Derg boss urges fearless approach to play-off games

IVAN Sproule says his Dergview players must embrace, not fear, the promotion/relegation play-off games this week.

Dergview, who finished second bottom of the Playr-fit Championship, face Armagh City, runners-up in the Premier Intermediate League (PIL), over two legs for the right to play Championship football next season.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) evening the first leg will be played at Holm Park, Armagh with the return leg at Daragh Park on Friday.

Dergview completed their league campaign on Friday evening with an encouraging 2-2 draw against Ards with Marc Walsh and Corey McLaughlin grabbing the goals.

The team trained yesterday (Sunday) morning and Sproule said it was important that the players, supporters and everyone in the club put their shoulder to the wheel.

“Ultimately I could be the man who takes the club down,” he said. “If that’s the case then I’ll do it; if I’m the man that keeps them up, then I’ll do it.

“There is no fear with me and there should be no fear with the club and its supporters.

“You have to stick by your club, in the good times and the bad times, and in ten years time who knows where this club will be. Hopefully it will be in a good healthy place but what you must do is stick together.

“I said to the boys tonight, look after your teammate, look after your changing room.

“That should be the ethos of everyone around the club, look after each other; that’s something we have done throughout the years.
“We have got to stay together, stay strong and hopefully come Friday night we are still in Championship football.”

Sproule watched Armagh on Saturday as Shea Campbell’s team secured second place in the PIL with a 3-2 victory over Lisburn Distllery. The former international said he and his players will give their opponents the respect they deserve.

“The best team will come out on top,” continued the ex-Hibs player.

“This season has been a difficult season for everyone at the club. But you can do one of two things; shy away or stand up and fight for it.

“I didn’t run away when the club approached me to take over a team that was second bottom.

“We need to do something now that we haven’t managed to do since I came in, and that’s win a game of football.”