EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY head into tomorrow's Premier Division game against Spartans with coach Douglas Samuel admitting that his side has no chance of winning the championship.
"We recognise that we cannot win the title but we will certainly play a big part in who does," said Samuel. "On our day we are capable of giving any of the title contenders a bloody nose."
Samuel – whose side suffered an extra-time defeat away to
Birmingham University in the quarter finals of the British Universities Championship on Wednesday – has had a problem in fielding a consistent side all season.
Having fielded 33 different players, with only two featuring every game, Samuel said: "Only my oldest player, Neil Irvine (42), and my youngest, goalkeeper Mark Tait (18), have always been available."
The University coach was quick to sing the praises of his counterparts at one of his former clubs ahead of tomorrow's clash. "Spartans, in my opinion, have the best squad in the league and I believe that they will win the title this season," he said. "Apart from the best players, they have Mike Lawson, who is the most successful-ever manager in the East of Scotland League, and Sam Lynch, the most successful-ever Spartans manager. They now have Mike Irving who is undoubtedly one of the most renowned coaches, so Spartans definitely have all the tools to succeed in the East of Scotland League.
"Last season they lost players and immediately replaced them with players who had SFL experience, while we lost players who had graduated and replaced them with raw youngsters. We set out at the beginning of the season to retain our place in the Premier Division and to win a cup competition. We are having a good season because we were in the quarter-finals of the British Universities Championship and we meet Spartans in the final of the SFA South Region Challenge Cup. That is excellent because our season has been sabotaged by injuries, which means it has been difficult to get the right blend.
"This has certainly been the most challenging season in my six years at the club. We keep doing our best and it is often other clubs that get the benefit of what we do with these young players before they graduate and move on.
"If both Spartans and ourselves play to our best tomorrow I would expect Spartans to win. That is not being negative and pessimistic – it is just being realistic. Tomorrow we are under no pressure whatsoever and we can go on to the pitch relaxed with nothing to lose. I believe that we are playing Spartans when they are in their best form as compared with the first half of the season."
Samuel will definitely be without Michael Hazeldine, Stephen Maxwell, Chris Woods, Fraser Munro, Scott McFarlane, Stephen Thompson and Jack Beesley, while Peder Beck-Friis faces a late fitness check.
Lawson, Spartans co-manager, who has admired Samuel as a player and manager for nearly 20 years, is also looking forward to the big game.
"Douglas is the most 'thinking' manager in the League and he will have been working on things because he cares deeply about his football. We drew twice with Edinburgh University in the league last season and the four points we dropped probably cost us the league title.
"Samuel's young players are always learning and they are receptive enough to take things on board. That puts him in a better position than most managers.
We never go to Peffermill thinking that it will be easy because we know it will be a hard shift against a well-organised side."
Spartans have Robbie Manson suspended and Daryl Devlin out with a fractured jaw, although Polish midfielder Michael Opilka has received international clearance and could make his debut from the substitutes bench. A win for Spartans, depending on other results, could move the City Park side into second place behind Premier Division leaders Dalbeattie Star, while a victory for the students would propel them into the top half of the league.
The Peffermill clash starts at 2.30pm with admission £3 for adults and £1 for concessions.
