The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Boss Irvine can’t begin with a bang
Gary Irvine has been appointed manager of Forfar Athletic. The former Dundee, St Johnstone and St Mirren defender has been in caretaker charge of the Loons since Stuart Malcolm’s resignation three weeks ago.
Ahead of their final League One match of the season last night, the club announced Irvine had been given the reins to take the club forward.
Irvine may not have been able to avoid the drop as caretaker boss but impressed the Forfar board so much that it was a “unanimous decision” to give him the job full-time.
A Forfar Athletic statement read: “The Forfar Athletic directors are delighted to announce just hours before kick-off in our last league game of the season that Gary Irvine has been appointed to the managerial role with the Loons.
“All involved behind the scenes at Station Park have been impressed with the manner in which Gary has steadied the ship in his caretaker role in charge over the last four weeks.
“Despite the fact that we were unable to avoid the drop down a division, the unanimous decision of the board was that Gary was the man to take the reins with immediate effect.”
The 36-year-old has played 22 times for the Loons this season after signing for the club in February 2019.
His coaching career includes time as a youth coach at former club Dundee, spent while continuing as a player at Station Park.
The club statement added: “Irvine is currently engaged in undertaking his SFA coaching badges and will announce his backroom team shortly.
“He will begin discussions with the out-of-contract players and begin to put in place arrangements for pre-season training.
“The 36-year-old will
obviously also have to make a decision on his own playing future.”
After beginning his career at Celtic, Irvine went on to play for Ross County, St Johnstone, Dundee, St Mirren and Forfar.
He picked up two Scotland Under-21 caps and has won the Scottish second tier three times as well as two Challenge Cups.
Meanwhile Irvine started life as permanent manager with a late defeat in the Loons’ final game of a forgetful season, going down 3-2 to East Fife.
It was a bright start for the home side, as Daniel Scally opened the scoring early on. He received the ball from Scott Shepherd after 10 minutes, beat his man and found Scott Fenwick who took a few celebratory touches before smashing home.
The hosts weren’t to be ahead for long though as, just three minutes later, East Fife were level. Ross Davidson collected a pass 30 yards out after a good move and thumped the ball into the postage stamp, leaving Marc Mccallum with no chance.
It was a case of deja vu in the second half as Forfar got themselves in front only to be pegged back almost instantly.
Scally first flicked home a cross from Grant Anderson three minutes after the restart. However, the Fifers levelled when Stewart Murdoch tapped home in the second phase of a freekick after Danny Swanson’s perfectly weighted through ball just 60 seconds later.
Forfar were whiskers away from sealing a third win on the trot when Steven Doris freed
Anderson on the break. But, having forced himself wide, he could only roll his shot agonisingly wide.
East Fife snatched the winner in the 90th minute when Sean Brown beat Mccallum.
Irvine admitted he was disappointed to start his term as manager with a defeat.
He said: “Today was another example where we gave so much and just fell short there at the end. It’s been a similar story in a lot of games this season unfortunately.”
“I certainly didn’t expect to be the Forfar manager at the start of the season. Everything has come very quick.
“I will assess the squad and it will be hard work (in League Two) but from day one we will be having a right go.”