CUMBERNAULD United boss John Queen has laughed off whispers that he is on the verge of quitting ahead of today's local derby clash with Kilsyth Rangers.

The seasoned campaigner admitted he was on a downer after his squad was decimated by departures at the start of the season.

But a clutch of new arrivals has signalled a turnaround in his optimism over the future.

The Super First Division game of the day has league leaders Kilsyth making the short hop through to face a rebuilt United side who have exceeded all expectations up to now by climbing to fifth top spot in the Super Premier table.

But Queeny accepts his hopes of overhauling the leading clubs and coming with a promotion challenge could be scuppered by a defeat opening the points gap to a daunting nine points .

He said: "Everything that could go wrong did go wrong during the close season and the very fact I stayed the course through that horrific period should tell everyone I’m going nowhere.

“Fully 12 players from last season’s successful side were lured elsewhere and in particular the spine was ripped away by the departures of Danny Boyle, Ryan Haxton, Scott Murphy and Gary Carroll.

“People have said it is something of a back-handed compliment to have clubs chasing after your best players, but it felt like a kick in the teeth back then and still does to this day.

“The real low point arrived when reporting for our first pre-season training session and only six players turned up.

"So if there was ever a time to leave then that was it especially when we began the season all over the place and lost our opening couple of league games.

“Numbers are now up to a healthier 18 or so and our newcomers have settled down to a degree so the consequence is results and performances have improved even though I still believe it will take some time to get us back to where we had evolved as a group of players beforehand.”

Queeny was fulsome in his praise for the contributions of veteran Davie Dickson as well as that of teenagers Dylan McGuigan and Kieron Brown in helping restore Cumbernauld’s fortunes out on the pitch.

He added: "Dixy has stepped up to the plate and belied his birth certificate to lead by example and nobody has taken his lead more than Dylan and of course Kieron, a football playing centre-back with a penchant for rattling in long-range free-kicks.

“At 18 years of age he is already looking a very accomplished Junior defender, but I fancy he could play at an even higher level if he would just put his mind to it.

“A massive test of their character awaits against an in-form going Kilsyth who have been on a fantastic winning run.

"But we have it in us to burst their bubble if everyone hits form just as we did when winning 3-2 in the Euroscot Eng Cup game earlier this season.

“Losing would leave us a proverbial mountain to climb but we have no right to be setting our sights so high given the rug was whipped away from under our feet during the summer months.

“I had always thought consolidation in the Super First Division might be all we might reasonably expect to achieve but I’d love for the players to prove me wrong.”

Arguably topping the bill among a number of tasty Central District encounters taking place is the Robertson Park head to head of Thorniewood United and a St Roch's side likely to be extra-motivated by the prospect of going top of the First Division pile should they pick up all three points from their travels .

Andy Cameron’s men ran out 3-2 winners when last in the Lanarkshire enclave back in mid-August and one can easily envisage them coming come good again with T.J.McLuskey, Jordan Logan and Robert McGuire scoring freely.

A Candy Rock slip up would open the door for third placed Lesmahagow to climb joint top with current leaders Rossvale (involved on Scottish Junior Cup business) albeit the Robert Irving steered Gow have a tough nut to crack themselves in awaiting the visit to Craighead Park of a buoyant Wishaw, brimming over with confidence following last weekend’s shock Scottish Junior Cup triumph over Rob Roy.

The other end of the table has Maryhill seeking to end a dismal run of seven consecutive defeats - inclusive of Scottish and West of Scotland Cup exits - when hosting the visit of St Anthony's while yet another basement club ,Vale of Clyde will look to get back on the rails following their Beith inflicted 10-2 mauling last Saturday when promotion challengers Renfrew make their way to Fullarton Park.

And there’s every reason to think the Second Division standings could remain unchanged with Alan McCrum inspired frontrunners Lanark United looking a more than decent bet to retain their summit spot in making the short hop to face basement strugglers Royal Albert while closest title challengers Cambuslang Rangers are strongly fancied to pick up the spoils at home to Forth Wanderers.

Top game in the Ayrshire district card is the crunch head to head of 4th placed Whitletts Vics and one point better off Girvan at Dam Park with neither club wanting to falter and slip further behind leading pair Irvine Vics and Darvel facing comparatively winnable contests away to Muirkirk and Dalry Thistle respectively.