Ryan Singleton has warned Irvine Vics’ latest batch of baby-faced recruits to brace themselves for the rigours of a relegation battle.
The 24-year-old centre-back played a key role as the Westenders survived the drop last year with one of the most youthful sides in the Championship.
And he reckons a similar battle lies ahead for Vics this season as boss Brian McLuckie shapes a new-look side from the same youth blueprint.
Stranraer starlets Jonny Baxter and Robbie Murray are already on board, with teenage striker Danny Wilson joining from Girvan.
More arrivals are expected ahead of the league kick-off and Singleton, whose seven years at Vics make him the longest-serving player on the books, said: “Mentally, I think we’ve all got to prepare for it being another fight to stay in the Championship.
“We managed it for the first time last year with a very young team, so we can do it again but I think it’s going to be even tougher this time round.
“You look at the clubs dropping down from the Premiership and coming up from League One and there’s some real quality in there.
“We’ve managed to keep a decent core of last years squad together and the young boys who’ve come in are showing up well, but ideally we’ll get one or two more older heads in to help them.”
McLuckie has already bolstered the experience in his squad by snapping up former Largs keeper Blair Cousar as a direct replacement for departed Player of the Year Martin McDonald, who is now at Hurlford United.
He’s also brought in 26-year-old centre-forward Callum McDade, who scored seven goals in 12 games for Girvan last season.
The Vics gaffer said: “We know where we are in terms of funds and budgets. We can’t compete with a lot of clubs on that front.
“As a club, we would be delighted if we could stay in the league.
“It’s going to be very tough challenge for us.”
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