IT’S always fascinating to look back on the year and 2016 will certainly be a year never to be forgotten by supporters of Beith Juniors, whose name was etched on the Scottish Junior Cup for the first time in the Ayrshire club’s 78-year existence.

Auchinleck Talbot lifted the New Coin Holdings West of Scotland silverware and were crowned West Region champions for the fourth consecutive year while their arch foes, Cumnock, were also title winners along with Renfrew, Forth Wanderers and Girvan.

And it must surely be a sign of the times when the near relentless flow of player transfer news is matched by the comings and goings of team managers.

Judge for yourself with our recollections of the year’s eventful opening six months.

JANUARY

Blantyre Vics appoint Murdie McKinnon as team manager following the surprise resignation of Davie Greig who just days later is unveiled as Irvine Meadow’s new boss. An even bigger surprise is Hugh Kelly stepping down at Shettleston to leave club captain Reon Juskowiack in charge of team affairs.

Eyebrows are raised on the transfer front as Arthurlie reveal Craig Palmer and Gary Smith are up for sale while experienced centre-back Jamie Darroch quits Irvine Meadow to sign for local team Port Glasgow.

Terracing whispers that ex-player Carlo Monti is on his way back to Pollok from Maltese side Quormi FC are refuted by Newlandsfield gaffer Tony McInally.

Kilbirnie Ladeside land winger Caolan McAleer from Airdrie, Petershill swoop for Ciaran McElroy on a loan deal from Queens Park and new Blantyre boss McKinnon transfer-lists Ryan McGarry and fixes up Craig Buchanan, Scott Davidson and Shaun Gallagher.

Glenafton beat Rob Roy 2-0 to go top of the Super Premier Division and Monti moves to Pollok in time to net a brace of goals in a in a 7-2 hammering of Scottish Junior Cup opponents Kennoway Star Hearts .

Auchinleck knock out Cumnock, Beith are 5-1 winners over Scone Thistle and Arthurlie overcome Wishaw but are rocked as manager Robert Downs resigns his Dunterlie post.

The Junior Cup fifth-round draw is made at the City Chambers and lands Pollok with a trip to face East Region cracks Bonnyrigg Rose while Beith await the visit of Petershill and Kilwinning Rangers are pitted against Linlithgow Rose.

Stevie Kerrigan takes over as Arthurlie’s new manager.

FEBRUARY

Poor weather allows only six games in the West Region and the biggest crowd of the day sees Pollok overcome reigning Super Premier champions Auchinleck Talbot by a 1-0 scoreline with Monti netting the only goal of the game.

Chris Mackie joins Arthurlie in a dual player/coach role under Kerrigan, who sells striker Chris Dallas to Glenafton and replaces him with Darren Gribben from Bo’ness United.

Irvine Meadow boss Greig controversially signs Adam Strachan while simultaneously placing Chrissy Hall on the open to transfer list.

Largs Thistle go four points clear in the Super First Division with a 3-1 victory over Kilsyth Rangers while Renfrew overcome Dunipace 2-0 to head up the Central First Division pile.

Kilbirnie Ladeside fix up Arbroath striker Martin Grehan and Rossvale lose out on an approach for Forth Wanderers star turn Willie McLaren but sensationally sign ex-Celtic winger Bobby Petta. He does not play in the 4-0 Scottish Junior Cup defeat by Hurlford United but debuts a week later as the Bishopbriggs club lose 3-1 against Johnstone Burgh in what proves to be his only appearance in the Juniors.

Pollok are the Holy Grail shock troops with a 5-0 defeat of Bonnyrigg while Beith beat Petershill and Kilwinning oust Linlithgow.

Greenock manager Martin Campbell’s persuasive manner entices feted duo Jamie Campbell and Paul Harkins to put pen to paper for the Tail O’The Bank outfit.

MARCH

Rob Roy beat Pollok 3-2 in a game where Monti picks up a red card which means he misses the Glasgow Southsiders' 1-0 victory in their Junior Cup last-eight clash with Kilbirnie Ladeside .

Hurlford United knock out trophy holders Auchinleck 2-0 while Beith run out 3-1 winners over Arthurlie 3-1 thanks to a Kenny McLean hat trick and Kilwinning Rangers overcome Camelon at the second time of asking.

Rossvale part company with charismatic gaffer Martin Lauchlan who is linked to the manager’s post at Junior new boys Gartcairn after Gary Johnstone resigns but is instead appointed as the new man at the helm of Lowland League side East Kilbride.

Cambuslang Rangers lose 4-1 to Gartcairn but continue to lead the Central Second Division standings ahead of Port Glasgow and Lanark United while Largs Thistle’s lead atop the Super First Division is extended to seven points with a 2-1 victory over Blantyre Vics whose manager Murdie McKinnon signs Petershill duo Chris Craig and Darren McLean.

Irvine Meadow rebuke rthurlie’s attempts to sign Jordan Murch which leads to the Barrhead side opting to enlist Ian Nimmo from Bo’ness United.

Rob Roy audaciously move to land Ross Barbour from Kilmarnock and Chris Strain Senior resigns as manager of Ardrossan Winton Rovers .

APRIL:Petershill goalkeeper Stevie McNeil is ruled out for a year as a result of damaging his posterior cruciate ligament in a 2-2 basement draw with Irvine Meadow who win their first game in ten starts when Shaun Fraser nets the only goal of the game against Kilbirnie Ladeside.

Murdie McKinnon again tinkers with his Blantyre Vics side by offloading McGarry to Irvine Meadow while snapping up former Ashfield midfielder Dougie Mackay from Shotts Bon Accord .

Beith and Pollok set up a Scottish Junior Cup Final date at Rugby Park next month after chalking up aggregate wins in their semi-final jousts with Kilwinning Rangers and Hurlford United respectively.

Long in the tooth Junior boss Sandy McLean takes up the vacant reins at Winton Rovers while Billy McDonald’s decision to stand down as Lesmahagow manager in the wake of a 4-3 defeat by St Anthonys leads to the Gow asking erstwhile gaffer Rab Irving to assume control of team affairs until the end of season.

The Super Premier Division title race is hotting up apace with five clubs …Auchinleck , Kilbirnie , Hurlford , Glenafton and Pollok… in the running.

Renfrew draw 1-1 at home to Wishaw in top of the table Central First Division clash.

MAY:Forth Wanderers are crowned Central Second Division champions on the back of a Willie McLaren inspired 4-1 victory over Lanark United …he scored all four goal…and Girvan go through their entire league campaign unbeaten to secure the Ayrshire District League honours.

And there are wild celebrations as Renfrew take the First Division title with a 0-0 stalemate away to St Rochs coinciding with challengers Rossvale succumbing to a 6-3 defeat at the hands of Larkhall Thistle.

Auchinleck go 4 points clear atop the Super Premier with a 1-0 victory over Beith while Irvine Meadow are officially relegated after they lose 3-1 to fellow basement strugglers Shettleston.

And matters go from bad to worse for Central First Division promotion hopefuls Wishaw whose 2-1 reverse against Lesmahagow opens the door for Maryhill to pip the Lanarkshire outfit to the remaining step–up place.

Martin Campbell is sacked at Greenock after 7 years at the helm ,Davie Greig resigns as Irvine Meadow chief, Murdie McKinnon reveals he will be leaving Blantyre Vics because of work commitments and one of the game’s longest serving managers James McKenna (St Anthonys ) indicates he will be calling it a day when the season is concluded.

Auchinleck beat Hurlford 2-0 for a New Coins Holdings West of Scotland Cup triumph and are again celebrating four days later when Mark Shankland nets the only goal in a 1-0 victory over their Ayrshire rivals to clinch a fourth successive Super Premier championship.

The Super First Division race goes right to the wire and both Cumnock and Largs Thistle step up with Kilwinning Rangers clinching a play-off double-header, leaving unlucky Clydebank to miss out entirely.

Beith famously win the Scottish Junior Cup for a first time through a dramatic 4-3 penalty kicks shoot out win over Pollok following a 1-1 regulation time draw.

There’s another penalty kick decider as the Evening Times Cup gets underway, with Girvan besting Forth Wanderers.

JUNE

Kilwinning Rangers are promoted to the Super Premier after a 5-3 aggregate play-off victory over Shettleston but the triumph is marred as word breaks of club officials sacking manager Chris Strain via a text message .Supporters revolt over news and force club officials to resign whereby a newly formed committee reinstate Strain to the Abbey Park hotseat where his first task is to unearth a replacement for striker Ross Stewart who is stepping up to Albion Rovers.

Town striker Scott Anson reveals he will be leaving Greenfield Park to join Cumnock,while Beith fix up Senior ace Mark McLaughlin , Connor McGlinchey (Arthurlie) and Ross McPherson (Irvine Meadow ) in the wake of Cup Final heroes Andy Reid and Steven Grindley announcing their retirement from football.

St Rochs are also quick off the mark in signing Kieran Daw and John Carter but there is even greater activity on the managerial front where Shotts Bon Accord part company with Tam McDonald, David Lilley steps down at Bellshill Athletic , former players Michael Wardrope and Gareth Turner are handed the Irvine Meadow reins and Greenock bring former boss Stevie Mooney back to Ravenscraig with Stevie Dallas as his No 2.

Pollok pick up a trophy prize by overpowering Greenock 7-1 in the Central League Cup finale with Del Hepburn helping himself to a hat trick and Auchinleck Talbot claim a third silverware prize with their third Evening Times Cup success in four years thanks to a 5-2 defeat of Renfrew.

Paul Ronald steps down as Rob Roy No 2 to take up an appointment with Queens Park Martin Campbell gets back in the game as Neilston manager ,Newmains United install Kevin Muirhead and Kieron McGuinness takes over at Shotts with Paul Finnigan as his assistant boss.

Part 2 to follow.

PLAYING Saturday, Dec 24: (Kick-off 1.45pm). McBookie.com Super Premier Division: Beith v Kilwinning Rangers.