Football Season Guide

Stranraer remarkably survived last season with a mediocre squad and Stevie Farrell will seek to work his magic once again. With the bottom of the league stronger than it was 12 months ago, the Blues have their work cut out. They worked with a threadbare squad last season and got the absolute maximum out of all of their players, including several youngsters who had little right to perform as strongly as they did. If they are to survive again, they need a similar influence. Stranraer go into this season, however, having lost the talents of Kyle Turner, who carried the team at times. He was their midfield dynamo and chipped in with many goals and assists. In short, he was irreplaceable. Adding to that, the experienced Grant Anderson has also departed, though the club will not have been particularly concerned to see anyone else leave. In terms of signings, Farrell has done what he can on a limited budget, though it is telling that his new defence will be partially constructed around full-backs from Stirling Albion, who finished in the middle of League Two. Lee Hamilton missed much of last season for the Binos and could prove a shrewd pick up. Otherwise, the experienced Scott Robertson has returned but is chronically short of pace. In the midfield, they do not on paper have a player of the calibre of Turner. Ryan Thomson and Grant Gallagher have both returned to the club; they were successful at Stair Park before but flopped otherwise. Farrell has been forced to gamble otherwise, with Leon Murphy, Carlo Pignatiello and David Dangana arriving on loan deals in a bid to get first-team football. They are untested at this level. James Hilton has arrived on a permanent basis from Ayr but has never played regular first-team football for a season. Unless Dangana shines in attack, Stranraer look short. Mark Stewart’s arrival is surely as no more than a makeweight, having struggled even to get on the pitch in recent seasons, let alone score goals. They may need to find an Innes Cameron-type loan addition to get them goals; the Kilmarnock striker having played a major role in their survival push last season.