Shotts boss' relief as Clydebank win means top-flight safety
Shotts boss John McKeown admitted relief after their West of Scotland Premier League status was secured on Sunday, as Clydebank reached the Lowland League.
The Bankies' 2-0 win over Musselburgh Athletic, 3-1 on aggregate, meant that only three teams dropped down from each of the top three leagues, rather than four, had they fallen short.
Shotts ended the season in 13th place, five points above Benburb, who were one of three teams dropping into the First Division.
As it is, Shotts now face a derby against McKeown's local team, Rutherglen Glencairn, in their second season in the top flight.
A delighted McKeown said: 'We hired Bankies TV and we're absolutely over the moon.
'We need to build on this. We're a wee bit fortunate to stay in the league due to Gartcairn's circumstances [15-point deduction] , so we're not naive enough to ignore that.
'I felt we started the league really poorly but went from strength to strength, and had we had five more games we'd have been more than safe.
'But we need to make sure that we're good to go at the end of July.'
McKeown added: 'We should be nowhere near the Premier League, in terms of resources and budget, so these boys deserve all the credit.
'We have a team spirit that I don't think many clubs have, and it has kept us up.'
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