Carluke Rovers: Handful of applicants to fill under-20 squad managerial positions

The John Cumming Stadium outfit are sifting through applications following the resignations of under-20s boss Stephen Ferguson and his assistant Willie Soutar.

Rovers first team manager Mark Weir told the Carluke and Lanark Gazette: “Fergie left due to work related reasons. He took on more stuff at his work so he couldn’t commit to doing the job.

"Willie had some family issues but also I think he thought with Fergie bringing him on board that he wanted to step back as well.

"It is a blow to lose them because it was guys that I played with. I trusted them so it was a blow when I got the phonecall to say they were stepping down.

"There has been interest in filling these positions. Four or five have applied.

"So it’s basically down to the committee what road they’re going to go down.

"I don’t know if they’ll get myself involved to pick the next guy going forward.

"The qualities we’ll be looking for are folk who can bring these young boys on to potentially come into my squad and do a job for me. High standards as they say.”

Rovers’ under-20s squad, established last year, had been due to start playing in a Friday night league from last summer, but these plans were wiped out by coronavirus so they were restricted to only playing a handful of friendlies.

When the league does finally get underway – hopefully from this summer as Covid restrictions ease – that will be a major boost for gaffer Weir who hopes the under-20s will act as a feeder team for his squad.

Weir, who last year drafted under-20 Rovers players Jamie Murphy (defender) and Liam Sneddon (striker) into his senior squad, said: “They asked if they could come along and train and I was impressed with them in training.

"I gave them a chance and gave them a run out and the two guys did extremely well for me.

"I’m looking maybe for these two guys to be involved in my squad starting back on Saturday (when non contact training resumes for Rovers).

"Having an under-20 team is massive because it allows you to take interest in their games on a Friday night and if these guys are doing really well I’ll be the first one on the phone to them to promote them into the first team.”