TOMMY Sloan says Talbot are ready to hit the ground running for some early crunch tests in the new season.

The Beechwood players start pre-season training on Saturday - just four weeks after beating Neilston in the Evening Times Cup - in preparation of the coming campaign.

Bot start their Ardagh Glass Cup campaign with clashes against Lugar and Cumnock before they start their latest Scottish Cup adventure on Saturday, August 16.

And in preparation of the fast start, Sloan said: “We’ve got a lot of big matches early doors so it’s vital the boys hit the ground running.

“It might not seem that the boys have had much time off but it’s important we get off to a flier.” Sloan has been busy in the transfer market already this summer with the arrivals of Willie Boyd, Mark Campbell, above, and Gordon Pope.

And while he is always looking for fresh faces, Sloan is no closer to adding to his squad.