UNCOVERED — Cove Rangers v Stirling Albion 10.07.21

io n KO g Alb 3p m Stirlin 7.21 — e rs v • 10.0 Rang Cup Cove o r ts ie r Sp Prem

BALMOR AL GROUP Proud sponsors of BALMORAL STADIUM

Balmoral Comtec Balmoral Tanks Balmoral Business Park ACE Winches BLAZE Manufacturing Solutions Friends of ANCHOR www.balmoral-group.com

02 03

— Contents

Cove Rangers FC Matchday Programme Stirling Albion: 10.07.21 — 3pm KO

Features

VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT CAPTAIN’S VIEW

08 16 Regulars

Upcoming fixtures

04

Club information

05

Club partners

07

Player and Management sponsorship

12

Season 2021/22 statistics

14

Club honours

20

Today’s team lines

21

— Upcoming fixtures

A Tue 13th Jul, 2021

Heart of Midlothian v Cove Rangers

Premier Sports Cup

A Sat 17th Jul, 2021

Peterhead v Cove Rangers

Premier Sports Cup

H Tue 20th Jul, 2021

Cove Rangers v Inverness CT

Premier Sports Cup

H Sat 31st Jul, 2021

Cove Rangers v Falkirk

Cinch League 1

04 05

— Club information

Cove Rangers FC Balmoral Stadium Wellington Circle, Altens Aberdeen, AB12 3JG

T 01224 392111 F 01224 392859 coverangersfc.com Twitter / Facebook / Instagram @coverangersfc

Honorary President Alan McRae Directors Keith Moorhouse - Chairman Graeme Reid - Vice Chairman/Financial Controller Duncan Little - Secretary/Stadium Manager John Sheran - Director of Football Darren Anderson Grant Moorhouse Safety Officers John Morgan & Bill Ogilvie Committee Michael Coull, Mike Pirie, Richard Forbes & Gordon Taylor Football Manager - Paul Hartley

Assistant Manager - Gordon Young Fitness Coach - Tam Ritchie

Goalkeeping Coach - Vacant

Head of Youth Development - Gary Hake Performance Analyst - Ryan Docherty

Physios - Donal Gallacher & Eilidh McGregor Kit Manager - Adrian Thomson Club Doctor - David Fowler

Commercial Manager - Angela Bruce Media Officer - Charlie Allan

Child Wellbeing and Protection Officer - Kate Dean Club Chaplain - Dougie Simpson

Club Photographers - Dave Cowe, Richard Forbes

STOP BALL WATCHING. START PLAYING.

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Jaw-dropping accuracy. The new Mitre Delta Max SPFL. Prepare to mesmerise.

Mitre.com

— Club partners

Principal Club Partner

Principal Stadium Partner

Official Club Partners

06 07

— View from the dugout

PAUL HARTL I’m delighted to finally be in the position to say welcome back to Balmoral Stadium, Cove Rangers fans!

It’s mad to think it’s now more than 16 months since we played a match in front of supporters. Seeing fans attending matches at the Euro 2020 finals gave us a timely reminder of what we had all been missing.

Football is nothing without fans, so you can understand why we are so excited by the prospect of playing in front of our Blue and White Army this afternoon. Everyone will get a lift from seeing people in the stands and simply about the place.

We will be doing our utmost to ensure it’s a winning return to Balmoral for you.

Stirling Albion were the last side we played in front of supporters, in what proved to be the final League Two fixture we were permitted to play in the season before last.

We enjoyed a comfortable victory thanks to an outstanding performance that day, but this afternoon’s encounter will be totally different.

>>>

LEY

08 09

— View from the dugout

>>>

Albion have made a few additions to their squad over the summer and will be among the favourites for promotion from League Two in the coming session.

Both of us will be eager to make a winning start in what is a very tough Premier League Cup group. We also have to face my old club Hearts, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Peterhead, so know every point will have to be earned.

I’m happy with that because the run of fixtures will be the best possible preparation for our second League One campaign, which, of course, is the priority.

Today’s match also gives our fans their first chance to see the players who joined us during the close season.

I’m delighted with the way they have settled in at the club.

The League Cup matches provide them the opportunity to become used to how we like to play, so there is much to look forward to.

Stay safe and enjoy the game.

Paul Hartley

10 11

“ Football is nothing without fans, so you can understand why we are so excited by the prospect of playing in front of our Blue and White Army this afternoon.”

— Player and management sponsorship

MANAGEMENT Paul Hartley

Gordon Young

Tam Ritchie

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

Stuart McKenzie

Kyle Gourlay

GOALKEEPERS

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

Harry Milne

Scott Ross

Ryan Strachan

LOCAL , NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL ROAD HAULAGE

ABERDEEN 01224 – 781698 WWW.MGSLOGISTICS.CO.UK

DEFENDERS

Daniel Higgins

Morgyn Neill

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

FO

12 13

MIDFIELDERS Connor Scully

Broque Watson

Blair Yule

Jamie Masson

Fraser Fyvie

Iain Vigurs

Ross Draper

Robbie Leitch

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

ORWARDS

Mitchel Megginson

Leighton McIntosh

CRFC offer excellent advertising opportunities to organisations who are looking to share marketing messages, or to build their brand via one or more of our channels. Get in touch with our commercial team for further information.

To register Interest for sponsorship, contact: Angela Bruce - abruce@coverangersfc.com

Rory McAllister

— Season 2021/22 statistics Date

Fixture

Game

H/A

10/07/2021

Stirling Albion

PSC

H

13/07/2021

Hearts

PSC

A

17/07/2021

Peterhead

PSC

A

20/07/2021

Inverness CT

PSC

H

31/07/2021

Falkirk

SPFL1

A

07/08/2021

Queens Park

SPFL1

A

14/08/2021

East Fife

SPFL1

H

21/08/2021

Dumbarton

SPFL1

A

28/08/2021

Clyde

SPFL1

A

11/09/2021

Montrose

SPFL1

H

18/09/2021

Peterhead

SPFL1

A

25/09/2021

Airdrieonians

SPFL1

H

02/10/2021

Alloa Athletic

SPFL1

A

16/10/2021

East Fife

SPFL1

A

23/10/2021

Clyde

SPFL1

H

30/10/2021

Queens Park

SPFL1

H

06/11/2021

Montrose

SPFL1

A

13/11/2021

Peterhead

SPFL1

H

20/11/2021

Airdrieonians

SPFL1

A

04/12/2021

Dumbarton

SPFL1

H

12/11/2021

Falkirk

SPFL1

A

18/12/2021

Alloa Athletic

SPFL1

H

26/12/2021

East Fife

SPFL1

H

02/01/2022

Peterhead

SPFL1

A

08/01/2022

Clyde

SPFL1

A

15/01/2022

Montrose

SPFL1

H

29/01/2022

Dumbarton

SPFL1

A

05/02/2022

Airdrieonians

SPFL1

H

12/02/2022

Queens Park

SPFL1

A

19/02/2022

Falkirk

SPFL1

H

26/02/2022

Alloa Athletic

SPFL1

A

05/03/2022

Peterhead

SPFL1

H

12/03/2022

Clyde

SPFL1

H

19/03/2022

Montrose

SPFL1

A

26/03/2022

Airdrieonians

SPFL1

A

02/04/2022

Queens Park

SPFL1

H

09/04/2022

Falkirk

SPFL1

A

16/04/2022

Alloa Athletic

SPFL1

H

23/04/2022

Dumbarton

SPFL1

H

30/04/2022

East Fife

SPFL1

A

F

A

Starting

Starting

Starting

Starting

Starting

Starting

Starting

Name

Appearances

Goals

Position

Yellow

Red

Stuart McKenzie

0

0

GK

0

0

Kyle Gourlay

0

0

GK

0

0

Harry Milne

0

0

DF

0

0

Scott Ross

0

0

DF

0

0

Ryan Strachan

0

0

DF

0

0

Daniel Higgins

0

0

DF

0

0

Morgyn Neill

0

0

DF

0

0

Connor Scully

0

0

MF

0

0

Broque Watson

0

0

MF

0

0

Starting

Starting

Sta

arting

14 15

Starting

Sub

Sub

Sub

Sub

Sub

Sub

Sub

Sub

Sub

Referee

AS1

AS2

Barry Cook

Craig Ferguson

Harry Bruce

Name

Appearances

Goals

Position

Yellow

Red

Blair Yule

0

0

MF

0

0

Jamie Masson

0

0

MF

0

0

Fraser Fyvie

0

0

MF

0

0

Iain Vigurs

0

0

MF

0

0

Ross Draper

0

0

MF

0

0

Robbie Leitch

0

0

MF

0

0

Mitchel Megginson

0

0

FW

0

0

Leighton McIntosh

0

0

FW

0

0

Rory McAllister

0

0

FW

0

0

ATT

PTAIN

’S VIE

W

CA

— Captain’s view

16 17

“I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME ALL THE PLAYERS WHO JOINED US DURING THE CLOSE SEASON TO THE CLUB.” On behalf of the whole squad, I want to welcome you back to Balmoral Stadium for the start of what we all hope is going to be an exciting season.

It’s almost impossible to put into words how thrilled we all are about finally having the chance to play in front of our fans again. I simply can’t wait to hear the cheers when we walk out this afternoon and we will, of course, be doing our very best to deliver a positive result.

It’s fitting that our visitors today are Stirling Albion, the last side we played before the Covid-19 pandemic meant fans were unable to go to games anymore.

Nobody could have predicted when we walked off the park after our amazing 7-1 victory away to Albion in March of last year that it would be so long before we would experience the joy of hearing supporters backing us from the stands.

Since then, we have come through the most bizarre season ever, with no crowds and one that was also interrupted because football was forced to shut down completely for a spell.

The toughest part was performing in empty stadiums, it just isn’t proper football in my mind.

>>>

— Captain’s view

>>>

We still did well to reach the Championship play-offs, even though we fell short in in our bid to secure what would have been a sensational third promotion on the trot.

Hopefully we will be able to go that step further this time around, although we never take anything for granted at this club.

I know it bores people to hear me say it, but we never look any further than the next game. Like ourselves, Albion will be looking to make a positive start and to do well in the League Cup ties as we move closer to a return to league action.

We will have to be at our best if we are to have any hope of coming out on top. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome all the players who joined us during the close season to the club.

Everyone has been encouraged by the quality of new arrivals, who will clearly enhance our chances of doing well over the course of the campaign.

And let’s not forget we will also be bolstered by the return from injury of Harry Milne and Jamie Masson, who were sorely missed during the latter stages of last season.

Harry and Jamie are among the best left-sided players in the league and I’m sure they will be eager to make up for the time lost while they recovered from their injuries.

So that’s it, the scene is set, let the action commence.

CYCR! Mitch Megginson

18 19

— Club honours

Scottish League 2 Winners: 2019-20

Aberdeenshire Cup Winners: 2001-02, 2010-11, 2018-19

Highland League Winners: 2000-01, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2012-13, 201516, 2017-18, 2018-19

Runners-up: 1992-93, 1994-95, 2016-17, 2017-18

Runners-up: 1989-90, 1992-93, 1994-95, 1995-96, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2016-17 Scottish Qualifying Cup (North) Winners: 1990-91, 2000-01 Runners-up: 1988-89, 1991-92, 2001-02, 2003-04 Highland League Cup Winners: 1994-95, 1999-2000, 2004-05, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2018-19 Runners-up: 1990-91, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1997-98, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2011-12

Aberdeenshire Shield Winners: 1990-91, 2000-01, 2008-09, 2017-18 Runners-up: 1994-95, 2012-13, 2015-16 Aberdeenshire & District League Winners: 2000-01, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2014-15 Runners-up: 2006-07 Aberdeenshire Centenery Cup Runners-up: 1986-87 Inter-League Trophy Winners: 2001-02

20 21

— Today’s team lines

Cove Rangers FC Manager - Paul Hartley

Stirling Albion FC Manager - Kevin Rutkiewicz

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

16.

19.

20.

21.

23.

24.

Blair Currie Callum Law Kyle Banner James Creaney Adam Cummins Jordan McGregor Ross McGeachie (C) Paul McLean Martin McNiff Nathan Flanagan Ray Grant Sean Heaver Marc Laird Jack Leitch Rabin Omar Kurtis Roberts Dylan Bikey Dale Carrick Dylan Mackin Kieran Moore

Stuart McKenzie Morgyn Neill Harry Milne Connor Scully Scott Ross Ryan Strachan Broque Watson Blair Yule Mitchel Megginson (C) Jamie Masson Leighton McIntosh Daniel Higgins Rory McAllister Ross Draper Iain Vigurs Rhys Thomas Robbie Leitch Balint Demus Kyle Gourlay Fraser Fyvie

Team colours White jerseys White Shorts White Socks

Team colours Red jerseys Red shorts Red Socks

Today’s referee - Barry Cook Today’s assistant referees - Craig Ferguson, Harry Bruce