Jake Dolzanski feared Elgin City could be relegated this season but the arrival of manager Allan Hale persuaded the centre back to sign a contract extension at Borough Briggs and forecast better times ahead
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Fresh from signing a contract extension with Elgin City, stopper Jake Dolzanski believes the club is making big strides forward under manager Allan Hale.
The 25-year-old Aberfeldy-based centre back admitted he was struggling to see a route away from relegation trouble during the first half of the current campaign, as City plunged to the bottom of League 2.
The arrival of Hale and assistant Laird in December has changed all that, with the Black and Whites now safe and chasing sixth spot in the league.
Dolzanski last week penned a new one-year deal, rejecting offers closer to home to add to the two seasons he has already spent in the SPFL at Elgin.
His decision to remain at Borough Briggs was swayed by the influence of Hale and Laird in guiding the Black and Whites away from the drop, a scenario he felt could have become a reality had change not taken place.
“The first half of the season was hard for the fans and the players,” he said. “I don’t mind doing the travelling especially when things are going well but it was seriously getting hard, the way we were going and it didn’t really look like there was a way out.
“Since Christmas, the way our form has been I just think Elgin is a club going places.”
On boss Hale, he added: “All of the players have a lot of faith in him because we have seen it work and I couldn’t speak more highly of him.
“Training is a lot harder and it’s a case of getting used to it at the start, recovering more, there’s been more high intensity stuff.
“But anyone watching the games from the start of the season, we were just sitting in trying to hit on the break and get the odd goal. In games now, we are taking the game to teams and in the majority of matches we have more possession and we are creating more chances. There has been a big, big difference.
“It’s so much more enjoyable to play in this environment. At the start of the season it felt like we were just waiting on the other team scoring, really. We were looking for a lucky breakaway, now we are the team taking the game to our opponents.”
Dolzanski has even shown his willingness to make midweek trips north from Perthshire to join his team-mates for training sessions in Elgin.
“I work night shift as well so I generally come up on a Thursday night. The gaffer has been brilliant with me, knowing I will do what I can.
“I want to train with the team as much as possible so it's important to get me up at every opportunity, but sometimes if it getting a bit too much and he will let me train down the road. He has been really good with that which is another reason why I was happy to stay.
“You reap the rewards by training together as a group. A lot of the stuff for each Saturday is training based so it is important that you are there.
“I have spoken to him and he wants me up for all of the pre-season which is fine, because he really wants to start laying out the way he wants to play and it is important for me to be a part of that.
“I’m really enjoying it now. The time that the gaffer came in, results were the main thing and slowly but surely we are getting towards the way that he wants to play.
“I still think there will be a lot of changes yet in a positive sense, and I don’t think he has finished yet. Pre-season will be a big one and possibly we will see him bring in some of his own players, so it is exciting.”
Dolzanski was signed by former boss Gavin Price in the summer of 2022, based on his performances for East of Scotland League side Jeanfield Swifts.
The Perth club caused a Scottish Cup sensation last season by thrashing City 6-0 - a sore result for Dolzanski to take.
Scores like that, and battles near the foot of the table can become a thing of the past, he feels, if the club continues to move in its current direction.
“I have been at Elgin for two years and I’ve absolutely loved it. Everyone at the club, the supporters, everyone has been great.
“But in the last two years we have just missed relegation by the skin of our teeth and Elgin as a club should be doing a lot better. When you look at the attendances we get and the set-up of the club, we don’t want to be down there at the bottom again.
“Right now I am confident that from our form since Christmas, if we can replicate that, we will be right in amongst the play-offs next season.”
Dolzanski will return from suspension to the heart of City’s defence for their final game of the season on Saturday at home to a Clyde side in ninth place and still battling the drop.
“There’s still a chance we can finish sixth and from where we were when the manager came in and how it looked at times, finishing sixth would be a big, big statement.
“We will be looking for three points on Saturday to end on a high.”
Goals by Russell Dingwall and Ross Draper put City 2-0 up away to a Dumbarton side preparing for the promotion play-offs last Saturday, but the Sons hit back and a last minute equaliser robbed the Black and Whites of victory.
They have now drawn each of their last four outings against the top four sides in League 2.
