Teams look to strengthen squads in run up to new season

Newtongrange boss Stevie McLeish has signed 14 players

With just four weeks to the start of the season, club bosses have also been busy recruiting new players as others have departed.

The biggest shake up is at Newtongrange where boss Stevie McLeish has snapped up 14 players.

Bonnyrigg Rose boss Robbie Horn has kept the majority of his side, adding just six players, while at Penicuik, Johnny Harvey has brought in five players.

In the Premier League,  Arniston has signed four players with Dalkeith adding three while South League’s Easthouses have added five.

The new signing are: Bonnyrigg Rose have signed Bryan Young, goalkeeper, from Whitehill Welfare; Neil Martyniuk, left back, from Newtongrange Star; Lee Currie, midfielder, from Newtongrange; Ross Gray, midfielder, from Linlithgow Rose; Darren McCraw, forward, from Bonnyrigg Rose U21s; and Dean Brett, who has decided to stay at the club after signing for Montrose.

At Penicuik, boss Johnny Harvey has signed Fraser Eddington from Bo’ness United; defender John Williams from Whitehill Welfare; midfielder Arran Ponton from Haddington Athletic; midfielder Sam Jones from Berwick Rangers; defender Gary Hamilton from Newtongrange Star.

Newtongrange Star’s Stevie McLeish has signed Mark Moncrieff, Dander-hall; Keiron Renton, Musselburgh, Michael Osborne, Dale O’Hara, Whitehill Welfare; Kyle and Stephen Scott, Penicuik, Ryan Porteous, Arniston; Dan Simpson, Leith 21s, Neil Lowson, Sean Melvin, Kerr Allan, Mark Wilkie, Taylor Black, all Leith Athletic and Thomas Thompson, Bonnyrigg Rose 21s.

Dalkeith Thistle boss Kevin Haynes has added Kenny  McMillan, Easthouses; Jack Findlay; Jordan Bain, Whitburn.

Arniston Rangers boss Jock Landells has snapped up David Dunn, Musselburgh; Ryan Sanderson, Myles Doig, Andy Watson, Bonnyrigg Rose 21s.

Easthouses Lily boss David McQueenie has signed Keith Buckley and Chris Taylor, both from Craigroyston, Josh Anderson, Bonnyrigg Rose U21s, and Lewis Burns, Preston Athletic U20s and goalkeeper Paul Tansey.

Whitehill Welfare, under new manager Gary Small, have wasted no time in bringing new faces to the club, these include: Christopher Gordon (Dunbar); Ryan McKenzie (Tranent), Kyle Mitchell (Cowdenbeath); Scott Lucas (Arniston); Gareth Thom (Rosewell); Hamish Hunter, Ryan Stevenson, James McPartlin (Hawick RA); Robbie Carter (Dalkeith Thistle); Jack Wright (Whitehill U20s).