Inverness Caley Thistle goalkeeper Mark Ridgers believes Dunfermline's relegation was warning shot to sides assuming they will be in Scottish Championship title race
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Mark Ridgers believes Dunfermline’s relegation disaster last season should serve as warning against lazy assumptions on Caley Thistle’s promotion and play-off chances.
The record-breaking goalkeeper, with an all-time club best 69 clean sheets, was distraught at seeing his team’s Premiership ambitions fall at the final hurdle against St Johnstone.
Everyone at the Caledonian Stadium will be motivated to go one better this season, but the experienced Ridgers has cautioned against complacency.
“The disappointment is there and hopefully that is enough to spur us on this season,” he said. “It was gutting to go that close, but the other side of it is by keeping the group together, we know what we’re all about. We know what we’re capable of.
“Other teams around us are strengthening and we know it is going to be difficult, but we’re capable of repeating what we did last year and going one step further.
“The most important thing is getting off to a good start again and trying to sort out that middle blip in the season we suffered last year.
“The one thing we know about the Championship is there are no guarantees. Just look at Dunfermline.
“They began as many people’s favourites to go all the way last year and ended up dropping out of the league altogether. That’s something we have to be really wary of.
“If you take anything for granted, next thing we will be looking at the wrong end of the table. We just have to start the season afresh and try to get as many points on the table as quickly as possible in the first quarter, then take it from there.”
Ridgers’ early season focus will fix purely on form.
“The Championship is going to be really hard to call,” Ridgers added.
“You have to go into the new season erasing any thoughts of winning league titles. It is about picking up as many points as possible. If we can start like last season, there will be no complaints.”
