Defeat shows size of McIntyre’ s task

Jim McIntyre insists he is up for the challenge of leading relegated Arbroath back up next term. McIntyre watched on in dismay on Saturday as a double from Dom Thomas and strikes from Josh Scott, Cillian Sheridan and Sean Welsh consigned his side to a ninth straight loss.

Although Arbroath’s five-season stint in the Championship has come to an abrupt end, McIntyre is determined to come back fighting.

He held a Q&A with fans and has the backing of the Gayfield club to perform a summer rebuild on his squad.

That work has already begun with the arrival of Calum Gallagher from Airdrieonians and new deals for experienced trio Ryan Dow, Scott Stewart and Colin Hamilton.

After back-to-back relegation battles, McIntyre is determined to bring some success back to the Angus side.

He said: “There will be a lot of changes here in the summer, that needs to happen.

“In January, as I explained at the fans meeting, it was very difficult. It’s a tough window and I didn’t get the players in I wanted, but the club was in such a crisis with injuries that I had to take some gambles on players. Those gambles have quite clearly not worked.

“It’s not just the players I brought in January. As a squad we haven’t been good enough and I take full responsibility for that, but I am looking forward to bringing in the type of player that can help us press a reset button.

“The club has had a brilliant five years but it is getting harder and harder because of the quality of the opposition and what they are spending on players.

“It will be different next season because we are in a part-time league and there may only be one or two fulltime teams.

“It will be a far more level playing field and I’m looking forward to trying to get promotion out of that league.

“If you look at that league it is a difficult one to get out of but we have to be up there challenging.

“Falkirk took five years to get out of the league and Raith Rovers took three. You only need to look at Hamilton this year, it’s not an easy league.

“I fully expect to be able to assemble a squad that will challenge. That’s my remit and I’m up for the challenge.

“But it’s up to me to make the right signings to complement the ones we already have here and hit the ground running.

“We want to put smiles back on our fans’ faces.

“It has been a helluva tough two years here and I feel sorry for our fans. There haven’t been enough good days here in that time.

“It’s been a struggle in both seasons, let’s not be kidded. This season worse than last year.

“The board have been brilliant. They understand the hand I was dealt with horrendous injuries for a couple of months.

“That was a really difficult period and we have never really recovered from that, but I’m under no illusions. I know what my task is next year and if I don’t meet that challenge then I’ll face the consequences of that.”

Thomas opened the scoring for the Spiders with a 20-yard strike.

Sheridan and Scott added goals from close range to put the visitors 3-0 up at the break.

There was no let-up for the Arbroath backline in the second period as Welsh scrambled in the fourth and Thomas finished in style to seal a comfortable win for the Glasgow side.

McIntyre added: “Our defending was shocking. I can’t dress it up, there are no excuses.

“Queen’s Park’s finishing was ruthless but we gave them far too many chances to score.

“It’s a terrible way to play our final game in front of our home fans.”

DETERMINED: Jim McIntyre is up for the challenge of rebuilding relegated Arbroath.