New Lugar boss says he's in it for the long-haul as he vows to make club competitive again

Gallagher, who has previous managerial experience with Craigmark Burntonians and Girvan, was recently announced as Lugar’s new boss after Wullie Hall left the club by mutual consent at the start of October.

Lugar suffered a heavy defeat on the opening day of the season when they lost 6-0 to Neilston in Conference B of the West of Scotland Football League.

However, in Gallagher’s first game in charge last Saturday his side put in a spirited performance narrowly losing 2-1 to an experienced Gartcairn side giving their new boss plenty of positives.

He told the Chronicle: “It’s good to be back involved in football again.

“It will be a challenge, but it’s one I am relishing. I can remember Lugar being in the then Super First Division of the juniors but in recent years they have drifted down and finished second-bottom last season in League Two.

“Myself and the rest of the management team along with all of the squad will be doing everything they can to get results and progressing to a level that Lugar will be back competing.

“We know it’s a long-haul process and it is not going to change overnight but we are all keen to work and bring Lugar back up again.

“For us, everything about this season is about development. We have a really young squad so we want to increase the level they are at for next season and also bring in some experienced players to help with that.

“The project side of the job attracted me to it as it’s about taking young players forward. It won’t be a quick journey but the boys seem committed, they are listening, eager to learn and applying themselves and that was shown with the result on Saturday against a very experienced Gartcairn team and I felt we could have taken something from the game. That gives us a base to build on now.

“We play Irvine Vics on Saturday and it’s a game we feel we can get something out of.”

This article was published in the Cumnock Chronicle on November 4.