BUTE Shinty chairman, Barry Martin, has urged fellow Brandanes to come and get behind the side as they aim to clinch promotion to the Premiership on the final day.
Despite looking out of the promotion picture mere weeks ago, Bute now have promotion in their hands as they sit two points behind ColGlen in second, with a superior goal difference handing the island side the prerogative.
Now, the club is calling on locals to come and back the team as they aim to finish in the top two in the National Division.
Chairman, Barry Martin, said: “It would be good if we could get a good support along considering it’s the last game of the season.
“Fingers crossed if it stays dry we’ll get it played this weekend.
“It’ll be a close game, games round the area are always tight so it’s not a foregone conclusion.
“The boys will need to work hard, especially with the way Inveraray’s been playing having come into a streak of form.”
Barry was under no illusions that the club were not looking at promotion as a viable option this season, even noting that it wasn;t a thought six weeks ago.
But blistering hot form from Saturday’s opponent ensured Bute have more than a fighting chance of going up.
Barry added: “To be honest we were never really looking at promotion, if you’d said six weeks ago that we’d be fighting to go up into the Premiership you wouldn’t have thought it.
“You know, Mid Argyll had the games in hand and we thought ‘surely they’re going to win them and take second spot’, but Inveraray’s done the damage to them and took them out of the equation.
“Obviously, ColGlen are still sitting there with two points more than everybody, so if we draw then they go up–so it’s win or nothing for us.”
But Barry was quick to praise the players and staff and commented on how big of an achievement it would be to gain promotion, adding: “Definitely, it’s the top level you want to play at.
“I don’t think it’s come too early, we have a young squad and at the start of the season we thought if we could finish in the top four then that’s progress.
“Six weeks ago we were quite comfortable with what we’d achieved but now we’re in not pole position, but runner-up.
“You get there on merit at the end of the day, it’s not just one game it’s over a season.
“The boys have really worked hard in training, obviously thanks to our coaches, it’s been really well attended and they’ve been put through their paces, so they’ve got their just rewards.”
Bute face Inveraray on Saturday, October 11, with a 2.30pm throw-up expected at the Meadows.
