Former Dundee boss Jocky Scott is convinced the Dark Blues are in no danger of relegation.
However, current Dens boss Barry Smith won’t allow himself to think that, even if his players have strung together an unbeaten run of 14 league matches and have just seen off first division leaders Raith Rovers.
The managerial pair, whose teams meet at Forthbank on Saturday, are firm friends.
Scott, who was sacked in March with Dundee top of the league, was Smith’s manager earlier in his career and gave him a job on the Dens coaching staff when he returned to the club.
Despite holding Scott in such respect, though, Smith doesn’t agree with his analysis that the Dark Blues are clear of danger.
“Jocky said that he didn’t think we were in the relegation fight, but we can’t afford to think like that,” said Smith.
“It is nice of him to say it but we are where we are and the situation is that we are down at the bottom of the league.
“Nobody here is thinking we are above that. We have been scrapping for every point for the last few months and that won’t change.”Jocky ‘a big influence’Smith, who watched Albion lose at home to Morton on Wednesday, insists he and Scott will pause their old pals’ act when the whistle blows.
He said, “Jocky has had a big influence on my career and he is a good friend, but when it comes to Saturday we will both be looking after our own teams.
“I want to win for Dundee and he will be the same for Stirling. After the game we will have a blether but for 90 minutes it goes out of the window.”
Neil McCann, last Saturday’s match-winner against Raith, will be in contention for a starting place at Stirling provided his Sky TV commitments don’t get in the way.
Meanwhile, the Dundee FC Supporters’ Society are to return the donation they received from the Stirling Albion Supporters’ Trust when the club went into administration in a goodwill gesture.
The Albion fans helped to kick off the DFCSS fighting fund with a gift of £250.
In light of Stirling’s own financial difficulties, the DFCSS board felt they could not keep the money and will present a cheque for that amount to the SAST before the game.
DFCSS secretary Fraser MacDonald said, “Given the situation that we are still in, we are not able to donate any of the money that our supporters have raised to keep Dundee alive, but we did feel this was the least we could do to remember Stirling’s fantastic gesture.”