrie?utm_medium=CR&utm_source=CL
Sheffield Wednesday On The Brink As Fans Protest Against Dejphon Chansiri
Sheffield Wednesday fans took to the field on Saturday in protest at the ownership of club Chairman Dejphon Chansiri as they slumped to a 5-0 defeat to Coventry. Whilst Wrexham and Birmingham City are living the dream after respective big money American takeovers the financial situation that has plighted Sheffield Wednesday for years has caused fans to have enough of the owner Dejphon Chansiri who seems to be in no rush to sell the club. Thai businessman took over the club in 2014 and set lofty goals of reaching the promised land of the Premier League. Whilst early on in his tenure this looked a possibly as they narrowly lost the 2016 playoff final to Hull City before succumbing to Huddersfield at the semi-final stage the following season what has proceeded at the Hillsborough club has sent shockwaves through English football. In July 2020 the club were hit with a points deduction for breaking the EFL spending rules being deducted 12 points reduced to 6 on appeal. This sparked the catalyst of what has been a turbulent 5 years for Wednesday supporters. Relegated to League 1 and taking two seasons to return to the Championship the fans were unhappy with the way Chansiri was running the club. In a bombshell statement Chansiri stated he was putting no more money into the club citing his unhappiness with the treatment towards him and demanding the fans pay the outstanding amount owed by the club. Since this statement the club has been put under two registration embargo for failing to pay HMRC. Earlier this summer the north stand at Hillsborough was condemned by the city council and forced to close with the structure being deemed unsafe however, this was later lifted. On top of this earlier this month it was revealed that the players wages were to be payed late the 5th time this has happened in only 7 months with it being claimed this is due to an issue with money owned to Chansiri’s other businesses. The club face further sanctions from the EFL as they are already under a transfer embargo until the end of 2026. With the club looking on the brink of insolvency and Chansiri showing no signs of selling it begs the question what can the EFL do? In the last 5 years there have been financial issues at Wigan, Bury, Derby, Torquay, Hull City, Bolton, Reading, Carlisle and Morecambe with Bury ceasing to trade as a football club due to their perilous situation. The EFL do have measures in place to assess new owners by way of a fit and proper person tests can they do more when owners are essentially running clubs into the ground. The Covid Pandemic has played a part in these issues the power to remove owners who are running clubs unsustainably or holding them to ransom is something that needs looked at. Furthermore punishing clubs for their breaches of rules in the way of points deductions is a counter productive measure. For clubs to find themselves on minus points increasing the risk of relegation in turn causing more financial losses is not the way forward. The future of one of English Football’s most historic and well known clubs in doubt and the situation showing no immediate signs of improving is it time for the powers govern the game to step in and save the club from potential collapse.
Newcastle Cruise Past Nottingham Forest As Pressure Grows On Ange Postecoglou
Newcastle 2 -0 Nottingham Forest Guimaraes (58) Woltemade (83) Bruno Guimaraes steals the show as Newcastle heap the pressure on Ange Postecoglou with a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest Eddie Howe placed his trust in an unchanged 11 from Wednesday nights 4-0 hammering of Union St.Gilloise in the Champions League. Whilst Ange Postecoglou still searching for his first win in charge of Nottingham Forest made 4 changes from defeat to FC Midtjylland away in the Europa League. Igor Jesus, Murillo, Ibrahim Sangare and Callum Hudson-Odoi dropping out of the side making way for Chris Wood,Ryan Yates, Jair Cunha and Nicolo Savona. The opening ten minutes passed without incident as both teams looked to settle into the game. Nottingham Forest looked happy to sit back and wait for the counter in a style that isn’t commonly associated with the under fire Postecoglou, Whilst Newcastle looked for quick passages of play in the final third to no avail. Joelinton was the first to test Sels in the Forest goal just after the 10 minute mark as he sent a first time effort goalwards after an excellent delivery was fired into the box by Kieran Trippier. Matz Sels was called into action five minutes later as Nottingham Forest failed to deal with a corner allowing Sven Botman to head the ball across the box which fell to Joelinton who saw his effort saved at close range by the Forest showstopper. Nottingham Forest had their first chance of the game just before the 20th minute, Morgan Gibbs-White sent a tame free-kick straight at Nick Pope in the Newcastle goal. Chris Wood passed up a glorious opportunity minutes later as Gibbs-White bombed down the right hand side firing a low driven cross into the box missed by the Newcastle backline however, the Forest talisman couldn’t sort out his feet in time to get a shot off. The game descended into a stop start affair with a number of fouls committed by both sides culminating in Ryan Yates and Neco Williams finding themselves into the book. Nottingham Forest won their first corner of the game in the 40th minute who looked to be growing in confidence as the clock ticked on after Sandro Tonali took no chances with a Neco Williams delivery. The proceeding corner was clawed away by Pope and the danger cleared by the Newcastle rearguard. A minute before the break Newcastle after a sustained period of pressure had two opportunities to take the lead with Joelinton seeing his effort deflected after a layoff from Woltemade the ball bouncing out to Tonali who fired his effort well wide of the post. Into added on time of the first half Neco Williams already in on a booking could consider himself lucky to remain on the park as his outstretched arm made contact with a Trippier cross and out for a corner which led to nothing as the first half came to a close. 3 minutes after the break Gordon had the first half chance off the half after good play down the right hand side by Trippier the ball was delivered into the box finding it’s way to Gordon who saw his effort deflected as the Forest defence had done for large spells of the game already. 2 minutes later Morato’s blushes were spared after a ball into the box by Anthony Gordon was heavily touched by the Forest defender which fell right to Woltemade who sent an effort goalwards with Morato recovering well to deflect the effort away. Newcastle had a VAR check for a potential penalty as Morato was all over Dan Burn as a corner was delivered by Tonali with the officials deciding there was minimal contact and play resumed. Bruno Guimaraes fired the Magpies into the lead in the 58th minute winning the ball from Gibbs-White in the middle exchanging a quick one-two with Dan Burn before firing a sensational strike from outside the box into the top corner which left Matz Sels with no chance in the Forest goal. VAR checked the goal for a potential foul on Gibbs-White who cleared the goal. Morato finally found himself into the book after a number of fouls in the second half as he brought down Elanga who looked got be racing away towards goal. Tonali sent the free-kick into the box with the ball being headed away. Sandro Tonali was the next to test Sels as his effort was expertly tipped over by the showstopper. The resulting corner delivered by Tonali fell to Woltemade who crashed his close range effort of the bar a follow up effort was deflected away. Hudson-Odoi with the first chance of note for Forest in the second half skinning Trippier before firing an effort straight at Nick Pope. 10 minutes from time Sels yet again with a save to keep his side in it as he kept out a close range effort from Thiaw before seconds later denying Harvey Barnes who was bearing down on goal. Former Magpie Elliot Anderson brought down Bruno Guimaraes in the box as Newcastle were awarded a penalty with 7 minutes remaining. Nick Woltemade in front of the Gallowgate fired the ball right into the top corner leaving Matz Sels rooted as he scored for the 3rd consecutive game. With 6 minutes added on at the end the game petered out as Newcastle saw out their professional performance with Forest failing to trouble them at all. Newcastle: Pope 6 Trippier 7 Thiaw 6 Botman 6 Burn 6 Guimaraes 8 Tonali 7 Joelinton 7 Elanga 6 Woltemade 7 Gordon 6 Substitutes: Barnes 5 Murphy 5 Miley 2 Osula 2 Nottingham Forest: Sels 7 Milenkovic 6 Cunha 6 Morato 5 Savona 5 Anderson 5 Yates 5 Williams 5 Ndoye 5 Wood 4 Gibbs-White 6 Substitutes: Hudson-Odoi 5 Hutchinson 5 Jesus 5 Bakwa 4
Celtic Welcome Braga to Celtic Park As They Seek European Success
Celtic Park is set for another dramatic European night on Thursday as they welcome Portuguese side Braga with the Bhoys seeking their first European victory of the season. The atmosphere promises to be unlike the usual thunder that greets the players under the lights. Supporters have announced plans to stage a 29-minute protest against the board, leaving an unusual hush around the stadium until close to the half-hour mark. It’s a gesture aimed at voicing frustration with the hierarchy, but it also creates a curious challenge for Brendan Rodgers’ side: how to seize control of a match without the instant backing of a roaring Parkhead crowd. On the footballing front, the stakes are clear. Celtic began their Europa League campaign with a 1–1 draw away to Red Star Belgrade. A solid enough result, but it leaves little margin for error at home. If the Hoops want to build momentum in a group that looks tight on paper, three points against Braga could be crucial. Braga, however, are no strangers to making life uncomfortable for opponents. They kicked off their group stage with a win, and while their domestic form has been patchy, they remain a team capable of springing surprises.They’re compact, disciplined, and more than capable of striking on the counter through players such as Ricardo Hortaand Fran Navarro. For Celtic, that means patience and concentration will be just as important as attacking flair. Rodgers doesn’t have fresh injury worries, but absences remain a storyline. Alistair Johnston, Auston Trusty and Jota are long-term casualties, meaning Celtic have already had to adapt their defensive and attacking structure without them.The back line has looked relatively stable, but the question still lingers over whether Celtic can consistently unlock stubborn defences at this level. European nights often hinge on moments of sharpness in the final third, and that is where Celtic must deliver. Keys to the game feel straightforward yet decisive. An assertive start, even without the immediate roar of the stands, will be vital. Braga will look to ride out the opening half-hour, frustrate, and then grow into the contest. Celtic’s ability to stay compact when out of possession will matter too, as the Portuguese side thrive on transitions and quick breaks. Set-pieces may also play a role in what is likely to be a finely balanced encounter. Once the protest ends, Parkhead will explode into life, and that energy could swing momentum. But Rodgers and his players cannot afford to wait for the noise — they need to take command from the first whistle. Anything less risks handing Braga the belief they need to snatch a result. It won’t be straightforward, and it might not be pretty, but for Celtic this feels like a must-win night.
Steve Clarke Announces Scotland Squad for Crucial October Double Header
Scotland welcome Greece and Belarus to Hampden Park next month as their World Cup quest continues. Craig Gordon returns to the 25-man squad, as Steve Clarke looks to build on an unbeaten start to Group C. Greece visit Hampden on October 12th and sit 3rd in the group. Clarke’s side were well beaten against the Greeks in March, a 3-0 defeat by Ivan Jovanovic’s side relegated Scotland in the Nations League. Belarus are next on October 15th, a Che Adams strike and an own goal secured a 2-0 away victory for the Scots over Belarus earlier in the group. Scotland Squad Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon, Angus Gunn, Liam Kelly Defenders: Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Aaron Hickey, Scott McKenna, Anthony Ralston, Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney Midfielders: Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, Ben Gannon-Doak, Billy Gilmour, John McGinn, Kenny McLean, Scott McTominay, Lennon Miller Forwards: Che Adams, Kieron Bowie, Lyndon Dykes, George Hirst
