THIS MONTHS LATEST NEWS
For previous news see the monthly archive at the foot of this page.
AIRDRIE PLAYER SHORTAGE 31st January 2001
Scottish Cup opponents Airdrie have written to the SFA regarding the late registration of a number of their first team players who presently sign month to month contracts. The late registration means that the players in question are technically unable to play in the third round tie next Tuesday evening at Palmerston which leaves the Diamonds with a small pool of S signings and reserve team players.

Airdrie are hopeful that the SFA will accept what is said to be an honest mistake on their part and allow the unregistered players to take part in the competition. The SFA will meet on Friday to discuss the matter.
MAN OF THE MATCH 29th January 2001
Picking up his ninth Man of the Match award for Saturday's goalscoring performance in Elgin is star striker Peter Weatherson. Peter averaged 7.22 with second place being split three ways with Mathieson, McQuilter and Aitken all scoring 6.67.

For the full scores see below and for the updated Player of the Season table click on the MoM link.
Mathieson
Rating: 6.67
Atkinson
Rating: 6.00
Aitken
Rating: 6.67
McQuilter
Rating: 6.67
McKeown
Rating: 6.44
Muir
Rating: 6.00
Sunderland
Rating: 5.89
Boyle
Rating: 6.11
Patterson
Rating: 5.22
Skinner
Rating: 6.11
Weatherson
Rating: 7.22
SUBSTITUTES
Kinnaird
46 - mins
Rating: 6.22
Nixon
73 - mins
Rating: 5.44
Hogg
82 - mins
Rating: -
Pickering
-
Rating:-
Scott
-
Rating:-
CUP DRAW 28th January 2001
The draw for the fourth round of the Scottish Cup gives the winner of the Queens - Airdrie third round tie a home match versus Peterhead. To clarify the arrangements for the match versus Airdrie it will go ahead at Palmerston on Tuesday 6th February 2001 with a 7.30pm kick off. It will be the third meeting of the two sides on Scottish Cup business, the honours even in the other matches to date. 1926 saw a 0-0 draw followed by a 7-0 defeat by the Diamonds then, most recently, 1937 saw a 2-0 home victory for the Doonhamers.

If Queens emerge victorious it will mean that we face opponents never before encountered, thankfully though the match would be at Palmerston. The full draw is as follows:

Berwick Rangers or Hearts v Dundee or Falkirk
Motherwell v Dundee United
Queen of the South or Airdrie v Peterhead
St Johnstone or Dunfermline v Celtic
Stirling Albion v Hibernian
Inverness Caley Thistle v Kilmarnock
Ross County v Rangers
Livingston v Aberdeen.
Ties to be played 17th/18th February 2001.
THE PRINCE OF PALMERSTON 28th January 2001
Look out for a unique competition being run by Queens in conjunction with the Dumfries and Galloway Standard this week, it's aimed at finding out who is the "Prince of Palmerston" and gives the young female fans a chance to vote for the best looking member of the Palmerston staff.

Full details will appear here later in the week and you will be able to print out your voting form from the website ready for posting to the Standard when you've made your choice.

All entries will be entered into a prize draw with the winner being given a matchday makeover for her and a friend, hairstyling at browns hairdressers, makeover at Jacqui's Health and Beauty Salon and a VIP afternoon at Palmerston.
WELL ATTENDED 26th January 2001
The Official Scottish League attendance figures , just published, show Queens as the second best supported side in the league, only Partick Thistle lead us whilst Queen's Park are tucked into third place.
RAISING THE STANDARD 26th January 2001
Coverage of your favourite football team in the local press has just become a whole lot better as Queen's contribute a regular half page in the Friday Standard starting this week. Worth checking out, this weeks is a fine example, giving news on a number of areas and not just related to the first team.
GAME ON 25th January 2001
Queen's Chairman Ronnie Bradford tells us tonight that he has had discussion with Elgin officials who are telling him that the game is looking good for going ahead on Saturday. On this basis the Queen's party will leave Palmerston on Friday afternoon at 2.00pm heading directly for Elgin where they will stay overnight.
NEWS FROM THE NORTH 24th January 2001
The latest news from Elgin is that they are very hopeful that the match will go ahead as planned on Saturday, the pitch is thawing out and the weather continues to be relatively mild. The scale of the problem facing club officials became apparent when the gravedigger from the cemetery located next door to the stadium let them know that the frost had reached as deep as seventeen inches from the surface.
ROBISON DEPARTS 24th January 2001
Kevin Robison has today joined our South West neighbours Annan Athletic, the twenty year old defender never quite made it into the first team this season only managing one full appearance way back in August versus Falkirk in the 3-1 League Cup defeat at Brockville.

This is a major signing for Annan and manager David Irons will be hoping to have Kevin available for this weekend and for the run in to the Galabank sides clinching of a second consecutive East of Scotland League Championship.
MATCH OFF 23rd January 2001
Despite the milder weather the Borough Briggs ground of Elgin City has not improved sufficiently to host the much postponed second round Scottish Cup tie tomorrow evening. The game was called off this lunchtime following an inspection and is now planned to take place on Saturday, third round day in the cup.
INSPECTION TUESDAY 22nd January 2001
An inspection of the Borough Briggs pitch will take place on Tuesday afternoon to determine whether the much postponed Scottish Cup second round tie versus Elgin will go ahead on Wednesday evening or not. At this time it looks like the match has more chance of being played this Wednesday than any of the previous attempts.
PLAYER MOVES 22nd January 2001
Transfer activity at Palmerston this weekend has seen ex-Leicester City youth player Stuart Heppell be released without making a first team squad whilst a new face has been added to the squad.
The new face is that of Mark Angel who joins from Darlington, pending international clearance, following two seasons at West Brom, three at Oxford United and two with Sunderland. Mark hails from the North East and began his playing career with Walker Central, he is 25 years old and plays down either wing or can cover as a left wing back. His career so far has seen him make almost 100 league and cup appearances in England, he followed Jim Smith from Sunderland to Oxford United where he was a first team regular for three seasons, (leaving just before Andy Thomson arrived). [Mark Angel]
He then spent a successful first season with West Brom before fading out of the picture in season 1999/00. This season he has been featuring for Darlington in the English third division, having played in the side which knocked Nottingham Forest, (with Chris Doig playing for Forest), out of the League Cup and in the 1-0 victory over Carlisle amongst others.

Mark is described as a fast and agile winger and will add considerably to the formidable midfield that boss John Connolly has now assembled.
MATCH OFF 21st January 2001
An inspection this lunchtime has again ruled out the possibility of the match versus Elgin in the second round of the Scottish Cup going ahead on Monday evening. The next date pencilled in is Wednesday 24th, an inspection will be held Tuesday lunchtime.

Check back tomorrow evening for some updates on our playing staff.
MATCHLESS 19th January 2001
It's hard to believe, but Queens have not been involved in a game away from home since 25th November, with this weeks attempts to play the much postponed Scottish Cup tie at Elgin looking less and less likely it could see the Doonhamers clear two months without an away match. The home games are not much better with us having played only four times in total at home in that same period. A sort of unofficial winter shutdown but without the relaxation as the players continue to attempt to train and prepare for matches that never take place. It isn't only the playing and coaching staff that suffer though as those involved in putting together the matchday arrangements also see the fruits of their labour wasted.

The programme editor and his contributors too have a difficult task, this week in particular; will the match versus Elgin go ahead on Wednesday?, if it does and Queens return victorious then a programme will be needed for Saturday for the Airdrie match, but deadlines have passed. Worse if Queens lose and a programme has been produced, the club would be out of pocket and the programme consigned to the waste bin. It's a difficult job trying to organise yourself around the weather!
GAME OFF 19th January 2001
With Palmerston frozen solid tomorrow's league encounter with Forfar has, as expected been called off

Further bad news from the frozen north is that the Elgin Cup tie has very little chance of going ahead on Monday evening and an inspection on Tuesday is unlikely to change the outcome for Wednesday evenings attempt to play the game. Hopefully there will be some thaw before next Saturday, third round day in the cup, as that is the next planned date for the tie to be played.

Fixtures are now piling up with no new dates yet set, however these league games are likely to be re-arranged for the month of March.

The reserves Southern Counties league clash at Kirkcowan has also fallen victim to the weather tomorrow.
MATCH OFF 16th January 2001
An inspection this lunchtime has again ruled out the possibility of the match versus Elgin in the second round of the Scottish Cup going ahead. The next date penciled in is Monday 22nd.

The pitch at Palmerston is also now frozen solid which puts doubt over the league clash this Saturday versus Forfar Athletic. If the match went ahead then all of the recently signed players would be eligible however Warren Hawke would be doubtful as he tore a calf muscle whilst training last Saturday. The full extent of the injury is not yet known but will be assessed by the club physio shortly.
MATCH OFF 14th January 2001
Pitch conditions at Elgin have , if anything worsened overnight without its covering of snow with the result that the game has been postponed again and is now planned for Wednesday evening. A pitch inspection will take place Tuesday lunchtime but even at this stage the match is extremely doubtful.
RESERVES PROGRESS 13th January 2001
Queen's reserve side this afternoon put in a convincing performance to defeat Annan Athletic's strongest East League side. Despite the score only being 3-1 the victors were never in doubt as the youthful second string demonstrated the gap in standards.

Goals came from Bryan Caldwell and Jon O'Neill in the first half with Ross Kerr striking in the second, former Queens man Mark Nichol scored a late consolation for the Annan side and both Chris Jardine, for a second bookable offence and former Queens Young Player of the Season, Kevin Proudfoot were sent off late on for the visitors, Annan Captain, Proudfoot receiving two red cards on his way off the pitch.
MATCH OFF 13th January 2001
Both the Queen's team and all supporters who traveled up to Elgin yesterday and those traveling this morning will be extremely disappointed as the match was called off following a 10:00am pitch inspection this morning. The efforts of those in Elgin were in vain as an overnight frost made the Borough Briggs park unplayable.

The match is now re-scheduled for Monday evening which gives both Queens players and fans major problems in getting to the game.
PREVIEW 12th January 2001
With the second round Scottish Cup clash with Elgin getting the go-ahead this afternoon the Queens team bus headed of on the long journey north. The efforts of all at Elgin to get the match played are to be applauded, tomorrow morning as many fans as they can muster will be out on the pitch at Borough Briggs to clear the covering of snow that conceals a pitch in reasonably good condition after having it covered in areas for most of this week by tarpaulins.

John Connolly will have a long journey to work out the teams tactics and gameplan, top scorer Peter Weatherson is back but who will partner him with Hogg, Caldwell, Hawke and Skinner amongst the possibles. One name not to feature is that of Jarrod Suddick who was dropped from the squad for missing training this week and has today parted company with the club.

Defensively Danny Patterson will miss out and his left back role will likely be occupied by Des McKeown, Denis Boyle may well make a return to a central midfield role.

In the City team there will not be many easily recognisable faces as most of the team came into the league when Elgin did at the start of this season.
GAME ON 12th January 2001
The Scottish Cup clash versus Elgin City was this afternoon given the green light. The Queen's party are now on their way up to the Highlands with a stop off at Aviemore this evening.

For those of you not travelling you could take in the South of Scotland Challenge Cup clash versus a full strength East League Annan Athletic at Palmerston on Saturday with a 3.00pm kick off.
INSPECTION & ANNAN GAME 11th January 2001
Check back tomorrow lunchtime for news of the pitch inspection at Elgin, at present the pitch is said to be playable, however frost is forecast. Also if travelling check out Alan Jardine's message on the message board for some useful tips.

The reserves fixture in the South of Scotland Challenge Cup will take place on Saturday at Palmerston with a 3.00pm kick off.
WEEKEND ROUND-UP 8th January 2001
If the Scottish Cup clash at Elgin re-arranged for this Saturday coming falls victim to the weather again the game will take place on the following Monday evening and then again if postponed the following Wednesday, if again unsuccessful it goes on to the following Monday and then Wednesday until it has been played. With a frost in Elgin again today it may be that both sides find themselves in the draw for the fourth round!

With the first team out of action the focus switched to the reserve side on Saturday and a number of the recent new signings made an appearance in the Queens side which defeated Dumfries by six goals to one.

Biggest impact was made by new striker from Ashington Alan Hogg who bagged a hat-trick on his debut by scoring in the 43rd, 45th and 75th minutes. Jon O'Neill helped himself to two goals in the 10th and 32nd minute with the other coming from Stuart Heppell in the 24th minute.

The line up was as follows:
Scott
Robison
Nixon
Paterson
Boyle
Hughes
Milne
Connell
Heppell
O'Neill
Hogg
SUBSTITUTES
Armstrong
Caldwell
Moffat
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