Dumbarton FC boss Jim Chapman: 'Get behind the team'

Apr 3 2009 by Andy Galloway, Lennox Herald (main ed)

GET behind the team for the final push – that’s manager Jim Chapman’s message to the Dumbarton fans as the season enters the home straight.

Having played Elgin City on Tuesday Sons face seven games before the season ends on Saturday, May 9.

They headed for Borough Briggs 10 points behind league leaders Cowdenbeath, but the boss isn’t giving up on overtaking the Blue Brazil.

He warned his players that they will need to be on top of their game in every fixture for the rest of the campaign.

He said: “Anything less than 100 per cent commitment to the cause will result in picking up no points, as we have proven on numerous occasions.

“You don’t win football games on paper. We know that we face seven cup finals between now and the end of the season.

“The ability is there. We just need to get the basics right and work hard for the full 90 minutes of every match.

“We have been 10 points behind before and closed the gap, so of course we are capable, but admittedly there is a danger we will run out of games.

“We have been hurting every bit as much as the fans have, but we need them right behind us in the final games of the season.

“Everybody at the club is desperate to do well and if we all stick together then we have every chance of doing that.”

Jim had the players in for training on Saturday, with no league fixture scheduled due to the international break.

After the well-documented lengthy dressing room chat following the 2-0 defeat to Annan Athletic, he has been impressed by the players’ response.

He added: “We’ve had a positive response from the players. They know where they have gone wrong and what it will need to put that right.

“We are a bit low on confidence but only we can change that. You don’t become a bad team overnight and we now have to put into practice what we’ve learned.

“Some of the injured players also got 90 minutes under their belts in a bounce game with a Scottish Amateur Select on Thursday.

“Dave McEwan took another knock in the game but should be fine, but Gary Wilson isn’t ready for a game yet.

“We also used the match to give run-outs to players who haven’t featured recently, like Michael O’Byrne, Mark Canning and Ryan McStay.”

Sons Trust bus travel to three of the four remaining fixtures will be free (see page 46). There are reduced prices at Forfar next Tuesday and the next home game is against Forfar a week on Saturday.