It's Premiership play-off week and you better believe I’ve got a Dundee strip at the ready.
I’ve got Declan McDaid’s name on the back and I hope my mate scores a hat-trick.
I know I’m probably the only person associated with Hearts who wants Dundee to come up after what happened last summer.
But as an Ayr man, I’ll be delighted if they pull it off.
I’ve already had a few messages from Kilmarnock fans on social media.
I’m afraid I’m 100 per cent in Dundee’s corner, although it could be tough for them.
Anyone who scores goals going into these games is vital and big Kyle Lafferty has returned from overseas to do what he does. It shows you how good a player he is.
He’s capable of winning the tie for Killie on his own.
He’s proved it with the number of goals he’s scored – 12 – since pitching up at Rugby Park in February.
But hopefully he has a stinker in both games.
Dundee have been up and down with consistency a problem, albeit they have good players.
But the play-offs are what they are. It’s two cup games, which I’ve been involved in myself at Ayr. Everything goes out the window.
Our games against Airdrie in 2009 were brilliant.
We were 2-0 down in the first leg with 10 minutes to go and Mark Roberts scored two, then I scored the winner in the second leg.
I’ve never been lucky enough to win a league –which must be amazing – but the drama of the play-
offs is what it’s all about.
Being lucky enough to win one with Ayr was the highlight of my career.
The incentive for Dundee to get into the Premiership is massive and they probably should be there already.
The flip side is Killie will be desperate to avoid relegation because everybody knows how hard it is to come back up. Look at Dundee and their city rivals.
For everybody, the play-offs add a good bit of spice.
You look at the English leagues and it’s pure drama.
That’s something we maybe lose up here with the way it is structured but hopefully they are two right good games.
A major reason why Hearts don’t have to concern themselves with the play-offs has been Liam Boyce’s form this year.
Him scooping the PFA Scotland Championship Player of the Year award was well deserved after 14 goals.
I’ve been critical of Hearts this year but every single time, he’s been the player who has looked decent and done everything asked of him. The goals he’s scored at times have been pivotal.
It was a fitting award after a good season and for him now, it’s about proving he can play at the top end of the Premiership. But I’m confident he’ll do that.
Craig Gordon could have just as easily won the award as well.
We saw Rangers’ Allan McGregor winning the SPFL Player of the Year in the Premiership, which shows just how vital keepers are in any team that wins a league.
But scoring goals is the hardest thing in the game and as much as they’ve huffed and puffed at times, Boycey’s done it consistently over the full season.
