Largs Thistle boss Stuart Davidson is looking forward to the new season with a raft of new signings on board.

Arnie begins his first full season as manager, and took the squad on an arduous training session at Irvine Beach Park last weekend to get them into the zone.

The pre-season friendlies get underway this Saturday with a home match against Gartcairn, 2pm kick-off - it will have been only 33 days since Thistle's last fixture against Talbot.

Thistle then face Greenock Morton XI on Wednesday 19th, starting at 7.15pm.

Largs have added to the playing pool with Jamie Campbell, formerly of Greenock, Beith and Clydebank, and he can play in midfield or in striker's position.

Another signing is Scott Adam who impressed upfront as a substitute against Auchinleck recently, and he has featured for Winton, Rob Roy and Glenafton.

This adds to wing-back Martin Orr, striker Joel Kasubandi, and midfielders Ryan McKie, Graham Muir and Stephen Burden already signed for the new season.

Stuart said: "We have a good base to get started with a squad of 17, and hope to add another one or two. There is plenty of competition in the squad and I am very happy.

"The players have looked really hungry in training, and I have been impressed so far. Scott Adam had an injury, and recovered by playing for West Kilbride amateurs to get his fitness back, and did well against Auchinleck.

"Jamie Campbell has been away with the navy offshore, but is mid-20s, strong and creative."

"We have half a new team, and I am quite excited about that in itself and watching the players gel together. There has been a great good feel factor, and the attitude has been spot on, and we are aiming to take that into the games.

"First things first, we wanted to build up the fitness levels, and the boys have been working really hard.

"Next it is looking for match sharpness. During the five or six sessions we have had so far, the boys have put in a hell of a lot of hard work."

Looking towards the new season, Arnie said he was aiming to put in a good showing in the Ardagh Cup opening league section, and said: "Opening against Winton is an interesting one as a couple of our boys (Eddie Walton and Kevin Struthers) have left to play there, and then there is the Sandy MacLean connection with Largs, but to us, it is just another game for working on our match fitness and we are looking to get a result.

"We have Maryhill at home in our first league game at Barrfields, and it is great to start off with a home game, but I am sure Maryhill will be tough after they got promoted and consolidated last season.

looking plenty of positives get match fitness and into league cup section. We hope to get a good home crowd and get off to good start to set us on our way."

With the league reconstruction changes meaning there are four promotion spots, and play-off opportunities in 5th and 6th spot up for grabs, we asked Arnie if that changed Thistle's outlook for the season ahead.

He responded: "It doesn't change the mindset. We want to finish as high up the league as possible, preferably top, but I am sure other teams will be aiming for the top four, and it will give them more of an incentive too as a lot more is as stake.

"There is certainly a lot to play for."

Thanks to Ryan Scott for the photos.