Season 2008 preview

In an interview on the BBC website Billy Reid gives his views on the forthcoming season.

The article reads…

AIRDRIE UNITED

Airdrie might yet surprise me, but I think it is going to be difficult for them back in Division One.
They only came up thanks to Gretna going out of business and have lost Allan Russell, their top scorer, to Kilmarnock during the summer.

But they are a club renowned for their fighting qualities and you can guarantee that Kenny Black will have them battling for everything.

It is important that they get points early on in the season and I am sure they will consider avoiding relegation at the end of the season a success.

I certainly think, if you offered them that now, they would take it.

CLYDE

Many people have tipped Clyde for relegation in recent seasons, so they did fantastically well to stay up via the play-offs last term under their new management team.
Financially, they will again be pretty much at the bottom of the pile and have lost a lot of their more experienced players.

The likes of Craig McKeown, Dougie Imrie and Craig Bryson have left in recent seasons and players of that quality are difficult to replace.

This summer they have lost Gary Arbuckle and Michael McGowan and the players they have brought in are untested at this level.

Clyde manager John Brown is a fighter, but I think my former club face another difficult season.

DUNDEE

At the end of last season, I thought that Dundee would be among the strong favourites for the title.
But I think others have strengthened to an extent that they are simply one of several teams capable of winning the league.

Their midfield has been obliterated with the sale of Kevin McDonald, who scored 11 goals from midfield, to Burnley and the exit to Dundee United of Scott Robertson.

They have brought in Colin Cameron and Darren Young, who both have a wealth of experience but don’t have the same legs.

However, in Mickael Antoine-Curier and Colin McMenamin, who I expect to finish the league’s top scorer, they have guys who will score lots of goals.

DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC

These have been challenging times at East End Park with lots of players going out the door as the wage budget is slashed.
It looks like Sol Bamba is likely to be sold to Watford and that might finance a few new faces.

Dunfermline are a big, big club in the First Division and will have been disappointed not to have lived up to their billing as strong favourites last season.

They have a new management team and have a side capable of being up there challenging, but there are no guarantees.

LIVINGSTON

Livingston gave us a few problems last season, but they have lost quality up front with Graham Dorrans joining West Brom and Robert Snodgrass moving to Leeds.
But they still have good players in the shape of James McPake and Dave Mackay.

I don’t know their management team, who they have brought in from Italy, or much about the players they have brought with them.

So Livingston will be surprise packages whatever happens and could end up as challengers - or relegation candidates.