ROB ROY manager Stewart Maxwell has admitted the task of picking his dream Junior XI was unsettling due to the sheer number of contenders from his career in the Central, Ayrshire and East regions.

Indeed, Maxi reckoned his attempt at doing justice to the plethora of greats he played with and against could only be satisfied if he was permitted to pick two teams.

His selection dilemma caused him to discount the input of his Rabs backroom allies Paul Ronald and Gordon Moffat for fear they might add further to his options. Here is his line-up, with many chosen only after a photo-finish:

Goalkeeper

Maxi enjoyed a playing stint at Linlithgow Rose in front of the irrepressible Buzz Lamont and he never found Arthurlie's Davie Cormack to be anything less than formidable.

However, he also holds two present-day keepers in the highest esteem: Cumnock's Ally Semple and the giant Andy Leishman at Auchinleck Talbot. He said: "I would be happy to have either of them behind me but, if push comes to shove, the safe-as-houses Semple would just edge it."

DEFENDERS

Maxi has played the full-back position long enough to know the most desired qualities and he unhesitatingly gave the nod to former Benburb and Linlithgow Rose ace Stevie Swift plus the ex-Arthurlie left-back Mark McLaughlin, currently on the books of Dumbarton.

Maxi explained: "Boundless energy and a willingness to get into the opposition penalty box were the hallmarks of both Swifty and big Mark in their Junior days.

"They are the pick of the bunch as far as I'm concerned. And they would have made an awesome pairing.

"I had also considered Gary Robertson and John Richardson, who were a marvellous combination at Cambuslang Rangers, plus Pollok's Zander Ryan and Paul Mullen from Kilwinning Rangers."

Maxi was just as spoilt for choice when it came to the stopper roles. He was a great admirer of the combative ball-winners Pat Keogh, Ian Spittal and Mark Cameron.

However, the comparatively lesser-known Cambuslang centre-half Jim Kavanagh got the nod along with another of Maxi's former team-mates, Graham Love of Bathgate.

He explained: "Kav was a defensive rock at Somervell Park and a terrific competitor aerially and on the deck who should have, and could have, played for one of the bigger clubs.

"Lovey, meanwhile, was the heart of Bathgate Thistle's Junior Cup-winning side. He possessed the essentials of dig, bravery, pace and an ability to pass the ball out of defence."

Midfielders

Bathgate's Mark Bradley, Ian McLaughlin of Linlithgow, Richie McCusker (Maryhill) and Gary Graham (Auchinleck and Beith) were among the high-profile names put to one side by Maxi.

Instead, he plumped for an engine-room partnership of ex-Maryhill lynchpin Gary Carberry alongside the scoring qualities of Pollok ace David McGeown.

He reasoned: "Cad was an imperious midfield general, always looking to make passes and so consistent that I can never recall him having a poor game.

"And his natural willingness to sit and anchor my team would have perfectly complemented McGeown, who was a real class act with an inherent ability to steal forward and score vital goals."

Maxi describes Grant Anderson, the current-day Raith Rovers winger and his former team-mate at Rob Roy, as: "The fastest player I've ever seen on a football pitch." He gets the nod to play on the right side ahead of Maryhill's Tam McAllister and Tony McInally of Shotts.

Only former Benburb talent John Tinney was also given consideration for the left-flank berth that Maxi insisted had to go to the Linlithgow Rose legend Mark Whyte.

He said: "Whitey was a pacy winger but he was sensational in the air for his size. His capacity to net 15 to 20 goals a season by coming in at the back post made him a certainty for my team."

Forwards

Maxi reckoned a list of all the forwards to play well against him would stretch to several pages but he limited his picks by looking for an irresistible partnership capable of plundering goals aplenty. Hard-working former Pollok striker Richie Barr just fell short as did Auchinleck's David Gormley and the wonderfully talented ex-Celt Barry Elliot, who shared a Bathgate dressing room with Maxi.

He recalled: "I also had the honour of playing at Linlithgow when Paddy Flannery was at his predatory best and was seemingly able to anticipate where every cross would drop inside the penalty box.

"However, the sheer scoring record of Bryan Dingwall with both Maryhill and Pollok tips the scales in his favour.

"For his partner I would go for the Auchinleck and Rob Roy frontman Stevie Mallan, who played in the Seniors with Queen of the South and Clyde.

"Stevie was so intelligent at leading the line. He was also great in the air and adept at holding the ball up and bringing team-mates into play. He and Dingy together would really work and have defenders quaking in their boots."

So Maxi's team (4-4-2), is: Semple; Swift, McLaughlin, Love, Kavanagh; Anderson, Carberry, McGeown, Whyte; Mallen, Dingwall. Substitutes: Leishman, Keogh, McCusker, Gormley, Flannery.