FORMER Irvine Victoria player Brian McLuckie is relishing a return to the Westenders - as the manager in succession to Stevie Wilson.

And he is aiming to help the club compete in the Championship, after Wilson helped them clinch second spot and his third promotion inside five years.

McLuckie will be joined by assistant Mark McCann and coach Tam Jamieson, with the trio serving as caretakers with Ardrossan Winton Rovers late last season.

The new boss has taken three or four years out from the game after leaving Cumnock - with whom he won the Ardagh Cup - and is raring to go again.

He told Sportscene: "It was good of Winton to give us the opportunity to get back into coaching. Mark said that Vics wanted to talk to us and I felt this was a good opportunity. They have a hard-working committee and I know the club from having played here. Only two players are in contract but we we hope to keep most of the squad and add to it - we have some targets we will look at. We did well to get promotion and the aim will be to consolidate."

Secretary David Loach said: "We are delighted to have Brian and the new coaching team on board. They stood out over the other applicants and they have a good ethos. Hopefully we will have continuity."