Really looking forward to taking up my new role as Carluke Rovers manager. This will be my first step into management after hanging up the boots this season.

Delighted that Fergie has agreed to step up as Assistant Manager for the season ahead. Great news also that Kenny & Meeky are both staying on as coaches, as I see them as valuable members of the team. Hopefully, in due course, we’ll be adding another coach or two to the backroom staff.

I’d like to thank Div for supporting me through the transition so far. He has done a great job since moving to Carluke a couple of seasons ago, and I know he won’t be a stranger around the place. I’ve also learnt a lot from him during my time playing under him at Forth.

After meeting the group over the past few months, it’s clear to see they are a close-knit bunch and a really good group of lads. I’m excited to see what the season ahead brings for them. I’ve always been fortunate enough to play with good groups throughout my career, and I don’t think the importance of that can be underestimated.

We’ve retained 13 players from last season’s squad so far, and we’ll be adding a few more in the coming weeks. We’ll continue to work hard to bring in the right players we feel are needed.

I’m also excited to see how the new under 20s develop this season. We’ll be keeping a close eye on them throughout the year and aiming to provide opportunities for these boys to step up into the first team during the season.

Pre-season starts in a month’s time, so we’ll need to hit the ground running to make sure we’re ready for the first game of the season.