TOMMY SLOAN reckons his successful Auchinleck stars will hit the ground running - despite having just 23 days off between seasons!

The Citylink Scottish Cup winners finished playing on June 15 and are due to start pre-season training on Wednesday, although the big-hearted boss is considering giving them another couple of days off!

He said: "I would like them to have as long a break as possible, but I'm keen to get them back on the training pitch so I can blood a couple of new players, and have a look at some others.

"I don't think we need too many new faces because we obviously have a squad good enough to win major honours. I've re-signed John Boyle though, and he'll prove a good addition."

Tucker' has targeted the usual trophies, Scottish, league, West Cup and all the others, but there is one competition that has lips moist in anticipation.

He explained: "We've qualified for the senior Scottish Cup by virtue of winning its Junior equivalent. That is the real icing on the cake for us.

"It will be the first time many of the players or staff at Beechwood Park will have taken part in the competition and we can't wait."

When asked the age-old question on whether the top Junior clubs can compete with senior sides from the Second and Third Division, Sloan said: "That's still to be determined.

"Our aim is to try and win a couple of games and get in the hat with the big boys. That would be some achievement, but first we'll need a couple of winnable ties.

"Probably then, and only then, will I be in a position to judge whether or not clubs at our level would be in a position to compete with these guys week in, week out.

"But I think there is a bigger picture here. By allowing Junior clubs into the Scottish Cup, I believe the powers-that-be could be looking to the future, with a pyramid-type system possibly on the agenda.

"Whatever happens, it's certainly exciting times in the game and it's just great to be a part of it all.

"We had a fantastic season and it culminated in the Scottish Cup win over Clydebank.

"We were left with a mountain of league games and maybe it was too big an ask, but that should take nothing away from Irvine Meadow, because they were worthy champions of the Premier League.

"The other side of the coin is that if you've played as many games as we did last season then it can mean only thing, that you've been successful. We'll take that every time."

Tucker isn't too worried about the fact his players are getting no more than a three-week break, although he would obviously have liked it to be longer.

He said: "If you take Stevie Mallan out of the equation, we've a young side, so the fitness issues shouldn't prove too big a hurdle to clear.

"I think I only have one player over the age of 25 in my back four and that tells you something about my team.

"They are growing up together and if I can keep them happy, they could be playing together for quite some time to come. If we could manage that we would reap some incredible benefits."

But regardless of whether pre-season starts this Wednesday or Saturday, Tucker will have his troops ready for the big kick-off.