Motherwell striker John Sutton has ruled out his side making a challenge for the SPL title this season. The Fir Park side are just seven points off top spot but Sutton doesn’t think his side can come out on top in the tightest SPL season for many years.
Sutton told the Daily Record: “It would be tough for us to challenge this season because of the age of our squad and the fact the manager has just arrived and is trying to stamp his mark on the team.
“He hasn’t had long enough to do that although he has pointed out if we’d maybe got rid of a couple of draws and put away a couple of teams we’ve played already we’d be second or first in the table.”
The forward joined the many who are enjoying an SPL season where several teams are seen as genuine challengers. Sutton said there was added belief this season that the Old Firm could be taken on and beaten.
“There’s certainly an opportunity there,” he said.
“It’s potentially the most exciting SPL as Celtic and Rangers are dropping points here, there and everywhere.
In turn that gives hope to teams such as Hibs and Dundee United and if they put a good run together they can challenge.
Sutton, whose brother Chris was a star at Celtic Park, says the reduced financial circumstances facing Rangers and Celtic mean other teams can get closer to ending the dominance of the Glasgow giants.
“The gap is definitely narrowing,” he added.
“Nowadays there probably isn’t the same fear factor and it’s probably to do with the fact that the Old Firm don’t have the same money to spend, as well as other teams making improvements.
“That’s better for the league and the fans find it more exciting.”
Last updated: 30 November 2009, 09:25
The links provided allow you to bookmark this page into your favourite social media website. For users with JavaScript disabled copy and paste the URL from the address bar into your chosen social bookmarking site.