Scott Anson’s voice was a dead giveaway as he looked forward to joining up with his new Cumnock team-mates tonight for their first training session ahead of the new season.

The burly striker’s enthusiasm and determination to succeed came across loud and clear as the formerKilmarnock and Annan Athletic frontman spoke of his close season decision to swap relegated Shettleston for the newly- promoted Ayrshire club.

He said: "Leaving Shettleston after three seasons was a bit of a wrench and I felt it only right to speak with the gaffer Hugh Kelly face to face rather than have him hear of my transfer decision from other sources.

“He wasn’t best pleased as you might imagine, but nothing he said could change my mind that a fresh start at a club of Cumnock’s stature was the best option for myself.

"In fact, I did spend an enjoyable stint there in 2012 before pressures of work forced me to move closer to Glasgow.

“I cannot thank Shug enough for taking me to Shettleston as I played alongside some great team-mates and met a lot of terrific people involved with the club.

"However, the chance of remaining in the Super Premier Division with Cumnock was too good to turn down at this stage of my career.

“James Lundie and Ray Montgomerie are the only players remaining at the club from my first spell and I’m looking forward to teaming up with them as well as a whole raft of new signings made by manager John McKeown that include my former Shettleston striking partner Calum McRobbie, Willie Wells (Maryhill) and Stephen McKenna (Queen of the South).

“Hopefully the Town will bounce straight back up at the first time of asking and I will always look out for their results, but as of tonight my focus will be on Cumnock and nothing else.

“I fully expect our training sessions will be demanding but I have been working out on my own to try and be in a decent condition for starting away.”

The 27-year-old revealed another of the Glasgow side’s stalwarts - defensive cornerstone t and erstwhile team manager Reon Juskowiack - will also be coming along to Townhead Park.

He added: "Reon endured a disappointing spell as manager and has called it a day at Shettleston, but he was outstanding at the heart of our defence and still has a lot to offer in a playing sense.

"So the plan is for John to have a close look at him during our pre-season workouts.”

Meanwhile, a few extra degrees of difficulty were added to the tough baptism awaiting Anson and Cumnock’s other newcomers alongside their match-up with arch-rivals Auchinleck Talbot in their third Ardagh Glass League Cup fixture.

For the first round draw for this season’s New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup sees them hosting the visit of a Clydebank side that agonisingly lost out in the race for promotion to Super First Division champions Nock despite running out 3-0 winners when the clubs last met in a crunch contest towards the end of May.

Former club Shettleston landed a cracker of their own in being pitted against beaten finalists Hurlford United at Greenfield Park while trophy holders Auchinleck will have home advantage in facing Cambuslang Rangers whom they beat 5-0 en route to racking up a remarkable twelfth West Cup triumph.

The full draw is Bellshill Athletic v Petershill, Johnstone Burgh v Royal Albert, Rob Roy v East Kilbride Thistle, Thorniewood Utd v Yoker Athletic, Vale of Clyde v Darvel, Rutherglen Glencairn v Irvine Meadow, Kilwinning Rangers v Arthurlie, Largs Thistle v Wishaw, Maybole v Girvan, Dunipace v Lanark Utd, Vale of Leven v Annbank Utd, Whitletts Vics v St Anthony's, St Roch's v Muirkirk, Cumnock v Clydebank, Newmains Utd v Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Saltcoats Vics v Shotts Bon Accord, Greenock v Troon, Lugar Boswell v Maryhill, Port Glasgow v Neilston, Kilbirnie Ladeside v Forth Wanderers, Irvine Vics v Rossvale, Benburb v Glasgow Perthshire, Gartcairn v Cumbernauld Utd, Glenafton v Carluke Rovers, Dalry Thistle v Pollok,Kello Rovers v Blantyre Vics, Cambuslang Rangers v Auchinleck Talbot, Beith v Ardeer Thistle, Kilsyth Rangers v Renfrew, Lesmahagow v Craigmark, Ashfield v Larkhall Thistle Shettleston v Hurlford Utd.

On the transfer front, a quartet of Talbot players who figured on the substitutes bench in their 2-0 final win over Hurlford are heading for the Beechwood Park exit gates.

The most surprising departures are striker Robert Love, who is thought to be on the verge of signing for Largs Thistle, and hard running midfielder Willie Boyd, reputed to be moving abroad because of work commitments.

Back up goalkeeper Scott Johnstone is joining Girvan while word has it that several clubs are showing an interest in Martin Findlay and experienced front man David Gillies.

Auchinleck team boss Tommy Sloan’s only confirmed arrivals to date are goalkeeper Brian Hewitt and erstwhile Rob Roy stopper Danny Boyle.