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ARE you a fan of fitba played in Scotland’s lower leagues? Then you’ve come to the right place. Join the Scottish Sun’s Gareth Law and Carluke Rovers co-manager manager Paul Davies for a weekly look at the game away from the limelight. Hear the latest news, discussion and stories along with guests including managers, players, administrators, fans and more from SPFL League One and Two, the Lowland and Highland Leagues, South and East of Scotland Leagues and the juniors. There’s a chance for you to get involved too. If you have suggestions for guests, subjects or anything else then contact us through Twitter, Facebook or email downthedivisions@gmail.com. Please do leave a review too. Down The Divisions artwork by Adam Aitken. www.instagram.com/adamaitkenart Music www.bensound.com
Episodes
Friday Jan 28, 2022
Friday Jan 28, 2022
To most folks he’s known as Spud - and this week Mark Daly tells us why managing Wishaw became a bit of a hot potato.
Mark quit the Beltane club in December after initially saying he wanted to leave six weeks earlier.
He joins us on the show to lift the lid on why he fell out of love with the job and why he’s not ready to return yet.
Just like Mark, Paul has been on the move too, leaving Newmains United while we’ve been away. He tells us the real reasons why he’s no longer at Victoria Park and why he is ready for a return to the dugout in the future.
On a packed podcast we also hear from Clydebank gaffer Gordon Moffat on his side’s agonising Scottish Cup loss to Annan on Saturday.
Plus there’s Mark Mackay’s Best of The West.
After three months away it’s good to be back going Down The Divisions.
Friday Oct 29, 2021
Friday Oct 29, 2021
AS a kid Jimmy Quigely helped paint the railings at Renfrew’s ground.
Now, after a 21 year association as player and coach, he's the man in charge.
Jimmy took over permanently from the long-serving Colin Clark at the start of the month after an interim spell.
And he’s started on fire – winning all three of his games so far.
Jimmy joins us on the show this week and tells us about making the decision to become the boss.
We hear how he started out at the club he loves – which included being banned for 12 of his first 20 games.
We look back at his part in helping Frew win the Scottish Junior Cup as a player – then how the team literally lost the trophy later that night.
There’s also the day of his testimonial, which started with a hangover and a Big Mac but saw him hit the net against St Mirren.
Plus there’s why he feels referees nowadays in the West of Scotland League deserve more protection.
There’s all that as well as Mark Mackay’s Best of the West as we go Down The Divisions with guest co-host Des Roache.
We'd like to give a quick mention to our sponsors FortyFour Creative. They have a team of highly skilled and passionate photographers, graphic designers, videographers and video editors to help promote your content, brand, organisation or event. They make creation personal. Find out more at www.fortyfourcreativehq.com
If you have any comments we'd love to hear from you. Likewise if you're at a club who would like your post-match audio featured on the show then do get in touch. You can email downthedivisions@gmail.com or contact us through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Down The Divisions logo design Adam Aitken
Intro and outro music Bensound
Friday Oct 22, 2021
Friday Oct 22, 2021
BRIAN CRAWFORD went from playing Football Manager the game to – well – being a football manager.
The Larkhall Thistle boss will never forget the chance he got to play in the juniors at 17.
And that’s why he’ll never shy away from giving youth a chance.
Brian tells us about life at the oldest continuous club which started out life in the juniors.
Then we look back at his own goal-laden playing career, when he was the talk of the game.
His strikes for the likes of Carluke and Cumbernauld eventually saw him step up to the seniors with Clyde.
But despite being their top striker at Christmas he was still on the bench.
We hear why scoring a winner for Stranraer one night saw him lose his job the next day.
And how refusing to be subbed before a corner was taken led to him staring at a year out of the game.
Plus there’s Roache’s Roundup and Mark Mackay’s Best of the West.
It’s all here as we go…Down The Divisions.
We'd like to give a quick mention to our sponsors FortyFour Creative. They have a team of highly skilled and passionate photographers, graphic designers, videographers and video editors to help promote your content, brand, organisation or event. They make creation personal. Find out more at www.fortyfourcreativehq.com
If you have any comments we'd love to hear from you. Likewise if you're at a club who would like your post-match audio featured on the show then do get in touch. You can email downthedivisions@gmail.com or contact us through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Down The Divisions logo design Adam Aitken
Intro and outro music Bensound
Friday Oct 08, 2021
Friday Oct 08, 2021
ALAN ROBERTSON is the man who reared the likes of Kris Boyd and Steven Naismith as Kilmarnock’s head of youth.
But now he’s trying to get Bonnyton Thistle to grow up fast.
After leaving the South of Scotland League for the West, they were immediately plunged into the top flight.
It’s been a steep learning curve. They sit bottom of the pile but they have beaten Pollok and narrowly lost to Cumbernauld United on the weekend.
We hear about the transition for the club and the work going on behind the scenes.
One of the humblest men in the game, Alan also tells us about how he’s finding life managing adults rather than kids – and recalls the first time he saw Boydy score goals.
We also look back at Alan’s career, which saw him play over 600 games for Kilmarnock.
PLUS it’s been a week of drama at Pollok. After seeing THREE men sent off against Auckinleck last Saturday they still managed to draw 3-3 with the league leaders.
But just days later they were booted out of the junior cup along with Irvine Victoria after an injury time fight led to their clash the week before being called off.
We hear from their boss Murdo Mackinnon on both events.
It’s all here, as we go, Down The Divisions.
We'd like to give a quick mention to our sponsors FortyFour Creative. They have a team of highly skilled and passionate photographers, graphic designers, videographers and video editors to help promote your content, brand, organisation or event. They make creation personal. Find out more at www.fortyfourcreativehq.com
If you have any comments we'd love to hear from you. Likewise if you're at a club who would like your post-match audio featured on the show then do get in touch. You can email downthedivisions@gmail.com or contact us through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Down The Divisions logo design Adam Aitken
Intro and outro music Bensound
Friday Sep 24, 2021
Friday Sep 24, 2021
IT was 15 love to football when Tony McInally chose to go with it rather than tennis when he was 14.
But then he fell out of love with the game in his early 20s and went and played amateur with his mates instead.
Stepping down helped him step back up and he would go onto have a successful playing career in the juniors.
This week Tony tells us about those days in the second part of his interview.
There are the fancy suits he’d wear and why he was often referred to as city boy at Shotts.
There’s the teammate he’d loan a tie to and Davie Menelaws’ lost stereo.
In a packed show we also hear from the West of Scotland League’s fixture secretary Kennie Young on covid and what’s required to ensure a completed campaign.
There’s Sean Kenney on fireworks at Ardeer after transforming their fortunes this season.
And we find out who produced the performance of the week in Mark Mackay’s Best of the West – and this week there’s more than one team.
It’s all here as we go Down The Divisions.
We'd like to give a quick mention to our sponsors FortyFour Creative. They have a team of highly skilled and passionate photographers, graphic designers, videographers and video editors to help promote your content, brand, organisation or event. They make creation personal. Find out more at www.fortyfourcreativehq.com
If you have any comments we'd love to hear from you. Likewise if you're at a club who would like your post-match audio featured on the show then do get in touch. You can email downthedivisions@gmail.com or contact us through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Down The Divisions logo design Adam Aitken
Intro and outro music Bensound
Friday Sep 17, 2021
Friday Sep 17, 2021
TONY McINALLY was the manager in waiting as a player who’s won most things he can in the dugout.
Now he’s trying to take Cumnock back to where they belong.
A win at Darvel last weekend showed just what he’s building at Townhead Park.
Tony joins us on the show this week and in the first of two parts we look back at his stellar career as a gaffer.
He tells us why he was once accused of being a coal thief – and we look back at his successful spell at Shotts Bon Accord which ended with a year-long ban for a first offence.
He explains why he thinks the league setup is better now than it was back then despite his dislike for this season’s relegation scenario.
There’s also his near five-year reign at Pollok, the benefits of cutting his teeth in management away from the spotlight and his little book of players to keep an eye on.
There’s Tayport head of communications Pete McEleny’s roundup of the scores from across the country.
Plus there’s yet another new feature as former Vale of Clyde manager Mark MacKay gives us his standout performance in The Best of the West.
It’s all here as we go Down The Divisions.
We'd like to give a quick mention to our sponsors FortyFour Creative. They have a team of highly skilled and passionate photographers, graphic designers, videographers and video editors to help promote your content, brand, organisation or event. They make creation personal. Find out more at www.fortyfourcreativehq.com
If you have any comments we'd love to hear from you. Likewise if you're at a club who would like your post-match audio featured on the show then do get in touch. You can email downthedivisions@gmail.com or contact us through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Down The Divisions logo design Adam Aitken
Intro and outro music Bensound
Friday Sep 10, 2021
Friday Sep 10, 2021
ROYAL ALBERT were the first club in Scottish football history to score a spotkick.
But last week they were unhappy about a penalty of a different kind.
The Lanarkshire-based outfit were hit with a £500 fine and docked three points for fielding an ineligible player.
They admitted they had made a mistake – but an honest one too.
The punishment saw club secretary Peter Higgins take to social media to outline just what it meant to a club that is one of the oldest in Scotland.
This week Peter joins us on the show and tells us why the decision left him close to walking away after over 30 years at the club.
He also explains why he believes clubs who stray should be treated differently, particularly as clubs deal with the effects of covid.
Royal Albert were named after a boat in 1878 – but Peter tells us why he was never keen to steer the ship away from the juniors and into the West of Scotland League.
We also look back at how it all started for Peter, who is one of those many guys football at this level just needs.
All that plus, in a new slot, we look back at last weekend’s lower league scores from north to south and west to east with Tayport’s head of communications Pete McEleny.
It’s all here as we go Down The Divisions.
We'd like to give a quick mention to our sponsors FortyFour Creative. They have a team of highly skilled and passionate photographers, graphic designers, videographers and video editors to help promote your content, brand, organisation or event. They make creation personal. Find out more at www.fortyfourcreativehq.com
If you have any comments we'd love to hear from you. Likewise if you're at a club who would like your post-match audio featured on the show then do get in touch. You can email downthedivisions@gmail.com or contact us through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Down The Divisions logo design Adam Aitken
Intro and outro music Bensound
Friday Sep 03, 2021
Friday Sep 03, 2021
JOHN McKENDRICK is a referee who got his break in the juniors before taking charge of over 300 senior games.
But after retiring from top level football he wasn’t finished - and wanted to go back to where it all began.
Now every weekend you’ll find John – Professor John to give him his full title - as a man in the middle somewhere in the West of Scotland League.
John joins us on the show this week and reveals just how good a grounding junior football was – AND explains why he’s not prepared to hang up his whistle just yet.
If you happen to be at one of his games you can look out for his legendary warmup, which he tells us all about.
We hear whether referees really take notice of their ratings in the papers – and why there is a shortage of officials right now.
There’s also the time he held up the injury time board without realising the batteries were flat – and just how many red cards he dished out.
Plus there’s the day he got lost going to an orienteering competition, how Michael Palin inspired him to cycle to Nepal and his passion for ending child poverty.
It’s all here as we go Down The Divisions.
We'd like to give a quick mention to our sponsors FortyFour Creative. They have a team of highly skilled and passionate photographers, graphic designers, videographers and video editors to help promote your content, brand, organisation or event. They make creation personal. Find out more at www.fortyfourcreativehq.com
If you have any comments we'd love to hear from you. Likewise if you're at a club who would like your post-match audio featured on the show then do get in touch. You can email downthedivisions@gmail.com or contact us through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Down The Divisions logo design Adam Aitken
Intro and outro music Bensound
Friday Aug 20, 2021
Friday Aug 20, 2021
VALE OF CLYDE still thought Mark Mackay could do it - but instead on Monday night their former boss was B&Qing it.
There aren’t many jobs Mark didn't do during his four year spell bossing The Tin Pail.
But last weekend he called it quits as manager.
The club didn’t want him to go.
But rather taking training this week Mark was wandering around his local DIY store.
Mark joins us on our return to tell us why he couldn't be persuaded to change his mind.
He outlines why he thinks the Old Firm qualifying for the Europa League helps West of Scotland League bosses.
We also look back at his career as a no-nonsense striker he admits he’d have hated to manage.
There’s also Mark’s debut at Baillieston – when he was sent packing after just 13 seconds.
Plus Des Roache joins as guest co-host – and explains why losing a player on call at half-time in a clash played a part in he and boss Martin Ferry leaving Kilbirnie Ladeside.
It’s all here as we go Down The Divisions.
We'd like to give a quick mention to our sponsors FortyFour Creative. They have a team of highly skilled and passionate photographers, graphic designers, videographers and video editors to help promote your content, brand, organisation or event. They make creation personal. Find out more at www.fortyfourcreativehq.com
If you have any comments we'd love to hear from you. Likewise if you're at a club who would like your post-match audio featured on the show then do get in touch. You can email downthedivisions@gmail.com or contact us through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Down The Divisions logo design Adam Aitken
Intro and outro music Bensound
Friday Jul 23, 2021
Friday Jul 23, 2021
GREG GALLAGHER and Andy Reid first got to know each other as kids in the primary school classroom.
Now they’re determined to help Lugar Boswell Thistle get better marks on the pitch.
They passed their first test after seeing off Saltcoats Victoria on day one of the West of Scotland League season despite the trauma of losing one of their players to a horror injury.
We recorded the show before their midweek loss to Muirkirk but it’s clear the pair are studying hard to turn things around at Rosebank.
During pre-season Lugar were without some players who are also some top golfers.
But Greg tells us why they’re no longer content to be the team caught in the rough every week.
There’s Greg on his shock exit from Craigmark Burntonians and being asked back just a few days after being sacked.
Striker Andy has won pretty much all there is in junior football but is still pulling the boots on.
He might have scored against Gary Cahill as a kid at Blackburn but Andy lifts the lid on why that teenage move to Ewood Park was the wrong choice and how much it affected his football.
There’s finding his feet at Troon, a glittering decade at Beith and how he’s using the lessons he’s learned to help the side since becoming GrEg’s assistant.
Plus there’s also breaking managerial news in the West of Scotland Premier Division.
It’s all here as we go Down The Divisions.
We'd like to give a quick mention to our sponsors FortyFour Creative. They have a team of highly skilled and passionate photographers, graphic designers, videographers and video editors to help promote your content, brand, organisation or event. They make creation personal. Find out more at www.fortyfourcreativehq.com
If you have any comments we'd love to hear from you. Likewise if you're at a club who would like your post-match audio featured on the show then do get in touch. You can email downthedivisions@gmail.com or contact us through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Down The Divisions logo design Adam Aitken
Intro and outro music Bensound