Below is a list of the Former Managers of Stirling Albion Football Club throughout its history.

1945-51:- Tom Fergusson

Known to many as "Mr Stirling Albion", Tom was the driving force behind the formation and development of Stirling Albion FC. He served as a Director, Chairman, Secretary and Manager at various times, and often dipped into his own pocket to help the club out of financial problems.

In many ways Tom was an unlikely football man. As a youngster he was an enthusiastic but not particularly skilled player. he was badly wounded during World War One, and lost part of a leg. Thereafter his walking stick accompanied him everywhere and was often used to good effect in arguments and discussions.

Fergusson became involved with King's Park, the senior team in Stirling prior to World War Two. In fact, when hostilities broke out in 1939 he was Secretary-Manager of the Forthbank club. King's Park had  long been ridden with debts and clouded in controversy, and it was no surprise when they folded during the war. The German bomb that fell on Forthbank was merely the coupe-de-grace to an already dying club.

After the war Fergusson was keen to re-start senior football in  the town, and he met with other local businessmen to form a club. They chose not to reform King's Park, and instead chose Stirling Albion as the club name. It is often said that "Albion" was picked because of the type of lorries Fergusson used in his Coal Merchants Business

.Mathers lasted only one year, and Fergusson took over gain from 1956 until midway through 1959/60 season. Tom resigned from the Board for a short spell in the early 1960's, but rejoined the club soon afterwards. he remained a Director until his death in 1967.

1951-52:- George Paterson

Paterson was Albion's manager in season 1951/52. Born in Denny in 1914, he had an excellent pedigree for the job. An outstanding player, he started his career with Dunipace Juniors, and was transferred to Celtic, winning a full Scotland Cap against Northern Ireland in 1939. Paterson also represented Scotland in three War time internationals, but by the time normal football resumed in 1946 his career was virtually at an end. 

He signed for Brentford and played there for a few years before joining Yeovil Town as a player-coach in 1949. From there his next move was Annfield.

In his single season with the club, they finished bottom of Division-A, and Paterson resigned at the end of the term. He took up a coaching post at Celtic where he enjoyed most success as a player

1952-55:- Tom Ferguson 

Returned to the post after George Paterson resigned

1955-56:- John Mathers

Like Paterson, Mathers had just a single season at the helm of the Albion. Appointed in August 1955, he came from Nairn County where he had been coach. As a player Mathers was a wing-half with St Johnstone between 1938 and 1947 and later moved to Highland League football. A former paratrooper, Glasgow-born Mathers certainly made Albion one of the fittest teams in the league, but could not gain enough points to avoid relegation to the Second Division. he resigned in September 1956

1956-60:- Tom Ferguson 

Again the man who gave us Stirling Albion was back in charge

1960 :- Alex McRae 

In January 1960 the Stirling Albion Directors made a surprise move in appointing Ballymena United's manager, Alex McRae, to take charge at Annfield. McRae had been a talented player with Falkirk in the early 1950's. A inside-forward in the traditional mould, he had enthralled crowds with his ball skills and passing.

As a manager he had shown promise with Ballymena in the Irish League, and Stirling Albion reckoned they had done well to temp him to Annfield. McRae's first move was to sign experienced Jimmy Bonthrone from Dundee for £1500, and the team were showing signs of improvement when McRae accepted an offer to take over as manager of Falkirk, less than two months after taking charge of Stirling.

1960-61:- Danny McLennan 

McLennan, a former Albion player, was appointed as a manager in June 1960. he had originally signed for Stirling in February 1946 from Rangers. He was a highly rated inside left, but played only three games before being transferred to Falkirk. His other clubs included East Fife and Dundee, from whom he joined Berwick Rangers as Player -manager in 1957.

However McLennan's stay at Albion was to brief, and he left the club within an year of taking over. Apparently the Directors did not like some of his methods and following a simmering disagreement they parted company. Later he became manager of Worcester City, before taking-off to various parts of the world where he acted as a "soccer missionary". 

1961-63:- Sammy Forsyth 

When McLennan left the club, the post of manager was immediately offered to is deputy, Sammy Forsyth. Like McLennan he was a former Albion player, having spent three years with the club between 1950 and 1953, helping them to promotion in 1951 and 1953.

The former foundry-worker from Denny inherited a good squad of players, and they were already promotion contenders when he took over. Forsyth finished the job admirably, and then led them to the League Cup Semi Final place in 1961/62. Like other before him, however, Forsyth failed to keep Stirling in Division One. the board kept faith with him for a season in Division Two, but when promotion was not gained in 1962/63, Forsyth went as part of a cost cutting exercise.

1963-68:- Sammy Baird  

Money was tight in the mid 1960's and Stirling decided to appoint a Player-manager. Sammy Baird had superb credentials for the job. Best known for his playing days with Rangers, Baird had finished up with Hibernian and Third Lanark before moving to Annfield. He was landlord of his own pub in Bo'ness, which allowed him ample time to devote to football.

In Baird's first season the club finished bottom of Division two for the only time on their history, but Baird used that season to experiment, and in 1964/65 his remodelled team won the Division Two title with a club record total of points.

His experience of top level football proved to be invaluable, and Albion retained Division One status in 1965/66 and 1966/67. The following year results started to go against the club and by mid season relegation was inevitable. For Baird the price was high - he was sacked towards the end of the season. 

1968-69:- Willie McFarlane

 "Willie who" was the attitude of many Albion fans when the Edinburgh bookmaker was made manager in march 1968. His previous experience had been with Hawick royal Albert following an undistinguished playing career with Hibs.

McFarlane;s stay at Annfield was colourful to say the least, with the team playing attacking football and scoring freely. His stay was also brief - after one full season in charge he was offered the chance to return to Easter Road as manager. Willie jumped at the chance, and took Stirling's promising young full back Erich Schaedler with him.

McFarlane had only limited success at Easter Road, where he replaced Bob Shankly as manager. He eventually became manager of Meadowbank Thistle in the mid 1970's.

1969-70:- Frank Joyner

Joyner's name had been linked with the Stirling manager's job on a number of occasions, before he eventually took over in 1969. Frank had played a few games for Stirling in the early 1950's, but by that time his playing career was virtually finished. His best days had been before World War Two with Raith Rovers and Sheffield United, for whom he was a free scoring centre forward.

His management experience was gained with Third Lanark in the late 1960's, when Frank combined his involvement in football with journalism. His 18 months in charge at Annfield were comparatively uneventful, and he resigned just before Christmas 1970, with Stirling in a  mid-table position.

1971-73:- Bob Shankly 

When Stirling succeeded in tempting Bob Shankly out of retirement in 1971, it was seen as a major achievement for Chairman Frank Smith and his fellow Directors. Shankly was a legendary name in Scottish Football. As a player he served Falkirk with great distinction, and later managed the Brockville club. He led Third Lanark through one of  their best spells in the 1950's. Later, he managed Dundee to the First Division Championship. With Hibs in the late 1960's he had enjoyed European glamour with a memorable victory over Italian giants Naples.

Latterly Shankly had been scouting for Nottingham Forest, then managed by his old friend Matt Gillies. However, the call of management was too strong for him, and when given the opportunity to move to Stirling he jumped at the chance. Shanks was in charge for two seasons - on both occasions Stirling came close to promotion without actually making it. He stepped up to become General manager in 1973, and shortly afterwards took a seat on the board. Although he resigned the post of General manager in the late 1970's he remained a Director until his death in 1982 - indeed Bob died while representing the club at an SFA meeting in Glasgow.

1973-74:- Frank Beattie 

As a player Frank gave sterling service to Kilmarnock, the team he joined in 1953 from Plean Juveniles. A defender of the old-school, Frank was uncompromising in the tackle and powerful in the air. When he retired from playing in 1971 he was given the chance of management by Albion Rovers, and like so many ex-pros he was delighted at the opportunity.

In 1973 he was the man chosen by Stirling to success Bob Shankly. In his one full season in charge Albion hovered on the fringe of the promotion race, without ever getting close to the leaders. When the team got off to a bad start in 1974/75, he left the club to concentrate on his newsagent business in Cambusbarron

1974-86:- Alex Smith 

Alex Smith was appointed manager of Stirling Albion in September 1974,and even he could not have foreseen that he would still be in charge until December 1986. Alex played for Stirling in the early 1960's, during one of the teams less successful spells, and had then drifted on to East Stirling then Albion Rovers. Injury plagued most of his career, but his love of the game was insatiable, and when Stenhousemuir offered him the chance to become their Player-Coach in 1968, he was delighted. Stenhousemuir had never had a manager before, but they took the bold step of giving Smith the job within a year of his move to Ochilview. In six years at the club he pulled them up by their bootlaces, and produced talented young players such as Stewart Kennedy, who could be sold to balance the books.

When Smith moved to Annfield it took him a couple of years to build the side he wanted, but in 1977 he won the Division Two Championship for the club with his own men. Four years in Division One followed - the club's longest period Stirling have gone without relegation- and a string of good players were produced. Relegation in 1981 was a bitter blow to Smith, but he set about the task of building another side capable of winning promotion. Unfortunately, good players had to be sold, so men like John Colquhoun, Brian Grant and John Philliben moved on before realising their full potential. Stirling were forever on the fringe of promotion without taking the step up.

Smith's talents as a Coach were recognised by the SFA who put him in charge of the Professional Youth Squad, this was a great honour for him and the club. Other clubs had frequently considered making moves for Smith and in December 1986 an approach from Premier league St Mirren proved to strong to resist and Smith moved to Love Street. And within six months he had won the Scottish Cup with the Paisley side.

Football is a fickle game however, and less than a year later Smith was fired by them. Since then Smith has been with a number of clubs as Assistant manager with clubs, but nowadays he is in charge of the Scotland Under 21 team.

For more information on Alex Smith's Stirling Albion career  - click here

1986-88:- George Peebles 

Peebles waited a long time to get the Stirling's manager job - he first appeared for the club as a trialist in 1952. Rejected then for being too small to make the grade, Peebles was signed by Dunfermline , where he enjoyed great times as a player. The Pars won the Scottish Cup in 1961 and competed at the top level in Europe.

In 1966 Peebles transfered to Stirling Albion. and when he retired from playing in 1970 he was made Reserve team coach. George gradually stepped up until he became Assistant manager under Alex Smith, and he was the obvious choice to take over when Smith moved to St Mirren. 

The Board's decision was quickly vindicated when Stirling missed out on promotion by the smallest of margin's in 1987.

The Stirling bench was closely as the team narrowly miss out on promotion in 1987 at Ayr, George Peebles is third from left

However, George felt that his business was suffering due to the time he was spending at the club, and in March 1988 he resigned, leaving Coach Jim Meakin in charge until the end of the season. 

For more information on George Peebles Stirling Albion career  - click here

1988:- Jim Meakin 

Jim Meakin was put in temporary charge of the club until the end of the 1987/88 season after the resignation of George Peebles. Meakin was interested in taking charge of Stirling but the Board overlooked Meakin in favour of Jim Fleeting.

1988:- Jim Fleeting 

Many thought Jim Meakin might be given the manager's job at Stirling, but the board decided to appoint self made businessman Jim Fleeting to the hot seat.

A cultured defender, who had always shone against Albion when playing for Ayr United. Fleeting is a highly qualified SFA coach, who has worked with Clyde, Morton and Airdrie in the past. He  appointed his own team to work with in the shape of ex-Partick and Falkirk striker Frank Coulston and former Stirling midfielder Jim McSherry. But after beginning to shape a good team on the the field and bring in youth development off the field, Fleeting surprised and angered al ot of people at the club when he took over the managers job at  Kilmarnock in November 1988 after stating that he was not interested in the post and was committed to doing as job at Annfield.

1988-94:- John Brogan 

Arguably the most favourite Albion manager in the clubs history. The fans loved Brogan and still do to this day, he became a hero at Annfield before becoming manager after his free scoring exploits under George Peebles who brought him to Albion 1987 from Hamilton. The former St Johnstone star took over the reigns in November 1988 to the delight of the Stirling fans who made it clear they wanted Brogan in charge.

It took John a couple of seasons to mould a squad together and he eventually after 10 years in the bottom Division won the club promotion back into the First Division which sparked wild celebrations at Links Park, Montrose. The following year he guided the club to a respectable  position in Division One which was beyond most peoples expectations. 

Albion fans Neil Emslie and Davie King get to meet their hero - John Brogan (centre)

The Binos survived in Division One the following year and then due to the crazy situation that found five teams being relegated from Division One in 1993/94 Albion were "reconstructed" and confined to Division Two once more. It was hard to take for the Stirling fans with the club finishing just inside the bottom five. 

Most fans did not blame Brogan for our presence once more in Division Two but the board were hard on Brogan and he was shown the door just before that season came to a close. Brogan was our of football for a while after that before taking up the hot seat at Arbroath, but after a unsuccessful spell their he now currently implies his trade in the Scottish Junior Ranks. Brogan though is not shy to hide that he would jump at the chance to return to Stirling in some capacity.

1994-98:- Kevin Drinkell 

Drinkell was brought to the club by John Brogan in 1994 and he brought along with him the media bandwagon ex-Rangers players have in Scottish Football. It was hard at first for Kevin to settle at Forthbank after having to follow on the footsteps of fans favourite John Brogan and at fist the Albion fans were slow in taking to him. But with his wealth of experience as a player, Kevin like John Brogan before him, a first time manager, was quick to bring in some good players to the club. His eye for talent was for all to see, in particular signings such as Alex Bone and Steve McCormack to name but a few.

In his first full season in charge at Forthbank, Drinkell almost took the club back into the First Division, but unfortunately Stirling lost out on the last day of the season at home against Dumbarton. But all was forgiven as the following year Stirling were to go on to what many believe was the best Albion season of all time. 1995/96 was an unbelievable season, the  free scoring side demolished all that came in their path and a long unbeaten run meant that Albion cruised to the Division Two title and ironically promotion was once again won at Links Park, Montrose just like four years before under the guidance of John Brogan.

Kevin after receiving the Division Two trophy in 1995/96

Back in Division One, after a shaky start Stirling stood tall and another good unbeaten run saw Stirling finish mid table in Division One with the Albion almost securing a victory or more against every other team. Again though the Albion failed to command a firm grip on their First Division place and relegation was once more a reality for Stirling the following season. Kevin Drinkell and the club parted company just before the last game of the 1997/98 season, with Coach Ray Stewart  taking temporary charge for the final match.

Drinkell after a short spell out of the game is now currently Manager of Montrose.

1998- 2000:- John Philliben 

John Philliben became Stirling Albion player/manager in the summer of 1998 after the departure of Kevin Drinkell. John who had just been released by Motherwell was thinking about changing his career direction and becoming a driving school instructor when by chance, he met Albion chairman Peter McKenzie in a Stirling cafe. It was then that John inquired to the Chairman whether he had filled the vacant manager's post, the chairman had not got someone at that point and that's when Philliben put the idea of a player/manager to the chairman and said that he would be interested if that's what the Chairman wanted. The conversation ended their but within a few days the Chairman telephoned Philliben asking him to a meeting and from their John Philliben become the eighteenth man to take charge of the Binos.

Philliben started his playing career with the Binos way back in season 1980/81 when he became then the youngest player to star for the Albion in the first team at the age of 16 years and 4 months against Clydebank in October 1980. Philliben was one of many famous players who came through the Albion youth scheme set up by manager Alex Smith. John had previously played for local side Gairdoch United when he signed for the Albion on 25th September 1990.

John's return to Forthbank was seen as the return of a prodigal son and it brought him back to his first footballing love. His two years as manager of the club were not the best, John was finding it hard to combine his playing duties and his first managerial job  although the lack of an assistant manager was a big loss to him, with all the pressure solely on his shoulders. John will look back on those two years and admit that he made mistakes and could have handled things differently but hopefully for an all time great servant to the club John will lift himself up and continue on in football

2000- 2002:- Ray Stewart 

His first season in charge saw us relegated to Division Three for the first time. There were many calls for us head after just one year in charge, but with him being under contract for another year he was still in charge and it was hoped that he would gain us immediate entry back into Division two. 

But that did not work out and Stirling found themselves in the wrong end of the table for most of season 2001/02. In the end finishing up second bottom of the table and within a penalty kick away from ending up with the wooden spoon in Scotland after Queens Park missed a penalty in the dying minutes of the last game of the season.

So within a week of the end of the season, Ray Stewart was dismissed as manager ending his second spell at the club.