Falkirk

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Philippe Clement, Tony Docherty, Derek McInnes and John McGlynn have been named on the shortlist for the Scottish Footballer Writers' Association manager of the year award.

It was Falkirk's McGlynn who walked away with the PFA prize last week after leading the Bairns to an invincible League 1-winning campaign, beating Kilmarnock's McInnes and Docherty of Dundee.

Rangers boss Clement is a new nominee, having taken over at Ibrox in October following the departure of Michael Beale.

The Belgian has hauled his side back into the title race, despite some stumbling in recent weeks, and also lifted the League Cup with victory over Aberdeen at Hampden in December.

Meanwhile, McInnes has taken Kilmarnock from the brink of relegation last term to guaranteed European football, with the Rugby Park side front runners to finish fourth in the Premiership.

His former assistant Docherty has enjoyed an impressive first season in the Dens Park hot seat, leading Dundee to the top six in their first season back in the top flight.

But their biggest challenge to claim the award may come from McGlynn, who has earned plenty of plaudits for finally ending Falkirk's miserable stay in the third tier and emphatically earning promotion to the Championship.

Kenny Crawford
BBC Sport Scotland at the Falkirk Stadium

Image source, SNS

John McGlynn says guiding Falkirk to the League 1 title in unbeaten fashion is the “absolute top” in his managerial career.

The Bairns needed Brad Spencer’s 85th-minute penalty to secure a 2-2 draw at home to Alloa Athletic.

It means they reached the 90-point mark with 27 wins and nine draws during the 36-match campaign.

“To be invincible has to be the top,” manager McGlynn told BBC Scotland.

“We’ve never, ever done it like this before and it’s the absolute tops. I’m absolutely over the moon because it’s an amazing achievement. It doesn’t happen very often, so we’ve got to cherish it.”

Local rivals Alloa had gone 2-0 ahead after a couple of well-taken headers by former Falkirk striker Conor Sammon, but Aidan Nesbitt and Spencer ensured the defeat was avoided.

“Today, we made it hard for ourselves and at times we thought it might be drifting away from us after all the work we’d put in,” McGlynn said. "But the character of the team was there again."

Spencer, son of former Scotland, Chelsea and Everton striker John, put his penalty in the top left-hand corner to bring relief to more than 7,000 fans in the Falkirk Stadium.

“To score the equaliser to keep us invincible is the stuff of dreams,” the midfielder told BBC Scotland.

“I felt a little bit emotional when it went in and at full-time when I saw my family.

“What an incredible day. When I came here, I knew it would be a good year, but I didn’t expect this. The club deserves it.”

Alloa will face Hamilton Academical in one of the Championship play-off semi-final first legs on Tuesday, with Montrose taking on Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the other.

Elsewhere in the third tier, Stirling Albion were held to a 1-1 draw by Annan Athletic and drop into the League 1 play-offs on goal difference behind Saturday's visitors.

Stirling will visit Dumbarton on Tuesday for their first leg, while The Spartans visit Peterhead in the other semi-final.

Dumbarton fell to fourth after a 2-1 defeat away to Peterhead, who finish as runners-up, while Spartans won away to East Fife by the same scoreline.