Stevie Mooney will feel right at home on his return to the Junior football scene after a self-imposed sabbatical.

The former midfielder has raised more than a few eyebrows by resuming the reins at relegation-threatened Greenock where he was previously team manager for eight seasons until quitting his Ravenscraig Stadium post almost two years ago to the day.

Dumbarton-based Mooney played amateur football in the interim, but has agreed to once again step up to the helm at the Super First Division outfit in tandem with close friend and ex-Petershill team-mate Stevie Dallas coming on board as his assistant.

And the duo are bubbling over with enthusiasm at the prospect even though Greenock emerging pointless from the two league matches played since the recent sacking of Mooney’s former No.2 Martin Campbell has left the Tail O’The Bank side in real danger of dropping down a division.

The newly-appointed boss said: "Stevie and I were turning out regularly with St Joseph’s Dumbarton where the playing standard was decent.

"But unfortunately I picked up a heel injury around Christmas time that has never fully healed and my injury was followed by a calf muscle problem laying low Dallas.

“We resorted to watching the Juniors again, including a few Greenock games, and spoke about having a crack at this level as a management team, not realising the opportunity would present itself back here again.

“Accepting the job at this late stage brings various problems like not knowing what league Greenock will be in next season or what players will be staying at the club but the worst aspect of all is not having our fate in our own hands.

“The very fact our safety relies upon Ardrossan and Yoker slipping up in their remaining games means the nerves are going to be fraught over the next couple of weeks .

”Hopefully we can preserve our league status because it’s shaping up as a top-notch division next season with clubs boasting great set-ups such as Petershill, Irvine Meadow, Renfrew and Maryhill coming in along with Girvan and Irvine Vics.

”Preserving our Super First status would be the best possible start to our managerial reign.”

Mooney went on to reveal he and ex-Petershill striking legend Dallas will not be taking up their dressing room posts when Greenock take part in their yet to be drawn Euroscot Eng Cup quarter-finals encounter.

He added: "It’s looking like the probable date clashes with me going on holiday so Alan Docherty, who is coming on board as part of our backroom team, will look after team matters allowing Stevie to take up a watching brief from the terracings.

“The squad we’ve inherited is much changed from my previous time in charge and that’s no bad thing because from what we’ve seen up to now Greenock are a much better footballing side nowadays.

“But there’s no disguising the fact they lack the cutting edge supplied before from John Carter and Kenny Mackay - both at Queen's Park - so the need to unearth an out-and-out goalscorer is obvious regardless of what league we will be playing in next season.

”We came across a number of decent forwards in the amateur ranks and will look to follow up a few leads.

"However, I’m not going to rule out asking Stevie to pull on the boots in an emergency.”