New Edinburgh City captain Robbie McIntyre wants response to opening day defeat

New Edinburgh City captain Robbie McIntyre admits the pressure is already on despite the new SPFL League Two campaign being barely a week old.

New Edinburgh City captain Robbie McIntyre (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

The Citizens turned in a below-par performance going down 2-0 to Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill in last weekend's curtain-raiser, goals from Declan Byrne and Kyle Doherty keeping the points in Coatbridge.

City now head for Forfar Athletic tomorrow aware they can ill-afford to fall six points adrift of any early pacesetters.

McIntyre, who has taken up the captaincy from predecessor Craig Thomson who made the move to League Two rivals Cowdenbeath over the summer, insists they must get their act together if they are to come out on top at Station Park.

"You don't want to be playing catch-up after two games," the 27-year-old full-back told the Evening News. "I do think there are more than a few contenders for the league this season so we don't want the teams in and around us picking up six points from the first two games and us having nothing. We know there is pressure there to get the right result tomorrow because we're expected to be up there challenging this season for the title or at least the play-offs.

"I don't think we went into last week's game complacent. We started the first couple of minutes quite bright and then we've conceded the penalty and I think it's just knocked us. We should be able to pick ourselves up and go again, but we didn't look like a team playing with confidence. We just never got going in the first half. But we made a change at half-time and I do think we were the better team in the second half. We created a few more chances but it's just about starting these games better. We just didn't manage the game right and weren't good enough on the day.

"The gaffer [Gary Naysmith] had a go at us at half-time and rightly so. It's what we needed to hear. But when we got back to training earlier this week, he said for us to draw a line under it and move on. Now it's a 35-game season. That's all you can do really so all the boys are on board. We've just got to prove it this weekend."

McIntyre was thrilled to be given the captain's armband by Naysmith and hopes to help instil a winning mentality throughout the squad.

He said: "There were a couple of us who were made captain throughout pre-season, but the gaffer came and spoke to me a couple of weeks ago and said he wanted to offer me it permanently so I was delighted. It shows his trust in me so it's good. It wasn't something I was actively seeking but I'm delighted to have that opportunity and hopefully I can lead us to many a victory.

"I know what the manager wants. He's trying to build a younger, fitter squad whereas last season we were a much older team. But there are a lot of younger boys who have come in with a different mentality, perhaps wanting to get back into full-time football so it's quite refreshing. I do think there are exciting things to come."

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