Mart: No repeat of last summer shambles at Lea
MARTIN CAMPBELL’S start to the season at Neilston can be viewed as nothing but a positive for the East Renfrewshire club.
The harsh lessons of last season when Marty and assistants John Boyd and John Paul Dow took charge of a Brig O’Lea dressing room containing only three signed players hasn’t been forgotten as he was at pains to point out last night.
He said: “Looking back now, I can only agree that things were a bit shambolic and the result was the team was at sixes and sevens, starting away in our opening matches.
“I said then it would never happen to me again and thankfully we were able to agree contract terms with those players we wanted to retain from last season’s squad long before Neilston had played their last game.
“The club officials have also helped in no small way to get our transfer business done early doors, so I’m well satisfied that at our first pre-season training session last Monday night we had 23 bodies taking part, of which 16 are signed players.
“If we can get three or four hungry and talented newcomers to emerge from the remainder, then I feel we’ll be in a far better place for when the competitive stuff gets underway than we were this time last year.”
Arguably standing out as Neilston’s showcase addition to their playing squad is former Hibs, Albion Rovers and Arthurlie striker Paul “Tiny” Stewart, who has been snapped up from Erskine-based outfit Bridgewater Amateurs and joins another five close-season recruits made by the hardworking Campbell.
The Farmers Boys gaffer revealed: “Tiny was forced to drop out of the Juniors because of work commitments, but they have been resolved and he is available on Saturdays so I’m looking forward to working with someone of his quality.
“The same applies to the other guys who have come on board, Simon McBryde, a box-to-box player with an eye for goal who was with us at Greenock after coming to our attention with his displays for Port Glasgow Under 21’s.
“We also have the highly-rated midfielder Daryl Convery (son of ex- Arthurlie striker Stevie) who made a good impression in his first season in the Juniors at Dunterlie last season, so much so I was surprised we managed to get him for a nominal transfer fee.
“Our other confirmed newcomers to date are Gareth Brown, Johnny McStay and Connor Milne, who were part of the Johnstone Burgh side relegated last time out, and I feel they have something about them and could well develop into decent Juniors.”
Neilston host Whitletts Vics in their first pre-season friendly this Saturday prior to a midweek Lesser Hampden encounter with Queen’s Park Under 20s that is followed by a teambonding excursion to Tayside to take on Forfar West End on Saturday 22nd July.
Martin added: “I’ve always believed in the merits of a bus trip away from home as a means to getting players to gel so hopefully there will be clear signs of us coming together after next weekend.
“We’ll still have a couple of friendly matches to be played at that point and our preparations will be all about getting our season off to a good start but more so in our league games rather than the Sectional League Cup.
“Last season we finished 17 points off a promotion place and our No.1 aim is to try and make up that leeway particularly with league reconstruction looming up ahead of us.”
Elsewhere, Beith top scorer Ross McPherson will remain at Bellsdale after going back on his decision to move abroad through work commitments.
And a goalkeeper on the lookout for a new club is East Kilbride-based Ryan Mailey, 24, who was previously on the books of Benburb, Shettleston and Arthurlie and can be contacted on 07948292251.