RIC MCGOWAN Kilwinning Rangers
hris Strain has challenged is players to prove they an handle the pressure of eing Premier contenders. The Kilwinning boss admits xpectancy levels are higher an they’ve ever been at the club anks to progress on and off the ark in recent years.
He’s all to aware too that the uffs are there to be shot down fter making no secret of their esire to progress through the agues as quickly as possible. Strain stops well short f making any bold or rash atements about what his side an achieve this season.
But he admits the pressure on his players to perform a standard that has them hallenging on all fronts, not ast at the top end of the West of cotland League.
He said: “I’ve warned the boys at there is an expectancy around ompeting for honours and it is up them to learn to cope with that. “We’re at a point in our journey here we have recruited over a umber of years to build a team rong enough to challenge. “We can no longer be content just go through the motions. I ant us to be a force. “Football has a funny way of cking you in the teeth when you ink you’re on the right track ut from where I’m looking at it, m expecting us to be u p there challenging at the right end of the table.
“I don’t make predictions but what I will say is we’re geared up to go forward and we won’t stand still.”
Strain has made shrewd additions over the summer with the arr ivals of defensive duo
Ross Smith and Kieran Wood and forward pairing Gavin Millar and Thomas Collins.
He reckons he now has the right squad at his disposal to go toe-totoe with the league’s biggest guns.
“We’ve done good business,” said Strain. “Over the piece, I’m really pleased with the quality we have from back to front. There’s a good blend and balance there.
“We have a realtively young squad with an average age of 24 buut everybody has played at this level or a higher one.
“This is our fifth season in the top flight and we know what it’s all about. That has to stand us in good stead.
“We know the league is going to be fiercely competitive this year from top to bottom. Every week there is going to be a team somewhere needing points whether it’s to stave off relegation or stay in touch at the top.
“For me, the likes of Auchinleck Talbot,Darvel, Pollok and Clydebank will be right up there. Talbot are still the team to beat in my eyes.
“We did well last season before everything stopped but it counts for nothing now.
“There are strong teams coming back into the fold which we have to consider.”
Strain admits he cannot wait to welcome fans back to revamped Buffs Park and reckons the new suroundings can only help his team in their quest for success.
“Having fans back in the ground is going to be fantastic,” he said. “We really missed them last season.
“A bonus for us is all the work that has been done on the ground in the last year or so. The place is looking tremendous.
“We’ve cover around the ground now which we didn’t have the last time supporters were here and that should really help us generate an atmosphere.
“For the first time since we left Abbey Park we have what looks and feels like a proper football ground.
“I’m hoping that gives us a proper home advantage which is maybe something we’ve missed since making the move a couple of years ago.”