Football Season Guide

Clyde

In


Blair Currie (Goalkeeper, Annan Athletic), Ilies Belkacem (Goalkeeper, Eduport Academy), Aaron Millar (Defender, Youth), Callum Home (Defender, Annan Athletic), Jack Breslin (Defender, Hamilton Academical), Jack Harrison (Defender, St Mirren), Jordan Stewart (Defender, St Mirren), Kevin Nicoll (Defender, Petershill), Kyle Bradley (Defender, Rangers, Loan), Lewis Wilson (Defender, Alloa Athletic), Barry Cuddihy (Midfielder, Annan Athletic), Darren Miller (Midfielder, Colville Park Amateurs), Darren Ramsey (Midfielder, Annan Athletic), Mark Burbidge (Midfielder, Clydebank), Jordan Brown (Midfielder, Annan Athletic), Maxwell Wright (Midfielder, Annan Athletic). Przemyslaw Dachnowicz (Midfielder, Annan Athletic), Smart Osadolor (Attacker, Annan Athletic)

Out


John Gibson (Goalkeeper, Arbroath), Connor Quinn Goalkeeper, released), Chris Smith (Defender, released), Ewan McNeil (Defender, Stirling Albion), Jordan McMillan (Defender, released), Kevin Rutkiewicz (Defender, Annan Athletic), Michael Oliver (Defender, Kirkintilloch Rob Roy), Ross Perry (Defender, Albion Rovers), Scott Linton (Defender, released), Dylan Easton (Midfielder, Forfar Athletic), Jon Paul McGovern (Midfielder, Elgin City), Marc McKenzie (Midfielder, Arthurlie FC), Phil Johnston (Midfielder, Clydebank), Ryan Finnie (Midfielder, released), Scott McLaughlin (Midfielder, Albion Rovers), Sean Higgins (Midfielder, Albion Rovers), Peter MacDonald (Attacker, Stirling Albion)

It has been a summer of significant change at the Broadwood Stadium following a desperately disappointing 2016/17 season. The Bully Wee failed miserably to live up to their title favourites tag and finished second from bottom in the League Two table. It has been summer of huge change with former player and local businessman Norrie Innes appointed Chairman in May. He acted quickly to secure the services of Jim Chapman as manager from Annan Athletic and he has overseen a revolution of his squad during the close season with several regulars leaving the club. The most notable departures were that of midfielder Jon-Paul McGovern and striker Peter MacDonald, who spent the last two months of the season as joint caretaker managers and have joined Elgin City and Stirling Albion respectively. Defender Ewan McNeil rejected the offer of a new deal, to join MacDonald at Stirling Albion whilst wing-back Scott Linton also turned down the offer of a new contract and is set to drop into junior football. The release of first-choice goalkeeper John Gibson was something of a surprise whilst the trio of defender Ross Perry and midfielders Scott McLaughlin and Sean Higgins have all signed for League One Albion Rovers. Chapman has returned to his former club to sign no less than eight players who were all out of contract. He will be absolutely delighted to have brought in outstanding young goalkeeper Blair Currie and has also signed the midfield trio of Barry Cuddihy, Darren Ramsey and Maxwell Wright, who were all mainstays in the Black & Golds' side. He has strengthened the defence with the capture of experienced defender Kevin Nicoll from junior football whilst striker Smart Osadolor is another former Annan player who will bring pace in attack alongside strikers David Goodwillie and David Gormley. Chapman will find expectations in Cumbernauld are higher than they were in Dumfries and Galloway so, given the resources at his disposal, anything less than a play-off challenge will be a disappointment.

Target


The Bully Wee may need a year of consolidation after a summer of wholesale changes following a desperate campaign but could still be in with a shout of making the play-offs.