Football Season Guide

Queen’s Park will be hoping to bounce back at the first attempt after being relegated from League One last season. The Spiders return to League Two after a two-year spell which ended in a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Stenhousemuir in the play-off semi-final. They are an institution of amateur football in Scotland but found life challenging and manager Gus MacPherson has had to rebuild his squad over the summer. He starts his fifth season in charge of the Hampden Park club and knows they face another tough campaign. They have lost several influential players during the close season, none more so than defender Adam Cummins, who finished as leading goalscorer with ten goals and together with midfielder Luke Donnelly, who scored eight goals, they have both joined League One Stranraer. Striker Aidan Keena also notched eight goals but has returned to parent club Hearts following the end of his loan. Defender Ross Millen was an integral part of the side and has signed for SPL side Kilmarnock whilst midfielders Anthony Brady, David Galt and Sean Burns have left for East Kilbride, Alloa Athletic and Brechin City. MacPherson will be pleased to have retained the services of defender Scott Gibson, who has been appointed Captain. Two new goalkeepers have arrived in Jordan Hart from Ayr United and Jack Dunlop from Johnstone Burgh Juveniles and will fight it out for the No. 1 jersey. Brothers Daniel and Dean Kindlan have signed from Wishaw Juniors whilst midfielder Jamie McKernon has made a welcome return after a spell at Glenafton Athletic. The stand-out captures of the summer are experienced strikers Josh Peters and Smart Osadolor from Forfar Athletic and Clyde respectively. MacPherson is likely to be given the time to establish this much-changed squad into a team which is capable of challenging for a play-off place.