Elgin chairman backs manager to turn around miserable form

Elgin City face a pivotal match this weekend when they travel to play League 2 bottom side Albion Rovers where defeat for the Black & Whites, coupled with their greatly inferior goal difference, could see them trade places with the Cliftonhill side.

Tuesday saw a fifth straight defeat with the 1-0 loss at Forthbank, with Elgin already losing to leaders Stirling Albion 3-0 on Saturday.

The numbers do not look good for Elgin; one goal in their last five, four goals in total since February, no home win since the start of December, just two wins in total in 2023.

Chairman Graham Tatters accepts it has been poor; "It's not good enough. We've tried everything we can, we've been offering the manager as much assistance as possible, the training facilities, the match analysis - we've got everything

"Injuries and suspensions aren't helping us, but the two upcoming games against Albion Rovers and Bonnyrigg Rose, we've got to deal with them"

In terms of the lack of goals, much has been riding on the performance of Kane Hester this season, with not much else of a goalscoring outlet for Elgin.

"You watch the Liverpool - Chelsea (sic) game you see how difficult it is to score goals, said Tatters.

"We had a goalscorer who was sitting there with a court-case on his back for four years (in Hester). Now that's been released from him we hope that will change his attitude and change his luck"

Elgin City fans have directed much of their ire towards boss Gavin Price, with some even accusing the manager of lacking respect following a social media video posted by the club after Saturday's 3-0 loss where Price seemed in a fairly relaxed mood about the current plight.

However Tatters is adamant Price is part of the equation for the foreseeable.

"He is the manager of the football club and has signed a contract which we will honour - obviously that's a board decision - there are not many managers work as hard as he does, he puts in an unbelievable amount of work.

"He travels from Aberfeldy for training twice a week - it's phenomenal."

The Chairman went on to outline why there has been difficulty in adding to the thin squad.

Tatters explains, "We can't get anyone in - we just can't get them - we tried for about 20 players in the January window.

"We only got one young lad from Dunfermline - we've been trying to get players - and that's the same reason Jim McIntyre (sic) left Peterhead.

"There is the money in the budget - but we can't get players - Roger Morrison and Jim McIntyre (sic) found that at Peterhead. Nobody in the middle of Winter wants to travel North for a midweek game and then travel all the way back south.

"Since the introduction of the pyramid system the guys don't want to travel - they can get as much money playing in the Lowland League and the Juniors."

In terms of survival, Tatters feels there is still enough time for Elgin City to pull away from their perilous predicament.

"If we finish bottom of the league, we finish bottom of the league - we don't want to obviously - but we're desperately trying not to.

"You can't worry about the cash, everything we do has got to be sustainable, if you start floating money about and go bust - the board wouldn't accept that - nor would they accept relegation, it's all about a balance."

"I don't think there's people queuing up at Borough Briggs to take my place" - Graham Tatters

While the manager's situation is up for debate given the poor run of results, what about Tatters' tenure as Chairman? Since he took over in 2005 there has been no progress beyond the bottom tier of Scottish Football.

"If I felt I wasn't wanted or wasn't welcome, I wouldn't stay - if the people start putting pressure on then I'd leave - but so long as I'm needed I'll stay.

"That said, I don't think there's people queuing up at Borough Briggs to take my place"

Looking at finance, while Elgin may have attempted to attract new players, Tatters says they won't pay beyond their means and he accepts money - as it is everywhere - is stretched as people tighten up.

"(We're) still solvent. We haven't got any sugar daddy pumping money into the club - everything we do we earn. Ask Berwick, ask Cowdenbeath, ask East Stirling if they'd rather be in our position - we're trying to do the best we can.

"I mean, we've not won a home game since December and we've still got 700 coming into the game (on Saturday)."

Tatters realises there is a growing anger amongst fans and adds, "I feel for them the most. I am in a situation I volunteered for and if it doesn't go well, then they (the shareholders) will get me out."

• elgin city