Football Season Guide

Stenhousemuir unexpectedly won promotion through the playoffs last season, defeating Queen’s Park and Peterhead to earn a spot in League One. While Brechin City endured a torturous campaign having gone up from League One to the Championship in similar style a year ago, the leap the Warriors face this term is not such a significant one, although they have reworked their squad dramatically. As many as 11 first-team players have been allowed to depart over the course of the summer, all of whom have dropped down a level. Stenhousemuir, meanwhile, have added players who have almost exclusively been playing at a higher standard, with the one exception being Kieran Gibbons, who has joined up from East Kilbride. Those players they have drafted in, however, were typically modest performers for their previous clubs. As things stand, there is a great onus on Mark McGuigan to shine in attack. He is well capable at this level, though 37-year-old Colin McMenamin is the only other option. The midfield is an area that does not inspire confidence. Alan Cook is an erratic performer while Nicki Paterson and Mark Ferry are both aging. Connor Duthie, signed from Dunfermline, struggled to make an impact at Forfar last year. In defence, meanwhile, more gambles have been taken. Jesus Garcia Tena has arrived from Edinburgh City having impressed in League 2, while Morgyn Neill and Alan Reid have joined up from Stranraer and Albion Rovers respectively, two teams that struggled at the back last term. Kyle Johnson is an unknown quantity from Ross County’s youth set up. Goalkeeper Graeme Smith should prove a solid addition. Simply surviving would be an achievement for Brown Ferguson’s side. They certainly have a squad that mean they should be competitive, but the quality does not appear to match many of their rivals, and that could make for a long fight against the drop.