St Roch's boss Andy Cameron may have sown the seeds for a successful 2017/18 campaign with the appointment of Stevie Rankin onto his backroom team.

Persuading the feted ex-Irvine Meadow and Ashfield team boss to end an 18-month long Juniors sabbatical following his Meadow Park sacking at the end of 2015 has to be seen as a real coup by Cameron.

Yet it will probably come as no real surprise for long-in-the-tooth Junior aficionados to learn Rankin has made a return to the Garngad club where he established a reputation as a tough tackling full back during his playing days.

He came into the game at this level initially with Renfrew and then Maryhill before his career really kicked off through a ten-year long stint with the Candy Rock (punctuated by a move to Glasgow Perthshire for six months) where he was to become an integral figure in the John Docherty-steered 1983/84 Central Division One title winning side.

Progress into coaching and management with Rutherglen Glencairn and Ashfield followed and it’s an indication of how Stevie’s standing in the game has not been tainted by Meadow Park events that he has been regularly approached by clubs seeking to entice him back into the Juniors.

He said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my break away and just taking in games as a spectator when it suits me.

“It was always going to take something special to get me back involved and Andy has been asking just that for some time now so I met up with him during the close season and we agreed to give it a go.

“He’s a marvellous enthusiast who has worked wonders both on and off the pitch since taking over at St Roch's and I’m more than happy to come on board but it’s important for people to recognise that he is the team manager.

“I’ll give him a hand by putting in my tuppence worth however Andy has the final say which is just how it should be.”

A number of last season’s playing squad that agonisingly lost out on promotion to the Super First Division have departed the James McGrory Stadium during the summer months.

However, Rankin has been impressed with how the famous old Glasgow club’s revamped dressing room is taking shape.

He said: "Of all the players to move away I'm most disappointed not to get the opportunity to work with Rab McGuire (now at Rob Roy) as he has impressed every time I seen St Roch's playing in recent seasons.

"However, Robert Halliday who played under me at Ashfield and the Medda, is a terrific signing by Andy as indeed is Tam Hanlon after his surprising release by Pollok.

“Yet another experienced defender coming on board is the former Shettleston centre-back Ross Dickson while the arrival of former East Kilbride Thistle goalkeeper Chris Treacey will provide John Stark with a bit of competition for the No.1 jersey.

“Also returning to the club are strikers Darryl Naismith and T.J. McLuskey so there’s a lot to be happy about going into the new season.”

In other comings and goings news, Auchinleck Talbot have completed the capture of Troon Juniors full back Gareth Armstrong and Neilston have fixed up former Arthurlie front man Paul “Tiny” Stewart while Port Glasgow have appointed John Dickson and Mick Hepburn as interim co-managers in the wake of long serving team boss Craig Brown tendering his resignation due to a change in his work circumstances.

And the first salvo of pre-season friendly matches played on Saturday saw Carluke Rovers twice come from behind to earn a 2-2 draw against Rutherglen Glencairn for whom Tony Fraser and Stewart Hall were on target with Ian Watt (pen) and Al El-Zubadai responding for the home side.

Ashfield ran out resounding 6-0 winners over Maryhill Under 21’s and Muirkirk came out on top against Abbey Vale by a 3-1 scoreline.

Meanwhile, one can imagine supporters of West Region kingpins Glenafton will be on tenterhooks awaiting today’s SFA-staged draw for the first preliminary round of this season’s William Hill Scottish Cup.

Glenafton, East Region champions Kelty Hearts and Scottish Amateur Cup winners Colville Park are assured of ties (to be played on August 12) and among their prospective opponents are fellow Junior qualifiers Girvan, Linlithgow Rose and Banks O’Dee.