Newtongrange Star boss: We'll fight to the death to stay up

The New Victoria Park men have yet to record a victory in the league in 2017. Their chances of remaining in the top flight have been dented further in recent weeks, with fellow relegation strugglers Jeanfield Swifts recording a surprise victory over Kelty Hearts last weekend which sent Star second bottom and into the drop zone.

McLeish insists his side can’t worry about what happens around them though. He says their top-flight status is still in their own hands with nine games remaining.

“We can’t worry about what Jeanfield do, what Fauldhouse do – we can only focus on what Newtongrange does,” said McLeish.

“We’ve got to make things happen for ourselves, it’s nothing to do with anyone else, it’s all do to with Newtongrange Star.

“There’s no defeatist attitude coming out of Newtongrange Star, we are totally focussed on trying our best to remain in the Super League. The boys will try their best to do that and if it’s enough then great, if not we’ll pick ourselves up and get stronger from there.”

Star’s problem hasn’t been scoring goals, it’s been keeping them out at the other end, with 50 conceded in just 21 league games.

McLeish continued: “It’s been the story of our season; individual errors killing us. There’s been no team that’s come out and battered us and beat us five or six nil, none of that, it’s just been a season of individual errors which have cost us goals and games.

“Despite all that we’ve got nine games to go and our destiny is still in our hands. There’s tons of football to be played, irrespective of what anybody says. Your fate isn’t decided in March, it’s decided at the end of May.

“I’ll be plugging away and the players will be plugging away right to the very death and you never know.”

Star visit Camelon tomorrow, a return to Carmuirs Park where they were 4-1 victors in the East of Scotland Cup in January. They then face two of the top four with a trip to local rivals Penicuik Athletic next week, before hosting Bo’ness United the following week.

McLeish added: “I’m not focussing on any other game, our focus is on Camelon then we’ll worry about the next game after that. Our sights are only on winning the next football match.