Allan is happy to go back in the future

whatever the outcome of today’s match.

While McInally admits the odds are stacked against his side, he has not given up hope that Elgin could do the Blue Toon a favour.

He said: “We can only hope Montrose slip up and if you are going to lose in this league then Elgin are a team that can catch you out as they have players such as Shane Sutherland, Thomas Reilly and Jon Paul McGovern.

“I hope it is an exciting afternoon.

“Montrose deserve credit. They have scored goals early and taken that edge off things.

“We always push for an early goal but Edinburgh City won’t rollover. The one thing about Scottish football is that it is honest.”

With the League 1 title race between Raith Rovers and Ayr United also going down to the wire, the SPFL has arranged for two helicopters to travel with one of the trophies to a site midway between the grounds.

When the champions of both divisions are confirmed, each trophy will then be swiftly delivered and presented to the winners in front of their supporters.

McInally, who prolonged the title race to the final weekend with a 1-0 win at Elgin last Saturday, would love to see the helicopter heading towards Balmoor this afternoon.

He added: “I know how hard it can be to get across the line.

“I emphasised that to the players last Saturday as they were getting shouts from the Elgin supporters saying Montrose were winning and that deflated them.

“They were low at halftime and I wouldn’t have put anything on them winning the match in the second half.

“It spoke volumes for their character that they managed to win the game.

“I said to the players after the game that there would have been a point where Montrose were celebrating. We put a dampener on that and now we have to try to do it again.” Jordan Allan is intent on progressing his career as a left back – whether it is with Elgin City or not.

Allan was brought in as a forward by previous Black and Whites manager Jim Weir last summer after leaving Northern Irish side Coleraine.

After struggling for game time, however, Allan has since made the switch to left-back under Gavin Price. Allan played at left-back with Morton earlier in his career.

Allan is out of contract this summer and talks are ongoing over his future but regardless of where he ends up he says his spell with Elgin will have been crucial in changing his career focus.

The 23-year-old, who could play his final game for Elgin against his former club Montrose today, said:

“At the start of season I was out of the team and then in and out”