Renfrew co-manager Martin Ferry has confirmed that the club have resigned all but two of their squad from last season as they prepare to drop down to the West Region Championship.
Ferry, along with co-boss Colin Clark, has reiterated that they will be going nowhere despite relegation as they now look ahead to securing promotion back to the top league at the first time of asking.
And with the likes of Ryan Borris and Player of The Year Bob Campbell amongst those to extend their deals at New Western Park, Ferry is confident his squad will be more than capable in the Championship.
“The outcome was of course disappointing with the way the season ended but I believe we were really close to staying up, I really do,” Ferry told Gazette Sport. “We have taken the time to take a wee step back and let the dust settle now before looking ahead to next season.
READ MORE: Colin Clark fuming after linesman demands Frew player remove his underwear
“We’ve been able to keep most of our squad from last year which is a big bonus for us. When you consider that we’re down in the championship and a lot of the boys had offers from elsewhere on the table, that’s a positive. The boys who played last year now have that extra bit of experience which will be vital for us down there.
“Ryan Borris had a good few offers from a number of clubs which is understandable with his experience and ability. For him to come back and sign on for another year is massive for us. He’s turned down offers from Premiership teams which gives you an idea of the squad we have and their ambition to bounce right back up again.
“With Ryan signing that means we’ve now signed all but two from last season’s squad with Dale Burgess away to Stranraer and a player, who I won’t mention at the moment, linked with a big club. He was set to sign an extension to stay here with us but we told him to hold off and see if the big club come in for him. We want to see our boys progress and wouldn’t dream of holding them back.”
Ferry, who also revealed that both he and Clark encouraged Burgess to sign a senior contract with SPFL League One side Stranraer, insist that such moves can only benefit their side in the long run.
Ferry continued: “We lost Dale Burgess to Stranraer but we’ve never been a club to stand in a player’s way so we encouraged Dale to take that chance with open arms and he had our absolute blessing.
“That move shows the boys still here that if they perform well then the chances to move to senior football from Renfrew are most definitely there. I actually see Dale moving to Stranraer as a compliment to Renfrew. That’s what we’re here for, to help the players develop and reach as high a level as possible.”
Frew, meanwhile, have pencilled in a number of pre-season friendlies ahead of the Sectional League Cup in late July.
“We’ll welcome the boys back to training on June 17 which is a quick turnaround,” Ferry added. “But, needs must with the Sectional League Cup.
“We’re looking at a few friendlies in July too with Ardrossan and Fauldhouse looking likely.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article