What promised to be a good season for Stranraer last summer turned into something of a rollercoaster.
They had invested in some big names and seemed to have significant ambitions in the league after a couple of decent campaigns in succession, perhaps even pushing for promotion. However, away from the field, things went pear shaped, with the club forced to sell a raft of players in January due to financial problems.
They had started the season well but lost several of the men they had been most dependent on during this period, including striker Ryan Wallace, who was their leading attacking threat.
At that point, they were very much in the mix to finish in the top four but the changes that were made meant that suddenly there was the outside prospect of being sucked into the relegation battle. That never materialised as the players they brought in from their youth team stood up impressively to the task, while those who were drafted in on loan contributed heavily.
In terms of the impact that was made, Hearts midfielder Angus Beith was the most impressive signing in the short term, though it was Kyle Turner who was perhaps the most decisive player over a longer period.
Still, Stranraer lacked a goal scorer to keep them in the hunt for the top four, while more established players such as Paul Woods and Scott Agnew did not pull their weight similarly.
Their defensive line was increasingly fragile, in part due to the inability of David Barron to keep himself fit once more, while cover was always of the makeshift variety.
Given the obstacles they faced, Stevie Farrell’s men did very well to remain in the hunt for the playoffs virtually until the end of the campaign. A difficult summer looms for the Stair Park side, however.
