Little ready for return to action
Andy Little still has a part to play in Albion’s promotion push, according to Binos boss Dave Mackay.
The 28-year-old Northern Ireland internationalist moved to Forthbank on a short-term deal in February after a long spell out injured and made five substitute appearances before suffering a serious head injury in a training ground accident in April.
The ex-Rangers man challenged for the ball in a bounce game and ended up with a fractured skull as a result of an accidental collision.
The clash left him with a depressed skull fracture, a fractured eye socket and two cracked bones in his neck.
He was rushed to Forth Valley Royal Hospital before being transferred to the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.
He told the Observer afterwards: “I don’t remember anything about it, which is probably a good thing.
“I didn’t even know that it was a knee that hit me. I thought it was a clash of heads so the lads had to tell me it was a knee that hit me.
“That’s when it really hit home for me what had happened. Up until that point I didn’t quite understand how bad it was.”
Former Rangers and Preston striker Little has yet to feature in 2017/18 but is making progress.
Mackay said: “Andy is stepping up his rehab a bit and we’ll hopefully get him doing ball work in the next couple of weeks, hopefully with a view to getting more involved in January but it depends how he reacts to the step up in training.
“At the minute it looks good. He is doing stuff on his own, he has a programme to follow and it’s mainly running at the moment but we’ll certainly start getting him integrated with the squad again in the very near future and taking part in some of the football activity.
“A fit Andy Little would be a huge asset for us. He was getting there before his bad injury and starting to look the player we knew he could be so hopefully he is over his bad luck and can manage to get himself fit and get his career resurrected again.
“Any time I speak to Andy he is confident he’ll get back. He is really enthusiastic.
“He is desperate to get back playing again and feels it won’t be a problem mentally or physically to get back playing so hopefully that will be the case and come January it’s like a brand new player.”
Little was boosted through his recovery when Albion offered him a contract extension.
He said: “I’ve seen the bad side of football.
“There’s zero loyalty in the game. I saw that especially in England so it’s been really refreshing from the club and the chairman.
“That’s what made me so certain that I wanted to come back to Stirling Albion.”
Premier Division: Grangemouth P-P Bo’ness Cadora; Stirling Uni P-P Linlithgow Rose; Pennies 11-2 Barrhill. Division 1A: Condorrat P-P Campsie; Drumpellier Th P-P Dunipace; AFC Carbrain 1-2 Braehead; Dollar Glen 4-6 Westquarter; Harestanes United P-P Clackmannan Community. Division 1B: Kincardine P-P AFC Chryston; Mayfield P-P Beechwood Albion; Dunblane Soccer Club P-P Westfield Colts; Greentree P-P Raploch Hearts; Mill AFC 6-1 Grahamston. RJM Sports Scottish Amateur Cup Fourth round: Craigie 2-10 Tillicoultry; Loganlea Utd 1-3 Kilbride Thistle; Fallin AFC 2-2 Eaglesham AFC; Bannockburn 10-0 FC Argyle. Fourth round replays: Cambusbarron Rovers P-P Ferguslie Star; Motherwell Thistle P-P Milton AFC. Caledonian League Premier Division: Doune Castle P-P Strathclyde University. Division 1B: Callander Thistle 3-1 Rhu AFC. Foster’s Central Scottish AFL Division 1A: Clydebank AFC P-P Stirling City. FIXTURES Friday, December 15 Lowland League Stirling University v The Spartans. Saturday, December 16 Ladbroke’s League 2 Annan Athletic v Stirling Albion. RJM Sports Stirling and District AFA Premier Division: Camelon Albion v Linlithgow Rose Community; Loganlea Utd v Grangemouth Rovs; Stirling Univ v Bo’ness Cadora; Syngenta v Pennies; Tillicoultry v Barrhill.Division 1A: Braehead v Condorrat; Dollar Glen v Campsie; Stirling Ams v Drumpellier Thistle; MLS Leeds v Harestanes Utd; Springhill Ams v Clackmannan Community. Division 1B: AFC Chryston v Mayfield; Grahamston v Dunblane Soccer Club; Mill Ams v Greentree; Westfield Colts v Stirling BC. RJM Sports Scottish Amateur Cup Fourth round replay: Fallin v Eaglesham. Caledonian League Division 1B: Milngavie Wanderers v Callander Thistle. RJM Sports Scottish Amateur Cup fourth round replays: Cambusbarron Rovers v Ferguslie Star; Motherwell Thistle v Milton AFC. Foster’s Central Scottish AFL Premier Division: Dunblane Thistle v Bannockburn. Division 1A: Stirling City v Mill United; Tullibody Community v Garrowhill Thistle.
For the fans Stirling Albion Supporters Club Bus on Saturday to Annan leaves Forthbank at 9.50am; Railway Station 9.55; Islamic Centre 10am; Anchor Bar 10.05; 1314 Inn 10.10. Fare £12/£8. Albion Lotto Last week’s numbers were 3, 10, 13, 25. There were no jackpot winners so the jackpot today (Wednesday) rises to £10,000. Four players matched three numbers to win £62.50 each. You can play online at www.safclotto.co.uk David Miller Memorial Rangers Bus on Saturday v St Johnstone leaves Stirling at noon, St Ninians at 12.05pm, Bannockburn at 12.10pm, Cowie at 12.15pm, Plean at 12.20pm. No seats and no spare tickets. Fallin Rangers Bus for Saturday’s game v St Johnstone leaves Fallin 12.30pm, Islamic Centre 12.35 and Borestone 12.40. Roy Milne Celtic Bus tonight (Wednesday) for match v Hamilton leaves Menstrie 5pm; Alva (Cairn) 5.05; Alva (Johnstone ) 5.10; Tillicoultry 5.15; Alloa 5.30pm; Tullibody 5.35; Stirling 5.50. Seats available. Bus on Wednesday, December 20 v Partick Thistle leaves Menstrie 5pm; Alva (Cairn) 5.05; Alva (Johnstone ) 5.10; Tillicoultry 5.15; Alloa 5.30pm; Tullibody 5.35; Stirling 5.50. Seats available. For more info see www.roymilnecsc.net. Paul McStay No 1 St Ninians Celtic Bus for game on Wednesday v Hamilton leaves the Scots Wha Hae at 6pm. Bus for game on Sunday leaves the Scots Wha Hae at 10.30am. Lucky letters were V, Y and L. No winners, jackpot up to £700. Milton AFC Weekly draw for Saturday, December 9: £75 (109) C Shaddick, Balfour Street, Whins of Milton; £25 (40) P Griffin, Millview, Whins of Milton.
I’ve seen the bad side of football. There’s zero loyalty in the game.