NEW Irvine Meadow manager Brian McGinty is looking to take the club back to the top of the Junior game, writes Stewart McConnell.
McGinty was confirmed as the new boss on Wednesday morning, with fellow former Irvine Meadow player Stevie Aitchison and Phil Bannister, who were with him at Rossvale, being appointed assistant boss and goalkeeping coach respectively.
McGinty took charge immediately and will be in the dugout for the first time as the Irvine side take on East Coast cracks Broxburn Athletic in the second round of the Scottish Junior Cup.
During four glittering years at the club, McGinty won the Premier Division, the West of Scotland Cup and a host of other trophies but he insists that is firmly in the past.
He said: "We won three league titles and the West and the only thing we didn't win was the Scottish Cup, we were in four quarter-finals but didn't play well in any of them."
After leaving Meadow, he played at Pollok and Bellshill, winning them promotion and most recently he was at Rossvale, steering them to second place in the Central First Division.
Asked why he returned McGinty said: "Meadow have always been a big club but at the moment they are not where they should. When you see the set up, the park, the club and the ground.

"They should be in the top league and our job is to get them back there. I have played here before and know what it's like, we had some good times there but they are six or seven years ago and don't count for anything.

"Ultimately we want to get Meadow back to the top league, whether it is this year or next year. The are 20 odd games left and plenty of time. There are good players here but you are not a good club if you are in the second tier. 
"Meadow must get back to winning trophies and if the players want to be part of that it's fine. The set up is excellent and it's a stable club."
Looking forward to the cup tie he said: "The cup will take care of itself. Broxburn are doing well, we will do do our homework on them. It's a chance for the guys to go and impress and stake a claim for the league game at Cumbernauld the following week. Last year Meadow's defensive record was exceptional but we seem to be losing more goals. But it's not about what has happened before it's what we do now that counts."