Alloa will play in the Championship next season after pipping Raith Rovers and Dumbarton in the playoffs to seal their place in the second tier. It was a measure of their character that they scored in stoppage time against the Sons in the second leg to level the tie, with Jordan Kirkpatrick grabbing the winner.
It was Jim Goodwin’s use of the loan market that really propelled his side forwards, with a number of good additions, including Stewart and Kirkpatrick, allowing them to improve their squad significantly in January.
Until that point of the season, they had been going along relatively well, but they had not been a match for the leading duo of Raith and Ayr. Their form was too inconsistent away from home, while they lacked the quality of their opponents when it came to facing them head-to-head.
Although they improved their panel in January, they did not look like a team liable to go up, even via the playoffs. Their results continued to be rather indifferent given the quality that was now in their squad, but any injury problems that they had previously had cleared up in time for the closing weeks of the season.
It was during this period that they made an astonishing rally. First, they dented Ayr’s title hopes by beating them at home, then restored them as they held Raith Rovers on their travels on the final day of the season. With their confidence at a high point, they then beat the Kirkcaldy side in the playoff semi-finals and came from behind to beat Dumbarton.
While Alloa will be wary of the experience of Brechin, who failed miserably in the Championship after sneaking up in not dissimilar fashion, they will be aware that they deserved their promotion more.
Whether they can stay up or not, however, will be dependent on whether they can retain the players they have as well as attracting some better ones.
