Tvavellers Notebook - Elgin City
By Scott Johnstone
December 10 2003
Saturday December the 13th 2003, Bell’s League Division Three, Elgin City v Stirling Albion, at Borough Briggs, Kick off 3pm Our first visit of the season to the Morayshire town of Elgin.

Saturday December the 13th 2003, Bell’s League Division Three, Elgin City v Stirling Albion, at Borough Briggs, Kick off 3pm

Our first visit of the season to the Morayshire town of Elgin.

The locale...Elgin is a sizeable town and worth a visit. Only slightly smaller than Stirling, it serves as a market centre for the surrounding rural area. Large numbers of service personnel live close by in connection with the RAF bases at Lossiemouth and Kinross. Get up in time for your lunch-there are plenty of places to go or alternatively stop off in Aviemore or Grantown-on-Spey on the way.

The ground...Perfect. Grandstand on one side with covered terracing on the other. Uncovered terracing behind each goal. Although segregation can be enforced the fans normally walk around the ground and change ends at half time. Catering is excellent and you can have a punt inside the stadium. The editor will be going for 2-0 Albion with Scott McLean to score the first goal. The Social Club under the stand is enormous and affords a friendly welcome to thirsty travellers.

The team...The signing of Andy Goram has not the effect that his former team-mate David Robertson would have hoped for. In fact, Goram missed a recent game through injury and may still be struggling for full fitness. Danger man is Alex Bone who is back in favour after a serious bust-up with the manager. Craig Tully, never popular with the Albion fans, has rejoined the Morayshire side after a spell with Stenhousemuir.

The travel...Not a good journey at this time of year. Going up is not so bad but coming back in the dark is not very pleasant. Quickest way is via Forres, Grantown-on-Spey, Aviemore, Pitlochry and Perth. Heres hoping the game is not postponed because the prospect of a midweek visit to Elgin brings back night mares for Albion fans of a certain age.

The fans...Elgin have a hard core of around 350 supporters-but gates this season have been better than that. Enthusiastic and noisy. Their most hated rivals are Buckie Thistle although Inverness Caledonian Thistle also come in for a degree of venom.

Stirling Albion Supporters Club Information...The bus for the match will leave as follows: Borestone Bar-8.50, Stirling Islamic Centre-8.55, Half Way House-9.00. The fare is £12 for adults and £8 for concessions. For more information contact Jim Watson on 01786475573 or Stef Torrance on 01259 219570

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