Former Spartans hero Keith McLeod will be roaring club on in play-off final against Albion Rovers

Spartans legend Keith McLeod is backing his former side to take a giant leap towards securing their dream ticket to the SPFL.

The Ainslie Park outfit host League Two Albion Rovers in the Pyramid play-off final first leg on Saturday before the return leg at Cliftonhill next weekend.

Dougie Samuel's men are now just 180 minutes from promotion to Scottish football's fourth tier having overcome a nerve-jangling penalty shootout to knock Highland League champions Brechin City out five days ago.

McLeod scored 284 goals in over 400 appearances during a trophy-laden 14-year reign and was part of the squad that lifted the inaugural Lowland League title in May 2014.

Keith McLeod in action for Spartans against St Mirren in the Scottish Cup in 2006

And now the former striker, who turns 45 next month, is hoping Spartans can build a lead on home soil ahead of the trip to Coatbridge.

"I'm still good friends with a lot of people at the club as I've got such good memories from my time there," McLeod told the Evening News. "I see Craig Graham (chairman), I speak to Dougie and I've still a got a lot of my pals from playing there. But the club has moved on leaps and bounds.

"There's always been this vision for the club and I'd like to think I have played a part in that. I wished I'd had the opportunity when I was playing of promotion to the SPFL. But there's a new generation at the club now. I know some of the guys like Jamie Dishington, Alan Brown, Michael Herd and Blair Carswell and they're all really good lads. So, I'm delighted for them and I just really hope they get themselves over the line."

He continued: "Knowing Dougie, he won't have left any stone unturned. A lot of the squad have played at a good level of football so their mindset will be right for a game of this calibre. Hopefully the outcome is what most people in Scottish football want to see.

"I won the first Lowland League in 2013/2014 and I think you could see early on with the competitiveness what it was going to become. I'm all for the pyramid and always have been.

"I was at the Edinburgh City game when they won promotion in 2016 as a few of my mates played in that side as well and it really was the best thing to ever happen to Scottish football. I'm friends with Robbie (Horn) at Bonnyrigg too and it's great to see where they are now. I'd just love to see Spartans in the league next season.

"I think at home, on the Astro, they will have a good chance to take a lead to Coatbridge. I've played at Albion and it's a hard place to go. But you never get the job done in the first tie.

"I don't know much about the Albion squad but they'll be strong. League Two is a tough, tough division. But they've got nothing to fear. Football is played in the head - it's a mental challenge.

"There's a lot of individuals behind the scenes at Spartans who are so dedicated and such good people, a lot of that work goes unnoticed. It's been quite the journey for the club, even from when I first signed in 2002 and back at City Park. Some of the Scottish Cup games we played in were huge and we got a lot of publicity for that. But if they can achieve promotion next week then what an amazing achievement it would be."