Fitness is the priority for Lichties manager

Arbroath boss Dick Campbell will make wholesale changes for today’s Betfred Cup tie against Elgin as he continues to use the games to prepare his players for the start of the league campaign.

The Gayfield gaffer has made no secret of his opposition to the “crazy” early start to the season, especially for part-time sides like his own.

The manager is more concerned with building fitness and performances rather than gathering points in the group stages of the Betfred.

However, that did not stop him from lamenting the fact that he felt his team were hard done by when they were beaten 4-2 by Alloa in midweek.

He said: “There should never have been four goals in it.

“The first was offside, the second was a foul and the third an own goal.

“The lads did really well to get it back to 2-2 but I thought we controlled it in the second half and had 74% possession.

“That shows we were doing something right against a good Alloa side at a difficult place to go to. These games are all about getting fitness into the lads in preparation for the league kick-off and I will be making a lot of changes again for the game at home to Elgin.

“Gavin Swankie missed the Alloa match because of work commitments but he and Ryan McCord, who has been away, will return on Saturday.”

One player who will definitely not take part today is on-loan Lewis Toshney who has returned to parent club Dundee United.

The 26-year-old played the first 45 minutes against Alloa but suffered a recurrence of the knee injury that had kept him out for 10 months previously (see story left).

Campbell added: “It is a shame for Lewis as he wanted to give playing for us a go.

“We had a discussion after the Alloa game and he asked to go back to United as he did not feel right.

“The deal has now been cancelled and we wish the boy well.”