FLANAGAN OUT AS BINOS RING CHANGES
Seventh summer departure
Stirling Albion have confirmed the departure of winger Nathan Flanagan as manager Darren Young continues to rebuild his squad for next season.
The 25-year-old former St Mirren and Raith Rovers player joined the club last May from Annan Athletic and scored a debut double as the Binos shocked Cove Rangers 3-2 at Balmoral Stadium in the Premier Sports Cup in July.
Flanagan was a regular on the flank for much of the season and also netted a superb goal against Stenhousemuir in the New Year derby win at Ochilview. He caught the eye with his ability to go past players and was capable of excellent dead-ball deliveries but now moves on.
He becomes the seventh summer departure after strikers Akeel Francis and Dylan Mackin, midfielders Ray Grant, Marc Laird and Kurtis Roberts, and utility player James Grant.
Ray Grant and Roberts have both joined Danny Lennon’s Clyde while James Grant has put pen to paper with Lowland League outfit Open Goal Broomhill.
Binos boss Young has made three additions so far – experienced striker Robert Thomson joins on a two-year deal from Stenhousemuir and Aaron Dunsmore’s loan from East Fife has been made permanent.
The third new recruit is Ross Davidson – the defensive midfielder was previously with Albion Rovers and moves to Forthbank after spending the last few years with East Fife.
Meanwhile, Stirling Albion now know their full list of opponents for next season’s cinch League 2 campaign following the conclusion of the lower-league play-offs at the weekend.
Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic have been promoted to the SPFL after beating Cowdenbeath 4-0 on aggregate, meaning the Blue Brazil will take Rose’s place in the Lowland League.
Edinburgh City have been promoted to League 1 after edging out Annan Athletic 3-2 on aggregate in their play-off final. They will join Kelty Hearts in the third tier next term, with Dumbarton and East Fife dropping into the basement.
Fixtures are due to be published on Friday, June 17, with the season getting under way on Saturday, July 30.
Stirling Albion will discover their Premier Sports Cup opponents when the draw for the group stage of the competition is made a week today, Wednesday, May
25, at 1pm.
The draw will be shown live by Premier Sports via their Freesports channel.
The 40 clubs will be drawn into eight groups of five on a seeded basis. There will be no regionalisation for
2022/23 following six years of the north/south split, with the Binos always in the north section.
The competition kicks off on the weekend of July 9/10, with four further matchdays on July 12/13, 16/17, 19/20 and
23/24. The eight group winners and three best runners-up will join the five European entrants in the last 16 in the midweek of
August 30/31.
Albion Lotto
Numbers drawn on May 11 for week 90 of the Stirling Albion
Supporters Trust lottery were 5, 11,
14 and 28. There were no jackpot winners so today’s jackpot is £2,950. Three lucky dip winners each receive £20.