'˜High quality' pair of new signings arrive at Thorniewood United

Thorniewood United manager Gerry Bonham is struggling to believe the high quality of his two latest summer signings.
Gerry Bonham (left) and his assistant Stuart Easton are trying to assemble a squad good enough to get promotion next seasonGerry Bonham (left) and his assistant Stuart Easton are trying to assemble a squad good enough to get promotion next season
Gerry Bonham (left) and his assistant Stuart Easton are trying to assemble a squad good enough to get promotion next season

The Viewpark side’s gaffer has landed skilful Kilsyth Rangers winger Gary Livingstone and highly sought after Ardrossan Winton Rovers goalkeeper John Mullen.

Gerry said: “We are trying to push to the Super first division by getting promotion next season, so we need to bring in players of a high calibre.

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“Gary is a brilliant signing who is 28 and playing at the top of his game.

“He’s also a former Scottish Junior Cup winner with Linlithgow, so I’m over the moon to get a player of that quality in.

“The amount of clubs trying to sign John was unbelievable but we won the race.

“He is six foot four and 31 years old with great experience.

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“John has previously played with Blantyre and St Roch’s when they moved out of the lower leagues so he has experience of getting promotion which is what we are after.”

Gerry said that both players had arrived at the club for purely football reasons, with the presence of goalkeeping coach Scott Cochrane at Thorniewood also helping to entice Mullen to Thorniewood.

He added: “Other clubs are offering a lot of money to potential new signings – which we can’t do – and it’s turning a lot of boy’s heads.

“But we have two guys in who just want to play football and that’s brilliant for me.”

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Gerry, who hopes to have a squad of 17 in place by the time the new season starts, is gearing up for pre-season training beginning on July 1.

He is hopeful that 10 members of the squad who recovered brilliantly to earn Thorniewood a fine fourth place finish in McBookie.com Central Division 1 will be staying at the club.

“We’re giving them a chance to shine again,” he said.