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Elgin star answers Clyde boss criticism


By Craig Christie

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ELGIN City midfielder Rabin Omar has smoothed over a row with League Two rivals Clyde ahead of Tuesday night’s crucial promotion clash between the clubs.

Rabin Omar in action during Elgin's 2-1 win over Clyde. Photo: Bob Crombie
Rabin Omar in action during Elgin's 2-1 win over Clyde. Photo: Bob Crombie

Omar (21) was accused by Bully Wee boss Danny Lennon after City’s 2-1 win over the Cumbernauld side on Saturday of celebrating his team’s success in front of the visiting supporters and calling them ‘scum of the earth’.

Last season while playing for Annan, Omar was a victim of racist abuse directed at him by Clyde midfielder Ally Love, who received a five-match SFA ban after being charged with excessive misconduct.

Both players were again in direct opposition at Borough Briggs last week but it was Omar’s reaction to the Clyde fans at full time which came under the spotlight.

Clyde manager Lennon said: “Rather than celebrate a fantastic win and performance with their own fans at their own ground, Elgin players went to go over and noise our fans up.

“I think that showed a different level, it lacked a bit of class or respect there.

“Players very quickly will go and say things that had happened in the past or whatever. But for a player of the calibre of Rabin Omar to come out and say that our fans are scum of the earth, I thought he was a better man than that.

“I’m not having anyone speaking to our football fans in that manner.”

Omar revealed how he spoke to Lennon after the incident and admitted he got carried away in his celebrations.

“I spoke to Danny inside and we had a wee chat. I’ve got the utmost respect for Danny Lennon and his team and what he has done at Clyde.

“For me it is just a bit of back-and-forth between a player and the fans. There is a little bit of history but for me it was just the feelings and the emotions getting the better of me at full time.

“I do think I let myself down at the end but at the same time its not often you feel like that after a game.

“The way things have panned out, getting the win, when in the two previous games against Clyde they have completely battered us 3-1 and 4-1 and it’s not been very pleasant every time we’ve played against them.

“So getting the victory, the emotions just got completely the better of me.

“I probably shouldn’t have done it and Danny Lennon is one hundred per cent right but at the end of the day, what is done is done.

“We go into Saturday’s game at Queen’s Park then we take on Clyde down there again on Tuesday.”

Omar was booed by the Clyde fans during Saturday’s match, with allegations also made that the visiting supporters were chanting Ally Love’s name.

The player quickly played down the situation and said he wants to focus on Elgin’s mission to try and catch his previous club Annan in the race for the play-offs.

He was proud to be part of an excellent City display on Saturday and feels they are hitting form at a crucial stage of the campaign.

“The team spirit is great, the run we have went on with one defeat in seven is an incredible run and you don’t do that without everyone working for each other,” said Omar.

“It was a completely workmanlike performance. We created the better chances, went ahead then conceded a dodgy goal but the work rate shown by the boys, even when they had nothing left in the tank, was just incredible.”

Omar knows it could come down to a straight battle between his current and previous club to grab fourth place and a shot at the play-offs.

“It’s good to see Annan doing well, my old club but at the same time they’ve got our spot in my opinion so we will definitely be hot on their heels,” he said.

“Our form leading up to the last quarter now is probably up there with the best, Annan have been the best team in the last two months so we will see who’s got what it takes in the last quarter.

“You don’t want to look too far ahead but that Annan game at the end of the month could be a real six pointer.

“The gap is down to eight points with a game in hand so we need to do our business, try and get it down to five and see how it goes from there.

“At this stage of the season anyone can beat anyone and all form goes completely out of the window.”


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