Bathgate must speculate to accumulate, urges Love

Published on Thursday 24 July 2008 10:59

BATHGATE THISTLE captain Graeme Love has urged the club's millionaire manager Willie Hill to splash the cash this summer to cope with the extra demands that will be placed on the squad in the coming season.

The former Hibs defender is gearing up for his biggest season in junior football as Thistle, run by Hill, pictured below, look to defend the Scottish Junior Cup they won last season, bid for a first ever Super League crown and take part in the Scottish Cup proper.

Participation in the last-named competition had an adverse effect on Linlithgow Rose's campaign last year with their run to the fourth round of the tournament, where they were knocked out by eventual runners-up Queen of the South, contributing to some disappointing results in the junior ranks.

Extra matches coupled with injury problems saw Linlithgow's squad stretched to the limit as they finished well off the pace in the Super League and come away with the silverware from just one of a possible seven cup competitions.

Love is keen to ensure that the same fate does not befall his side this term and knows the only way to cope with the extra demands is to have the strength and depth of squad to cope.

"Winning the Junior Cup means we have an opportunity (to compete] in the senior one, but you can look at that in two ways," said the player who can also name Ayr United and Clydebank amongst his former clubs. "It's great for the club to be involved but we will have more games to play and will have to build a bigger squad to deal with that.

"We have lost a couple of bodies from last season and brought in a few new faces too, but I think we need to add at least four or five new players to deal with the extra demands."

Thus far, in has come hugely experienced striker Brian McPhee from Dumbarton who has also spent time on the books of Livingston, Hamilton Accies and Airdrie United. Hill has also added additional firepower with the capture of highly-rated Graeme McLaren from Camelon who has also had experience of Senior football with Albion Rovers and East Stirling although a number of players are also expected to move on in the coming weeks.

While staying in the Scottish Cup until the likes of Rangers and Celtic enter the competition is the dream for Bathgate this term, their main aim will be to get their hands on the Super League championship which has thus far eluded them.

Thistle's first test of the new season in the Super League is away to Bonnyrigg Rose at the end of next month before they welcome Camelon to Creamery Park the following week – two tough matches. And no-nonsense defender Love says his side have to toughen up and copy last season's Super League winners Lochee United if they are to have any chance of lifting the elusive championship.

"No disrespect to other teams but if you look at the winners of the league over the past couple of seasons like Lochee, I wouldn't say it was the best footballing side that won it," said the 34-year-old. "I think they were just the hardest to beat and we have to adapt to that.

"We have to progress from the Scottish (Junior] Cup win and move forward and there's nothing to say we can't win it again, but the league will also be a priority for us."

MAIN MOVERS IN THE JUNIOR RANKS

THE top transfers so far in the East Region . .

Joe Mbu: Whitburn to Cowdenbeath

Brian McPhee: Dumbarton to Bathgate Thistle

Mark Robertson: Bonnyrigg Rose to Linlithgow Rose

Jamie Ewart: Bonnyrigg Rose to Berwick Rangers

Colin McDonald (Ex Hibs, Falkirk, Airdrie): On a free to Penicuik Athletic