Juniors set for big kick-off!

In the Super League, Kelty Hearts will be looking to regain the title they lost to Bonnyrigg Rose while Oakley United, Rosyth and a revitalised Crossgates Primrose will do battle in the South Division.

Both Oakley and Rosyth will go into the campaign under new management, as will Primrose, who have re-taken their place in the league after being placed in abeyance in November having decided to call it quits.

Press Sport takes a look at what lies ahead for the West Fife quartet.

Kelty Hearts

Thomas Courts is confident that his squad are equipped to battle on all fronts as they aim to regain the Super League trophy.

The New Central Park player/boss has been pleased with his team's preparations for the new campaign which begins with a daunting trip to champions Bonnyrigg Rose.

Courts lost assistant Stevie Kay, who has taken the reigns at Dundonald Bluebell, but has brought back Sean Grady after a season away to fill the void, while he has also been busy in the transfer market.

Having let go David Banjo and sold striker Calum Smith to Bo'ness United, defender Scott Gates is taking time out due to work commitments and Mark Morrison has joined Rosyth but three players have arrived to supplement the squad.

Popular midfielder Neil McCabe has returned after a spell with East Stirlingshire, while Thornton Hibs striker Jack Wilson and Newtongrange Star link man Craig Thomson have also joined, and Courts senses a hunger amongst his men to be back in the trophy hunt this term.

As well as winning their own pre-season tournament by beating Cowdenbeath and Dunfermline's under-20s respectively, Kelty were 2-0 winners over a Heart of Midlothian XI in a friendly to mark the official opening of New Central Park, defeated Brora Rangers 2-0 in the Highlands before drawing 0-0 with Ayrshire big guns Kilbirnie Ladeside on Saturday.

Courts said: "We came back on June 28 and the lads have really looked after themselves. We've had a good pre-season and I purposefully put together a tough schedule before our first game with Bonnyrigg. I think we are maturing as a team; we've been together for a couple of years and the squad are fit, hungry and capable of battling on multiple fronts. I hope we will be able to do that.

"We've probably got a smaller squad this time but that frees up opportunities for some of our younger players. I don't think age should be a barrier and I feel as though we have strength in depth and versatility. They know they could've done a bit better last year but, equally, that has served as extra motivation.

"It will be tough going to the league champions but we are thoroughly looking forward to it. We've got to play them at some point and, while we'll give them respect, we hope to be competitive. I thought the performances last season were reasonably acceptable but, for one reason or another, it didn't quite happen in the cup competitions. We want to improve on that and be competitive on all fronts."

Oakley United

Having to swallow the pill of relegation was a bitter experience for Oakley United but Craig Cowan senses good times are afoot at Blairwood Park.

Cowan took over with six games to go last term after James Watt resigned as boss, but was unable to save them from the Premier League drop as they suffered 17 defeats from 30 games to finish rock bottom of the table.

The new man in charge has however overhauled the United squad with no fewer than 15 players coming in, while several of last season's pool have left the club, including Dale Allan and Lee Reid, who have both joined Super League side Hill of Beath Hawthorn.

Oakley kick off their bid for an immediate Premier League return with a West Fife derby at home to Rosyth on Saturday and have had a mixed bag of pre-season results, drawing with both Aberdour Amateurs and Kirkcaldy YM while narrowly losing out at home to Whitletts Victoria.

Cowan however is confident of a positive campaign to come, and said: "I can't wait to get down to business to be honest with you. We've added 15 players so we've started afresh. We've got a few older heads in there with experience from the Super League, like Willie Campbell who we've signed from Glenrothes, and some young boys who has also experience from the Super League. There's experience with some youth there as well but a lot of the youth players we have have played a few seasons at junior level.

"I'm very happy with the way things are going and in pre-season we've been doing ok in spells. You can't get a right gauge of things in friendlies but I know my starting eleven and I'm optimistic. A good start is essential but we've got a tough one, with Rosyth at home, Blackburn away, Crossgates at home and Stoneyburn away. That will show where we're going to be but I'm happy; the boys have reacted well to what we're trying to do."

Rosyth

Rosyth will go into the campaign under new management after coaches Kevin Smith and Barry Cockburn were installed as joint replacements for Lee Richardson.

Richardson ended a three-and-a-half year spell in charge at Recreation Park to move to Super League Dundonald Bluebell as Stevie Kay's assistant, taking his own number two John Steel with him.

The club's committee however moved quickly to appoint Smith and Cockburn as co-managers and, with skipper Dean Ogg also taking on a coaching role, the Rosyth dugout will have a new but familiar feel to it this season.

Smith is hopeful that that will stand them in good stead and, as they prepare to travel to Oakley on Saturday, he said that he has been delighted with his squad's reaction to the management change.

He commented: "It is something that we wanted to do and was the natural progression for us because we'd been coaching with Lee the previous year. It was a shock when he left and I was a bit disappointed at first because I enjoyed working with him, but we've been learning our trade with the under-21s and have had success in winning the league. We knew the boys already and that has made the transition easier, and they have taken to us really well. The feedback we've had is that they're enjoying it, and that makes it easier to get them to come to training and the games.

"We have been picking up from Lee's pre-season but we have our own methods; Barry and I played a certain way with the under-21s and the exciting thing is that we're creating chances."

A 5-3 defeat to Kennoway Star Hearts in last month's Rosyth tournament was followed by a narrow 1-0 loss to Super League Camelon before a 6-0 thumping of North Division Lochore Welfare, games that have given Smith belief that Rosyth can mount a promotion challenge.

Experienced Kelty Hearts star Mark Morrison is among those to arrive at Recreation Park and although a number of clubs have declared interest in goal machine Tam Hampson, last season's top scorer remains a Rosyth player for now.

Smith continued: "We've brought in another goalkeeper, added players in defence and midfield but we haven't really added up front. Tam is still here; I've had a number of clubs on the phone and I feel like his agent! I believe he deserves the chance to play at a higher level and we don't want to hold him back, but we have a duty to the club as well. He's been looking great in training and been kept well in the loop.

"Playing Kennoway and Camelon wouldn't have been my choice in pre-season as you want to build confidence and momentum, but the boys have bought into the system we want to play. Against Kennoway, they changed theirs 2-3 times and Camelon had to adapt as well, which is a compliment to the boys and our system.

"We've had a tough pre-season and there's a buzz about the place. I don't think there's much difference in quality between the teams this year so I think it'll come down to who works hardest and makes the least mistakes, but I'm quietly confident."

Saturday's fixtures (kick-offs 2.30pm): McBookie.com Super League - Bonnyrigg Rose v Kelty Hearts. McBookie.com South Division - Crossgates Primrose v Blackburn United, Oakley United v Rosyth.