Last season: 3rd
Manager: Peter Hetherston
In: John Bradford ( Ayr Utd. ), Andy Paterson ( Stranraer ), Jim Dick, Colin McKinnon and Jim Mercer ( Arbroath ), Jered Stirling ( Stranraer ), Cormack ( Stenhousemuir )
Out: Waldie, McKenna, Easton, Booth, Hamilton, Burrows, Donnelly, Coulter, Harty, McCormick, McKenzie, McLees, Rodden, Struthers, Tait, Leveneur.
A new manager, and virtually a new team. Most of last season's squad, which came so close to gaining promotion, have left, mainly to join up with ex-boss John McVeigh at Stenhousemuir. There will certainly be more new arrivals at Cliftonhill before the season starts, to boost a small squad. Hetherston has a tough job on his hands moulding together a side again capable of challenging strongly, but with experienced players such as Stirling, Mercer and Dick being brought in, they will be nobody's fools.
Prediction: 5th
Last season: 8th
Manager: Jim Moffat
In: Jim Butter and John Allison ( Montrose ), Euan Donaldson, Craig Farnan, Dean Walker ( Forfar Athletic ), Craig McMillan ( Cowdenbeath ), Michael Hall and Gordon Russell ( East Stirlingshire ), Andrew Rollo ( Livingston ), Kenny Deuchar ( Falkirk ).
Out: Gallagher, Wilson, Munro, Allan, Bailey, Oliver, Lofting, McGovern, Godfrey.
New manager Moffat, who came in towards the end of last season, has brought in many new faces. That's hardly a surprise, after the dreadful showing last time around, in what was quite possibly the club's worst ever season. First Division football to near the bottom of the Third Division in 5 years is a bad drop, and Moffat's task is to bring pride, and better crowds, back to the club. Hard to know what to make of the Fifers' chances this season, but promotion may be asking too much. Whether last season's star, striker Paul McManus, is staying at the club or not could have a big say in how they perform.
Prediction: 6th
Last season: 7th
Manager: Danny Diver
In:
Out: McKechnie, Hay, Hall, Russell, Gordon, Menelaws, McCheyne, Lorimer
Shire have had to postpone a Stirlingshire Cup tie due to a lack of players: this reveals something of their problems. A lack of money has meant that wages have been reduced to a small amount, and a lack of websites on the club means that I am in the dark about new arrivals: notice a pattern? Last season saw a revival after January, and a respectable position. This time around, I find it hard to see Shire achieving much. Crowds are low, interest seems muted, and Danny Diver faces an extremely hard first full season in charge.
Prediction: 10th