well the call has gone out for help putting on the frost sheets for the game tomorrow. Temperatures are low but are set to rise. I’m hopeful the game will go ahead. I’ll pop up for 3pm and give them a hand. I’m wondering if it’s worth buying my season ticket, how many games will be rescheduled that I won’t attend? There no way I’ll be travelling for 2hrs for a 7:45pm kickoff midweek. I would have to leave work early for a start and no doubt get stuck in slow traffic on the Edinburgh bypass. Then I’ll probably get home again just before midnight. I don’t know how the players cope, some have even further to travel and can’t just leave the ground when the whistle blows so even longer getting back home to the wife and kids and the prospect of an early start for work.

The pitch is defrosting so the covers aren’t required. A pitch inspection is now scheduled for 10:30am with Stenhousemuir travelling at 11:30am. Everybody wants the game to go ahead, nobody wants a rescheduled midweek fixture. I’ve been offered a free pint in the lounge after the game for turning up, and I bought 50 raffle tickets for the Christmas raffle that will be drawn after the game. That’s one way of getting rid of a £50 note!

what do you get an 80 year old man for his Christmas? A trip to Broadwood to see Clyde v Berwick! I’ve never been and neither has my dad so off we go on Saturday fully expecting to see a Berwick win. It’s been a while since my dad has seen a Berwick win so a nice wee treat for his Christmas. The last encounter between the pair at Shielfield saw Berwick walk away with all 3 points after a 3-1 victory. Berwick are currently sitting 7th in the League with 20 points, Clyde sitting in 8th with 12 points and a game in hand. The temperature scuppered last weeks game at Shielfield against Peterhead but this one should go ahead no problem. It will probably rain though, let’s wait and see....

well it started out fine, A 1 hour 15 min journey and we were at Broadwood. Parking was free despite the Clyde website stating that it would be £2 so that’s a wee bonus. I had a read of the Clyde preview on their website. Berwick hadn’t released one for this game which is a little disappointing. A cup of tea for me and a bovril for the old boy and we were ready to take our seats. It was a decent first half but the ref seemed to lose the place in the second half missing loads of fouls and making a fair few wrong calls at throwing and corners, not just for Berwick either. The rain came down in waves and it looked pretty horrible to play in. A few vocal supporters having a go at Berwick, I think these guys lose sight of the fact that the team are part time. If every shot went in and if every pass came off they would be the best team in the world! I followed that sat nav back home, it decided that the motorway we took on the way there wasn’t the way to return so we had a nice wee countryside tour..... Final score 0-0.

I write to wish everyone the compliments of the season as we near the end of another memorable year at St Andrews Berwick Rangers Supporters. As a group, we are uniquely served by a diverse and inspirational community with a brimful of strength, enthusiasm, and potential. These are challenging times, but we have the belief that we can look to the future with confidence. I hope though that well before our thoughts turn to the business of a new year, everyone has the chance to enjoy a proper and restful break with those close to you, whether that is here in Scotland, or in any one of the many countries which our international community may call home.*
*Any similarity to the Principals seasons greetings email to St Andrews University staff is coincidental.....

Ruth and I departed Fife on Friday afternoon to head to Berwick. The car was loaded with food for the foodbank. I had finally updated my tom tom satnav to add the Queensferry crossing but on this journey heading south we had to use the old Forth road bridge! We had made arrangements to drop off the stuff for the foodbank on Saturday at 12 but I stopped on the way past on the Friday at around 3:330pm and Becci Murray the project manager was there so we were able to drop off the crates. Becci manages the Here for You service and the delivery of the Supporting Families contract and also coordinates the operation of the Foodbank. The donation was were well received, She was delighted that we could leave the crates too. Very appreciative of the quality of donation, plenty of tinned stews, curries and Christmas items. All donations are appreciated but people tend to buy 5 tins of beans rather than 1 tin of stew/curry because they think it's better value but a tin of stew is a large component of a meal.

i had made arrangements to collect the barrel of beer that I ordered at 4:30pm on the Friday at the Brewery. Just as we had left the foodbank Rikki called to say he had to work and could we rearrange for the Saturday. I received a text on the Saturday to say he was in the brewery and I could pop round and collect the beer. We were at the Spittal Christmas fair, I had dropped off some wooden snowmen I had made hoping that somebody might buy them (all proceeds to the Spittal improvement trust). I arrived at the brewery and had a chat with Rikki. I gave him one of the snowmen I had made and a trolls advent calendar I had just won in a tombola. He gave me a tshirt for Ruth that we had ordered sometime ago and never collected, The barrel of beer and a couple of filters and bits for the pump I have. I pulled out my wallet to pay and he wouldn't take any money! I had given him an old computer a couple of months ago and he said because of that the beer and tshirt were free. I tried to pay but he wouldn't take it. A lovely surprise! I then went and got the car washed and had lunch. I was now all prepared for the football.

in a game we weren't expected to win we did! McKenna scored in the 7th minute and we held out for a 1-0 victory. The whole team played pretty well, a bit of fight and spirit to them and McCrorie pulled off a number of good saves to keep us in the lead. We came close a couple of times and had a cracking header that hit the bar. The team seemed to keep a better shape and there were no huge gaps on the field. It was blinking cold though! Glad I had my big furry hat on (which Eric Tait seemed to like, he asked me if it was a cat). Scullion and Fleming were left out of this game and I was pleasantly surprise at how the defence coped. Fleming is a good defender but young and can make the odd mistake. Scullion is a funny one. Hot and cold. He can win you a game and he can lose you a game. Robbie Horn seems to be getting the best out of the squad he has and McKenna seems to be adapting to his role as striker. Horn doesn't seem fasted by leaving people out which is a difficult thing for a manager to do but ultimately necessary for the good of the team. Dare i hope that we could make the playoff spot this season?