BRIAN WELSH is most probably pinching himself today after clinching a move from a club staring relegation in the face to one with an outside bet of promotion.

And the highly-rated midfielder's joy at signing for East Kilbride Thistle is not in any way dampened by his transfer from Kilsyth Rangers resulting in him dropping out of the Super Premier Division.

That's because Welshy says this demotion is a small price to pay for ending an unhappy four-month spell at Duncansfield.

He said: "It is an open secret I've been looking to get away from Kilsyth ever since our previous gaffer Dunky Sinclair resigned.

"And not having my wish granted only soured things further for me and there were some weeks where I had no enthusiasm for playing at all.

"It's a situation that is so unlike me and I'm absolutely delighted to be away in order to get myself motivated and enjoying my football again."

An added bonus for the 32-year-old is getting the opportunity to play under Jags boss John Brogan and his No.2 Jimmy Kerr in what he hopes will be a frenetic run-in to the season.

He revealed: "It's a big challenge for me coming here, however they were the management team who signed me for Arbroath and I also played under Brogey at Blantyre Vics, so there is little he doesn't know about my game.

"He is convinced I can bring something to his team and I'll be doing everything I can to prove his judgment right in our remaining league games, beginning at Maryhill this week.

"It is going to be a tall order to get the eight or nine wins from our remaining fixtures that Brogey reckons will be needed to guarantee promotion, but it is not an impossible target.

"And, if we can just string together a few wins for starters then you never know."

The acquisition of Welsh sends out a clear signal of Thistle's step-up ambitions, a fact acknowledged by Vale of Clyde boss Gerry McGregor, whose side currently occupy the second promotion place behind leaders Rob Roy.

Said the Fullarton Park chief: "East Kilbride have had a horror run in taking only one point out of a possible 12, but you can't rule them out. If Welsh helps them get their act together then they are more than capable of coming with a late run.

"But they are not alone in this respect and, right now, I would say there are as many as seven teams fighting it out for just two places. Rob Roy and ourselves have opened up a bit of a gap on the others, but this is an extremely tough league where every team is capable of taking points off each other and things can so easily change from week to week.

"Largs are another side who have gone off the rails in recent weeks yet, if they were to get the better of Rob Roy on Saturday, then they will be right back in the melting pot."

Turning to his own side, the Tin Pail gaffer said: "We have been winning games without playing particularly well, but I can hardly complain as this is a stage in the season where points are more preferable to plaudits.

"Every single game is like a cup final and there is no let-up in the pressure even this week when we travel down to meet the bottom markers Johnstone Burgh, who are looking all but relegated.

"The Burgh players still have their pride at stake and, as such, we need to afford them our every respect or risk coming a cropper."

Ready to yet again play through the pain barrier to further Vale's promotion hopes is battle-hardened skipper John Crooks.

Added the team boss: "Crooksy really is a one- off character. He was scheduled to go in for a knee operation, but put the surgery on hold until the close season after being told he cannot further damage the joint by continuing to play.

"His experience has been invaluable in keeping us in the hunt, and it speaks volumes about him that he is often left in agony after matches yet is prepared to soldier on for the team." Burgess picks Pollok quartet

REIGNING West Region champions Pollok are well represented in the Scotland squad named by manager Keith Webster for the Umbro Quadrangular Tournament in the Isle of Man later this month.

The quartet of Bryan Dingwall, Brian McKeown, Gary Wilson and Robert Downs are definite picks for the trip, while goalkeeper Kris Robertson is on stand-by should there by injury call-offs over the next three weeks.

The rest of the squad is: Marc Graham, Roger Duffin (Hill O'Beath), Iain Ross, Gary Middleton, Calum Hardie (Lochee Utd), Bryan Slavin, Kris Doolan (Auchinleck), Richie Barr, Stuart McDonald (Cumnock), Mark Crilly, Paul Hilland (Irvine Meadow), Joe Mbu (Whitburn), Tom Courts (Kelty Hearts), Stevie Docherty (Bathgate), Gordon Herd (Linlithgow) and Jim Lister (Camelon).

Steven Swift (Irvine Meadow) and Sean Grady (Linlithgow) are on the stand-by list along with Colin Strickland (Whitburn) and Murray Urquhart (Tayport).