Young ignores job link

Albion Rovers boss Darren Young says he is totally focused on his work at Cliftonhill – despite being linked to the Dundee job.

The player/ manager, who is out of contract in the summer, emerged amongst the early frontrunners for the Premiership job following the departure of Paul Hartley.

His positive record, having led his side to the League Two title and finished just outside the Championship play-off places during his three years in the dugout, has won him admirers in the game.

The former Dens Park midfielder looks set to make history this season and become the first Albion Rovers manager to keep them in the third tier for two successive seasons.

Young thinks it is a positive for the club that he is being linked.

However, he says he is only focused on getting the points to keep Rovers in League One – and beyond.

“It’s one of those things that happens when you are doing well – the players and staff have achieved a lot here,” he told the Advertiser.

“But now we need to focus on getting points.

“We want to push for the promotion places here. There are some quality sides around us at both ends, so first and foremost I want to get some points on the board.”

It’s a huge few weeks for Rovers as they sit four points away from the Championship play- off places - but just five points away from the relegation play-off spot.

This Saturday they face East Fife who will have similar promotion aspirations – but come to Cliftonhill without a win in six games.

On the opposite end of the scales, Young’s men have only lost one of their last seven games - with their unbeaten run ending at third-placed Queen’s Park.

Young told the Advertiser they had to start taking their chances - and if they had done against Gus MacPherson’s men they would have left Hampden with a positive result.

He continued: “Against Queen’s Park we had enough chances to win the game, but didn’t take them.

“When we played Stranraer we could have won by more but didn’t take some quality chances. “We need to change that. “We have been on a good run and it’s disappointing to lose that but we just never cracked it on the day.

“We know that East Fife will give us a good test - but these are the games you have to win if you are looking for promotion.”

Focus Darren Young