New Albion Rovers boss Brian Reid reckons the current climate in Scottish football can work to their advantage as he bids to make the club a force in League Two.
The 49-year-old was appointed Kevin Harper’s successor on Friday night and he arrives at the club with a good track record for competing at the right end of the table.
Reid twice led Ayr United to promotion in 2008 and 2011 and guided Stranraer to the Championship play-off finals in 2016, only to lose to his old side Ayr in the final.
Rovers were battling it out at the bottom end of League Two last season and the board will be hoping Reid’s arrival will herald better days.
The Coatbridge side have one of the smallest budgets in the country and the Covid-19 shutdown has caused uncertainty across the game.
But Reid insists that won’t prevent him from attracting players to Cliftonhill.
He said: “With the circumstances in football right now, there’s players out there who are desperate to get a contract.
“I think it might benefit Albion Rovers because there’s probably players out there who would love to sign for us.
“We want young, hungry players to come in. Guys who want to prove a point and maybe older experienced players as well.
“I always like to have a couple of them in the squad.
“But certainly boys who are energetic with something to prove.
“I don’t think anyone will be under any illusions they will come here and get paid fortunes.
“It’s more about providing a platform to come to Albion Rovers, have a great season and maybe move on.
“If they do that they’ve deserved it. That’s the way I will be selling the club to them.
“It’s up to me to use my contracts and experience to try and get the best I can.
“Hopefully we can have a good season.”
There are currently no players on the books at Cliftonhill after the players’ contracts expired last week.
While the Scottish Premiership is preparing to return to training from next week, it has been suggested the lower leagues in the SPFL could be as far away as January from being back on the pitch.
And Reid added: “I’ve got a list of the players who were here previously and I’ve done my homework on them, so I know which ones I want to retain.
“Whether they stay or not, it’s up to me to persuade them.
“My first thing is to build a squad because there’s not many players left at any clubs at the moment, so it gives me a blank canvas.”
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