Kilbirnie Ladeside are making no secret of their desire to snap up highly rated ace Carlo Monti upon his eagerly awaited return to Scotland.

The 25-year-old midfielder-cum-striker has been playing out in Malta for the past 18 months with Zebugg Rangers.

But he alerted clubs to his imminent availability with a message on social media this week .

And the former Pollok fans favourite’s announcement that “a family situation” would see him return to Scotland before Xmas with the aim of finding a new club has sparked a lot of signing interest from many of his former suitors.

Blasties boss Stevie Swift, an ex-Newlandsfield team-mate of Monti, owns up to being one of those previously jilted yet that hasn’t prevented him entering into talks with him earlier this week.

He said: "We thought a deal had been agreed to sign Carlo following his release by Dundee, but at the last minute he did a U-urn and opted to rejoin Pollok.

“I took the decision badly at the time after working so hard to fix him up, however it’s all water under the bridge now and I simply cannot help myself in again doing my utmost to get him on board.

“He’s a terrific footballer as well as a goalscorer of the highest order and I wouldn’t be doing my job for Kilbirnie Ladeside if I let the signing opportunity pass me by.

“Carlo will undoubtedly have other options, to my mind Pollok, Hurlford United and Irvine Meadow will almost certainly be on his case.

"However, he’s agreed to meet up with me upon his return and I take that as a promising sign.”

Kilbirnie having no competitive fixture this weekend because scheduled opponents Beith are involved in a ETHX Energy Scottish Junior Cup third-round replay against Girvan resulted in Swifty arranging a friendly contest against his first Junior club Benburb.

The team boss insisted: "Mick O’Byrne and Adam Forde grabbed our goals on a night when the overhead elements were not the best to say the least but the whole point of playing the game was to get Mick and Kevin Turner some much needed match fitness so the exercise was invaluable in that respect.

“It’s frustrating to be idle this weekend particularly as we also suffered when down to face Petershill on the weekend of their Euroscot Eng Cup Final and our lack of Super Premier action is highlighted by the fact Pollok will be at the halfway point of their league campaign this Saturday yet we have only played six games.

“And our league situation is hardly helped by having Glenafton to face in the New Coin Holdings Cup next weekend...weather permitting.”

In a bid to ease their pile up of fixtures, the ambitious Ayrshire outfit have put their names forward for a fixture on Saturday 2nd January according to Swifty.

He said: "As a player with Livingston , I recall training one Christmas Day morning and only last season I had our Kilbirnie squad in for a session on Boxing Day so it’s no big deal to ask the guys to avoid drinking to excess when celebrating the New Year.”

The midweek ETHX Energy Scottish Cup draw in the Evening Times pitting the Blasties at home to Tayport evoked not so fond memories for Swift.

He recalled: He recalled: "Last time I came up against Tayport was when they beat my Linlithgow Rose team 1-0 after extra-time in the 2003 Scottish Cup Final.

“It would be nice to get my own back after all these years.”

Meanwhile, Pollok manager Tony McInally, at the Newlandsfield helm when Monti departed for Zebbug in August 2014, refuted suggestions he was in the hunt for his former player.

He declared: “Fabulous talent but we simply cannot compete in any bidding war so I cannot realistically see Carlo coming back here and for that reason I have not made any contact with him whatsoever."

Turning his attention to tomorrow’s top- of-the-table clash with second-placed Rob Roy, he added: “We’re in the fortunate position of having everyone is fit and available for selection but conditions will play a part in our line-up so it will be closer to kick off time - if the game goes ahead - before we name our team.

“Work commitments would have kept out Chris Walker if last week’s showdown with Auchinleck had gone ahead and it’s pleasing to have him back in the fold as he’s proving to be an important player for us.”

Rob Roy are close to full strength with only wide player Gavin Mackie unavailable through attending a family wedding.

Rabs supporters watching their players go through their pre-match preparations might see a familiar yet unknown face among the Kirkintilloch squad as gaffer Stewart Maxwell’s younger brother Kyle will be going through his paces with the visitors.

Maxi said: "Kyle is a decent midfielder who is over from the United States and he returns there next month before coming back permanently when I’d like to think he’ll come into contention for a jersey.

“He definitely adds something to us but I have to be fair to the guys who have being playing well week in and week out so he won’t figure against Pollok.”