'Signings show we mean business' - Musselburgh Athletic boss Liam Burns

Musselburgh Athletic boss Liam Burns believes their double signing swoop from League Two Bonnyrigg Rose shows his side mean business.

Liam Burns

Defender Bob Wilson and striker George Hunter returned to Olivebank last week on two and a half year deals, rejecting offers from the Lowland League. Burns was initially looking to sign the duo on free transfers in the summer but Musselburgh's committee backed their boss this month.

Both are set to make their second debuts for fifth place Burgh when they host Oakley United on Saturday in the first of three consecutive East of Scotland Premier home matches.

"It's two big signings for the club. They are two local boys and fair play to them, they turned down clubs at a higher level and more money than what we are giving them. They have come here for the right reasons," said Burns.

"I thought there was a good chance of getting them. Once we got to January I could speak to them both and thought we had a decent chance of getting them in for next season. It came out the blue that we could get them in now.

"I went to the committee thinking I was going to have to sell it to them, and they might look at it and go 'We can get these guys for free at the end of the season' but they said they would get in touch with Bonnyrigg and see what they could do.

“I got in touch directly with Robbie Horn [Bonnyrigg manager] to begin with and then after that our committee spoke to their committee and we managed to get it done.

“The two boys were unbelievably easy to deal with in terms of their terms. To get the two of them on two and a half year days is great business, I am getting two boys who are in their prime. To convince them to come to us was a big clout for us. It shows we mean business.

"We still want to finish as high as possible this season but we want to make a real good go of it next year.”