There’s nothing unique about John Doyle being consumed by the job of operating as Vale of Clyde’s assistant manager under Ian Currie.

Ever since stepping up into the Junior ranks following a significantly successful stint with Harmony Row juveniles, Doyle has given everything as No.2 at both Maryhill and St Anthonys as well as to managerial posts in his own right…with Neilston and Cambuslang Rangers.

The one that arguably rankles most was last season’s time at the helm of the Wee Gers reins which John was forced to relinquish after being unceremoniously sacked at the Junior club’s AGM back in in May.

He and Paddy Flannery's spell in charge started away ever so promisingly only to be bedevilled by the unavailability of players due to work commitments as well as a spate of horrific injuries in the second half of the season.

However, they were afforded no second chance to put things right and were ousted less than 12 months into their managerial reign.

To be denied the opportunity to implement the long-term plan left by Doyle disappointed in the extreme.

However, he kept his own counsel and headed away to relative Junior obscurity until Tin Pail gaffer Currie approached him during the summer months to come on board at Fullarton Park.

And there are still no signs of bitterness on the part of the 37-year old ahead of him returning to Somervell Park today for an intriguing Euroscot Eng Sectional League Cup clash.

He said: "I’ve long since accepted that Junior football is a results game and nothing else matters in the grand scheme of things.

“But losing Chris Hamilton to an RAF career, Simon Marriot to Kilbirnie Ladeside and Stevie Dymock to an ankle injury, which restricted him to playing just one league game, is only part of a sorry tale that culminated in Paddy and I being forced into making constant changes and unable to field the same team in 27 consecutive Cambuslang games.

“Our player availability problems really were freakish, yet we still only missed out on promotion by three points and I would have loved to carry on the job we started.

"But it wasn’t to be and the only part to leave a bad taste in my mouth was discovering I was getting the chop and being replaced by Paul McColl even before the AGM voted me out.

“But that’s Junior football for you and I’m just delighted to be working and enjoying myself under Ian at the Vale.

“I returned to Maryhill, St Anthonys and Neilston with other clubs so this is not any new experience for me and my only focus come 2PM tomorrow will be on trying to help Vale of Clyde pick up three points.

“It’s not as if I have any insider knowledge about Cambuslang’s team because none of my signings are still at the club albeit Andy Scanlon figured in one game for me while Chris Faulds was in for pre-season training prior to joining Wishaw.”

Vale of Clyde's competitive season got underway on Wednesday night when goals from Joel Samba, Connor Stevenston and Ryan Connelly racked up a 3-1 success over a Blantyre Vics side that had hammered Cambuslang Rangers 8-1 last weekend.

Doyle said: “Our guys fully deserved to win after playing really well, but that victory has absolutely no bearing on what can happen at Somervell.

“I knew the Blantyre result was a freakish one for Paul and wasn’t in the least bit surprised when his team bounced straight back with a 1-0 defeat of Rutherglen Glencairn and they now have everything to play for going up against ourselves.

“But we want to build on our own decent start and it only helps our chances that Gavin Ross, Billy Stevenston and Paul McLaughlin are all available for selection after missing out in midweek.

“They will come into contention for starting places as will one or two others in our squad because Ian has said all along that he will use the Sectional games to tinker with the team in order to find his best starting X1.”

Cambuslang will await a late fitness test on combative central defender Martin Brogan, who arrived from Rob Roy during the close season and is hoping to force himself into gaffer McColl’s plans even though twin centre-backs Paul McLaughlin and Ross Gillan were outstanding in the win over derby rivals Glencairn.

The Wee Gers boss: “Winning so impressively doesn’t make us the finished article in much the same way as last week’s defeat didn’t make us a bad team.

"We’ve experienced an unbelievable seven days of highs and lows, but there remains scope for improvement all over the pitch.

"And I’m looking for the players to show further signs of progress against Vale of Clyde that will stand us in good stead for the long season ahead.

Last season’s beaten finalists Blantyre Vics should boost their hopes of qualification when hosting the visit of lowly East Kilbride Thistle and a massive 90 minutes awaits trophy holders Cumbernauld United, needing to win at home to Kilsyth Rangers to stand any chance of securing a quarter final place this time around.

St Anthonys - 2-0 midweek winners against Arthurlie - could blow Section 5 wide open by taking the scalp of another big gun Pollok at McKenna Park while Clydebank will be seeking to make it three wins out of three when heading through to Keppoch Park to face Glasgow Perthshire.

Larkhall Thistle are likewise hoping to preserve their 100 per cent record when making the short hop to face Lanark United at Moor Park while Petershill and Shettleston could set the scene for a Section Three decider next Wednesday night by overcoming the challenges of Thorniewood United and Bellshill Athletic respectively.