NEWS FROM DALBEATTIE STAR

THE MIKEY DEVLIN INTERVIEW

Before joining Star when Eddie took over, had you any previous connection or dealings with the club at any level?

Back in my playing days, I was fortunate enough to play for Dalbeattie Star under George Cloy for a season. This was back when Dalbeattie Star had two teams, a reserve one in the South of Scotland league and the main team in the East of Scotland league. 

What has been your own personal football history to date - from schools football to playing and then coaching?

Football is something I’ve been involved with since I was a young boy, from playing with the school team and Greystone youths, eventually leading on to playing in Saturday and Sunday leagues and a brief time playing in the South of Scotland league. I was introduced to coaching via my daughter playing for QoS girls, something which I’ve done the past 6 years or so. The manager then gave me the opportunity to join the Dalbeattie Star coaching team, which has been invaluable to my learning and development as a coach.

When you got the call from Eddie to join the Star, had you worked with him previously and if not was there a connection between the two of you at another time?

I’ve known Eddie for a number of years, going back to playing football as kids, then through working together as painter and decorators. I also played under the management of Eddie some years ago in the Sunday league.

You are a busy man as you are heavily involved with one of the Queen of the South girls teams. Girls football is very much on the up, so how did you get involved with them and how are the Queens girls doing?

I got involved with QoS girls several years ago, my daughter joined the team playing for under 8s. It was whilst she was developing as a player and going through the age groups I started helping out with coaching leading on to currently being an U16s coach. It has been a pleasure seeing the girls team develop and achieve league and cup success in recent years. This season has just started for the girls, it’s early days but it has been a strong start.

During this season we did the Quiz King of the Croft amongst all the players and management team. You managed to come out on top of the management group before losing out at the semi final stage. You must have enjoyed that, earning the bragging rights among your fellow coaches and management team?

Haha, I very much did. I feel they are all still reeling from it but the stats don't lie - It’s tough at the top but I’m sure they’ll get over it. 

In your time at the club there has been quite a turnover in players, who were the ones that stood out for you, as both players and characters?

There has been some very good players and characters that have came through the club the past couple of years. For me Gavin Gallagher stood out, Myles Gaffney, David Taylor, Dan Carmichael, Ross Hunter and Dale Milligan. So many more players I could name. These lads have stood out for various reasons from attitude, technique, motivation, ability, skill and generally fighting for the club to be successful. 

Is there any stories you can tell us that are repeatable, from training, match days or any other events that really made you laugh?

Declan Rogerson gives me a good laugh every week. His changing room dancing is so well choreographed I sometimes feel he’s wasted as a footballer😂.

Looking back over your time here, what games or even moments in matches, that really stick out?

There’s two games for me one being coaching up against Rangers B team for obvious reasons and the league decider against Creetown last year when we won the league. That was massive after the hurt of relegation from the Lowland  - to bounce back from that was something else very special.

And looking foward, with still so much to play for, how do you see the rest of the season panning out for Star. 

We've had a lot of bad luck with injuries this year but to be still competing at the top is remarkable but it shows the character of this team and the players stepping up, working hard and people forget we are still a very young team. There's been some very good teams we've come up against this year in the South, I do feel that it will definitely come down to the last couple of games of the season - we won't be far away that's for sure.

DAVID 'BOAGS' WHALEN

The town of Dalbeattie lost one its great characters recently following the death of David 'Boags' Whalen after a long, brave battle against  illness. Boags will go down in Star history as captain of the club when we re-formed back in 1976 and he led the side to two league titles in 1984/85 and 1985/86. He was a leader on and off the park and was skipper when Star won their first piece of silverware since re-forming, when on 9th May 1978 they beat Lincluden Swifts 3-0 in the final of the Haig Gordon Cup. In 1983/84 Star qualified for the Scottish Cup proper for the first time since 1936 and were drawn at home to Arbroath. With the match goalless Star was awarded a penalty kick but unfortunately the week before, they missed a spot kick and none of the regular takers fancied the job. So being the captain Boags took on the responsibility, but the Arbroath keeper guessed the right way and made a fine save. This was the lift the Gayfield side needed and they eventually ran out 5-1 winners. But Boags will not be remembered for this, though he did often joke about it at his own expense years later.

He will fondly be remembered by everyone at Islecroft as a fine player, a fine captain and more importantly an all round good guy. 

Our thoughts go out to his wife Jean, his son David and the rest of his family. 

RIP Boags.

A celebration of Boags' life will be held at Dalbeattie Parish Church on Friday 21st of March at 12 noon.

Thanks to Ian Black for the pictures and stats.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

Three none the wiser men arrived at Munches Park House and Alma McFadyen House bearing gifts, much to the delight of the residents. 

Mark McMinn, Dale Milligan and Luke McMurtrie visited the homes on Saturday morning and had a grand time meeting and chatting to the staff and residents.

CHRISTMAS RAFFLE WINNERS

1ST PRIZE £100 MAIRI HARVEY

2ND PRIZE CHRISTMAS HAMPER ANN McQUARRIE

3RD PRIZE MATCH SPONSORSHIP STEPHEN BRYSON

OTHER WINNERS

(BOTTLES)

PROSECCO MAUREEN HYSLOP

GLAYVA GRAHAM FORD

WINE COLIN HOLDEN

PROSECCO TRACEY PARKER

SOUTHERN COMFORT GILLIAN BROWN

PROSECCO FRIEDA DOCHERTY

BOX OF CELEBRATIONS JACK WILSON

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS AND THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED US.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Dalbeattie Star completed a successful season by holding their player of the year awards ceremony at the local bowling club.

Top scorer - Dale Milligan

Young player of the year - Charlie Watson

Management player of the year - David Taylor

Supporters player of the year - Callum Summerbee

Players' player of the year - David Taylor

CONTRACT EXTENSION

We are pleased to announce the contract extension of manager, Eddie Warwick, who will remain with the club until the summer of 2027.

Club Chairman, Kenny Murray commented,
“We are delighted to announce that we have extended the contract of our manager, Eddie Warwick until the end of season 2026/27.
Since Eddie came to Dalbeattie Star two years ago, he has stabilised the club on our return to South football as well as leading us to the South of Scotland League title last season. This season we have started pretty well in what will be a very competitive league with several clubs aiming to challenge us for this season’s honours. We look forward to seeing what more Eddie and the squad can produce in the future.”

Manager Eddie Warwick stated,
“I’m delighted to extend my contract - it’s been something in the pipeline for a while so its nice to get it over the line. One of the main reasons for me extending was to continue this project we started, and now we are one and half years in, I’m pleased to have the opportunity to progress areas further and take the club forward.
Winning league titles and cups is good, but for me, I’m always focused on the bigger picture and that is the future of Dalbeattie Football Club remaining strong with local representation, and more importantly, the development and progression of the players individually and collectively as a group. I would also like to thank the club board, my management team, players, fans and the wider Dalbeattie family for their continued support.”

PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Dalbeattie Star completed a successful season by holding their player of the year awards ceremony at the local bowling club.

Top scorer - Dale Milligan

Young player of the year - Charlie Watson

Management player of the year - David Taylor

Supporters player of the year - Callum Summerbee

Players' player of the year - David Taylor

CUP DRAWS FOR 2024/25

SCFA Challenge Cup sponsored by Utility Hut 1st round - Dalbeattie Star v Lochar Thistle

SCFA Potts Cup - deferred until December

League Cup - Dalbeattie Star v Nithsdale Wanderers

SCFA Haig Gordon Memorial Trophy sponsored by JB Scaffolding Ltd - Bye

WDFA Cree Lodge Cup - deferred until December

WDFA Tweedie Cup - Dalbeattie Star v Newton Stewart

Dates to be confirmed.

HOSPITALITY AND SPONSORSHIP

WEEKLY LETTERS DRAW

Dalbeattie Star Football Club

Weekly Letters Draw

£2.00 per week.

First draw on Saturday 22nd October

£30 Prize

JOIN NOW!

Tickets available from committee members.

If there is no winner the prize money will rollover to the next week.

Winning letters only as drawn.

BE IN IT TO WIN IT AND SUPPORT THE STAR!