Rossvale boss David Gormley believes squad will be stronger despite departures

Rossvale manager David Gormley says he’s happy with the revamped squad he will have at his disposal once football emerges from lockdown.
Rossvale manager David GormleyRossvale manager David Gormley
Rossvale manager David Gormley

The Vale boss has seen a number of regulars over the past few seasons depart for pastures new, including Jamie Donnelly, Matt Niven, Liam McGonigle and David Leadbetter.

But Gormley has already lined up replacements, to be unveiled in the next few weeks - and says a freshening up of the squad was needed as Vale prepare for their first campaign as a senior club in the West of Scotland League.

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He said: “I sat down with the players in February, before the lockdown kicked in, and a few of them made their intentions clear then. I’ve got more respect for guys who are honest with me and tell me.

“So I knew where there heads were at but it didn’t make any difference, they were still going to play for me because they were still Rossvale players.

“At the end of the day that’s football and I wasn’t going to fall out with anybody so we started rebuilding then, to get players in place.

“I think it was time for Rossvale to have this because they’ve had the same squad of players and they had done well, coming through the leagues so rapidly. But I think it’s just time for a freshen up and something new.

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“We’ve signed eight or nine players and re-signed seven and have two coming up from the youths. If the season started tomorrow I’d be quite comfortable with the squad we’ve built just now.

“We’ve brought in some big players, some youth and players who played well against us last season.

“Without any disrespect to the players who played last year and have left, I think we’ve got a better squad now.”

And although the new league set-up effectively means the end of the juniors, the former Kirkintilloch Rob Roy and Auchinleck Talbot striker insists: “Our focus will be the same, to go and win every game we play, regardless of who we’re playing against.”

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