I feel that so far in this blog I have neglected to discuss Scottish football, aside from the ongoing saga at Gretna and their apparant impending doom. With the Raydale Park side in a real mess and face the grim reality of not making it to next season due to entering administration, this has seen them lose 10 points and has all but ensured relegation from the Scottish Premier League.
But regardless of whether they live to carry on next season, a place in Scotland’s top flight is up for grabs and as a follower of a First Division side, I feel it appropriate to turn my attention to what has been a very interesting title race.
As most of you who read this will know, I follow Dunfermline Athletic and despite being heavy favourites to regain promotion following our demotion last term, we have had a desperate season and find ourselves in 5th place, with 4th or at a push 3rd the only real possibility for us. However, I still maintain a keen interest in the title race, which has come down to surprise table toppers Hamilton Academical and Dundee, who along with the mighty Pars are the biggest club in the league in terms of history and fanbase.
The Accies though have led the league since the start of the season and while they have surprised myself, they haven’t surprised other teams in the league. Under the shrewd management of Billy Reid, who narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League with Clyde in 2004, he has built a solid side with a mix of youth and experience. In former Pars goalkeeper Bryn Halliwell and former Falkirk midfielder Stuart Taylor, they have players with proven top flight and First Division experience, which has stood them in good stead.
They have a number of youngsters who have been making quite an impression in the Irn-Bru SFL this year. Richard Offiong at only 24 is the league’s top goalscorer, while winger Mark Gilhaney has impressed many opposition fans with his wing play down the left. But the star of Hamilton’s team has been 17 year old James McCarthy, who has courted controversy by pledging his international future to the Republic of Ireland despite being born in Glasgow. A central midfielder, he has caught the eye of a number of clubs, including Liverpool, Celtic and Barcelona, having become a first team regular. Having watched Hamilton draw 1-1 at East End Park on Tuesday, I wasn’t overly impressed with Accies (admittedly, it wasn’t great from either team, and I did miss our previous 3 defeats by them) but McCarthy stood out in the middle. He always looked for the ball and his range of passing was excellent, while I thought he controlled his team’s midfield. Certainly he has a long way to go, but Accies may have unearthed a real gem.
So, tomorrow will see the leaders take on Dundee at home in what is a huge match. The Dees are 3 points behind their hosts with a game in hand, and defeat could see the title head closer to Hamilton. Despite Hamilton’s magnificent record on their plastic pitch (they are unbeaten in 14 league games at home this season), Dundee will fancy their chances, especially with the man most likely to come up against McCarthy.
Kevin McDonald is another youngster who has been scouted by several top clubs, most notably Everton. A rather gangly player, he has impressed with cultured performances in midfield as well as his attacking play- he has netted 10 goals, making him their top goalscorer. I attended a 1-1 draw between Dundee and Dunfermline earlier in the campaign and although, like Hamilton on Tuesday, the Dark Blues didn’t impress, McDonald was a standout performer. A fascinating battle between him and McCarthy could decide the outcome of tomorrow’s game.#
Dundee are also strong up front, with Mikael Antoine-Curier, on loan from Hibernian, and Colin McMenamin. The latter has netted 5 goals since a January move from Gretna while Curier has hit 7 goals during a productive spell on Tayside. Interestingly, Dundee’s Derek Lyle has signed a pre-contract deal to join Hamilton next season, so a goal from him would be interesting.
With Hamilton’s excellent home run, they’d be considered slight favourites but Dundee have only lost twice on the road this season. They have an excellent ability to grind out results while not playing well under Alex Rae but can they handle the pressure? If they can ensure a positive result, the title fight could go down to the last game, where Dundee and Hamilton meet at Dens.
Tomorrow though is a massive game and should be game of the day in Scotland. It is my belief that if Billy Reid’s team take the points, then they will go on and clinch the title. But i’ll sit on the fence and say a draw, which will suit both teams, but more so Dundee.
Its sure to be exciting and tense, proving not all the drama lies in the top flight. As for Dunfermline’s game at Queen of the South……..well, as much as I’d like to try, I simply can’t make the prospect of a fight for 4th as exciting. Ah well, there’s always next season!
