Published: Thursday, 17th July, 2008 08:00
Not a Belter of a season
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The 2007/08 campaign was something of a false dawn for Tranent Juniors, despite pre-season optimism about the young squad assembled by Stevie McLeish.
Ex-Cowdenbeath coach McLeish had taken charge towards the end of 2006/07 after Jackie Myles resigned, and by the time the League Cup fixtures got the new season under way in August, he’d overseen a considerable turnover in personnel.
Only half a dozen players were kept on. But with some highly-rated youngsters joining the ranks, club officials were hopeful that the professionalism of McLeish and his assistant Davie Lees would lead to a marked improvement in Tranent’s South Division performance the previous year after they’d finished 11th from 15.
CJ Osazuwa scored the first goal of the season at Gorebridge, when Arniston Rangers ran out 3-1 winners, and three days later Tranent were beaten by a similar scoreline at Haddington.
The first victory for the new-look side came when an own goal and a Kevin Robertson strike earned them a 2-1 win at Dunbar. But Tranent’s inexperience saw them comfortably beaten in their remaining three League Cup games against Premier League opponents Penicuik Athletic, Musselburgh Athletic and Newtongrange Star.
The league campaign began with another trip to Dunbar but this time the hosts came out on top to win 3-1. Tranent collected all three points the following week with a 2-1 victory over Dalkeith Thistle.
Joe Murray and Steven Tait were the scorers, but the win failed to mark a turnaround in fortunes and there were to be only three more victories before the season’s end.
Edinburgh United snatched three points, eventual champions Fauldhouse United won convincingly, and then a late Tranent collapse allowed Haddington to record a flattering 4-1 win.
In October, CJ Osazuwa had departed to Musselburgh Athletic, while defender Giuseppe Cirillo returned to mainland Europe after a brief stint in junior football.
The month brought three away games against West Lothian opposition , but just one victory at rock-bottom Stoneyburn Juniors. Promotion contenders Broxburn Athletic won comfortably, but a solitary goal at Blackburn gave the hosts three points.
November began disappointingly as the long trip north to face Banchory St Ternan ended in a 4-1 defeat and an early exit from the Scottish Junior Cup, after reaching the last 16 the year before.
A Joe Murray double and a Keith Auld goal saw Tranent bounce back the following week with a win at home to Pumpherston Juniors by the odd goal in five.
But they then embarked on a long spell without victory and the Pumpherston game marked the last time three points were won in what was to prove a short stint as manager by McLeish.
Murray was again on the mark seven days later when Tranent earned a creditable 1-1 draw at Sauchie. But the following three weeks brought successive defeats and the loss of seven goals while the forwards failed to find the net at all.
Some pride was restored in what proved to be Tranent’s final outing of 2007, with a respectable 3-3 draw against Central Division high-fliers St Andrews United in the East Of Scotland Cup.
But the Fifers progressed to the second round after coming out on top in a penalty shoot-out.
It was another month before Tranent returned to action at Fauldhouse, where they suffered a 3-0 defeat.
They endured a prolonged absence from Foresters Park when drainage problems required repair work by East Lothian Council and had to play six consecutive away games.
There was shock after the 5-3 away defeat to Livingston United, when Stevie McLeish announced his resignation.
He revealed that he’d received a job offer he couldn’t refuse from Hibernian, after his old Cowdenbeath boss Mixu Paatelainen was appointed to the Easter Road hot seat.
Assistant Davie Lees was promoted to the manager’s post and goalkeeper Craig Cunningham joined the club for a second spell as the Lees era began.
Two defeats and a draw followed. But just when it looked like Tranent would be able to celebrate a win, they contrived to throw away a three goal lead in the last seven minutes at Stoneyburn – a side who had been without a point until before that game.
Spirits were low and a 3-0 defeat at Haddington at the end of March could have been far heavier had it not been for the home side’s wastefulness in front of goal.
The players rallied the following week and were unlucky to lose at home to Sauchie, who won with a late goal.
April saw them knocked out of the Brown and St Michael’s Cups at Whitburn and Arniston respectively.
Then at long last they enjoyed their first win in five months, when Joe Murray got the only goal of the game at home to Dunbar United.
But a further three home games before the season’s end yielded just one more point, as they were overtaken by fellow strugglers Pumpherston.
This consigned Tranent to second-bottom spot, only above a desperate Stoneyburn side.
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