Rutherglen Glencairn boss adds four new faces as he strengthens for title bid

Rutherglen Glencairn have made four signings this week and still hope to add at least one more, with boss Joe Pryce happy with preparations for the new season.

Pryce has brought goal-scoring favourite Jack McIlveen back from Gartcairn, while also adding goalkeeper Thomas Starrs from Pollok, and midfielders Andy McLaughlin from Cumnock, and Ross Paton from Fauldhouse on permanent deals.

An as-yet unidentified left-back is training with the club and could be close to agreeing a deal, while Pryce is also on the look-out for at least one more defender.

There is also a chance that Pryce might still add another striker, with negotiations ongoing between Glencairn and a West of Scotland Premier League club.

Pryce reckons one more defender will have his squad in shape for the start of the season.

McIlveen scored 35 goals in 69 starts and four substitute appearances over seasons 2021-22 and 22-23, earning him a move to West of Scotland Premier Division side Gartcairn.

Pryce said: “We got Jack tied up in the end. Jack did very well for us in his previous spell, and he’s starting to look the part again in training, so hopefully he can kick on.

“Andy McLaughlin came in as well, the young goalkeeper Tommy Starrs from Pollok came in.

“Pollok were kind enough to push Tommy Starrs, the goalkeeper, in our direction, and we’re good friends with the lads over there.

“We’re hoping to get another one in this week, a full-back who has impressed us in training.

“He’s more of a defensive type, and that’s what we’re looking for.

“We’ve got four strikers – Jack McIlveen, Scott Jarvie, Dillon Collins and Ryan McManus – so we have a potent front line, and we’re looking for a bit of defensive cover. We might get another defender in as well.

“As much as we made the forward line a priority, we’ve got our two goalkeepers and we have to make sure we’re tight at the back as well.

“We’re almost there. The priority is to get another centre-back, and once we get that, we’ll have our main targets.”

Pryce reckons his side are looking good as they prepare to welcome derby rivals Cambuslang Rangers for the William Skinner Memorial Cup match tonight [Wednesday, 7.30pm kick-off) at the Hamish B. Allan Stadium.

He said: “We’re looking okay. You can never tell until it starts, but what we’ve seen in training we’re happy with, and the four pre-season games will give us a measure of how we’re doing.

“The Cambuslang game is generally the season opener if we’re not in the same division, so that’s a good game for us and the fans to see the new signings.

“They’ll be looking to put one over on us, and we will be the same. We’ve got good friends at Cambuslang. It’s a local rival, but a friendly rival.

“We then have three top Premier League sides coming in Johnstone Burgh, Beith, the champions, and St Cadoc’s, who I think finished third or fourth last season.

“It’s a tough pre-season programme, but that’s what we’re looking for, and the standard of these teams is the level that we want to be able to reach.

“That will be a good bar for us to see where we are.”

West of Scotland League fixtures are issued this evening (Wednesday, 6pm) and Pryce is looking forward to mapping out his season.

He said: “It’s going to be another tough league when you look at the teams that have dropped down, came up, or are still here. But we’re ready for it and looking good.”

Meanwhile Glencairn have been handed a West of Scotland League Cup second round tie at Glasgow United, on the weekend of November 2.

They received a bye for the first round, with those ties to be played on October 5 weekend.

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