After a disappointing ending to the 2025/2026 season, a new era dawned over Keanie Park at the end of May 2026. The club appointed former Dumbarton manager Stevie Farrell as the new man to lead the club into the new Lowland League West for the upcoming 2026/2027 season.
New arrivals, Mark Roberts (Assistant manager), Gordon Scanlan (First team coach and analyst), Eric Phillips (Goalkeeper coach) and Rob Kielty (Sports scientist) complete the backroom team alongside Adam Rankin (Physio) and John Cantley (Kitman) who were already at the club.
It was a summer of ins and outs at Keanie Park. Evan Currie, Craig Menzies, Matty Grant, Darren Christie, Blair Rossiter, Aiden Gilmartin and Allan MacKenzie all departed the club. We thank them for their service and wish them all the very best for the future.
With several departures from the club it would spark an influx of new arrivals. Mark Durnan, Brett Long, Calvin McGrory, Scott Williamson, Mark Barrowman, Kristopher Kerr and Thomas Orr all arrived at the club ahead of the big kick off against Troon at Keanie Park on Wednesday 29th July.
The club made the journey south to face League Two side Annan Athletic FC at Galabank Stadium, in their first pre-season friendly on a warm and sunny evening on Tuesday 23rd June.
It was a tough night for the Burgh, who went on to lose 4-1 to the long established, well drilled League Two team. There were still a few positives on the night though. Brett Long, Mark Durnan, Calvin McGrory, Kristopher Kerr and Scott Williamson all made their debuts for the club, and in the match itself, Broque Watson scored a well worked consolation goal in the 89th minute to give the healthy travelling Johnstone Burgh support something to cheer about.
With minutes in the legs against Annan Athletic, and another training session under their belt, the team headed to their next destination, James McGrory Park, to face St Roch’s FC for their second pre-season friendly on Saturday 27th June. Boosted by new signing Thomas Orr, the players looked a lot more confident in this one as things began to take shape. It was new boy Orr who was to be the Burgh hero, as he came off the bench to score both goals, with two fantastic finishes in the 79th and 85th minute to secure an impressive 2-0 win.
After another 2 weeks of training, it was time to play the third pre-season friendly match against Knightswood FC at Keanie Park on Saturday 11th July. In a very competitive match, Johnstone Burgh won 2-0 thanks to a 1st minute close range finish by Thomas Orr, and a fine header by Lewis King in the 39th minute. Latest signing Mark Barrowman also started the match as a trialist.
Next up for the Burgh was a trip to Ardrossan to play Ardrossan Winton Rovers FC at Winton Park in the fourth pre-season friendly match on Tuesday 14th July. In a one sided match Johnstone Burgh stormed to 4-0 win thanks to a fine right foot finish from 14 yards by Calvin McGrory in the 9th minute, a close range powerful header from Mark Barrowman in the 23rd minute, a 71st minute penalty from Thomas Orr and yet another goal for the former Cumnock Juniors man, Orr, who stroked the ball into the net with his left foot from 12 yards following a defensive error in the 86th minute.
On Saturday 18th July the club hosted a Community Fun Day at Keanie Park, which included an open training session from between 12pm-2pm, with the chance to meet the players, coaches and management. A fantastic day was had by all.
In the fifth and final pre-season friendly match, the team headed to Recreation Park to face Darvel FC on Monday 20th July. With the first Lowland League West match against Troon FC just 9 days away, Burgh manager Stevie Farrell named a very strong starting line up for this game. The players produced a fantastic 90 minute performance and went on to win 6-2.
Kristopher Kerr opened the scoring after just 12 seconds with a close range finish. The former Hurlford United attacker then scored his second goal of the match with a fine run and left foot finish from 12 yards in the 36th minute. In the second half Kyle Lafferty added goals in the 51st and 55th minute, firstly a fine right foot strike from 22 yards into the bottom left hand corner of the net, followed by a cool right foot finish from a tight angle from 12 yards after taking the ball around the goalkeeper. Max Kerr made it goal number five in the 82nd minute with a rocket of a left foot shot from 17 yards that flew high into the net. Noah Grady added the sixth and final goal in the 90th minute, with a cool dinked left foot finish over the goalkeeper into the net from 12 yards.
With five pre-season friendly matches and six weeks of training under their belt, the players and management team are ready to go ahead of our first Lowland League West campaign in tier 5 of the Scottish football pyramid. Lets hope it’s a season to remember for Johnstone Burgh.
We will be back again on Tuesday 1st September with a review of our opening Lowland League West matches that were played in July and August, and any other big news coming out of Keanie Park.
By John Armour
