Cambuslang Rangers co-boss Billy Campbell says a rebuilding job is still underway at Somervell Park as they prepare for the new season, which he reckons will be ‘10 times tougher’ than last term.
Following their West of Scotland Football League Conference B title win by a huge 15 points during the 2021/22 season, Camby are now getting ready for life in the Premier Division.
Facing up against teams like Auchinleck Talbot and Darvel will be no walk in the park and Campbell knows a massive jump in opposition awaits his team this campaign.
They have already lost key marksman Scott Williamson to Queen’s Park and veteran John Gemmell is moving on, but they have been buoyed by the impressive capture of Brechin City top scorer David Cox.
There isn’t much of a break awaiting the Wee Gers manager and fellow co-boss Paul McColl, but that’s because there’s much work to do on a squad that is returning for pre-season.
He said: “It’s a bit of a strange time for managers now. You are trying to set up for the next season and we have a tough gig ahead of us now.
“We thought it was going to be tough last season, it’ll be the same times 10 this year. We are in the process of getting players and speaking to players, to see who we can bring into the club.
“We will obviously retain some of the players we had last season which is great and obviously some of the boys are going to be moving on and go to other teams.
“We will also be bringing in fresh blood to the club so there’s going to be a bit of a mix of it all. We’re starting pre-season in the next week so it’s a bit of a weird one for management teams, as you don’t tend to get much of a break – much to my wife’s dismay!”
While not getting much of a break himself, the players have been off since April 30 and recruitment work will continue in a bid to keep themselves in the Premier Division, which gets underway on July 30.
Campbell added: “The players will be fine. They have had a bit of a break but we do have a wee bit of a rebuild ahead of us. We need to make sure that now we are in this division, we stay in this division. That’s the first challenge for us.
“It’s a massive jump and probably one the size of two divisions the way things are structured, so we’re not disillusioned with regards to the challenge that is ahead of us.”
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