Tony Dingwall eyes promotion as prize for Brora Rangers’ behind the scenes heroes

Tony Dingwall has urged Brora Rangers to secure promotion to reward the people that enable the club to function.

The Cattachs’ hopes of securing a place in the SPFL next season are still in the balance after they drew 1-1 with Edinburgh City at Dudgeon Park on Saturday in the first leg of the pyramid play-off final.

That means this weekend’s second leg at Meadowbank is a winner-takes-all clash.

Brora have been in the Breedon Highland League since 1962, but Dingwall is eager to make history by reaching League Two.

The 31-year-old midfielder said: “I’d love to get promoted, not just for us as players, but for everyone around the club.

“There are people who have been at Brora for years who are desperate to go up and give it a go in the Scottish League.

“Ben Mackay (Brora’s benefactor) has backed the club and has put a lot of belief in all the boys to make it happen and he’s desperate for it to happen.

“I’d really like to do it for all the people connected with the club who put a lot of time into the club.

“It would be nice to give them something really special to celebrate.”

Dingwall would like to step up again

Former Ross County, Raith Rovers and Elgin City man Dingwall played in the Premiership, Championship, League One and League Two prior to joining Brora in March 2022.

He revealed he would like to test himself in the SPFL again and added: “I wouldn’t say I’ve got unfinished business, but I would like to give the SPFL another go and see how I get on.

“There is the thing inside me where I’ve wondered how I would get on, so it would be nice to go up and see how we get on at that level.”

Brora were in the ascendancy in the first half of Saturday’s encounter and took the lead through James Anderson.

But after Divine Iserhienrhien’s equaliser just before half-time Edinburgh City were stronger in the second period.

Dingwall believes Brora can be better in the second leg and said: “I didn’t think we were as good as we could have been, in the first half we maybe could have got a second goal.

“Unfortunately it wasn’t to be and then based on the second half Edinburgh deserved their point.

“We wanted to make sure we’re going down to Edinburgh still in the tie, but we were maybe a wee bit safe in the second half.

“There was maybe an element of making sure we didn’t lose the game rather than really going to win it.

“But Edinburgh have good players and they might be disappointed they didn’t win the game.

“We’ve got nothing to lose going down to Edinburgh, we’ll have a right good go and see how it goes.”

[Source: Press and Journal]