Sutherland aims for promotion with Peterhead
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SHANE Sutherland believes he is part of a Peterhead team that is good enough to be playing in the second tier of Scottish football next season.
The striker from Halkirk who joined the Blue Toon at the start of the season was named as League One player of the month for January.
The 25-year-old has played a big part in the success of the Buchan club who lie second in League One.
Undefeated in their last 12 games, Peterhead look set to achieve at least a promotion playoff for a place in the Scottish Championship and are being touted as dark horses for promotion.
Sutherland scored in last weekend's 2-1 win over Ayr United to move Peterhead second.
Big-spending Dunfermline Athletic look set to romp the league as they are eight points in front at the top. But the former Thurso High pupil believes the League One title race is far from a forgone conclusion.
“We’re still undefeated against Ayr United and Dunfermline Athletic," he said.
“If people are looking at them and saying they are capable of playing in the Championship, I don’t see why Peterhead aren’t.
“But we have to prove that by staying in the play-off positions and then take each game as it comes."
Sutherland joined Peterhead after spending two seasons at Elgin City where he scored 27 goals in 88 matches. Prior to that, he spent three years at Inverness Caledonian Thistle playing 77 matches and scoring three goals.
He wants to be playing at the highest level he can and with Peterhead he thinks the team can move on to bigger and better things next season.
“Overall the season has been good," he said.
"We had a shaky spell when we went through a few games without a win but we have turned it round."
“I always want to play at the highest level that is on offer to me and that was the case in the summer when I moved to Peterhead.
“That won’t change until the day I retire, but at the moment I am happy at Peterhead.”
