New Thorniewood boss Andy Frame is leaving no stone unturned as he looks to get his team on the right track - despite the near mass exodus of last season's squad.

These departures followed hard on the heels of the somewhat acrimonious sacking of gaffer Kieron McGuinness and the subsequent close-season appointment of one-time Partick Thistle signing Frame, who had been been managing amateur outfit Whitefield Rovers.

Nobody can accuse the 36-year-old of lacking Junior nous given he previously spent a season at Pollok before being lured away by George Walker to become part of Johnstone Burgh's 2001/02 Central League Premier Division title-winning side.

He went on to play under Gerry McLaughlin at Petershill prior to a move to Thorniewood when Willie Dobbins was in charge.

Frame said: "I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Junior football and particularly at Thorniewood.

"Kieron did a fantastic team-building job to keep Thorniewood in the Super First Division and his exit was almost as big a surprise as the subsequent approach to myself and John-Paul McBride to take over.

"We had come together as a management team after having been team-mates as kids at Mill United and had acquired a decent reputation."

Andy and ex-Celtic starlet McBride were keen to take up the Robertson Park reins, however they still contacted ex-Junior stalwart Kevin O'Neil to seek his views.

The United gaffer added: "I played with Kevin and consider his knowledge to be second to none, so getting his stamp of approval was a major factor.

"I don't mind admitting to feeling hugely disappointed at the loss of so many good Junior players here.

"The fact Stephen Mullen is the only player to have resigned might be down to him having been a team-mate when I played for Thorniewood and I just wish the other guys had given me the chance to work with them."

Frame has gone about the task of recruiting a whole new squad with relish and leading a handful of signings from Whitefield Rovers is ex-Pollok and Irvine Meadow midfielder Davie Hamilton, who arrives with Brendan Smith, JP Grant, Alan Fleming and highly- rated teenage left-back prospect Kieron McIntyre.

Hamilton, who quit Newlandsfield early last season, said: "I'm an electrician through in Musselburgh and these work commitments on top of the birth of my son last Christmas severely curtailed my involvement at Pollok.

"I had resigned myself to hanging up the boots, but Andy asked me in to play for Whitefield.

"We might be the new kids on the block, however nobody should dismiss us just yet."

Cambuslang Rangers cornerstone Craig Ferguson is another newcomer, along with ex-Seniors Ross Madden (Queen's Park), Gary Dougan (Dundee), David Dunn (Ayr United and Clyde) and Charlie Grant (Celtic).

Frame added: "We've also fixed up former Forth striker Kenny Wright, who had dropped out of the Juniors to play with Blantyre Celtic last season and we have high hopes of further additions over the next few weeks.

"Everything is going according to plan, even more so after the West of Scotland Cup draw pitted Thorniewood with a trip to face my first Junior club Pollok."