Spartans need football Gods to shine if they are to snatch silverware on final day
James Craigen admits Spartans need everything to fall in their favour if they are to be crowned League Two champions this weekend.
Dougie Samuel's men are currently three points adrift of leaders East Kilbride with just one fixture left to play - the Capital outfit with a trip to Forthbank to tackle Stirling Albion while Kilby host third-placed Clyde in South Lanarkshire. Crucially, the table-toppers also have a superior goal difference of +5 over their rivals.
Midfielder Craigen accepts, first and foremost, Spartans must pick up all three points on their travels tomorrow if they are to give themselves any chance of overhauling Mick Kennedy's side.
And although it may look a formidable challenge before a ball is kicked, the former Dunfermline and Partick Thistle player insists he and his team-mates will be leaving everything on the pitch.
"There's always a chance, stranger things have happened in football," the 35-year-old told the Evening News. "We knew that going into the last three games we'd have to win them all, and unfortunately we've not managed to do that with the draw at home to Elgin last weekend.
"But we'll be going to Stirling to win the game and do our part, and then we'll see what happens in the other fixture with East Kilbride and Clyde. It's looking like the play-offs for us, but there's an outside chance. We just have to focus on Saturday and do our part.
"We need to win the game. And if it does end up being the play-offs, we want to go into those matches in good form."
Spartans have taken 10 points from a possible 12 against East Kilbride this season - including a thumping 6-0 rout at K-Park in January. However, Kilby's form since that crushing loss has been nothing short of exceptional, amassing 34 points from a possible 42 that has taken them to the summit.
Should Spartans ultimately fall short this weekend, they will contest a play-off semi-final against Clyde, the first leg at New Douglas Park on Tuesday night before the return fixture at the Vanloq Community Stadium next Saturday.
"Fair play to East Kilbride, they've been on a brilliant run," Craigen said. "If they win on Saturday, they'll have won 12 of their last 15 in the league. That's unbelievable form. We obviously lost a couple but I'd say our form overall has been good too. They've just been on a great run so it looks like they're going to close the league out. The league table doesn't lie.
"It's frustrating in that we've had a good head-to-head record against them this year, but they've been brilliant against the other teams and we just have to take that on the chin. It's how football works.
"Clyde are in good form and we've had four really tough games against them. We know who we're up against if it's the play-offs, so we want to go unbeaten between now and the end of the season. That's the plan.
"Our points tally is the best it's been in League Two so that's a positive. We just have to stay focused and keep on that goal which is promotion."
Three of Craigen's previous employers are in the mix to be promoted to the top flight, Dunfermline, Partick Thistle, and Arbroath having already secured Championship play-off berths ahead of the final weekend of the 2025/2026 campaign. And it is the Pars who have also beaten three Premiership clubs en route to this month's Scottish Cup final where they'll meet Celtic, at Hampden, on Saturday, May 23.
Craigen added: "It's brilliant, what a season they're having. I still speak to a couple of the lads. The manager will be focusing on the league at the moment, he won't be thinking about the cup final until that week. I've been involved in many Championship play-offs and finishing fourth is a tough ask, just with the sheer amount of games. We always said it's a Premiership club when I was there. But it will be tough to see if one does go up through the play-offs because I played for all three clubs and I always had a great relationship with all the fans.
"Scottish football has just been great this season. It seems every side has had something to play for up until recently. We're naturally keeping an eye on the bottom of League One and there are three teams who could all still finish in the play-off spot this weekend. It can only be a positive for the game as a whole."