Irvine Vics boss Brian McLuckie has warned his squad that they are playing for their futures.
McLuckie is planning to trim his playing pool in the New Year in an effort to get a more settled side.
And he admits the next few games will determine who makes the cut.
Vics host fellow WoSFL Conference B strugglers Vale of Clyde this Saturday.
But McLuckie insists he’s more concerned with performances right now than points.
He said: “One of the biggest issues we have right now is that we have too many players.
“We played a friendly against Ayr United U20s on Saturday and managed to field two entirely different teams during the game. On top of that we had three of our boys turn out for Ayr.
“That’s 25 players and we really need to get that down to 18 in the next couple of weeks.
“Results don’t matter so much compared to what we are trying to achieve. It’s about building a young team and letting them develop.
“However, we’ve told the players it’s up to them to show they want and deserve to play here.
“The plan is to end up with a group of boys who will see the rest of the season out, get the chance to develop, and give us something to build on for next year.”
Injured defender Grant Thorburn will miss Saturday’s game while striker Joy Goma won’t be risked as he continues his return to full fitness.
