MONTROSE FC player-boss Steven Tweed is continuing to rebuild his squad for the new season.
The Links Park gaffer initially fixed up a trio of players from Dundee United, Gordon Pope, Fraser Milligan and Sean Fleming, Jon Voigt and James Collier from Carnoustie Panmure and goalkeeper Stuart Hall from Thornton Hibs.
He then added two mo
re players in Sean Anderson, a former youth player with Celtic and Dundee United who was with East Stirling last season and goalkeeper Steven Coutts, just released by Motherwell.
"Sean is a young player with potential. He started at Celtic but it didn't work out for him and Dundee United snapped him up.
"Jim McInally was quick to fix him up last season and I am now delighted to have him. He can play in a few positions, but prefers central midfield.
"Steven Coutts is an Inverurie boy. He has been with both Rangers and Motherwell.
"He is 19 and Stuart Hall is 22. I have no fixed idea which of them will start in season in goal. It will be up to them to impress in training and in the pre-season matches.
"I have watched both lads play several times and this is the route the club is going down.
"I am delighted that Tony Bullock is coming in to coach our young keepers and I will be able to pick his brains as to who is the best and who deserves to be in the team."
Steven has made what could be another important signing for the club by fixing up Jim Moffat as his assistant-manager.
"Jim has been around for a long time and I felt I need an experienced man like him alongside me.
"He knows the league, he knows the players and I will be able to tap into his reserves of knowledge.
"Jim has managed Forfar and East Fife and is well organised. We will speak together and the buck will stop with me."
With eight new players fixed up, Steven isn't finished and he hopes to recruit three more before the action starts which will give him something like the numbers he needs to tackle the campaign ahead.
"I don't want players who are one-trick ponies. I am building a squad and I want them to be versatile and play in a number of positions.
"Aaron Sinclair and Daryl Nicol will be in the first team squad and John Maitland will be fully-fit as well. These lads have been at Robert Gordon University this summer doing strength and conditioning paid for by the club so they will come back as men."
Montrose begin pre-season training tonight (Thursday) and the players will do an initial six sessions per week.
"The players will do a double session Saturday and a double session Sunday as well as Tuesday and Thursday, so they will be ready. They are young boys and there can be no excuses if they are not fit."
Montrose will play in a tournament at Keith on the weekend of July 18, then a Hibs X1 visit Links Park on July 22. The manager is still working to fix up another game on either July 15 or 16.
The competitive action starts on Saturday July 25 with an Alba Challenge Cup tie away to Inverness CT. A week later Montrose are back up north for a Co-operative Insurance tie with Ross County before the league starts on August 8.
"The cups have given us tough ties but that is football. I would much rather have had these sides at Links Park.
"They are full-time clubs, but we will prepare properly and go there and give it our best shot."
