SOME Scottish rugby clubs keep ticking along from year to year without making any serious impression outwith their own environs. Others seem to live in a state of permanent decline and internecine bickering. And then there are a few organisations, who have managed dramatic progress and dragged themselves up through the grassroots structure with a messianic desire to be the best they can be.

It wasn't so long ago that Marr RFC existed in the lower tier of the domestic game, with scant sign they would transform that situation. Yet, in the space of five or six years, bolstered by the indefatigable endeavour of a host of volunteers, a hard-working committee, a prescient president, Kevin Quinn, and a canny coach, Craig Redpath, the Ayrshire club have savoured success at Murrayfield and climbed to the summit of the Scottish National League with three wins out of three.

Last Saturday, they met Aberdeen Grammar and finished up as 35-27 victors, despite some "sloppy errors", in the words of their mentor, Redpath, a famous figure in his playing days at Melrose, prior to his advancement into coaching at Ayr and now Marr.

That triumph followed on from hard-fought successes over Musselburgh and GHA, but while Redpath refuses to be drawn on the prospect of his charges winding up in the Premiership next season – an achievement which would be utterly staggering – there is no secret to this team's success, on or off the pitch. Quite simply, they are thriving on the philosophy that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains, and have added a sprinkling of a little word which remains very important, namely "fun". Or, as Redpath told me: "Sometimes, when you set yourselves goals and look too far ahead, you forget to enjoy the times when things are going well and I've told my squad that I'm proud of them and I want them to savour whatever good results come their way.

"It is still very early in the campaign, and we should have a clearer indication of where we are a month from now after taking on Kelso – who we have never beaten – and then the three big Edinburgh clubs – Watsonians, Stew-Mel and Accies on the bounce, which will be a test.

"But, last year at this point, we still hadn't won a match, so it certainly feels as if we are moving in the right direction. And, having watched these lads push themselves on in the last few years, I know they have no shortage of ambition or talent."

Redpath cut his teeth at The Greenyards, one of the jewels in the Borders crown, and is accustomed to the notion of never settling for second best. It's an attitude shared by Quinn, a man who makes no secret of his aspirations.

"The current purple and gold journey really began in 2009 when we made changes behind the scenes to the club's management and we took a cold, hard look at ourselves and asked why, with such a strong mini and midi set-up, we weren't seeing that potential converted into senior rugby as well as it might be," said Quinn. "We wanted, and continue to strive towards this, to provide the opportunity for our young players to grow and develop, as part of a successful club and, along the way, enjoy the whole experience of playing good quality rugby with quality coaching available to them.

"It's a long-term process, but our senior squads have brought into this and are working their socks off and plenty of people are doing their best to help them. We know we have a long way to go, and we want to ensure our success is sustainable, but it has been exciting in the last few years and we aim to build on that."

Redpath is no starry-eyed dreamer. On the contrary, as somebody who benefited from the pragmatic grit of Jim Telfer, he is keen to keep his charges' feet on the ground even as they set their sights higher. That's understandable, given his contention that this season's SNL is the toughest he has ever seen.

"Usually, you can look at the fixture schedule and pinpoint a few matches which you expect to win, but there is so much competition that it is going to be a huge battle between us and the Edinburgh clubs and Aberdeen and Dundee and the Borders representatives," said Redpath.

"Mind you, it's great to be in this position, especially when we still haven't produced our best form over 80 minutes. I was pleased with the way the boys stuck in against Musselburgh, despite some setbacks in the early stages, and eventually came out on top [37-32].

"But this will be intense throughout the autumn and the winter and we just have to try and stay focused. It's a young squad, and we will have to avoid picking up too many injuries in the months ahead, but, to be honest, these lads have already exceeded my expectations. When I arrived here, I thought we would be doing well to climb to the third tier. But here we are, at the moment, on top of the second. It's a testimony to the way the club has more supporters, more sponsors, and more volunteers, and that is a nice position to be in."

Johnny Marr and his Smiths band-mates once enjoyed a hit with "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now."

But any connection between him and the rugby club which bears his name is entirely coincidental.