Manager Scott Agnew hopes Stranraer can build on play-off success ahead of new season

Stranraer manager Scott Agnew is looking for his side to build on the success of their relegation play-off final victory against East Kilbride.

Stranraer managed to cement their place in the SPFL after a nail-biting relegation play-off victory at Stair Park in May.

The Blues beat East Kilbride 3-1 to avoid relegation.

Speaking to ITV Border, manager Scott Agnew said: “It was an amazing occasion".

He added: "The amount of people that turned out to support us was incredible, to see Stair Park like that was unbelievable, it was a great feeling.

"I just hoped and prayed that we turned up on the day and we did, the boys were incredible and we thoroughly deserved to win the game.

"I know they had opportunities, so did we, I thought the performance we put in against a very good East Kilbride side was very good.

"The way that we done it to do it in extra time and the scenes at the end I will never forget.

“It was massive, there was a lot of pressure on that game.

"It wasn’t about the crowd that was there, it was the full history of the club that was on the line.

"We didn’t want to be in a situation where we fell out of the professional leagues, because it is very difficult of a club our size to come back from."

Agnew is looking for the club to build on the success of the match against East Kilbride.

He said: “We have to use that good feeling that is around the town and the club.

"I think you just need to look at the season ticket sales, they are more now than at any point over the last 10 years, there has been some really good Stranraer teams in that time.

"The town are backing us and I had a word with the players this week, we are only just back in training.

"It has been a short turnaround but I have had a chat about how much the town have backed us and what we need to do. We need to be better than last season and we need to learn from it."

The club has worked fast to retain the services of players who were part of the team last year, while already making additions to the squad with new arrivals.

Agnew said: “It was important that I retained players that were part of it last season.

"Obviously the table doesn’t lie but I do feel like the players we have got have a lot more to offer and they can show that this season.

"In terms of the new recruits I wanted to change up the dressing room a little bit. I think it is important that we continue to evolve as much as we possibly can.

"I am relatively pleased with where we are just now, we have 14 or 15 signed, so I am going to take my time and get the next few right as well."

Agnew has been watching Scotland in the Euros and got away on holiday to relax ahead of the new campaign.

He said: “I managed to get away on holiday for a week to Portugal with the family and watched the game out there.

"Like everyone, we were disappointed with the performance and I don’t know if the occasion got the best of us. There is a way to get beat and that certainly wasn’t it."

The Blues boss said he is confident the national side can get a result on Sunday.

He said: “I think we can win the game.

"It is kind of similar to our game going into Stair Park, we knew we had to win the game.

"There is complete clarity at what you want to do, I think sometimes there is a mindset shift and I think the players will be full of confidence and we will do it on Sunday."

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