By Dylan Inglis
Newmains United have organised a pre-season mini league featuring six clubs from Lanarkshire.
Bellshill Athletic, Carluke Rovers, Forth Wanderers, Lesmahagow and Royal Albert plus United will play each other in a round robin tournament kicking off on May 29.
The league will run alongside the Victoria Park side’s regular pre-season schedule before their West of Scotland League campaign starts on July 17.
United co-boss Paul Davies came up with the idea and reckons the chance to get competitive game time against local rivals will be a massive boost to his squad’s preparations.
He said: “Newmains United haven’t played a game of football since the beginning of December.
“So instead of doing a more traditional pre-season we wanted to create a mini league.
“It will start from Saturday May 29 for a five-week period and hopefully that will get us back into the habit of playing games.
“We need to start playing proper games instead of just training all the time.
“Having not played for such a long time the last thing the boys want to come in and do is a game of running!
“Whilst we still need to do that to build up fitness levels, we definitely need more matches under our belts this time.
“It’s something we thought would be a good idea and the other teams have decided to join us, which has been fantastic.
“After the league we should have a three-week window before the season starts – so we’ll be getting another friendly in between that as well.
“Hopefully if we bring in one or two new players then it gives them an opportunity to play in the team before the season kicks off properly.”
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