New management team appointed at Vale of Leithen

Former boss Joe Murray resigned at the start of February following a 10-2 defeat at Musselburgh Athletic, then Ross McLaren took over on an interim basis but left in the wake of a 4-2 cup defeat to Hawick Royal Albert last week.

The Innerleithen club has now appointed former Edinburgh United boss Ian Flynn to steer the ship.

Vale are currently bottom of the East of Scotland Premier League and look certain to suffer another drop.

And the 53-year-old, who is vastly experienced in lower league Scottish football, has already got one eye on next season.

Their remaining eight games will give Flynn time to assess his squad and he says that any player who impresses will get an opportunity in pre-season to stake a claim to stay.

He said: “I’ve been in football pretty much non-stop my whole life but I left my job at Edinburgh United about a year ago as I needed a break.

“Vale is a club that I’ve been keeping an eye on for some time. It’s a big club with a good committee and when I was approached to take over I fancied getting involved.

“It’s a case of getting this season over and done with and making sure we can get a team on the pitch for the games we’ve got left, then starting again next season.

"This season’s already written off as there’s no chance of staying up but we will be fighting for everything in the remaining games.

“Any players doing well between now and the end of the season will get an opportunity in pre-season. I know Gary Tickle and Dylan Weldon but don’t know many of the others so hopefully some will surprise me.

“But I’m also looking to bring in players of the right character and quality to get the club moving in the right direction.”

John ‘Jocky’ McCraw will take on the role of assistant manger.

Next up for Vale is a visit from seventh-placed Dundonald Bluebell this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 2.30pm.

But Flynn and McCraw will officially take over for the game against Linlithgow Rose on Tuesday, April 4.