Managing expectations is something Cove Rangers and Paul Hartley may have to add to their arsenal for next season.
Hartley, who has been named the League One manager of the season after guiding Cove to the League One title, is at the helm for his fourth season with the club as they prepare for their biggest step yet.
Year on year, going back to their time in the Highland League, followers of Cove have been used to witnessing success.
Some thought their first season in the SPFL would be one of consolidation. Not so – they swept to the League Two title with a double-digit margin of victory in the Covid-shortened 2019-20 campaign.
They followed that up with a defeat in the play-off semi-finals in League One the following year. Progress, while not totally unabated, was marching on at a fair pace.
In 2022, they got over the line in some style, on the back of a 26-game unbeaten run and a title race in which Airdrieonians had pushed them as far as they could go.
But stepping up to the Championship three years out of the Highland League cannot be lost amid the hoopla and plaudits. The club is heading to somewhere it has never been before and, as impressive as Cove have been, they will need to up their game again.
‘You’ve got to be strong, fit, organised, disciplined’
“People at Cove and Cove fans expect to be challenging for titles – it’ll be a totally different season for us,” said Hartley. “Our main aim is to make sure we’re competitive in every game and we won’t make any predictions.
“It’d be massive for us to stay in the league. We’ll have to see what other teams will be in there with us, but some of them in there now are so strong.
“Every week, you’re going to have to be on your game. You’ve got to be strong, fit, organised, disciplined. We’re not under any illusions – we want to be as strong as we can and make it difficult for teams every single week.”
Developments are expected to be made on and off the park, with improvements at the Balmoral Stadium, steps taken towards a hybrid model of player contracts in the future and developments in the youth department of the club.
All this serves to take Cove on to another level, with significant growth undergone since their arrival into the Scottish leagues in 2019.
“You’re one tier away from the Premiership – three years ago you were four tiers away, so it’s a massive difference,” said Hartley. “The rise has been incredible and perhaps quicker than expected for some.
Cove keeping an eye on younger players
“We would rather be here than not. I believe we will be ready, but there’s a lot of work to be done between now and the start of the season.”
There is work to be done on the squad. While the vast majority are under contract for next season, there are some key areas for Hartley to target.
While the core group they have has played an immensely strong role in them getting to this point, they do need help.
“Recruitment will be the key thing for us,” added Hartley. “We’re not silly, we need some players that are going to help us. We’ve not got a big squad.
“Some players will move on and we have to be as strong as we can. We can’t go into this league thinking we’re OK.
“We’ve recruited well every year. We’ve got a good core of players here, an experienced squad. We’ll maybe look to go down a younger route, to get more legs and speed in the team.
“My job is to do that as best as I can.”