Stenhousemuir boss Marvin Bartley hails ace as 'ultimate professional' after Livingston win
Marvin Bartley on Stenhousemuir’s win against Livingston, Andrew Shinnie and new signing.
Stenhousemuir boss Marvin Bartley hailed Andrew Shinnie as the “ultimate professional” after the midfielder put his former side to the sword on Friday night.
The ex-Livingston ace, 37, scored after 13 minutes at Almondvale to earn the part-time Warriors a fourth consecutive Scottish Championship victory.
And picking up another three points has ensured that Stenhousemuir will stay top of the second-tier table heading into next Friday’s Premier Sports Cup quarter final clash with Hearts at Ochilview Park.
Still unbeaten as Stenhousemuir manager, delighted Bartley was full of praise for his side after they edged out a 1-0 win in West Lothian against his former employers.
Stenhousemuir ‘embraced’ top dog status
“We're delighted to win at a really tough venue against probably the league favourites or joint favourites with Partick Thistle,” the boss beamed. “It’s brilliant for the players. Honestly, I couldn't ask for more from them. They are giving me everything.
“Pre-season was really hard on them. Some of the boys probably thought ‘what is going on here?’ but they are getting their rewards now.
“We’re two days behind full-time teams so you have to be fit and be able to work extremely hard, and we are doing that. The players gave me absolutely everything out there and got the rewards for it.
“We know that we've got a target on our back now, and that becomes really difficult. But can we embrace that? Can we use that as a positive energy? I thought the players did that.”
Bartley also highlighted matchwinner Shinnie for his showing and the impact that has had on the group in general since joining the club last month.
The former Hibs and Rangers player has made the move to part-time football and has seamlessly settled into life at Stenhousemuir.
“I'm delighted for him as well.” he said. The way it ended for Andrew here at Livingston wasn't ideal. He is the ultimate professional, he really looks after himself.
“I think he's 37 years of age now and you wouldn’t know it. Everything we had worked on was shown in the goal that he scored.”
Meanwhile, matchday signing Hamzad Kargbo came off the bench late on to make his debut for Stenhousemuir, helping see out another three points.
A 6ft 6in forward, the Englishman bolsters the Warriors’ attacking options. He left Inverness Caley Thistle on Friday morning having previously been with Maidstone United last season.
Bartley said of his latest signing: “It just didn't work out for him for whatever reason at Inverness after moving up from Maidstone.
“Every player that we have signed to date has been based on a profile rather than the player's name. And that is no different with this signing. We needed a real physical presence up top, someone who will use it. I think you saw that when he came on.
“Once we realised he was leaving Inverness and there was a possibility he could come to us, we moved very quickly to make it happen. Today was the first day he met the boys.
“I'm going to get him a bigger shirt though because that shirt was a bit too tight!”