To say Montrose do not have their troubles to seek for this afternoon’s game against East Stirlingshire would be something of an understatement.
The Gable Endies, who have not won for nine matches, will be without three key players through injury, another has left the club because of work commitments, and their top scorer is suspended.
It is less than ideal preparation for a game which is the proverbial six-pointer, with second-bottom Montrose facing the side propping up the League Two table.
The Angus outfit’s boss Paul Hegarty knows only too well the fate that awaits the side which finishes bottom come the end of the season the dreaded pyramid play-offs.
He successfully negotiated a safe passage through them last season against Brora Rangers and is determined not to suffer them again this year.
Hegarty, who has been trying to bolster his squad this week, said: “I have several inquiries in, but I have heard nothing back as yet.
“So once again we will be without Andrew Steeves, Paul Watson and Ross McCord, while Scott Johnston left the club last weekend as he is now working in London.
“We also have Gary Fraser suspended, so our squad will be stretched again but there is no use moaning about it and we will just have to get on with things.
“It has been nine weeks without a win and we have gone from second top to second bottom in that time, which just goes to show what can happen in this league.
“There is no getting away from the fact that our recent record is very poor, while East Stirling have picked up recently and have two games in hand on us.
“We have tried to instil into the players the seriousness of the position we are in and we simply have to start picking up victories again hopefully this Saturday.”