Clydebank striker Jordan Shelvey insists returning to the newly-developed Holm Park will be the deciding factor next season in helping the Bankies improve upon their eighth place West Region Premiership finish and quarter-final spot in the Scottish Junior Cup.

With extensive work taking place at their home ground, Kieran McAnespie’s side were forced to spend the entire season at Lochburn Park in Maryhill and struggled to adapt, failing to build on a positive start.

Shelvey, however, reckons that won’t be an issue once they finally move into Holm Park, revealing all of the squad are raring to go at the new facility.

He said: “We started off really well and were up in the top two or three for a few months but we fell right away after Christmas. I don’t know what happened after that but our performances went right down hill. As a team, we just weren’t great. We were still training great but we just couldn’t produce it on the pitch and fell away to finish eighth.

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“Our main ambition next season is starting well again but maintaining that throughout this time. There’s no reason why we can’t improve in both the league and the Scottish Cup. That is 100 per cent doable. 

“The facilities at Holm Park should really help us do that. All of the boys are constantly talking about the new ground on our WhatsApp group. We really can’t wait. We want to get settled in and work towards making it a fortress.

“All of us have completely bought into what Kieran’s trying to achieve here. He tries to educate the players on how to play the game properly, not just route one lumping it up the park. The new facility will definitely help that side of our game as we couldn’t really get the ball down to play at Lochburn last season. The new surface at Holm Park will definitely allow us to get the ball down and play to our strengths more.”

Clydebank Post: Shelvey can’t wait to play at refurbished grounds (Photo: Stevie Doogan)Shelvey can’t wait to play at refurbished grounds (Photo: Stevie Doogan)

While Bankies did struggle as the season progressed, Shelvey admitted he was happy with his own performances as he went to net a career-high 17 goals in his sixth season at the club.

And the 26-year-old is hoping to pick up where he left off once the club’s pre-season friendlies get underway.

“From a purely personal point of view, I thought I had a decent season with a good tally,” he added. “I was out injured for a while but I started to pick up again after I came back from that.

“Personally, my main target for next season is just to beat 17 and maybe hit that 20 mark.

“More importantly, our first pre-season session is on the 27th of this month and we cannot wait and then we’ve got four or five friendlies lined up at Holm Park. A good few matches to settle and then straight into the Sectional League Cup before the season starts is exactly the kind of preparation you want.”

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