Captain’s view

IT’S PLEASING THAT WE ARE FACING FALKIRK TODAY WITHOUT THE PRESSURE OF STILL NEEDING TO SECURE OUR PLACE IN THE TOP FIVE BEFORE LEAGUE ONE SPLITS NEXT WEEK.

There was no split planned when the season began, it was something all of the teams were left having to contend with when we returned from the last lockdown.

I’m pleased it has worked out that we will be in the top half, with an opportunity to maybe even gain promotion, when we face our final four matches after the split. We are right to feel proud about that.

Despite what some of the pundits were saying in the summer, we knew this campaign would be the toughest many of us have faced in our careers. As you can see by the majority of the results in League One, every game is a battle and they are often decided by the narrowest of margins.

To get to where we are now has taken a lot of hard work. We’ve also had to learn quickly about what is needed to win - or certainly not lose - games at this level. When we experienced a run of disappointing results not long before the last shutdown, I spoke about the need for us to show we could be more streetwise.

Doing well in this league isn’t always down to playing good football, it’s also about being dogged and knowing when to dig in to get the results you want.

>>> The manner of last weekend’s 1-0 win over Dumbarton underlines what I mean. Thanks to some resolute defending by our opponents, we had to be patient until we eventually made the breakthrough, but we got there in the end.

That was also our seventh league game without defeat, which further suggests we have adjusted to the demands of what I would argue is the most competitive of all four SPFL divisions. There is more hard work to come if we want to end our season positively too, but that is something we have shown we are willing to take on.

I want to end on a topic that certainly caught my eye this week. The SPFL board are due to meet on Monday to discuss whether Highland League champions Brora Rangers and Lowland League winners Kelty Hearts will be able to take part in the Pyramid Play-offs at the end of the season.

As the captain of the last side to gain promotion to the SPFL via that route, I hope things end with Brora and Kelty at least being given the chance to follow in our path. I must stress this is my view, not that of my club, but it was disappointing that didn’t happen last season.

There has been debate over whether Brora and Kelty should miss out again because they were voted as champions of their divisions after a low number of games had been played. But it would be wrong to punish them for events that were outside their control. Despite their lack of match time, both clubs are willing to have a go at taking part in what would be the biggest four games in their histories.

The Pyramid Play-offs were brought in to offer encouragement to sides who show ambition and I know Brora and Kelty are just two of a number of clubs who would be assets to the SPFL. It’s vital every effort is made to keep that pathway open.

CYCR!

Mitch Megginson