Midfielder Daniel McManus is convinced this season’s League Two will be wide open.
No team boasts a 100 per cent record after the opening two fixtures with Elgin City, Spartans and Forfar Athletic sharing top spot with four points.
Stranraer are yet to get on the board but no prizes are handed out in August.
McManus said: “You saw last season as well that coming into the last few games there were maybe three points between fourth and eighth.
“Obviously, with Dumbarton and Edinburgh City last year it was a little bit different.
“You see how tight the league is.
“Anyone can beat anyone on any day really.
“Some team could run away with it but I don’t see that happening just because of how tight the league is.”
Spartans are the visitors to The LIME Stadium at Stair Park on Saturday.
The Edinburgh side won the first meeting between the two teams last season thanks to two second half goals.
However, Stranraer would go on to pick up nine points from the remaining three league fixtures.
McManus said: “We all know what Spartans are like.
“They are a really good team, they will be really difficult to play against, as they always are, and they move the ball well.
“But we know in the group that there is nothing to be feared.
“We know it will be tough but we know that we can go on our pitch and get the win.”
Former East Kilbride man McManus made his first appearance of the season on Tuesday night when he came on against Alloa Athletic.
A troublesome knee injury has hampered him this term – and last – but he was hopeful he was well on the road to recovery.
He is also hopeful that a busy schedule could prove to his benefit in trying to get up to speed.
The 21-year-old, who graduated from the University of Strathclyde this summer after studying pharmacology and immunology, said: “It has been a tough pre-season for me, especially with picking up that knock against Morton.
“I thought during the off season that I had got it sorted.
“The knee was feeling better but then I obviously re-aggravated it against Morton and that set me back a bit.
“But it is feeling a lot better, I’m getting the right treatment on it and hopefully it can be sorted and I can play through the whole season.”
Last meeting
Aaron Quigg’s third goal of the season against Spartans ensured it was Stranraer picking up three points at Ainslie Park in April.
Sallu Turay collected a long ball and slotted home an early opener for what would prove to be his last goal for the club. However, Mark Stowe levelled things five minutes before the break with a finish from inside the box.
Then, with under quarter of an hour left, Quigg got on the end of a fine team move to grab the winner.
Spartans: Carswell, Watson, Booth (Drysdale 69), Tapping (Waugh 46), Nair (Whyte 46), Sonkur, Dishington, Russell, Craigen (Lawless 79), McNulty, Stowe.
Not used: Aiken, Wylie, Ndlovu and Meek.
Stranraer: Tas, Reid, McGrath, Dunne, Gillies, Coll (Ecrepont 75), Quigg, McManus (Dolan 75), Hunter (Stuart 62), Turay (Hughes 75), Lang.
Not used: Docherty, Lynch, McKnight and Henderson.
Last five meetings
- Spartans 1 Stranraer 2 (Stowe; Turay and Quigg) at Ainslie Park on April 11, 2026
- Stranraer 2 Spartans 1 (Cleland and Quigg; Own goal) at The LIME Stadium at Stair Park on February 21, 2026
- Spartans 0 Stranraer 4 (Lang, Russell (Pen), Quigg and Dunne) at Ainslie Park on November 22, 2025
- Stranraer 0 Spartans 2 (Dishington and Russell) at The LIME Stadium at Stair Park on September 13, 2025
- Spartans 2 Stranraer 1 (Walls and Russell; Guthrie) at Ainslie Park on April 5, 2025
Last five games
Stranraer
- LOSS v Alloa Athletic (A): 2-1 (Trialist)
- LOSS v Annan Athletic (H): 0-1
- LOSS v Clyde (A): 3-1 (Hughes)
- LOSS v Falkirk (A): 3-0
- LOSS v Edinburgh City (H): 0-2
Spartans
- DRAW v East Fife (A): 2-2 (Stowe and own goal)
- DRAW v Edinburgh City (H): 2-2 (McNulty (Pen) and Whyte)
- WIN v Annan Athletic (A): 2-4 (Walls, Craigen, McNulty x2 (Pen x1))
- WIN v Montrose (A): 0-2 (Craigen and Ross)
- LOSS v Dundee United (A): 4-0
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Alloa Athletic: Henderson, Ecrepont (McLuckie 59), Nair, Lynch (Dunne 59), Cameron (Healy 78), Dolan (Binnie 78), Quigg, Traynor, Hughes (McManus 60), Dobbie (Trialist 66), Cleland.
Not used: Stuart and Currie
Spartans
Lineup v East Fife: Martin, Mudie, Dall (Dishington 57), Sonkur, McKay, Ross, Russell (Dinanga 46), Walls (Purves 81), Heal, Stowe (See 57), Whyte.
Not used: Innes, Taylor and Campbell.
Transfers
Stranraer
Ins: Murray Binnie (St Johnstone), Zach Bruce (Hibernian, loan), Connor Cameron (Renfrew), Dean Cleland (Hibernian), Lewis Dobbie (East Kilbride), Lewis Gillie (Hibernian, loan), Aaron Healy (Arthurlie), Mark McLuckie (Bo’ness United), Kenzi Nair (Heart of Midlothian), Dominic Plank (Heart of Midlothian) and Archie Traynor (Kilmarnock, loan).
Outs: Ryan Edgar (Cumnock Juniors), Matthew Gillies (Heart of Midlothian, end of loan), Lewis Hunter (Caledonian Braves), Deryn Lang (Dumbarton), Joseph McGrath (Hibernian, end of loan), Kirk McKnight (Annan Athletic), Corey O’Donnell (Annan Athletic), Lewis Reid (Ross County), Tommy Sharp (Cumnock Juniors), Lyndon Tas (Heart of Midlothian, end of loan), Sallu Turay (Linlithgow Rose), Sean Docherty and Robbie Foster.
Spartans
Ins: Ricardo Dinanga (Shrewsbury Town, loan), Ben Heal (University of Stirling), David Mackay (Alloa Athletic), Matthew Mudie (Dundee United, loan) and Mackenzie Ross (Heart of Midlothian, loan).
Outs: Murray Aiken (Edinburgh City), Harvey Chisholm (Dundee United, end of loan), Sam Coats (Penicuik Athletic), Jake Davidson (Inverness Caledonian Thistle, end of loan), Josh Laing (Bonnyrigg Rose), Adam Meek (Brechin City), Kenzi Nair (Heart of Midlothian, end of loan), Given Ndlovu (Musselburgh Athletic), Mackenzie Scott (Bonnyrigg Rose), Kieran Watson (Bonnyrigg Rose), Kevin Waugh (Stirling Albion), Archie Wylie (Civil Service Strollers, loan), Callum Booth (retired), Steven Lawless (retired) and Paul Watson.
Five facts
- Robbie Foster’s goal for Stranraer means he is the first player to score in the 83rd minute since Deryn Lang found the net against East Fife on March 15 last year.
- Stranraer were permitted to use six substitutes at the Indodrill Stadium due to a concussion for Connor Cameron. The last time they did that within 90 minutes was in a 4-1 win away to Stenhousemuir in December 2021. Scott Robertson, Anton Brady, Ayrton Sonkur and Tommy Muir found the net for the Blues, after Tom Orr scored for Stenhousemuir. The visiting team was: Baker, Robertson, Sonkur (Burns 36), Muir (Moore 72), Ellis, Ross, McIntosh, Brady (Smith 68), Hawkshaw (Rennie 72), Watson (Walker 89), Yates (Irving 89). Not used: Scullion, Langan and Ngoy.
- Former Stranraer defender Graham Guy celebrates his 43rd birthday on Saturday. Signed from St Mirren in the summer of 2003, he made more than 20 appearances before going on to play for Cowdenbeath, East Fife and Berwick Rangers.
- If selected, James Dolan will make his 100th appearance in a Stranraer shirt. The midfielder, who is in his second spell at the club after a year in Spain, has started 74 games and come off the bench in 25. Along the way, he has scored 11 goals – making him the top scorer out of the current squad.
- One more goal for Aaron Quigg against Spartans would take him level with Craig Malcolm as Stranraer’s top scorer in meetings with the capital club. All four of Malcolm’s goals came in a 7-1 win, 10 years ago this weekend!
Admission
Admission is ‘pay at the gate’. Season tickets are valid for Saturday’s opening home league game, and available to purchase.
Away fans can enter the ground from the away turnstile opposite the main stand. This turnstile is cash only.
The following pricing applies:
- Adult – £17
- Concession (over 65) – £12
- Youth (5 to 16) – £6
- Under 5 – FREE
Pavilion Bar
Pop into our ever-popular Pavilion Bar outside the away turnstile from 1pm for a pre-match refreshment with fellow fans.
Home, away and neutral supporters are warmly welcomed, and the bar accepts both cash and card.
Or, stop off at the Stranraer FC Fitba’ Bar on North Strand Street in the town centre, which is also open to all.
Merchandise
Our new replica away shirts will be available for purchase at the stadium. You can order yours online now, along with a range of Blues merchandise
As ever, the hut at the McLeans Taxis Stand entrance is stocked with all three kits, exclusive Adidas teamwear, hats, scarves, umbrellas, pin badges, key rings, stickers and much more.
Cash and card payments are accepted.
Podcast
In this week’s edition of club podcast Look Blues Talking, we hear from Aaron Healy and Edin Lynch, while Laurence and Brian look back on the past two games and preview this weekend’s meeting Spartans.
Coverage
If you can’t make it, you can:
- follow our live matchday updates on X (formerly Twitter)
- stream the live video via the brand new SPFL Player for £10.99
The manager’s post-match reaction will be available on YouTube following the game.
Club 1870 subscribers get a first look at the goals on Saturday night, along with full match footage.
Extended highlights will be available via YouTube by Sunday morning, with Laurence Nelson and Brian Martin on commentary.
Photos: Bill McCandlish, Dylan Heron, Colin Poultney (Collarge Images)