"But the first signs of improvement came in late October when we registered our first league win, beating Livingston 2-0 at home. Further wins followed over Ross County and Dundee and, at last, I could see some 'light at the end of the tunnel'. However, the real transformation took place during January when I brought six new players in.
"I was criticised over some of my signings in the close season and although I accept some of then were just not good enough, Neil Scally and Jim Lauchlan are still with us and doing well. 'Lauchie' has had a good second half to the season--he reads the game well and is a great organiser. And what more can I say about 'Skal', he's been outstanding! He's picked up one 'Player of the Year' award already, and I'm sure that won't be his last!
"One of my best deals was the Willie Gibson move to Kilmarnock. After it was agreed we managed to get Willie back for an extra month and got both Stevie Murray and Jamie Adams on loan for free until the end of the season.
"Jamie MacDonald also came in on loan from Hearts and he too has been outstanding. He's had 7 'shut-outs' in 15 games and only last week collected the 'Young Player of the Month' award. But, personally, I'm beginning to think these awards are a curse, for every time I win one we lose the next game or something doesn't go right for me.
"Others who came in were Stephen Dobbie who linked well with big Sean and hit 9 goals in his first 9 games, Jamie McQuilken who's now settled down in the left-back role and we've still to see the best of Stevie Tosh who's been plagued by injury since joining".
Any particular matches stand out we then asked. "Quite a few" he recalled. "Dundee at home in the Scottish Cup when we won through in a 'penalty shoot-out', our 3-0 win down at Gretna which was super for all our fans and beating St Johnstone 1-0 at Palmerston which came only three days later. But my best memory of all has to be the cup-tie with Hibs back in February. Although we lost 2-1 it was sensational to see Palmerston packed to capacity again. It was a great advert for Scottish football and we fully deserved a draw. It had been 30 years since we last competed in the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup and I'm proud to say I was at Parkhead for that one as well.
"This is undoubtedly the toughest First Division I've managed in and I was chatting with Jimmy Thomson the other day and he fully agreed and insisted it was the hardest he'd played in over the past five years. As I've said before, our achievement this time around surpassed last year's 'Great Escape' as there were two other part time sides involved, Brechin City and Stranraer. This season there was only ourselves.
"However, it's all about planning ahead, I honestly feel we have the potential to compete in the top half of the First Division, but we're still about four or five quality players short of making that challenge. Davie Rae and the Board of Directors have been great and I'd like nothing better than to have a budget available to take this club to the next level.
"I'm extremely fortunate to have back-room staff around me who are my own men. Stevie Morrison of course came on board last season and so too did our physio, John Kerr. At the turn of the year Gordon Chisholm joined us as Assistant Manager and I don't have to spell out to you what a difference 'Chis' has made.
"And finally, our fans, who I can't praise enough. In particular all those 'diehards' who travel to the likes of Dingwall in the middle of winter to cheer us on. The away support especially is so vociferous and can be heard all round the ground. My grateful thanks to you all".
Safe at last. Back row (left to right), Jamie McQuilken, Jamie Adams, Andrew Barrowman, Andy Aitken, Jamie MacDonald, Sean O'Connor, Stevie Tosh, Scott Robertson, Ross Hyslop. Middle row, John O' Neill, Stephen Dobbie, Eric Paton, Jim Thomson (captain), Neil Scally, Jim Lauchlan, Murray Henderson. Front, Paul Burns, Stevie Murray, Mark Whorlow, Graham Weir. Photograph from Angus McDougal.
Bill Goldie
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