NEWLY-APPOINTED Gartcairn manager David Greig reckons he has a point to prove as he gears up for an overdue return to the Junior football scene.

The erstwhile Irvine Meadow, Blantyre Vics and St Roch's gaffer, out of the game since stepping down from his Meadow Park post last June, has become the ambitious Airdrie-based outfit’s fourth manager in their short 18-month existence after his appointment was confirmed in midweek.

And nobody can doubt the charismatic team boss has the credentials to succeed in his latest posting after previously steering both St Roch's and Blantyre Vics to promotion from the Central Second Division.

Greggy revealed: “This has been my longest period out of football yet being away from the firing line and spending my Saturday afternoons taking in games as a spectator was a relaxing experience, however my old appetite returned when this season’s Scottish Junior Cup got underway and I’ve been desperate for an opportunity to get working inside a dressing room again.

“The Gartcairn post when it was advertised certainly appealed to me so I applied and received an interview from club officials where I must have said more right things than wrong because a telephone call earlier this week said the job was mine.

“It’s a great feeling to be back and my delight is shared by backroom team guys Scott Mills and John Petrie who have been champing at the bit and badgering me for months to get involved again.

“They are also coming on board at Gartcairn as indeed will the former Motherwell and Patrick Thistle defender Willie Kinniburgh who will be working in a coaching capacity.

“When asked if he felt under extra pressure given the relative Junior newcomers appear to have adopted a hire and fire strategy to get themselves out of the Second Division, he retorted: “I’m not here to talk about previous managers or to criticise decisions that were made in the past.

“I am here now with the aim of improving the team and results in order to allow ourselves a crack at finishing in the third promotion place this season and I feel that is our only realistic target considering Glasgow Perthshire and Port Glasgow are already looking home and dry barring an unforeseen collapse.

“The likelihood of as many as five teams figuring in the scramble for the remaining spot makes for a huge challenge but it’s one I feel up to taking on and more importantly so do the Gartcairn players whose attitude impressed me when I met them for the first time on Thursday night.

“There is no shortage of familiar faces as Barry Canning, Lee Pettigrew, ex-Bellshill Athletic striker Chris Dolan and central defender Ryan Kennedy, who previously played for Vale of Clyde and Shettleston, are all known to me as indeed is the ex-Rossvale frontman Yami Misanjo who is currently on holiday.

“It’s pleasing to know there is a bit of quality in the camp but six defeats out of 12 league outings to date is not what I would expect from this group of players and I need to find out the reasons behind our poor results and quickly.

“There’s going to be no time for a honeymoon because Gartcairn have to stop shedding points if they are to stand any chance of going up.”

Back to back home league games against St Anthony's and Vale of Leven await on the other side of the New Year prior to North Region opponents Hermes coming down to the MTC Stadium for a Scottish Junior Cup fourth round tie.

Greggy added: “I’m happy to have three home games coming up not least because I need to accustom myself to our astro-grass surface and to assess the strengths and weaknesses of our playing squad.

“Hermes in the cup has to be a winnable tie and a place in the last 16 would be a smashing achievement but if push came to shove then I’d say it’s far more important for this club to be winning the league matches.

“The fact both St Anthony's and the Vale have beaten us already this season shows we have two tough games on our plate but we need to give it our best shot and also look to stop the rot after three league defeats on the spin.”