Shire Sign A Record Deal

East Stirlingshire have signed a novel sponsorship deal with a record company. SX Records, who are based in Southend-On-Sea, will not only put their name on the front of Shire's jerseys for next season, but also on the shorts as well. An associated company will have its name on the back of the shirts, across the player's shoulders.

The exact financial terms of the deal are remaining a secret, but the club has described it as, "a good one." There will also be help in kind which will include the re-development of the now closed official club website.

SX Records is a collaboration between music producers and music-loving business people in the south east of England. They have a number of up-and-coming indie bands on their books.

Shire are the first club in Scotland to be sponsed by a record company. The only other example of such a deal is chart-topping artist, Fat Boy Slim, whose Skint Records is the official jersey sponsor of Brighton and Hove Albion.

Things Are Looking Up, Wylde

Shire's new-look squad has been put through its paces with the first weekend of pre-season training underway. And the message from boss, Gordon Wylde is that this time it is going to be a serious business.

Wylde has ordered four training sessions a week until the games start. That means Saturday and Sunday mornings along with the usual Tuesday and Thursday evenings. The weekend sessions are being held at the well-appointed Little Kerse fields in Grangemouth. The main fitness, running and ball work will be done there. During the week it will be off to the gym at Polmont Young Offenders Institution. That will give pysio and coach, Iain MacIver the chance to work on body strength and conditioning.

"This club has been a laughing stock for too long," Wylde told Zebra Diary. "We have worked hard at bringing in a better quality of player, and the four new boys are, I think, going to improve things. We certainly haven't stopped and, if I can get them, there will be three to four more players coming in. I still need a goalkeeper and a centre-half, plus a midfielder and another striker."

Wylde knows who he wants but won't give anything away. What he also wants is a more professional attitude.

"Each player has been told to look after himself. Iain has given them all fitness plans. We have told them they can expect the kind of training they get at full-time teams. We will try to give them the best of everything. Getting Little Kerse is part of that. It's an excellent facility and we are fortunate to have it, and I think the new players will take one look at our training venues and see we mean business."

The boss clearly believes the team can get off the bottom of the league next season. But he is not getting carried away. "It's too early to say how well prepared we are. If we can get the right kind of player in I think we can do well, but other teams will be improving too so it will not be easy."

Back To The Hard Work

Pre-Season Training Got Underway at Little Kerse In Grangemouth This Morning.

Third Division Fixture Schedule Announced

Shire will open the 2006/07 Thid Division campaign with a home match against Elgin City on Saturday 5th August. A week later the team will travel to newly-relegated Dumbarton. The first derby against Stenhousemuir will be the fourth league game of the season, on 26th August. With Paul Tyrrell now at the Warriors, but with no McGrillen, it should make for an interesting encounter.

Another New Player Arrives

The number of new Shire signings has risen to four with the addition of tough-tackling Ulsterman Andy Smith to the ranks. He spent last season at Scottish Junior Cup finalists, Bathgate Thistle, but has tasted senior football with Stirling Albion. Andy played in 30 of Albion's 36 league matches when they won promotion to the Second Division in 2003/04 season.

"He is a hard player and a winner, just the kind of guy I want here," Shire boss Gordon Wylde told Zebra Diary. "He can play in midfield but I see him slotting into the right-back position at the moment," added Wylde.

The Firs Park coach is still chasing two or three players, including an experienced centre-half who was with a Second Division club last season. Another four or five hopefuls will be invited to take part in pre-season training, which begins on Saturday morning.

Wylde Adds Two Fresh Faces

Gordon Wylde has added two more players to the squad for the 2006/07 season, bolstering the midfield and the strike force in the process.

Bo'ness United forward, Alan Ward, has put pen to paper along with Steven Learmonth, who was with Alloa Athletic last season.

28 year old Ward, once of Sauchie Juniors, has been cracking in the goals for the Newton Park side over the last two seasons, and was the top scorer in 2004/05. There is no doubt in Wylde's mind he will lead the line next season.

Learmonth (20) is a product of Alloa's very highly-regarded youth system. He came up through the Wasps under-17 and under-19 teams before breaking into the first team under Tom Hendrie. Steven played in 23 Second Division matches for Alloa last season, although his opportunities were limited under Allan Maitland.

The offer of training facilities and the chance to prove he was worth a new contract at the Recs next season was not as attractive to Steven as the prospect of regular first team football with Shire.

It takes Shire's close season captures to three, with midfielder Paul Stewart, who was with Shotts Bon Accord last season. Wylde says he is still chasing four or five potential new signings.