Johnstone Burgh boss Jamie McKim has added three new faces to a squad he already believes can challenge for the league this season.

Garry Downie has arrived at Keanie Park from Alba Thistle alongside former Burgh midfielder Kerr Christie and Chris Burns from Barrhead YFC U21s after Burgh suffered a 5-0 defeat to Clydebank.

The signing of the trio brings McKim’s summer haul to 10 after already bolstering the squad with seven new faces.

McKim said: “Chris didn’t play at the weekend there and won’t be in with us until next Monday but I’m really happy to get him over the line. He’s excellent.

“He’s a big strong midfielder and very skilful. I watched him for the last few months of last season.

“I’m really delighted we got him. He’s going to be a star for us this season.

“We’ve also got two more new signings in Gary and Kerr. Kerr will bring experience and knowledge with him.

“We managed to come across him and luckily he was interested in coming back to Burgh.

“We have been looking for someone like him. He’s going to be a cracking player.”

McKim’s side dominated large spells of the first half hour against the Bankies before they got their opener and ran away with it.

And the boss reckons what he saw in that opening spell can make him forgive the scoreline.

He said: “I know 5-0 suggests that it was comfortable for them and in the end it was, the second-half in particular.

“If you watched the first 30 minutes though you would see that we dominated. I thought we were really good.

“They got into it just before half-time, took the lead and then looked really comfortable but we won’t come up against that kind of quality for the rest of the season.

“The positives have to be the way we played against them in the first half.

“When our guys gain fitness and we get our squad numbers back, we will be a lot better.

“I’ve never hidden the ambition that I’m trying to build a team capable of winning the league so the first 30 minutes on Saturday really pleased me.

“The end deflated me a little bit but you’ve got to look at it and say that we were excellent in the first-half. The stage we’re at in pre-season is all that let us down basically.”

Burgh now face Irvine Vic tonight?? before taking on Glenrothes in a special friendly arranged to commemorate the 50th anniversary of their famous 1968 Scottish Junior Cup Win and McKim can’t wait to welcome back some familiar faces to Keanie Park.

He said: “I’ve heard a few of the older guys from the 1968 final are coming on Saturday. It’ll be great to see them all back here. They were obviously very successful back in those days and that’s something we’re working to get back. It’ll be a great day for everyone, a day for remembering how well Burgh have done in the past and a celebration of the win 50 years ago.”