Sunday 25th August 2019
JOE McKEE had to wait until last week to experience a winning feeling in a Dumbarton jersey.
But he always knew things would turn around.
Apart from any other reasons why results were always going to come for Sons, he trusts his manager.
The midfielder was a big name signing during the close season, although his arrival midway through the Betfred Cup campaign meant that he missed victory at Annan in that competition.
Five defeats followed, starting against Queen of the South, but being part of a Jim Duffy regime has boosted Joe before.
And after victories over Peterhead and Stranraer, it looks like it’s doing so again.
Joe is playing part-time for the first time in his career, but the transition has been smooth one. Away from the training pitch, he is able to spend his time…keeping fit.
Speaking to www.dumbartonfootballclub.com, Joe said: “I’m enjoying it. We’ve had a couple of good results recently and spirits are high.
“When you have a whole lot of new players, playing against full-time teams isn’t ideal.
“You just try to get as much game time as you can to gel, and in the last couple of weeks we’ve had a bit more familiarity about us as the boys have got to know each other.
“Ideally we wouldn’t like to be going behind in the first place, but the boy scored a great free kick for Stranraer today and we showed great character to come back.
“In the second half there was really only one team in it and to go on and win the game was very pleasing.
“We’ve just been patient during the tough start and done what the gaffer has asked us to do. He’s an experienced manager and he’s set us up in a way to play, and we’ll continue to keep working hard.
“He was a big part of my decision to come here. I’ve been full-time all of my career, which is 10 years, and I’ve had a decision to make in the last few months since coming back from Ireland.
“I came in here and did a bit of pre-season and played a couple of games, and really enjoyed it. It’s good to work with a manager you can trust and I’ve a lot of respect for him and his assistant Craig MacPherson.
“I’ve a few things I’ve dabbled in outwith the game. I’m a fully qualified personal trainer so that bodes well for me. Since going part-time it’s given me a lot of time to work on my body.
“For five of the last six years I’ve played on an astro pitch every day and it’s not been great for my body, so getting to rest and play on grass will get me back to where I want to be.”
From that point of view, it might be bad news for Joe that Dumbarton’s next game is on an all weather surface, away to Montrose on Saturday.
However, after the two victories, try telling him and his team-mates that anything could go against them at Links Park. They are moving forward with confidence.
He added: “No matter who we play, it’s going to be a tough game.
“But we do have confidence after the last couple of games. Getting the first goal when we did last week was important and we’ve kicked on from that.
“We’ll look to move forward again and go to Montrose and put in another performance.”
Andy Galloway