Loons boss Weir eyes further strengthening

Forfar Athletic boss Jim Weir has a full 18-man squad available for the Station Park side’s first pre-season friendly against Dunfermline this afternoon.

Weir has been mindful of the late finish to the previous campaign when he has put his players through six training sessions so far.

And now they have three matches to build up their sharpness ahead of the Betfred Cup group fixtures.

Weir said: “We haven’t killed them because after being in the play-offs, they’ve only had four weeks off.”

Weir believes he has added “a goal threat, a set-piece threat and experience” in the transfer window so far and hasn’t ruled out further signings.

“It depends what happens in preseason,” he said. “We could do with strengthening a couple of positions.”

Pars’ signing Matty Bowman will miss the friendly this afternoon – because he has had to go back to school.

The former Hull City and Middlesbrough youth penned a twoyear deal earlier this summer after two successful trials last term.

The 18-year-old left Hull two years ago to take on a football bursary at Repton School in Derbyshire and represented the Independent Schools side. And the right-back will now miss today’s friendly encounter with Forfar after heading back to his old school earlier this week.

Crawford said: “Young Matty has got an educational thing he’s got to go to.

“He had exams to complete and missed a couple of days at the start of pre-season, but we were fully aware of that when we signed him.

“But he’ll be back and available for the Dumbarton game on Tuesday.”

Today’s game has a 2pm kick-off.

Jim Weir has a full squad at hand.

Matty Bowman will miss the game.