Johnstone Burgh have added six new faces to their squad as boss Jamie McKim’s summer rebuilding job gets underway.
The gaffer has confirmed that former Burgh star Chris Agnew has rejoined the club for the upcoming season, with a further five new arrivals from Renfrew FC under-21s following him through the door at Keanie Park.
McKim hasn’t been shy in outlining exactly where his side’s problems lay last season, blaming their poor campaign on a lack of aggression and mental strength.
READ MORE: Jamie McKim hoping tips from Celtic coaches will benefit Burgh
And the gaffer is confident his new signings have those qualities in abundance, as well as the technical ability to improve his squad.
He said: “We’ve managed to bring Chris Agnew back. He played with us before, so we know exactly what we’re getting with him. It’s good to have him back at Burgh.
“We’ve also brought in five players from Renfrew under-21s in Kieran Brady, Stewart Fyfe, Nathan Marriott, Mark Garner and Jamie Sidebotham. They all played a couple of times for us last season, so I know them all really well.
“All the Renfrew boys are coming from the under-21s but they’re all players that will be able to handle the physical side of the game at this level, I have no doubt about that.
“We needed a mixture of technically gifted players who also had that aggression and, while these guys we’ve signed are young, they will bring that.
“I know them all really well too, which helps to determine if they have that mental ability for this league.”
McKim added: “Stewart Fyfe has played three games for me over the years at centre-back and we picked up a clean sheet in all three. You can’t ask for more than that.
“I worked with Kieran at Glenvale and I know exactly how good he is. He’s a big strong defender who can use both feet and is great in the air. He is a complete player.
“Jamie has played for me as well. He’s a big physical boy and a big presence in the middle of the park.
“Nathan is very good and natural footballer. He’s deadly with a one-on-one situation and very tricky and Mark will bring a lot of pace and skill up top too.
“For me, I think Mark will be absolutely brilliant in a year’s time. He is a special player. I still think he’ll make an immediate impact this season and offer us a lot but I think we’ll see the best of him after he settles in here. He’s going to be absolutely brilliant.
“We’re always looking to improve and I’m fully aware we need a good mixture of experience as well as youth, so we are still looking.”
READ MORE: Burgh boss happy to see the back of the season to focus on rebuilding job
While Burgh’s season may have ended more than three weeks ago, McKim has revealed he has barely had a day off since the 2-2 draw with Carluke as he eyes another three targets.
He added: “We’ve been doing a lot of work in terms of scouting and preparation. I’ve had two nights off since the season finished, so myself and my assistants really have been putting the work in.
“I’ll be speaking to two or three older and more experienced players who are currently playing in better leagues, so we need to keep working away and make sure they’re the right fit for us.”
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