Winning a title and achieving promotion is obviously a big deal for any professional footballer.
However, for what Alex Jakubiak has been through since he joined Dundee, there will be an extra dollop of satisfaction if he can help the Dark Blues do the business at Queen’s Park tonight.
The Dark Blues travel to Ochilview knowing if they can avoid defeat they will be crowned Championship winners.
Lose, though, and the trophy goes to Queen’s Park.
Striker Jakubiak has enjoyed matches against tonight’s opponents already this season, scoring in two victories against them this term.
Those goals are among his most prolific season as a Dundee player with nine in all competitions.
The previous two campaigns, however, saw the 26-year-old on the treatment table more than the scoresheet.
His debut season saw just five first-team appearances and no goals before the second ended with one strike in 10 appearances.
Injury after injury after injury had hampered him before finally getting to the root cause earlier this season.
And recovering from injury saw him watching on from the sidelines when Dundee last won promotion.
Something he is desperate to make up for tonight.
“It would mean everything to me if we could win the league. For me personally, it would mean so much to me,” Jakubiak said.
“I came here in the season we got promoted a couple of years ago, but I didn’t really play a part.
“I was obviously part of the team, but I didn’t really feel part of it when we went up.
“I was obviously buzzing. But, because I hadn’t really played much, I didn’t really feel part of it.
“I’ve been injured at times this season, but I definitely feel like I’ve played more of a part this time.
“Even with the celebrations, you feel on the periphery of it all when you know you haven’t played much.
“I never really had many injuries before moving up here.
“I’ve then had two surgeries in two years and loads of little niggles. It’s been tough.
“Missing those games, it’s probably been the hardest time of my life since I’ve been playing football.”
Pressure, pressure, pressure
To earn that title victory – the club’s first since 2014 – Dundee have to pick up a result at Ochilview.
Queen’s Park, though, need to win if they are to be the ones celebrating as Championship winners come full-time.
The pressure is certainly on in this do-or-die shootout on the final day of the regular season.
Jakubiak, though, is comfortable with that.
“There is pressure in every game,” he adds.
“I get the pressure around this one but it has been the same all season.
“They need to win and they will be coming at us. We will be ready for it.
“But the pressure is on both teams to win a football game.
“We are aware that a draw does give us the title but we want to go there and win.
“Pressure comes from everywhere – from ourselves more than anything else.
“We want to win the game.”
Keep an eye on the Courier Sport website for all the action and reaction from tonight’s title clash and follow our Dundee man George Cran on twitter @di_cranio for live updates.
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