JP Hungry for Success

Clyde midfielder Jon Paul McGovern spoke to the official website as the Ladbrokes League Two season draws to a close and he and his team-mates gear up for a big finish.

McGovern was keen not to dwell on Saturday’s defeat against Arbroath. He said: “Saturday was a bit of a blip but the boys need to take confidence from the run that we had been on and the way we have been playing. 

“Without trying to sound like I’m using too many clichés, it really is five cup finals coming up. Saturday showed us that we need to take it one game at a time but it is nice to be in the position we are in with five games to go. The bottom line is if we win our next five games, we will win the league and that is a huge incentive for the boys.”

McGovern, who won the English League One play-offs with Sheffield Wednesday, is just one of a number of players in the squad to have won promotion with a previous club and he believes that experience could be key.

The 35-year-old said: “I think the experience in the squad will be vital over the next few weeks. The age of some of the boys doesn’t really come into it – if you are fit enough and training well then you are selected by the manager and I think the experience we have can only help. 

“I was lucky enough to play in the Sheffield Wednesday side that got promoted and that team was similar. We didn’t have individuals playing for themselves, we had a great team who played well together and did really well. We had a great team morale and that is what got us through and I think it is similar at Clyde. We know that when we are on form we are a hard team to beat.”

The midfielder is also hoping he can use his experience to help develop some of the younger members of the squad. He added:

“Ross Millen has come in and done fantastically in the sitting role. Personally I think that could be his position going forward in his career – he is so comfortable on the ball, positionally he is good, he moves about the pitch well and he is a good talker for someone so young. 

“A big part of my role in the team is to help the younger boys and pass on my experience but you would need to ask Ross himself if I was helping and see if he had anything nice to say about me!”

McGovern recently netted his first goal for the club and he revealed his 48th minute strike against Annan Athletic came just moments after Barry Ferguson had been giving him stick for his lack of goals. 

He joked: “The gaffer asked me at half-time if I was ever going to score! He was giving me pelters because I had a shot in the first half that their boy touched just before I volleyed it and I’m not sure if it has come back from the roof of the stand yet! So it was good to score just after the break. 

“My mum and my little boy were at the game and it was great for them to see us win and to nick a goal was nice.”

Although McGovern was pleased to break his Clyde duck, he is solely focused on success for the team rather than individual glory. He concluded by explaining: “The manager puts big demands on the players and we all know that we need to be playing well and giving it our all. It’s a great bunch of boys. There’s nobody in the team who is happy sitting back and watching other boys doing the hard work, everyone wants to muck in and do their bit. 

“With Ross now playing in behind I’d like to think that during the run-in I will be able to get on the ball and make things happen. I will try to create chances and do my bit and play my part for the team – if that is further forward or deeper… or even in goals then it really doesn’t matter as long as we win. 

“I hope I can play an important role but if we win our games and win the league then I really don’t care if I am playing or not playing, as long as Clyde are winning. We all want to win something and I hope that the effort that the boys are putting in makes that clear for everyone to see.”