Wanderers are eager for new challenge

Forth Wanderers can’t wait to get stuck in to the West of Scotland League, and say they have big things coming out of Kingshill Park this summer.

They go into Conference A of the new set-up, alongside teams like Arthurlie, Lesmahagow and Shotts, having ended their SJFA tenure in West League Two last season.

Co-manager Graham Cairns says everybody is excited about what lies ahead.

He said:“it’s an opportunity for a lot of teams. It’s an extremely competitive league, and the difficult thing is going to be getting out of it.

“There are probably half a dozen teams in that league that would do very well higher up.”

Cairns added:“we played several teams who were above us during the season and did very well. In any friendlies or whatever we’ve competed really well with the teams above us.

“We’re really excited, really looking forward to it. The committee, players, everybody is really excited and looking forward to the new set-up.

“We can’t wait to get started – whenever that might be.”

To that end, Cairns and co-manager Thomas Devine have re-signed 15 of their squad of 19 from last season, and Cairns hopes more will follow.

He said:“we’ve extended the contracts of 15 of the 19 players who were in the squad last season, and we’re really pleased with that. It’s a cracking group, so we’re really happy with the guys we’ve kept on.

“That’s a great foundation and we just want to add two or three wee bits of quality to that and we will be in a good place.

“We’ve been active, we’re very busy and we’ve been quite encouraged by the amount of people who have expressed an interest in coming down to see us .”

Forth will also enter the Development League, linking with Motherwell FC Community Trust.

Cairns said:“that’s a first for Forth, they’ve never had any youth teams, so we’ve put that in place.

“We’re fully involved in that league, and we’ve established a pathway into senior football because at Motherwell once they reached 19 they were finished.”