Airdrie boss Rhys McCabe says he doesn't pay too much attention to fixture lists, but had a look at his side's start and will make sure they're ready for their League One opener at Peterhead on July 30.
It's the 29-year-old player-boss' first competitive league match in charge of the Diamonds, and McCabe will spend the next few weeks bringing in the right players to add to the bulk of last season's squad, who have re-signed.
McCabe says he will use the NL Cup at Broadwood on July 2 and 3, and the Premier Sports Cup as preparation, with a few friendly matches added to that.
The NL Cup sees Airdrie come up against Stirling Albion in the semi-final, with the winner playing either hosts Cumbernauld Colts or Albion Rovers in the final, and McCabe says he needs to be careful with game-time.
Airdrie are also in Group E in the Premier Sports Cup, alongside Premiership side St Mirren, Arbroath from the Championship, League One rivals FC Edinburgh, and Lowland League outfit Cowdenbeath.
He said: "The new fixture list doesn’t bother me, to be perfectly honest – you have to play everyone anyway, so whenever you get them, or whatever the fixtures are, it’s not really something I look too closely into.
“But I had a wee look, and Peterhead away is the first fixture, and the lads will be ready and looking forward to it.
“I’m just hoping for another positive campaign, and I’m sure the boys that we’ve got will be able to apply themselves correctly, and we’ll be ready come the Peterhead game, definitely."
On the pre-season schedule, McCabe said: "We'll have friendlies, but we'll also use the NL Cup and Premier Sports Cup as preparation.
"I was here for the NL Cup last season and a few of the boys have been here for a couple of years, so they know the teams in there.
“It’s also over the Saturday-Sunday, so you’ve got to watch in terms of the loads that you’re putting the boys through.
“You can’t be asking the boys to put in 90 minutes on the Saturday and on the Sunday, so you’ve got to manage your squad and give certain boys the right amount of minutes.
“That will involve a big of juggling about and maybe a chance to look at a few players.
“As for the Premier Sports Cup, we’d like to go as far as possible and do as well as we can, but that all depends on squad size, who we have available, and taking it from there.”
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