Boss Mckinnon keen to establish Loons as force for the future

Ray Mckinnon is keen to re-establish Forfar as a club that is a cornerstone of the Angus football scene.

Mckinnon has taken on the challenge of escaping the dreaded SPFL pyramid play-off by steering Loons off the bottom of League Two.

But while he has no other thoughts of survival for this term, he believes Forfar should be seeking to grow its local links for long-term viability.

Forfar will return to league business on Saturday at home to Albion Rovers after the weekend Scottish Cup exit to Dunfermline.

And while it’s imperative the Station Park side start to put together wins, Mckinnon is also keen to develop a sustainable strategy.

“We are going to try and win every single game play,” said Mckinnon.

“That has be our mentality.

“We have to be the best we possibly can be. I’m motivated by the challenge and I’m sure the Forfar players are too.

“It’s a tough job but I love a challenge.

“In some ways, our current situation brings a dose of realism over where we are.

“Brechin went down and quickly realised that if they are going to build then it needs to be built locally.

“I want us to stay in the league and then build for the future.

“It’s important we have our finger on the pulse for the best players in this area.

“There will be competition from Arbroath, Montrose and Brechin but we have to compete.

“The first priority is staying in the league then it’s all about building solid foundations.

“It’s clear we need to change something. We wouldn’t be at the bottom if we didn’t but, hopefully, over time we can become one of the most stable clubs in the area.

“We need a plan to do that but, in order to execute the plan, we need to stay up.”