East Stirlingshire assistant Andy Rodgers: We need to hit the ground running

Rodgers says early-season struggles in recent seasons have left the side having to play catch-up.

And with a host of other teams boosting their squads as they eye up a chance to scale the non-league pyramid and reach the SPFL, Shire are determined not to let their rivals steal a march - one of the reasons why they started back at pre-season training earlier this time round.

Rodgers said: “I would say for the last three years, from maybe about October or November we’ve kicked on, but we’ve given ourselves too much to do and we need to hit the ground running.

“The standard of this league is getting better every year so we know we need to start the season better than we have and if it means doing a couple of extra weeks then we’ll do that.

“Everybody realises now there are a lot of teams capable of playing at a higher level. Maybe before, when the pyramid first came into place people looked at it and thought ‘well the teams at the bottom of League Two will be safe because they will be better.

“But there maybe even isn’t a gap now. I think more than one team want to go up now.

“At the start East Kilbride were the team having a right go and the difference in standard from the top of this league to the bottom was massive. Now there’s maybe six. seven, eight teams all desperate to get into the SPFL.

“It’s going to be difficult, we’re under no illusions - Kelty, East Kilbride, Spartans, BSC there are plenty of decent sides in the league and we’re not the only ones who are desperate to get out of it. But we’ve given ourselves a chance.

“Even if you win the league you don’t get promoted and it’s not even one play off, it’s two because you’ve got to play a Highland League team and then a league team.

“It’s difficult, it’s set up probably to protect the league teams.

“But last year showed if you’re good enough you can do it and we firmly believe we’ve built a squad that can not only win the league but can go and get promoted.”