Friday 5th August 2016
DARREN BARR’S pre-season has lasted only 90 minutes of match action.
After playing in Dumbarton’s first friendly, with Dundee, he’s had to prepare from the sidelines with a back injury.
But that hasn’t put him off preparing for the new league campaign, his second as Sons captain and his 12th in first team senior football.
He’s been kicking every ball, anticipating every fixture, and whether he makes it for Dunfermline on Saturday, can’t wait for it all to start.
He said: “I’m absolutely excited. I’ve done a few pre-seasons now and they always build up the excitement for a new league season.
“We’ve had a few games, and a few different results, but we didn’t have a great time results-wise last pre-season and that worked out for us.
“So we don’t read too much into it. We just need to get on with it and kick on into the new campaign.
“This year, the Betfred Cup has maybe come a bit early, but that’s just how it is. I actually don’t mind the early games.
“The gaffer is still looking to add to his squad, but we have a group of good quality players already here.
“So I don’t see why we can’t push to finish higher up the league than last year. You always go in with a good mindset and looking on the positive side.”
And much like his team-mate Gregor Buchanan speaking earlier in Sons 24, Darren is hopeful of proving a few doubters wrong.
While Dumbarton are tipped to struggle as a part-time side this season, the skipper hopes that by retaining the positives from last time, they can defy the doubters.
He continued: “You see us linked with relegation and play-offs but we need to aim higher than that because we have the players to do well.
“We just need to get the consistency in terms of results and levels of performance.
“It’s going to be hard in every game, but we must give everything, especially at home, the way we finished there last season.
“We were good on our own pitch and must look to make it a fortress, as well as improving our away form and keeping the back door shut.
“We’re all massively looking forward to it and I’m gutted to have missed the matches I have which have helped us prepare.”
And Darren also had some words for a group of people who are as vital to Dumbarton’s success as the players themselves.
He added: “The fans are massive at any club. They help us through and keep supporting us through thick and thin.
“We gave them some good times last season and some bad ones. We want them coming to games every week and they are going to be important to us once again.
“They are like an extra player for us. We just need to keep being positive and the fans to keep being good to us.”
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Andy Galloway