The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Scout Vigurs sees bigger picture
Iain Vigurs was Caley Thistle team-mates’ eyes and ears at Dingwall on Tuesday and the midfielder reckons Hamilton Accies’ late defeat to Ross County has given Caley Jags’ survival bid fresh impetus.
Former County player Vigurs, who lives near Victoria Park, went to the game knowing a victory for second-bottom Accies would have confirmed his team’s relegation to the Championship.
County’s late 3-2 win kept Inverness alive, before they followed up the favour by defeating Dundee 2-0 at Dens Park 24 hours later.
Caley Jags need to defeat Motherwell at home today and hope Hamilton fail to beat Dundee, which would send Richie Foran’s men into next week’s relegation play-off.
Vigurs is glad he went to the game and said: “I had to go. I couldn’t have looked at an app or anything like that. I needed to see it.
“At times I kind of regretted it. It was a little bit tense. It made it nervy for me at times, especially when Hamilton hit the post twice. I thought Ali Crawford’s free kick was in and that would have been a sucker-punch, right on half time.
“The County supporters weren’t saying much during the game, but when I
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was walking out two of them were wishing me all the best and hoping we got out of it.
“I was on a group chat with the rest of the players, letting them know what was happening. I said 2-1 County and then, straight away, it was 2-2. I was putting the lads through it. I was just delighted when Jonathan Franks got the winner.
“Thankfully, County got the win we needed. It was a huge boost because it ensured the players were fired up to the maximum for Dundee.
“To know Hamilton had been beaten and it gave us that chance, it really kicked it up a few notches for us.
“That’s one of the reasons – not the only one – we managed to put on a display like that.”
“We need to win our game and we’re more than confident”
Vigurs is relaxed ahead of today’s game, with the Aberdeen-born player insisting all pressure is on Accies. The 29-year-old added: “Everyone is in good spirits. It’s the most upbeat we’ve been in a while. We’ve given ourselves a chance and we’re just preparing for the game now. The belief is 100% there. We all genuinely believe the pressure is off us. We’re the ones bottom of the table and a point behind, so no pressure is on us.
“We need to win our game and we’re more than confident of doing that.
“If we start like we did against Dundee – and that’s our aim – hopefully it filters through to Hamilton and their heads will go down.”