Owen Coyle makes Dundee chaperone joke with Queen's Park boss clutching perfect omen for playoff push

Owen Coyle hopes his perfect play-off record on British soil is an omen as Queen’s Park look to plant their feet firmly in the top flight.

Four times - twice as a player and twice as a boss - the Spiders’ manager has been involved in the end of season drama and on each occasion he’s emerged victorious. Three of those have seen his side make the leap into the top tier just as Queen’s hope to do for the first time since 1958.

And none have been bigger than when he led Burnley to a stunning Wembley victory over Sheffield United in front of 80,000 supporters in 2009. This evening marks 14 years since the start of that journey when a Graham Alexander penalty was enough to give the Clarets a 1-0 semi final first leg lead against Reading. The Royals were also the victims when Coyle scored for Bolton in a thrilling 4-3 success in the same final as a player in 1995.

A year later he netted for Dundee United in extra time as the Tangerines booked a return to the Premier League with a dramatic play-off victory over tonight’s opponents Partick Thistle.

Coyle’s last taste of the play-offs came just 12 months ago when he took charge of Queen’s in time to guide them over the line and into the Championship. Indeed his only negative experience came in Indian football as boss of Chennaiyin and Jamshedpur.

But arguably all of those achievements would be put in the shade if the 56-year-old can finish the job and take the Spiders into the Premiership with a third successive promotion.

Asked if he believes in omens, Coyle said: “If that works I’ll take it! I’ve been very lucky in football, both as a player and a manager. I won play-offs north and south of the border in both capacities, so we know how it is to win.

“I haven’t lost a play-off,