Midfielder Leighton Clarkson was the player who spoke to the press at lunchtime on Friday, to preview the Premier Sports Cup group stage fixture away to Queen of the South.

“I can’t wait for the season to start.

“We have had a good trip to Portugal and we have come back and had another bounce game. So we have all got minutes into our legs and we are now treating this as a proper game of football. It is not a pre-season game. It is a very important competition for us, especially after getting to the final last season. We went close in both cup competitions. We want to change that this season.

“Jimmy has been a breath of fresh air. I like the way he plays. We have all enjoyed the way we have played in all the bounce games we have played so far. He has also been a very good man-manager. He has had a lot of chats individually with the players.

“The manager has lit the place up since he has been in. we all feel it, the staff feel it. We know what we need to go and do now on the pitch in terms of winning games of football, but he has been really good. He has brought a real togetherness. There is a real family feel.

“We know how important these group games are. We also know that it is going to be difficult. Queen of the South will be coming right at us to prove a point, but we are going down there to win. Hopefully we can do that.

“I want to play football and we need to play football as a team. Everyone is on board with the way he wants to play which is always good. Tomorrow might not be perfect but we will do as many patterns of play and how we want to press as much as possible. It is about going down there and winning.

“The manager and his coaching staff have given us a lot of information and we have taken it all on board. We have played a few bounce games and in them there has been a lot of detail. It will come with progression, it will not happen overnight, but the more we can do it the better we will be.

“This is now my third season, so I am welcoming new players to the club and making sure they are ok. It has been a privilege to work with every one of them so far.

“Sivert trained with us today. He was very impressive. Obviously he was in the middle of his season so he will be sharp. You can never have enough experience in a squad and even after one training session, you can see he is a real leader.”