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Ex-Burnie star confirmed as new manager

Jul 1 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

MATTIE COULTER remembers the days when Whitburn were regular winners of cups and challenging for the top honours in the junior game.

In fact, he has the medals to prove it.

These days, though, the Burnie have fallen on hard times as they prepared for the new season in the Premier League after being relegated from the Superleague in May.

But former Kilsyth Rangers boss Coulter has vowed to bring back the good times to Central Park after being confirmed as Whitburn’s new manager.

Coulter, who made more than 100 appearances as a player, will be in the dugout next season after being chosen as the successor to Derek Strickland.

And he has revealed he is planning a complete overhaul of the club as he bids to win promotion at the first time of asking.

“I’m delighted to have been appointed manager but there are going to be massive changes here this year,” said Coulter.

“Whitburn have been relegated and we have very few players still here to work with. There are a few who want to stay in the Superleague with other clubs.

“I have spoken to a number of players from last season and I think we’ll only have three or four of them still on the books this year.

“It’s a total rebuild but I’ve got a two-year deal with the club as I believe it is important that I have time to build my own team.

“My assistant, Andy Thomson, and I want to do well and we are passionate about the game.

“The target is to back up at the first attempt. Any manager’s target should be to win the league, no matter what.

“We’ll try to bring in the best players that suit the way we play football to achieve our goal.”

The first stage of Coulter’s new Whitburn vision takes place on Saturday when a host of players head to Central Park for an open trial, with the new boss hoping to unearth new stars.

He said: “These guys are youth players who have been released by senior clubs and older players I know from in and around the central belt.”

In recent seasons, Whitburn fans have been starved of silverware but Coulter is determined to bring success to Central Park.

He added: “I didn’t realise Whitburn haven’t really won much in the past eight years or so, and that is something I want to change.

“I’m passionate about Whitburn and it is a club I’ve had a 30-year connection with ever since I was a 17-year-old schoolboy.

“We need enthusiasm and fighting spirit, neither of which I saw much of when I watched Whitburn last season.

“Players often play for money these days instead of the badge and we’re going to try to change that.

“You have to play football for glory now as the money is no longer in the game.”

Whitburn club secretary Raymond Wallace has admitted his delight at the appointment of the former Burnie star as team boss and revealed Coulter beat off the competition of five other candidates to land the job.

He said: “Mattie has fantastic enthusiasm and he has come into the club full of ideas.

“He is keen to be inclusive and is committed to bringing through young players.

“He also has a standard of fitness he wants everyone to maintain – he is planning to build the club up again.

“To be fair to Derek (Strickland), he was with us for 10 years, in which time he rebuilt the squad three times and he didn’t want to do it for a fourth time.

“Mattie has a great knowledge of the game in the east of Scotland and he also has some excellent contacts in the seniors.”

Wallace also insisted the Central Park side were now on a strong financial footing after their well-documented cash problems last season.

He added: “We don’t owe any money to anyone – there aren’t many clubs who can say that.

“We’ve cut our cloth accordingly, like a lot of other clubs.

“We were paying relatively high wages but we didn’t play a match for three months last winter and we still had to pay players. That loss of income hit us hard and it was something we couldn’t sustain.

“But we are back on an even keel now and although we are a league below, we are all looking forward with fresh optimism to the new campaign.”

Whitburn go down with a whimper

Jun 10 2010 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

WHITBURN went down with a whimper as a 1-1 draw with Hill of Beath condemned them to relegation from the Super League.

Derek Strickland’s side needed a win to be in with any chance of extending their four-year stay in the top flight after being on the wrong side of a 6-0 thrashing from Linlithgow Rose on Wednesday night.

Things had looked good for the Central Park side as they took a well-deserved lead in the 54th minute through a Scott Gormley header.

However, as has been the case too often this season, Whitburn could not hold on to their advantage and Kevin Byle’s lovely looping shot levelled matters and condemned the West Lothian side to the drop.

Manager Strickland, who will leave at the end of the season after 10 years in charge of the club, paid tribute to his players for keeping in with a shout of avoiding relegation until the penultimate match of the season.

“The writing has been on the wall for a few months and we have just been papering over the cracks,” Strickland said.

“But it has happened now and we just have to get on with it and, hopefully, a new manager will get this club back to where they deserve to be.

“That’s 10 years in charge for me and I have thoroughly enjoyed it but, for both parties, it is the best thing.

“It has been a really difficult decision for me and I have thought about it for a long time.

“I have spent 16 years of my football career at Whitburn and I hope they go from strength to strength and get back in to the Super League. I wish the new manager all the very best.

“But things have been very difficult for me this season what with the financial situation at the club.

“We lost eight good players at Christmas and we couldn't replace them as we never had any money. It cut the squad down to 13 players and it was almost impossible to carry on.

“We soldiered on the best we could but we had to rely on the players bringing their friends along to fill the bench some weeks and that’s not really good enough for a team in the Super League.

“At one point, it looked like we might just pull it off but we ran out of steam. If we could have put our best 11 on the pitch each week, we might have been able to do it but injuries have cost us.”

Strickland, whose son Colin is also expected to leave the club in the summer, will now take some time away from the game to consider his options but he has already turned down a job offer.

“My home team, Stoneyburn, asked me to take charge but I turned them down as I’m not ready to do that yet,” Strickland said.

“It was flattering to be asked as I come from the place and they know me and what I am about. But it’s not for me just now.

“I want to stay in football but we will wait and see what happens.”

Football: Crunch time for Whitburn as they aim to avoid drop

Edinburgh Evening News 4th June 2010

By John Gilmour

WHITBURN go into their relegation crunch match against Hill of Beath with manager Derek Strickland admitting he faces a tough task in lifting his side's spirits for the game.

The Central Park team sit second bottom of the Super League, four points adrift of tomorrow's opponents.

Strickland's men suffered a 6-0 midweek defeat to Linlithgow Rose which plunged them nearer to the drop and the manager acknowledged the effect of such a crushing loss.

However, he is confident his men will be ready for tomorrow's test.

"There were a lot of long faces after that defeat and it was shocking," said Strickland.

"However, I'm now free of suspension and back in the dug-out for tomorrow. The lads will be up for this game because it's our last chance.

"A win for Hill of Beath or a draw means that we're relegated. A win for us is a must first and foremost. Even then we still have a lot to do but if we beat Beath then we're still in with a chance. We're down to the bare bones once again and it's time for the players to stand up and be counted.

"If we apply ourselves as we can then we'll win but the next few days are going to be nerve-wracking. We should have Colin, my son, back for the game and he's been missed, otherwise everyone else is fit."

Whitburn have one more game after tomorrow – an away trip to Lochee – while Hill of Beath are at home to Musselburgh on Monday and away to Linlithgow on Wednesday.

Strickland, who will be leaving the club at the end of the season, revealed: "I've been here for ten years now and, for the sake of Derek Strickland and for Whitburn, it's time to go.

"I've loved being at Central Park. It's been a challenge from day one because there is a belief that Whitburn are a big junior club when, in fact, we work on a shoestring budget.

"However, it's the expectations at the club that put pressure on you. We are expected to win silverware year in, year out and that's a difficult thing to achieve.

"For years now, Whitburn have punched above our weight in games but sometimes the supporters don't see it that way.

"We can't compete with the likes of Linlithgow or Bathgate but we're expected to beat them on a regular basis.

"We as a club have made some bad decisions and I'm one of the first to hold my hands up.

"We stayed out of the Super League when we had qualified and I'm still not sure if that was the right decision.

"I took the club into the Super League five years ago and since then we've never been out of the top four.

"In the season when we finished runners-up, we started the season with nine straight wins out of nine. No other side has done that.

"We finished runners-up with 51 points and the league has been won with 42 points in the past. But, again, the expectations were high and some supporters weren't happy with that finish.

"I would like to thank Denny McComiskey, my assistant, who has been a tremendous help to me and the committee who have always given me their wholehearted support. I would like to thank everyone at Whitburn for their support and wish them well for the future."

Football: Whitburn boss wary of relegation threat

Jun 3 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

DEREK STRICKLAND has warned his side they will be relegated unless they pick up maximum points on Saturday.

The Whitburn boss, who has revealed he is to step down at the end of the season, believes that only a win against fellow strugglers Hill of Beath this weekend will be enough to keep their Superleague dream alive.

Whitburn are currently sitting second-bottom of the Superleague, with just three matches left to play.

The first of their final fixtures was due to be played last night (Wednesday), with county neighbours Linlithgow visiting Central Park and Hill of Beath due to visit on Saturday.

And their final league match will see them away to Lochee in what Strickland fears could be their Superleague swansong — unless they win this weekend.

He said: “We are up against it now and we need to try and win at least one of our next two games to have a chance of staying up going into our last match.

“Saturday is a crucial match and I believe we’ll be relegated if we don’t win that one.

“At the moment, Hill of Beath are four points ahead of us, so we need to beat them.

“Hopefully, we can get a good crowd in at the weekend to spur us on as we need to win.

“The club is going through a bad time right now and the fact we have had injuries to key players and key times hasn’t helped but, hopefully, we’ll have Colin (Strickland) available as we need his goals.

“The off-the-field stuff has really cost us this season and I’ve lost eight players this year and have been unable to replace them.

“Saturday is a must win for us and we will go down if we don’t do it.”

After 10 years at the helm, Strickland is stepping down at the end of the campaign and he admits it will be a wrench to leave the club he loves.

He added: “I’m resigning at the end of the season and I think this is the best decision for both parties.

“It is best for Whitburn and also for myself.

“It will be a massive change for me after 10 years at the club but I still want to be involved in football as much as I can.

“There was a but of unrest when I took over at Whitburn and since then we’ve done well, have been promoted to the Superleague and have been in the top four every season.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute and I’ll be sad to leave but I’d also like to thank the committee, who have backed me in every decision over the past decade.”

Whitburn boss blasts ref call which could cost his side dearly

May 13 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

DEREK Strickland has fired a furious blast at the match officials he insists cost his side two precious league points in their battle to beat the drop.

The Whitburn boss was watching from the sidelines as his side led county rivals Linlithgow Rose 2-1 in the dying minutes when the ref found himself caught at the eye of a storm.

With the game heading into time added on, Burnie stopper Ryan McGurk tried to shield the ball out of play when he was challenged from behind by Rose striker Gordon Herd.

The officials signalled for a corner to the fury of the Whitburn bench who insisted McGurk had been bundled to the ground.

And Rose snatched a dramatic equaliser from the resulting corner kick at the death to deny the hosts a crucial win.

Speaking to the Courier this week, Strickland insisted it was a poor call and the kind of decision which could cost his side their Superleague status.

He said: “There was a very controversial moment when we were 2-1 up just before the end.

“I would accept a draw was a fair result in the game itself but when you are leading a match in stoppage time and the officials get a blatant decision wrong, it gauls you.

“I was really angry at the situation on Saturday especially as one official was only one-yard away from the incident.

“Even the supporters and entire Linlithgow Rose bench knew it was a foul to us.

“Things like that can put you down. That was two-points we should have had but the officials never did their job properly.

“We can play better than we did but we managed to get in front and we were defending well and Rose never looked like scoring in the latter stages.

“We had done enough to hold on for the win but they got a lifeline at the end which has cost us two-points.

“At the end of the day if we can keep playing the way we are playing then I’m confident we will get out of our situation.

“We’ve managed to take 14 of our last 18 points and if we can mange this in the final six fixtures we’ll have no problems.”

Title outsiders Rose looked to be heading for a first league defeat since December as they trailed Whitburn going into added time.

But they capitalised on their controversial corner kick to hit the Burnie with a last gasp sucker-punch to steal a share of the spoils.

It was a cruel blow to a Whitburn side who have been working hard in recent weeks to turn around their struggling season and ensure league survival.

Chris Dolan rattled the post in the early going with a shot which flew through a forest of legs in the Rose box but they came unstuck at the other end when they fell behind.

Rose’s top-gun Tommy Coyne steered home the opener with a controlled back post finish.

Whitburn earned a way back into the match on the half-hour mark when Colin Leiper was fouled in the box by John Ward.

Scott Murphy rifled the spot-kick home to level the game.

The second-half proved to be a close contest with only half-chances at each end until Whitburn took the lead on 75 minutes.

Striker Colin Strickland popped up on the right flank where he sent in a perfect cross for Scott Gormley who guided a looping header over Stephen Pinkowski and into the net.

As the clock ticked down it looked as Whitburn would take all three points to climb further away from the drop zone and deal Rose a body blow in their attempts to claw back league leaders Bo’ness.

But with less than two minutes to go Rose won a corner which infuriated the home bench who insisted visiting striker Gordon Herd had bundled home stopper Ryan McGurk to the ground.

Things went from bad to worse for Whitburn as the controversial corner led to a second goal for Coyne for a share of the points.

Linlithgow Rose boss Dave Baikie had some sympathy for his opposite number admitting he felt the whistler got the decision wrong.

He said: “I thought we played well in the first-half and were deservedly 1-0 ahead. Then Whitburn won a penalty which nobody, not even thier own players, appealed for.

No-one seemed to know what it was given for and for me it changed the momentum of the match and got them back into it.

“There was also the incident late on in which Derek Strickland felt hard done by.

“I agree with him that it appeared there was a nudge or a push on his player which probably should have resulted in a free kick for his side but then I was 60 yards away while the ref and the linesman were both on top of the incident.

“But I would agree with Derek it looked like a foul.

“We then scored from the resulting corner kick.

“There is a remote chance we could still win the league and while there is a chance we won’t give up anything but the league is there for Bo’ness to throw away now.”

Linlithgow: Pinkowski, Donnelly, Virgili, Ward, Wilson, Smith (Livingstone), Tyrrell, McArthur, Coyne, Herd, McLennan (Manson).

Whitburn: Walker, S Murphy, Mooney, McGurk, Leiper, Donnelly, D Murphy, McNelis, Gormley, Strickland, Dolan.

Cold snap hits Whitburn hard but players rally round club

Edinburgh Evening News 5th February 2010

By MARTIN DEMPSTER

WHITBURN manager Derek Strickland has praised his players for appreciating the financial problems at Central Park that have been brought about by the worst cold snap to hit the East Region Juniors for a long time.

Club secretary Raymond Wallace confirmed this week that talks had been held with Strickland's squad to keep them in the picture about the financial situation.

Like several other clubs, Whitburn are struggling after seeing so many games called off  this season and the manager has been delighted with the response from his players.

"At the end of the day, the players appreciate the situation," said Strickland.

"They have contracts that can't be honoured at this moment in time and the club is looking to see how it can get through this difficult time."

Whitburn's situation hasn't been helped by the fact they were unable to play League Cup games at Central Park due to drainage work that was carried out on the pitch in the summer.

They last played at home on 5 December, when they lost 2-1 to Super League leaders Bo'ness, and, like most other clubs, have only had one other game since the middle of December.

"Outwith the two-week break over the Festive period, we've had nine games called off so far this season," said Strickland.

"It's a nightmare and, prior to our East of Scotland Cup tie against Fauldhouse a fortnight ago, our last game had been on 12 December.

"We've only had four home games in the Super League and last week probably summed up just how frustrating it has been.

"I went down to the park after my work on Friday afternoon and the pitch was playable. But we then get a heavy overnight frost and there was no chance of the game being played.

"After the snow earlier this week, there was another two inches on it and, unless there's a big thaw, I can't see our game against Lochee going ahead either."

Players in contract talks as Whitburn struggle to survive

Edinburgh Evening News 3rd February 2010

By John Gilmour

WHITBURN JUNIORS have held talks with their players about renegotiating their contracts as the East Region Super League side struggles to stay afloat after losing valuable income due to the recent bad weather.

The SJFA has just awarded £1,000 to clubs to help them out but Whitburn secretary Raymond Wallace says the situation is serious and reckons it's going to get a lot worse for some clubs due to an Inland Revenue proposal.

"We have had no gate income, no pie money income and no raffle income but still we have to pay the players' wages for training every week," he said.

"The current financial situation the whole country is in is affecting us hugely.

"It's common knowledge that we spoke to the players regarding the situation and they have been terrific in their support.

"We have a social club and they are helping as much as they can but a lot of social clubs are folding. The players met the committee on Tuesday night to discuss the situation and possibly renegotiate their contracts.

"To make matters worse, the SJFA informed us the Inland Revenue are looking into the situation regarding having to pay a minimum wage to players from the moment they leave their home to the time they return for training and games.

"This could very well see the end of a lot of clubs who couldn't afford to pay that level of money.

"People talk of players' greed but our players have been fantastic and they know it's not just Whitburn."