Stevie Rankin has just completed his first full season as manager of Irvine Meadow.

And most bosses would consider runner-up in the Super Premier League and the last four of the Scottish Junior Cup as a successful record.

However, Rankin, who is always striving for perfection, termed it "reasonably successful".

Now, though, he is preparing to do it all over again and knows exactly what is required to keep pushing Medda upwards and onwards.

He told SportTimes: "I'm not kidding when I say the plan at the start of last season was to stay in the league.

"We achieved far more than that and I was delighted that we did, because there are so many really good people at the club.

"For me it was all about consolidation. It was new to me and I needed time to get to grips with it, but it was enjoyable and we did well.

"But I wouldn't call it any more than a reasonably successful season.

"We finished second in the league and reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup, but we didn't manage to win any of them.

"But at least we showed that Medda are a big club. We deserve to be where we are because there are so many people working very hard off the field.

"I would say that we are one of the big four in the Juniors, along with Auchinleck Talbot, Linlithgow Rose and Bo'ness.

"We are a different outfit from the team that was spending big a few years ago. We don't do that now.

"We are full of guys who want to play for Medda and that's why I think we're a real Junior club again."

Rankin and his players have already started back pre-season training and has added goal machine Willie Sawyers to his squad.

However, the flip side is that Queen's Park have signed both Shaun Fraser and Darren Miller, while Willie McLaren has joined Bo'ness.

But Medda have won the race to sign highly-rated former Airdrie and Morton star Grant Evans. The 24-year-old defender has also played for Dumbarton and Hamilton Accies.

Rankin said: "I had offered both Shaun and Darren new deals. I wanted them to stay, but they chose to move on.

"But I'm happy with where we are. I have a pool of around 18 or 19 and I'm speaking to one more player at the moment. If that comes off, then I will be a happy man."

Rankin is already looking forward to challenging one of the West Region's real superpowers, Auchinleck, in the coming campaign, and insisted that Tommy Sloan's side are the benchmark that all other teams must strive for.

He said: "We were all trying to hang on to Talbot's shirt tails last season in the league.

"They are the club that set the standards and they have done a magnificent job over the last few years to maintain and better those standards.

"But there will be a few teams attempting to wrestle the power from Talbot. The likes of Hurlford are now right up there and, having won the Scottish Cup last season, they will be keen to emulate that success in the league.

"The Ayrshire teams seem to have the upper hand at the moment, although I'm really not sure why that is. I have a good few Glasgow boys in the side, but they're playing for an Ayrshire team.

"In saying that, while the likes of ourselves, Talbot and Hurlford will be battling for honours, I wouldn't rule out the likes of Beith and Troon - both newly promoted - from staking a claim for the title either.

"There is always a surprise package in there, although it remains to be seen exactly who that will be in the coming season.

"That said, Budgie McGie continues to do an incredible job at Clydebank and they have been there or thereabouts for the last few years.

"It might all be ifs, buts and maybes at the moment, but there is one thing for certain, it is going to be another incredibly tight league again this season, and I can't wait to get started."

Meanwhile, newly-promoted Shettleston have arranged half a dozen pre-season friendlies.

They are against Broxburn, Tower Hearts, Troon, Shotts Bon Accord, Auchinleck Talbot and Clydebank over the next few weeks.