Team player Shane targets Elgin City success
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STRIKER Shane Sutherland is enjoying his most prolific season in front of goal in his career.
His recent run of goals helped land the Halkirk man the SPFL League Two Player of the Month award for January.
The Elgin City striker has been in top form this campaign, finding the net 24 times, including 18 in the league.
He is keen to pay tribute to his team-mates who have helped him achieve his best strike rate of his senior career. “It is great to receive individual awards and recognition,” he said. “But at the end of the day it is all down to the team playing well as a whole, as if the team doesn’t play well, individuals don’t play well.”
The club are in third place in League Two and look on course to secure a play-off place as they bid to close the gap on clear leaders Forfar Athletic and second placed Arbroath while staying ahead of fourth placed Annan Athletic.
Elgin have never been promoted from League Two since moving up from the Highland League in 2000 and Sutherland wants to help the Borough Briggs outfit make history by moving up a division.
“We have experienced some inconsistency this season but we’re in a strong position for the play-offs,” said the 26-year-old.
“The season has been good to us so far, but I think there is more to come and our aim is to kick on.
“We are one of the better-supported teams in the division and if we keep winning, hopefully the crowds will keep coming in as they do make a difference.
“It would be good to be part of the first Elgin City team that got promoted to League One.”
Sutherland rejoined Elgin City in the summer after playing for Peterhead in League One last season where he helped them reach the Scottish Challenge Cup final against Rangers at Hampden which they lost 4-0.
He helped the Blue Toon go a record of 19 games unbeaten in League One and achieve a Championship play-off place before losing in the semi-final to Ayr United.
It is the third time in the last 12 months he has picked up the Player of the Month award while playing in League One and League Two, receiving it for Peterhead in January 2016 and for Elgin in October.
Sutherland spent three years at Inverness Caledonian Thistle between 2010 and 2013 when he famously scored in the 3-2 victory over Celtic at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium in 2011. The victory derailed the Hoops’ title challenge with three games to go as they lost top spot to Rangers, who went on to win the title.
Despite having his best goalscoring season, he has not set himself a target, but is just aiming to score goals that will help the club win games.
He said: “This has been my best season so far in terms of goalscoring and there are still 13 games left to go so I hope to add to that.
“I’m not going to put pressure on myself by publicly saying how many goals I want, but obviously you do set yourself targets.
“The next goal is the next important one to help Elgin get to the play-offs.”
