Playing for the jersey
Blantyre Vics boss John Gibson says it’s a brand new start for everybody at the club, as they prepare to move into two new leagues.
The first-team will be playing in tier six of the West of Scotland League, while an entire squad has been assembled to tackle the Under-20s Lowland Development League.
Gibson is looking forward to getting stuck in to the 20-team Premier division and has retained most of last season’s squad to make the step-up.
Sam Mackenzie and Mikey Archer have been added to Fraser Allan, Martin Smith, Simon Eeles, John Cunningham, Andy Sinclair, Liam Campbell, Dale Jones, Garry Campbell, Craig Kerr, Martin Smith, Ross Caldwell, Nadeem Zeb, Gavin Millar and Lewis Macdonald.
Gibson wants another couple of signings to strengthen, but says he’s happy with his lot.
“It’s like a brand new start for everybody,” he said. “We retained maybe 14 or 15 players, brought in another two, and I want another couple.
“I brought Sam Mackenzie back from Rob Roy, who was my top goal-scorer for two seasons, and Mikey Archer, who was at Royal Albert and Kilsyth.
“I’m looking to add another couple, and that will probably be me quite happy.
“We had a lot of interest in our players and teams were able to offer them a lot more money, so we had to persuade them to stay, to tell them this is the best place for them for maybe another year.
“I’m happy with the boys I’ve kept; they’ve done well for me and deserve the chance to play at that level.”
John added: “I think it will be a great league, a hard league. Blantyre Vics haven’t been in the top league for a long time, so it’s good to get them there.
“We’re in with the big boys and the players we’ve retained are good enough to at least compete at that level.
“We’re looking for mid-table, to avoid relegation in the first season, and we can build from there.”.
For their under-20 side, the Vics have brought in Brodie Flannagan, Haroon Ahmed, Craig Campbell, Kyle Macdonald, Steven Lynch, Alessandro Ventisei, Kian Dickson, Arran Russell, Kevin Springett, Jack Dunsmore, Brandon Fallon, Cameron Ross, Fraser Coutts, Dylan Phillips, Declan O’donnell, Lyle Mcgleish and Ryan O’neill, as well as goalkeepers Michael Mcglynn and Nathan Myles.