Stirling Albion boss Darren Young hailed the Binos fans as the League Two champions took their bow on Saturday – and insisted their success was a team effort.
The Forthbank side suffered their first reverse in 2023 after Albion Rovers inflicted a last-day 2-0 defeat at Cliftonhill to end the visitors’ long unbeaten run at 19 games.
In truth, the sizeable travelling contingent – decked out in feather boas, sombreros and beach balls – weren’t too concerned by the result and gave their heroes one last ovation before they left the field.
The preparations for next season’s crack at League One began in earnest, with several first-team regulars completely rested from the squad due to nursing various knocks and illnesses.
But gaffer Young was keen to reflect one last time on his side’s achievement and the increasing momentum around the club.
He said: “It was always going to be a hard game. Albion Rovers had everything to play for and our season is over in theory.
“We had a similar team out there that beat Forfar last week and felt we had a few chances in the first half which we could have done better with but they were the better team in the second half.
“It’s good to see the back of Charlie Reilly, he’s a quality player and every time he plays against us he scores!
“It’s been a great season for everybody – for the fans, for the players, for the board, the whole lot.
“Everyone has really played their part and the fans have backed us. Even when things weren’t going our way earlier in the season they still got behind us and it was great to have that.
“That’s the togetherness we’ve had on the park, in the changing room and at training and to have that is fantastic.”
Reilly was part of the PFA Scotland League Two Team of the Year named late last week – a side which also included five Stirling players, the largest contingent from any single club.
Goalkeeper Blair Currie, defenders Ross McGeachie and Paul McLean, midfielder Jack Leitch and hotshot forward Dale Carrick were the quality quintet recognised, with Carrick also nominated for the League Two Player of the Year gong.
Young and Carrick also claimed the manager and player of the month titles for April.
However, with some of that talent left out at Cliftonhill, Young paid tribute to the impact made off the bench by some of the club’s youth prospects who entered the fray against a side fighting for their lives.
Young added: “It was great to get five of the young boys on, four of them for their debut and a few of them showed a bit about themselves so it was good to get them on.”
“That’s a team today who were battling to stay up so it was good for them to be in that atmosphere with a good crowd where both teams’ supporters turned out really well and there was a great wee send-off from the fans for the players at the end.”
