The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Petrie’s principles will not be by-passed
Montrose boss Stewart Petrie insists his side will stick by the footballing principles that helped win them promotion when they start the new campaign in League 1, writes Neil Robertson.
The Links Park manager is under no illusions that his title-winning team will face a much tougher challenge this season in a higher division.
However, Petrie is determined that his players will continue to pass, not just punt the ball forward, especially when playing at home on the Links Park artificial surface.
He said: “It has always been my philosophy when I have been coaching to try to play football.
“We will try to do that again next season.
“There will be games where you need to change and adapt – roll your sleeves up.
“But we will certainly try to get the ball down and pass it. There is no point in having the surface we have up at Links Park to just lump the ball forward all the time, so we will certainly try to pass it.”
It may be a new division for Montrose this season but there will certainly be a lot of familiar faces with the three other senior Angus sides, Arbroath, Forfar and Brechin also in League 1.
And Petrie cannot wait for the excitement the derbies generate.
He said: “It is great for everybody concerned.
“From the hospitality side of things to bigger crowds … I know the chairman is already hoping for Arbroath for the New Year derby as that is the big one for us.
“But it is great as we will get to pit our wits against all the local clubs.”