Skipper Alan back for Jags
East Kilbride Thistle have been handed a timely boost ahead of their first competitive action of the season, with skipper Alan McFadden returning to the squad after an injury lay-off.
And the 33-year-old, from St Leonards, insists he is fit and raring to go after intensive rehabilitation work on his achilles over the summer.
The Showpark side get their Sectional League Cup campaign underway tonight (Wednesday) at home to Blantyre Victoria in a group which also involves Cambuslang Rangers, Vale of Clyde and Rutherglen Glencairn.
McFadden is relishing the opportunity to pull on a Jags jersey again after missing their pre-season preparations and is delighted to be back ahead of schedule.
He told the News:“I haven’t been able to train for a while. I’ve had achilles tendonitis but now I’m back and hopfully I’ll be in contention to play this week.
“I feel ready to play because I’ve been through a vigorous training programme over the summer and I’ve not stopped.
“There’s been a lot of spin classes, swimming and endurance work to get back, so I’m physically fit. I just need to
get minutes under my belt now.
“It was bothering me a bit at the end of last season and I came to an agreement with Billy that I would rehab properly over the close season. Now I’m back quicker than expected.
“September was the target, so it’s great to be involved before the league games get going.”
The Jags, who host Cambuslang Rangers on Saturday in their second group match, do not begin their Central District Second Division campaign until August 27 with a trip to Ashfield.
As the club build towards the league campaign McFadden has been delighted with their summer acquisitions, with Chris Faulds, William Hastings, and East Kilbride FC duo Stephen Oates and Scott Edgar signing up.
But after coming up short in the hunt for promotion last season are the club in a better position to get out of Junior football’s bottom tier?
“I think we’ve progressed from last season,”said McFadden.
“Everybody comes to the Showpark now expecting a hard game so that’s changed days to when I started here three-and-a-half years ago.
“There was a bit of stigma about playing for Thistle then. People didn’t want to play for us because we got beaten all the time but we’ve been getting stronger and stronger every season.
“A lot of boys came in during January last season so they have all gelled with the rest of the squad now.
“The nucleus of our team last season is still there as well. With that, Billy’s added some new faces with Stephen Oates and Scott Edgar and they’ve definitely got something to bring to the team.
“It’s looking good for us.”