FORMER Musselburgh Athletic manager Kevin McDonald is toasting promotion to the third tier of Scottish football.
A header from Ukrainian Maksym Kucheriavyi six minutes from time gave McDonald and brother-in-law Kevin Thomson reason to celebrate as they wrapped up the Scottish League Two title with Kelty Hearts.
Last year’s Lowland League champions had been heavy favourites to go on and achieve back-to-back promotions and they did it with five games to spare thanks to the win over Stenhousemuir.
McDonald, who is assistant manager to Thomson, said: “We are delighted to get it over the line.
“It is brilliant and it has been a long season.
“For the outsider, they think it is in the bag for ages because we had such a big gap.
“In this situation, you start to think ‘get over the line, is it going to happen?’
“Probably because it is the first for myself and Kevin Thomson, it is really important.
“To only lose three games shows a massive consistency in the group of players.
“On top of that, we have had two big cup runs in the Premier Cup and the Scottish Cup, beating St Johnstone.
“To only lose three games so far is a massive achievement.”
McDonald and Thomson, who had a brief stint as a player with Tranent Juniors, made the move to New Central Park in June last year.
Former Alloa and Berwick Rangers midfielder McDonald had enjoyed plenty of success with Musselburgh, lifting both the Alex Jack Cup and the South and East of Scotland Cup Winners Shield.
Victory over Mid Annandale in the final of the Shield also set Musselburgh up for their first ever Scottish Cup appearance.
McDonald has kept his connection with Olivebank and regularly attends games where possible.
Despite Kelty starting as favourites, there were only half a dozen players contracted to the club when McDonald and Thomson – who got to know each other during their time in the youth system at Hibs – arrived following the departure of Barry Ferguson.
McDonald told Courier Sport that they had to convince players not to follow their former manager to Alloa Athletic, while quickly identifying targets to strengthen the squad.
Now, with the title wrapped up, McDonald is calling for the team to ensure they do not ease off over the remaining five games.
Eleven points from the remaining 15 will ensure Kelty also make their own little piece of history.
He said: “We consistently demand high standards from the group of players we have got.
“We don’t let them slip, even in training.
“The players are professional and they are unbeaten at home in the league all season.
“We even beat St Johnstone, drew with Montrose, and beat East Fife – all teams from leagues above us.
“We want to protect the unbeaten home league record, that’s an incentive in itself.
“I also don’t think anybody has got to 84 points in the last 10 years or so in the league [Rangers finished on 83 in 2012/13].
“We have got targets to reach and I think it would be massive to win by 10 or 15 points.”
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