'He will be tough to replace' - Caledonian Braves boss Ricky Waddell restructuring after departure of midfield playmaker Armstrong

Waddell – whose Motherwell-based side’s pre-season friendly matches started with a 1-0 home win over Dumbarton last Saturday – is trying to build a squad strong enough to compete in the upper reaches of the Scottish Lowland Football League in the 2022-23 season.

“I’ve been taking my time with assembling the squad for next season,” Waddell said.

"I’ve had quite a few triallists in and I lost Rhys Armstrong – an attacking midfielder – who went to Spartans which I was a bit disappointed with.

"Rhys could be a goal threat and he could go and create. He had a lot of assists, he was involved in a lot of our good play, he scored goals so there’s no doubt about it that he will be tough to replace.

"I felt we could have had another good season with Rhys and that I would probably have lost him to a bigger club than Spartans.

"I did a lot for Rhys as well. When Martin Rennie was the manager of Falkirk I took Rhys into Falkirk just to go and train with them.

"But he got offered substantially more money by Spartans and sometimes that rules the roost. Football’s football and that’s what happens.

"I always want Rhys to do well.

"My best wishes go to him, he’s a good lad, good player.

"I need to replace Rhys. I have only made one signing but probably I have three or four signings that are imminent."

That one signing which Waddell was referring to is 30-year-old striker Ross McNeil, a player the Braves gaffer knows very well as he only left Alliance Park a year ago to join Gartcairn.

"Ross was with us previously and scored quite a few goals,” Waddell said.

"Last season he went to Gartcairn after they offered him quite a bit of money to go there. But I don’t think he enjoyed it there much.

"Ross had been our top goalscorer so we’re looking for the same from him next season.

"Last term we lacked that poacher type of goalscorer. We’ve got Jamie Watson up there and Jamie’s very much the type of player who is a working type of centre forward.

"Ross is more of a poacher so it gives me an option to put the two of them up there together or just one of them and drop one in behind.

"So it’s a replacement for Armstrong – who we played just off the front man – to an extent without being an exact replacement.

"Ross is a good lad and hopefully that will be a good signing.”

Braves host Edinburgh City in a friendly this Saturday before an away friendly against Irvine Meadow on Tuesday.

Their Lowland League season will start on Saturday, July 23 with a home game against Gala Fairydean Rovers.

"I fancy ourselves against anybody in the league,” Waddell said. “I think we’re a good side now and I think we’re in a better place than where we were this time last season.

"Gala have a relatively new management team. They’ll be ready to go as well.

"We’ll take nothing for granted but at the same time I don’t fear anybody at all.

"I think we can go and have a good season. It’s important to get off to a good start.”