Lichties’ progress underlined by Bobby Linn on the bench! Rab

Iwould bet that if you asked 10 people who Arbroath’s main player is, nine of them would say Bobby Linn.

And it would be hard to argue with that.

But we knew that we couldn’t keep relying on Bobby.

It tells you how far we’ve come that in the last few weeks Bobby hasn’t been starting. He’s been on the bench recently.

Bobby was carrying us and he needed a rest.

Getting him back and fresh will be a big boost for those last couple of months of the season.

The new boys have given us energy and goals.

Dale Hilson has been playing out wide and Gavin Swankie has come back in. He was out for almost half the season so to get his football brain back in the team has been big for us.

We’re into the promotion play-off places but there’s a reason that nobody is saying ‘we can do this’ or ‘we can do that’.

It’s not a case of trying to take the pressure off. It’s the harsh realities of this division.

Of course it’s possible we could finish in the top four but it’s also possible we could finish ninth.

It’s not long ago that we were losing to Morton and Alloa and things were looking a bit worrying.

Obviously becoming the first side to beat Dundee United at Tannadice in the league was massive – not only for our confidence but because that would have been a weekend other sides would have expected to gain points on us rather than the other way around.

The big result for me was last week against Queen of the South, though.

It’s one thing beating United but we challenged the players – can you back it up? They did.

The way we managed the game and the conditions and kept Stephen Dobbie quiet was brilliant.

We’re getting near to 10 games to go but you don’t start getting too far ahead of yourself before then.

Tannadice tester

The big game at the top of the table this weekend is at Tannadice.

If United beat Inverness the SPFL would be as well giving them the trophy there and then.

Everybody thinks it’s a matter of when, not if, but that would absolutely confirm it.

United have dropped points recently but for me their lead would need to get cut to single figures to put any sort of pressure on them. That means Inverness winning tomorrow night, then doing the same in their two games in hand.

But that would just be the start of it!

Sign of champions

Rangers’ form after the winter break has taken everybody by surprise.

You would have assumed lessons would be learned from the year before.

The way in which Celtic have recognised this is the moment to put the foot down and accelerate away is the sign of champions.

They have taken their game up a level while the opposite has happened at Ibrox.

It wouldn’t surprise me if they now went on one of their long unbeaten runs.

The return of Europa League football brings a different dynamic to the next few weeks but Celtic’s squad is the one you would expect to cope better with it.

Highlight of the week

The news on Jackie Mcnamara continues to be positive. Being told that he’s improving was the highlight of the week.

It’s one thing beating United but we challenged the players – can you back it up? They did

SNS. Bobby Linn: Needed a rest after carrying Arbroath.