NEW Ardrossan Winton Rovers boss Bryan Slavin firmly believes his team can turn their form around and challenge for promotion.

And on Monday night, he unveiled his new coach Mark McCann, a former Winton player.

Slavin's former manager at Dalry Thistle, Drew Walsh was appointed assistant manager last week although is currently on holiday and the coaching staff will assess the squad in the next few weeks.

The new boss says he plans to make some changes after watching his new team in action as they took on Whitletts Victoria at home on Saturday.

He said: "There is optimism, I know it was a 3-0 defeat and we lost a couple of bad goals.

"There some good things but another couple of obvious things we can work on. There are five or six players in the squad we still have to assess. I would be very surprised that we want to keep everyone. So it's time for people to step up and show good attitude."

Asked about his ambitions, Slavin said: "We want to achieve promotion and our aim is to go out and win games every Saturday until the end of the season. A club like Winton shouldn't have any other aspirations in the District League other than promotion, ideally winning the league. But for now we just want to get a couple of wins on the board."

McCann, who played with Slavin at the Tass Thistle and Saltcoats Boys Brigade team, left Ardeer Thistle, where he was assistant manager to join Winton and is excited about the new challenge.

He said: "I won the Second Division with Morton, where I worked with Derek McInnes, who is now Aberdeen manager, and then the Ayrshire Second Division with Winton. I had two spells with Winton and was also at Auchinleck Talbot and Troon. Winton are a great club to be part of. They have really great potential with a good set up."

The new boss will miss Saturday's Scottish Junior Cup clash at home to Banchory St Ternan, as he is celebrating his 40th birthday with coach McCann in charge as Walsh is still away.

Slavin added: "The club knew when I was interviewed it was my 40th and my wife Jennifer had things arranged for me. It's a sore one to miss as I have a kind of love affair with the Scottish Cup, I won it three times with Auchinleck Talbot. But it would be great if the boys could come through and I could get another shot at it.

"Banchory are in the top league in the Northern Region so we must turn up with our best game face and try and get through. They could be cracking or they could be struggling."