VASTLY-experienced former Clydebank boss Billy "Budgie" McGhie has become the third Kilbirnie Ladeside manager inside six months.

The ex-Clydebank, Partick Thistle and Queen of the South player took over the reins on Sunday after Mark Bradley left the club. The former manager is set to return to old club Linlithgow Rose following an approach.

Meetings with players were set to be organised by the new gaffer from last night (Tuesday).

Budgie expects to be on board for the long haul and said: "Kilbirnie were looking for a quick answer after Mark left suddenly and I felt it was quite an interesting job and quite a challenge. Kilbirnie are a big club who are well supported and ambitious. Stephen Swift built a decent squad and they finished third in the Premier Division two seasons ago and won the league cup last year, but the progress didn't continue. There is potential and I want to build on the good work that was done.

"I wouldn't go into any job but Kilbirnie appealed, there are similarities with Clydebank. At this most clubs would like to have a core of players signed but we don't so the first thing I will do is speak to last season's squad to see how many are committed to next year. Some players may have interest from other clubs."

He continued: "I want the club at the top end of the league winning trophies. That might happen soon or further down the line. I won't make any promises but the club said I have plenty of time."

Club secretary Gordon Ronney is delighted with the appointment and said: "Billy McGhie is a vastly-experienced manager. He was at Clydebank for 13 years, leaving at Christmas, But since then he has been out looking at players. We targeted Billy. He was beloved at Clydebank and won back-to-back promotions and cup competitions as well as taking them to the Scottish Cup final.

"Billy is keen to bring through Under-21 players and that's the ethos of the club, it's what we did in the 1970s when we were successful. Bobby Davidson, the manager who won the Scottish Junior Cup in 1977 is supportive of the appointment."

Meanwhile, Beith Juniors skipper John Sheridan hopes his side can build on Saturday's 3-0 win against Auchinleck Talbot, which ended the Beechwood Park club's title ambitions.

He said: "We dominated the game and deserved to win. The problem was we had so many games we dominated but ended up drawing and even if we had won a couple of those we would have been in with a chance of the league."

Added Sheridan: "Saturday was our last home game. Hopefully we can end the season with some silverware. We want to hold on to the Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup and hopefully we can beat Cumnock or Girvan away in the semi-final, although it will be tough and then win the final against Talbot or Kilwinning."