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Alloa title will mean more to me than Celtic successes - Hartley

Alloa Athletic manager Paul Hartley believes winning the Scottish third division title will be a greater success than helping Celtic to the 2007 Premiership.

The 35-year old former Hoops midfielder took the reins at Recreation Park last summer and has the Wasps sitting 11 points clear on top of the table in Scotland's fourth tier.

Although Hartley admits it was a great achievement to help Gordon Strachan's side win the SPL title, he feels managing a team to glory, albeit in a lower division, will be more rewarding.

"If we win the league this weekend - and I stress it's an if - it will be a more significant achievement for me, personally," Hartley said.

"Winning the SPL with Celtic was special, of course it was.

"I was 30 years old and it was my first championship win as a player and something I'll remember forever.

"But it's different being a manager, a lot bigger. It would top anything I've done as a player.

"I've deliberately tried not to think about it because nothing is guaranteed. We could still end up with nothing this season.

"Football has a nasty habit of kicking you in the teeth just when you think things are going well. But if we do win it then it will mean the world.

"I know Celtic have a big game at Kilmarnock on Saturday, but I'll only be focused on Alloa.

"People don't realise, we only had one player when I took over and I had to sign 21 boys.

"We brought in a whole new team and started from scratch. With all that in mind winning the league would be amazing. But we are not there yet."

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Andrew Slevison
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