With Raith Rovers’ spot in the promotion play-offs all but assured, Louis Longridge detects big similarities with the superb team spirit evident at Stark’s Park with that displayed when Hamilton won promotion against all the odds two seasons ago.
The Accies winger, who is currently on loan with the Kirkcaldy side, played his part when Alex Neil took Hamilton to the Premiership.
They did so by triumphing over two games against Hibs, overturning a two-goal deficit from the first leg to stun a packed Easter Road in the second, winning 4-3 on penalties.
Now, Longridge hopes a similar team spirit at Raith can carry them all the way to promotion, starting this afternoon when they travel to face Queen of the South.
He said: “I think that’s what benefitted Hamilton when we got up.
“The manager made sure we were so close and tight. I can see the same environment at Raith Rovers at the moment.
“Everyone gets along and they all want to battle for each other on the pitch.
“Everybody has each other’s backs so it will be important going into the play-offs that you know you can count on the man beside you whenever they are called upon.
“I think there are similarities there and I think that will do us good going into the play-offs.”
When asked if he thought Hamilton would turn it around against Hibs, he said: “We definitely had the belief and as I said it is important that you have those close bonds and know everybody will work hard for each other.
“It is all about that as we know the quality we have in the changing-room, if we get chances we will score.
“So it is more about the dirty side of the game, so to speak, the hard work, the little bits that help you grind out results.
“There are definitely similarities at Raith from the time at Hamilton when we went up.
“When you get into the play-offs, if you just work hard you never know.
“It is a bit of a lottery on the day and you just hope you can win.”
Longridge was still in buoyant mood after opening his scoring account for Rovers last Saturday with a superb goal against Rangers in a thrilling game that ended 3-3.
He said: “I have watched my goal back a few times.
“Even when I’m not watching it myself, my family have recorded it and are playing it back reminding me of it.
“Not that it’s one I’ll forget in a hurry but I have watched it quite a number of times.
“It is one of the best I have ever scored and the significance of it as well considering who it was against.
“The boys did really well to get the three each.
“So it was a good goal in a big game. It was important and special for me also.
“We are scoring goals. When we get chances we are taking them while at the start of the year we were creating opportunities and they weren’t going for us.
“I think now there is a confidence and a bit of belief in front of goal so when we do get chances we are putting them away.”
Scott Robertson is in contention for the Queen of the South game after recovering from injury while Ryan Hardie, who could not play against parent club, Rangers, is also back in the squad.