East Kilbride Thistle boss Iain Diack has lined up seven pre-season friendlies, and is looking for strength in depth when the West of Scotland League kicks off on July 17.
The Showpark club will also ask to play their first three or four league games away from home as they lift their pitch to fix a drainage problem.
Diack’s side will play their first two games in the East Kilbride Summer League against Duncanrig on June 12 and EK RR the following Saturday, before handing their involvement in the tournament off to their development squad or another of their teams.
Jags will play against Glasgow United (formerly Shettleston) on June 26 and Ashfield on June 30.
They tackle Sauchie on July 3, Dunipace three days later and complete their programme against Shotts on July 10.
Diack said: “It works out at seven games, which is plenty, and rolls us through, so we’re well organised.”
On the squad, Diack said: “We’re slowly getting their now, we’ve got most of the players we wanted to sign, so it’s just now about adding to the squad, but that will come over the pre-season period with trialists that are coming in.
“If you look at the 11 or 12 that we’ve signed, you can make a pretty strong starting XI from that, and we’ll want eight or nine in.
“It’s more about trying to get guys in the right positions, who are versatile and can maybe play in a few positions.
“It’s more about trying to get players in to push the guys who have signed.
“Whoever we bring in will feel they can push for a starting place in the team and it’s up to whoever is in the position to perform well and keep them out.”
Thistle’s pitch will be lifted in the first week of June, and the first game will be able to be played in either the start or middle of August.
Diack reckons with a July 17 start date, the most that will require is three or four games to be played away, on top of those where they’re already visitors.
He said: “We’d probably just rather play the first few games away.
“If we do that it means the club doesn’t actually lose anything, in terms of having to book, rent or share a pitch with anybody.
“The work gets started in the first week of June, the work is done through June and beds in over July, and they’re happy for you to go on it in the first or second week of August, and we’re good to go after that.”
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