Airdrieonians are undergoing a summer rebuild. Ben Wilson, last season’s top scorer with 17 goals in 46 appearances, was snapped up in a reported £200,000 deal by The New Saints. Adding to the turnover, club captain Adam Frizzell also opted to end his stay at the Penny Cars Stadium after four years and 169 appearances for the Diamonds. Those are two significant departures – without even considering the exits of Lewis McGregor, Mason Hancock, and Craig Watson.

To fill those voids, the club has turned to some familiar Championship names. Euan Henderson is a forward with proven experience across the Scottish leagues, known for his pace, movement, and goal threat. He made 39 appearances during his six years at Hearts but failed to establish himself in the first team. Notably, he spent the 2021-22 season on loan at Alloa Athletic, where he delivered an impressive return of 14 goals in 28 appearances as Alloa made a late charge for the playoffs. After leaving Tynecastle in 2023, Henderson joined Hamilton Academical, where he featured 80 times and scored 13 goals. Although Alloa expressed interest in re-signing him, Henderson chose to remain in full-time Championship football, completing his move to Airdrieonians in June.

Fellow Hamilton teammates Jamie Barjonas – who also racked up over 80 appearances for Accies – and veteran defender Sean McGinty have also made the switch across Lanarkshire to join Rhys McCabe’s side. Alex King returned to Scottish football as well, with the former Greenock Morton midfielder ending a short six-month stint at Crusaders in Northern Ireland.

It hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Alloa in Airdrie in recent years. You’d have to go back to 2020 for their last win at the, then named, Excelsior Stadium, when Alan Trouten and Robert Thomson scored in a routine 2-0 victory under Peter Grant. Since then, the home side has dominated this fixture. In their promotion-winning season, the Diamonds swept aside Alloa 4-0 and 2-0, with the Wasps struggling to cope with McCabe’s free-flowing style.

Has this team rediscovered that exciting brand of football? On recent evidence, the answer looks like yes. Airdrie confidently claimed a 3-1 win over Bonnyrigg Rose, earned a statement victory away to Dundee at Dens Park, and saw off Montrose 2-1 on Wednesday night to return to the top of the table. That sets up a decisive showdown with Alloa on Saturday. The winner – whether in normal time or via penalties – will progress as Group C champions. As for the runner-up, nine points will almost certainly not be enough for Alloa to sneak through as one of the best second-placed sides, though Airdrie could still have an outside chance of advancing via the three “lucky loser” spots.

Buy Tickets – Airdrie

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Concession: £12 (65+, students, unemployed, disabled, 16–17)
Child: £5 (Under 16)
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Despite steering Dundee to a top‑half finish in his first season and helping them avoid relegation in 2024–25, Tony Docherty was relieved of his managerial duties ahead of the new campaign. Former Coventry City and Falkirk boss Steven Pressley took the reins. On taking the job one sentence made headlines:

If you’re looking for a manager with a history of winning titles I’m not your man

Perhaps that rather uninspiring quote didn’t come out as intended as certainly the early review from Dens has been that Pressley has been a breath of fresh air around the place with the players and staff. However, Pressley’s competitive debut ended in disappointment, as the Premiership side suffered a 1–0 defeat at home to Championship outfit Airdrieonians. A first‑half goal from Chris Mochrie proved decisive, leaving Dundee, Group C’s highest ranked team, stuck on the bottom of the section with no points. With both Airdrieonians and Alloa making perfect starts, Dundee face increasing pressure to avoid further slip‑ups in the League Cup group stage.

Dundee struggled in the final third against Airdrieonians, highlighting the importance of captain Simon Murray reproducing his stellar form from last year. The 33‑year‑old forward was instrumental in the Dee’s survival last season, scoring 16 times in 38 Premiership appearances. He’ll need to contribute another monumental season in what is a new look Dark Blues side with 14 player departures from the previous campaign.

Reinforcements and probably the one to watch have arrived though through summer signing Tony Yogane, a dynamic winger on loan from Brentford. Yogane not only brings pace and flair in wide areas, but also has a proven knack for putting defences on the back foot – his winning strike in the 2024–25 Professional Development League final secured Brentford’s U21 title against Bournemouth, firing them to a 3‑2 victory.

In defence, Bulgarian centre-back Plamen Galabov joined on a free transfer from Israeli side Maccabi Petah Tikva. In midfield, Paul Digby, a seasoned defensive midfielder, arrived from Cambridge United, while Drey Wright, a versatile right-sided player, made the move from St. Johnstone following their relegation to the Championship.

Callum Jones, a central midfielder, was signed from Hull City. Up front, Dundee recruited two forwards: Ashley Hay, a 21-year-old centre-forward from Brentford B, and Emile Acquah, a physically imposing striker signed from Barrow, with his fee undisclosed.

There’s no breathing room now for the visitors as anything but a win will all but ensure their exit from the Premier Sports Cup while Alloa will be desperate to set up a final day shootout with Airdrieonians.

Alloa vs Dundee – Home Support

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Alloa vs Dundee – Away Support

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The opening-round league phase of the new format will comprise of 10 William Hill League 1 clubs, 10 William Hill League 2 clubs and 10 William Hill Premiership B teams. Each club will play six league phase matches on a broadly regionalised basis, with the top 22 progressing to the knock-out stage, where they will be joined by the 10 William Hill Championship clubs.

The league phase will kick off on the midweek of August 12/13 and conclude with matchday six on Tuesday November 11. The knock-out stages begin with the Round of 32 on December 9/10 and the final will take place on the weekend of March 28/29 or April 4/5, 2026.

Alloa’s fixtures for the competition are this:

League phase 
MD1: Midweek of August 12/13, 2025   
MD2: Midweek of August 26/27, 2025 
MD3: Weekend of September 6/7, 2025   
MD4: Midweek of September 23/24, 2025 
MD5: Weekend of October 11/12, 2025 
MD6: Tuesday November 11, 2025

Round of 32 
Midweek of December 9/10, 2025

Round of 16 
Midweek of January 6/7, 2026

Quarter-finals 
Midweek of January 27/28, 2026

Semi-finals 
Midweek of February 24/25, 2026

Final 
Weekend of March 28/29 or April 4/5, 2026

Alloa Athletic FC is pleased to confirm the signing of Andrew Clarke, a 22-year-old midfielder from Northern Ireland.

Clarke made his Northern Irish League debut at 18 with Crusaders FC, signing a professional contract soon after with Linfield and making 43 appearances across two seasons, scoring 7 goals. During his time at Linfield, he won the Premiership and the League Cup, and featured in Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League qualifying.

In 2023, Clarke paused his professional career to begin a medical degree at the University of St Andrews, a story that was widely reported in the Northern Irish media but he hasn’t given up his hopes for a high level football career just yet. While studying, he played for the university’s first team, scoring 36 goals in 15 games during his first year and helping the team win both the League and Conference Cup.

Clarke returned to Irish League football in January 2025 with Queen’s University Belfast, contributing to their promotion to the NIFL Championship via the playoffs.

Now as he balances football and study – he’s pinpointed Alloa as the perfect place to continue his career.

Welcome to the Wasps, Andy!

With the departures of long-serving figures like Michael Gardyne and Paul Watson, Montrose manager Stewart Petrie has used the summer window to refresh his squad. His side ended up getting drawn into the murky end of season relegation battle but League One’s longest serving team stayed up with four points to spare over eventual playoff losers Annan.

Key Signings to Watch

Ross Clark – Midfielder, 19
Clark, a product of Dundee’s Youth Academy, has been full time at Dens Park for the past 3 years and last season enjoyed a loan spell with Highland League outfit Formartine United.

He told the club website “My Dundee teammates Lyall Cameron and Luke Graham both loved their loans spells here, saying it was a well run club with a good setup and would be a great place to learn, develop and really kick-start my career.”

Kieran Freeman – Right-Back, 24
The 24-year-old joined Stewart Petrie’s side in January as part of a loan from Raith Rovers and featured 16 times for the Gable Endies as they successfully fought to secure their League 1 status. He’s had plenty of Premiership experience with Dundee United before a stint in Ireland with St Pat’s and his return to Scotland.

Craig Wighton – Striker, 27
Another January loanee made permanent the 27-year-old, who was capped for Scotland, all the way up to the U21s, has amassed 27 appearances for Hearts, 92 for Dundee and 119 for Dunfermline, winning both the Championship and League 1, as well as featuring in the Scottish Cup Final.

Ewan Loudon – Forward, 21
Signed from Brechin City, Loudon has featured 136 times in his four Highland League seasons and in the last two seasons has 33 goals and 31 assists next to his name, including a vital opening goal just minutes from time in a title deciding win against Buckie Thistle in 2023. It’s a big step up to League One but one manager Stewart Petrie is confident it’s one Loudon can land.

While Alloa mounted a late comeback to overturn Montrose’s lead at the end of April, thanks to late goals from Conor Sammon and Luke Rankin, it’s been hard work against the Angus side in recent seasons. That result ended a run of seven games unbeaten for Montrose against Alloa, with the Gable Endies winning three of those encounters.

Will this new-look team continue to dominate, or have Andy Graham’s men finally turned a corner against their bogey team? We’ll find out in the first of what could be a minimum of five meetings between the sides this season.

Alloa vs Montrose – Home Support

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Alloa vs Montrose – Away Support

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An intriguing season opener as Alloa travel to Rosewell to face Bonnyrigg Rose

New Dundas Park is still being left to bed in so the East Lothian side have moved into Ferguson Park just down the road from their home haunt.

It’ll be a new ground for many Alloa fans of the newer vintages as we visit the home of Whitehill Welfare, but Alloa have had history here. The then East of Scotland league side held Alloa in January 2000 when Terry Christie’s men stumbled twice from leading positions. Willie Irvine’s first half strike was cancelled out by John Bird’s direct goal from a corner, and Gregor McKechnie was denied a winner by Dougie Samuel’s late equaliser. Alloa recovered in the replay to win 2-0 but it’ll not be a visit fondly remembered.

THE BOSS

Long serving players stepping up to management positions? It’ll never catch on. Jonny Stewart is Andy Graham’s opposite number. He cemented himself as a Bonnyrigg Rose legend during his 10 year playing career before leaving to manage Tranent. He couldn’t resist the draw of managing here after former Alloa striker Calum Eliot departed the hotseat in March 2025 with the club facing a relegation scrap.

“It’s no secret my love for the club and I hope to install that passion into the squad,”
— Jonny Stewart, on his appointment via the club website

Though Rose ultimately dropped into the Lowland League after a Pyramid Play-off loss to East Kilbride, they’ll be looking to rekindle an impressive Lowland League record that has never seen the Rosey Posey finish worse than 3rd.

PLAYER TO WATCH – KALLUM HIGGINBOTHAM

No stranger as an Alloa opponent, Kallum Higginbotham has now racked up over 580 games of professional football with notable stints at Dunfermline, Kelty and Partick Thistle. The Englishman has turned out in every division in the top 5 leagues in Scotland — but does the 36-year-old still have the legs to produce the magic of earlier in career?

STAR MAN – BILLY KING

The brother of former Alloa player Adam King, Billy King’s career started brightly with the midfielder breaking into the Hearts team at just the tender age of 18. He was a Scotland youth international up to U21 level but has become a bit of a journeyman after his Hearts career ended, playing for 9 clubs in as many years across Scotland, England, Ireland, and the U.S.

Last year’s endeavors at Arbroath did see him join in the title celebration as the Angus side won League 1 — but Billy made just 7 appearances after signing in January and scored just the single goal in a 5-1 defeat to eventually relegated Annan.

His last three clubs have seen him pick up:

• 🏆 the USL League One with Northern Colorado
• 🏆 the FAI Cup with St Patrick’s Athletic
• 🏆 and most recently, League 1 with Arbroath

Will he make it 4 titles in 4 years with Bonnyrigg?

Previous meetings

The Rose’s 2021–22 Scottish Cup run hit a brick wall — more like a speeding train — in the third round with a bruising 5-0 loss to Alloa Athletic.

Things started brightly, with hundreds of noisy traveling fans and a golden chance in the opening 20 seconds… which George Hunter and Ross Gray politely left for each other.

That generosity didn’t last long.

Alloa struck first with what can only be described as a FIFA Street backheel flick from Mouhamed Niang. That was just the start.

Hearts loanee Euan Henderson decided to ruin the Rose’s day with a clinical hat-trick, showing pace, power, and no mercy.

‘Sena’ Niang would bag his brace in closing after Conor Sammon played him through — it marked a day to forget for the Lowland League leaders who had started out with high hopes of a 14th consecutive win.

Alloa will be looking to emulate that dominant performance.

Buy Tickets – Bonnyrigg Rose

Adult: £11 (20–65 yrs)
Concession: £8 (17–19 yrs, 65+, disabled & carers)
Youth: £5 (12–16 yrs)
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We’re pleased to welcome the signature of Owen Foster after the expiry of his contract with St Mirren in the summer.

Owen, 19, earned plaudits during his loan spell with Cumbernauld Colts in the Lowland League last season after his significant impact—earned him both the Management Player of the Year and Committee Player of the Year awards at the club.

“Owen is a promising young player who we believe will bring healthy competition to the defensive area of the pitch. He’s very composed on the ball, and his versatility could prove vital for us.”
— Andy Graham

Welcome to the club, Owen!

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