Tony McInally reckons John Boyle would be the perfect fit for Pollok’s striking jigsaw, but the team boss has admitted there is no chance of the ex-Airdrie hitman figuring in tonight’s Euroscot Eng Sectional League Cup clash with Benburb.

Boyle stepped up into the Senior ranks following his last Junior outing for the triumphant Auchinleck Talbot side that ran out 2-1 winners after extra-time in the 2011 Scottish Junior Cup Final against Musselburgh Athletic.

He was soon holding down a regular first team place at the Excelsior Stadium and even graduated to wearing the armband as club captain.

However, he suffered a horrific knee injury sustained in a 2013 game against Falkirk which was later diagnosed as requiring cruciate ligament surgery.

So the next 18 months of rehabilitation severely curtailed his playing time.

Turning down the chance to renew his Airdrie contract at the end of last season alerted a proverbial host of Senior and Junior clubs to his availability.

And the talented forward has been inundated with would-be suitors all summer.

Macca, though, may have stolen a march on the competition after news broke of Boyle training with the Newlandsfield outfit on Monday night.

The Lok gaffer said: "John is a player we have always liked not least because he’s a very intelligent type who possesses qualities that can make us better.

“His first touch is excellent, as is his movement and he has shown himself to be a proven goalscorer with both Airdrie and Auchinleck.

“And our preference for going with four recognised front men in our squad means a vacancy exists for someone to join Davie Winters, Ross Hepburn and Alan McKenzie in vying for the jerseys.

“But our interest in him does not translate into signing talks because John has promised nothing more than to come in and see our set-up here at Pollok while at the same time working on his fitness levels and allowing us to run the rule over him.

“I’ll be disappointed if he’s not impressed, but let’s wait and see how things pan out.”

The 28-year-old striking ace was also quick to pour cold on the notion he could be donning a Lok shirt this week.

He said: “I lost almost two stone in weight after picking up a virus on holiday and my strength is only now slowly coming back.

"However, I’m easily two or three weeks away from where I want to be in terms of my condition..

“Thankfully, Tony is very relaxed about my situation and has told me just to come in and get myself into a state of readiness to do myself justice out on the pitch and we’ll take it from there .

“His approach has been a breath of fresh air and I’ve been equally up front and honest with him in saying I want to join a club where I can get back to enjoying my football rather than just picking up a wage packet. “

Terracing whispers reckon Stenhousemuir and Queens Park are hovering in the background with the aim of enticing John to stay Senior.

However, the indications are he will opt for reinstatement back to Junior level given he has held talks with his former club Auchinleck, Irvine Meadow, Kilbirnie Ladeside and Shotts Bon Accord among others.

He added: "Obviously there’s a huge temptation to go back for a third stint at Talbot and I’ve been very impressed with what every team manager has said about how they see me fitting into their plans.

“In the back of my mind is a concern over work commitments interfering with me getting to training twice a week and that’s something I’ll need resolved before I decide on going anywhere.”

In other Euroscot Eng clashes tonight, St Rochs will put their proud unbeaten record on the line when facing Petershill at the James McGrory Stadium while a couple of intriguing and potentially decisive derby contests are in store, with Rob Roy set to lock horns with cup holders Cumbernauld United while Holm Park hosts the head-to-head of Yoker Athletic and Clydebank.

Pick of the Ardagh Glass Cup clashes down in Ayrshire is undoubtedly the clash of those fiercely intense rivals Beith and Kilbirnie Ladeside at Bellsdale, though the other Section One contest between Super First Division rivals Kilwinning Rangers and Largs Thistle promises to be hotly contested.

Otherwise, the card consists of minnows versus big guns confrontations which are likely to go by the form book though one cannot rule out a Cup upset at Portland Park where Troon await the visit of Whitletts Vics.