Vale of Clyde boss Ian Currie insists he's happy for his promotion-winning starlets to be wanted by higher league clubs as it augurs well for his side's Central First Division campaign.

Their runners-up spot in the Second Division last time out guaranteed a step up for the famous old Glasgow outfit.

And the ambitious Currie is convinced that holding on to his best players is a must if the Tin Pail are to make further progress after three years scrambling around the West Region's bottom flight.

Which is why he had no hesitation in rebuffing a recent Petershill bid to procure one- time Clyde midfielder Conor Stevenson and 20-year-old striking sensation Derek Hepburn while Pollok boss Tony McInally received the same short shrift when attempting to land prolific Tollcross marksman Scott McManus.

"I much prefer things this way rather than have a group of players that nobody wants," laughed the Vale gaffer

"Clearly we are doing something right with these young guys if Super league teams are hot on their trail, but it's not necessarily the case that they would be bettering themselves by moving to a higher Division.

"Playing regularly is a key factor in their continuing development and I cannot imagine they will get more of an opportunity to do that away from Fullarton Park where their abilities are wholly appreciated.

"And I have every confidence that playing to the potential that has put them in the shopping baskets of bigger named clubs will allow these players to make it into the Super Leagues wearing the colours of Vale of Clyde."

Currie's only close-season signing to date is that of much- travelled goalkeeper Jon Connolly, whose last club was Rob Roy with whom he figured in the play-off defeat by Shotts Bon Accord. One or two more seasoned Juniors remain on his signing radar, however ruled out of his thoughts is former Tollcross favourite and current Cumbernauld United frontman Paul McLaughlin who has reputedly joined Irvine Meadow.

Another of the promoted bosses looking to boost his playing squad numbers in order to hit the ground running is John McKeown of Wishaw Juniors, whose promising goalkeeper Ross Harkness is earmarked to be the new Pollok No.1.

He revealed: "Ross has been a terrific servant so we can hardly stand in the way of his move to Pollok where working under goalkeeping coach Brian Whelan will improve his game no end. We have already fixed up a replacement in Sandy Thomson of the very successful Overtown Thistle amateur side and we are also bringing on board his brother Jason who is a striker with an eye for goal.

"But arguably our key signing has been that of our longest serving player, Neil Newman.Neil had indicated he was retiring, but has now decided to be at the heart of our defence for another season.

"Neil has never been the quickest, but his reading of the game gives him a couple of yards start in any race for the ball."

Similarly showing no signs of panic are title-winning Blantyre Vics, despite team manager David Greig confirming he has only 13 signed players on the books ahead of pre-season training getting underway this coming Saturday.

The always ebullient gaffer said: "It was my intention to resign 14 of last season's squad so to only lose Steven McDonald to Petershill is a pleasant surprise as I had fully expected four or five of the guys to be tempted away by offers.

"Obviously we will still need to boost playing numbers but having seven weeks until the big kick off is ample time to run the rule over prospective signings and if everybody is true to their word then we will have close to 30 bodies training with us."