Albion Rovers, a semi-professional football club in the fifth Scottish league, were founded in
1882, making them a very old institution. To put this in perspective, Real Madrid was founded in
1902, which makes it 20 years younger than Albion Rovers.
They won three lower division league titles in 1933–34, 1988–89 and 2014–15 and have been
promoted on three other occasions, in 1937–38, 1947–48 and 2010–11. The club has a
surprisingly devoted fanbase who are deeply engaged with them, either through supporting them
directly at the stadium or by betting on football games. And like every club, Albion Rovers has its
legends. Here are some of the people who have left their mark here.
Vic Kasule
Vic Kasule is a big legend from Albion Rovers. Although he scored only 18 goals as a winger,
every club fan remembers him. His most iconic moment was scoring a diving header outside the
penalty box, an achievement not many big-name players have in their portfolio.
Vic joined in 1982 and played until 1986. He is very fondly remembered as he made his debut at
only 17, scoring in that game as well. He was a skillful player but had to retire at 29 due to an
Achilles tendon injury.
Tony Green
Attacking midfielder Tony Green is considered one of the greatest Rovers players to have graced
the Cliftonhill turf. Green joined Albion Rovers in 1964 and stayed until his transfer to Blackpool
in 1967. He later went on to play for Newcastle and even made a few appearances for the
Scotland national team.
He was very fast thanks to his lighter frame. Although he was a big talent and had a great future
ahead of him, he had to retire at 25 due to an injury he sustained while playing in a match for
Newcastle. He went the educational route later on and became a maths teacher.
Ciaran Donnelly
In more recent times, there’s the midfielder Ciaran Donnelly, who was inducted into the Hall of
Fame in 2020 having played 286 games for Rovers in his 10-year stint at the club. Every Rovers
fan will remember him scoring in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals against Rangers in 2014. That
goal cemented his place in the legends list and as a fan favourite.
The club had some great results with him, having won two League 2 playoff finals and winning
the League 2 Championship in the 2014-2015 season.
John Smith
John is a bit different, as he is not a player. Instead, he is a legendary fan. He started supporting
Rovers during the Second World War and remembered their games during that period, making
him one of the very few who had such a long-term perspective. His knowledge of Rovers was
encyclopaedic, earning him legendary status in the Rovers community.
Even though John was not a player, it just goes to show how important fans are for any club or
football in general. Having someone like John in your fan base can certainly lift the love for your
club even more as his passion and knowledge are one of a kind.
Davie Provan
The first manager on our list is Davie Provan, one of the most important people in Rovers’
history. He managed Rovers from 1987 to 1991, winning the Second Division Championship in
the 1988-1989 season for the first time in 55 years! This instantly made him a legend, and he is
highly regarded by fans.
Davie was also a footballer, playing as a full-back. Interestingly enough, he started his coaching
career in 1975 under Sir Alex Ferguson, one of the best managers of all time, while they were
both at St Miren. Davie died in 2016 following a long illness.
Paul Martin
Continuing with managers, Paul Martin is up there with Davie Provan, the most-loved manager in
the club’s history, because of his successes at the helm of the Rovers. The only difference is that
Paul Martin also played for the club, albeit with just 43 appearances.
His managerial venture was a lot better, however. He led the club to promotion to League One
and won two League 2 playoff finals. This is an amazing result, and he was their manager for
192 games. Martin had to retire in 2012, shocking everyone and blaming health reasons for the
decision.
