With pre-season well underway, Manager, Gary Naysmith is delighted with the way the squad is coming together.

Having already recruited, goal-keeper, Alan Martin, defenders, Callum Fordyce and Shaun Rooney along with midfielder Andrew Stirling, the gaffer is still looking to sign a minimum of three other players.

"We are aware that we still need to add, a central defender, a midfielder and a striker.  But we have to be patient as players aren't available, or we've been priced out of some or they've chosen to go elsewhere, so for now we just have to sit and wait". 

"We might even have to wait to see who becomes available on the loan market or see if a player who maybe didn't have us as his first choice as he wanted to play a bit higher, realises that it's not going to happen and he comes back to us to see if the interest is still there". 

"If I can get a striker who can also play in midfield then great as it means I only need one rather than two, but we're going to need three players". 

The ones who have joined the players who were with us last season have fitted in well.  The manager added "It helps that some of them having already played with each other before. Andrew and Calum have both played with Scott Mercer, Andrew and Alan were together at Dumbarton, Callum and Ky Jacobs played together at Livingston, they still live near each other and are good friends.  And of course everyone knows people like Derek Lyle, so there is nobody that doesn't already know someone". 

"The new boys are already holding court, that usually takes a few weeks to happen, so at the moment I'm happy, I'm really happy with the atmosphere". 

"I want to run with a squad of 20.  We have that already but that includes three keepers and youngsters, Connor Murray, Ross Ferguson, Jesse Akubuine and Owen Bell.  If they impress then great they'll get their chance but if they need to go out on loan then it leaves us short so we need three players yet". 

"I'm happy to run with a squad of 20 and hope we have a bit of luck and don't get injuries or suspensions, but if we do then we will cross that bridge when we come to it". 

"We don't have the biggest budget; we're probably at the lower end so we can't afford to carry squads of 24/25. But we knew that when we took on the job.  I'd rather have 20 players I'm happy with, including youngsters who the others can help along". 

"When I was at East Fife there was about 30 of 150 games where I only had three subs, that didn't bother me, because you can only use three!  So if you have a sub keeper and three outfield players available then working with a smaller squad doesn't worry me.  Yes if you get injuries to key experienced players then you're going to struggle but everyone would". 

"If we can avoid injuries etc it's easier to manage and there's a real togetherness".

"You can't account for these things happening and if they do then you have to go to the Board and see if there's any money that would allow us to bring anyone in, if they can they will, they've already shown that to be the case.  But I don't want the Club going into debt so if there is no money available then we have to go out with the begging bowl and say to Clubs we can give you this, will you give us him.  You're hardly paying anything for wages but he's playing on a Saturday, surely that's better for Clubs.  Their players are getting experience of playing rather than recouping wages". 

"We did okay in the loan market last year and it'll be a route no doubt we hit it again". 

"I'd love to have 20 players of our own, is it going to happen?  Probably not. That's down to budget, you have to incorporate loan players, because paying a fraction of wages is cheaper for us rather than paying a full wage to a player - it's all about figures".