Bell and Ure to leave as McDowell arrives at Carmuirs

The former Linlithgow Rose and and Kelty Hearts player, who has previous management experience with Jeanfield Swifts and Luncarty has named Stevie Kay and Ryan Blackadder as his assistants and Emma Harper as his physio.

On the playing front the Mariners have lost two vastly experienced players in the shape of long time servant Bryan Bell and influential midfielder Derek Ure who have indicated they will be leaving Carmuirs Park.

The fact that former Camelon boss John Sludden is now boss of East Stirling has led to speculation that Ure, a former Shire player, could return to his old club. That also applies to top striker Davy Grant, this season’s top scorer in the Scottish Junior Cup with ten goals, who has also made it clear he is leaving Camelon.

David Kane, Craig Donaldson, Eamon Fullerton, Colin Allison, Ross Teirney and Scott Taylor have all signed for next season and will be joined by new signings Ross Kane David Mitchell Alan Sneddon Jason Bolam and Greg Nicol - the last named four all played for Falkirk Juniors last term. At a meeting on Monday night a club spokesman said that more signings will follow.

Last midweek Grant Tierney’s spell at the Mariners’ helm ended with a 2-0 victory over Fife & Lothian Cup finalists Penicuik in their last game of the season.

Mark Flynn opened the scoring with a low shot from 22 yards midway through the first half with Jordan Devlin teeing up Sam Columbine to slot home from 12 yards in the second half.

Elsewhere Fauldhouse won their last two game which left Sauchie Juniors in a play-off with Lochee United for a place in the East Superleague and it doesn’t look good for the Beechwood Park side who were hammered 5-0 by United on Monday evening with the second leg due to be played last night (Wednesday).

Meanhwhile, it may have taken him six games for him to get his first win but three victories in their last three games saw the ex-Dunfermline and Partick Thistle ace lead the Mariners to East Superleague safety.

So it was a satisfied Tierney who joined the Scotland squad that flew out of Glasgow last Thursday for the Far East in a bid to win the Seniors’ World Cup, under the management of former Kilwinning boss Alan McTurk, as he said “It’s strange the way it happened. I’d got involved doing some off-the-field stuff a few months ago and trying to help them develop the club. But I never expected I’d end up in the dugout.”

Two other former Mariners are also in the Scotland squad. Goalkeeper Ronnie McPherson, who was capped for Junior Scotland while at Linlithgow Rose in season 1997-98, was popular at every club he played for including Camelon and latterly Falkirk Juniors where he retired from playing junior football. Striker Chris McFadyen is another that is no stranger in these parts. A favourite when he played with Camelon Juniors before starring with East Region top outfits Linlithgow Rose, Bo’ness United and Bathgate Thistle, Chris is still playing for St Roch’s at the age of 41. The Seniors’ World Cup is an annual event which was introduced in aid of the Tsunamis disaster of 2004 and this year is being hosted by Chiang Mai in Thailand.