'My job is to bring us back up' - Vale of Leithen boss Michael Wilson vows to challenge for promotion back to Scottish Lowland Football League next season

Wilson, whose side lost 3-0 at home to Gala Fairydean Rovers in a Lowland League Cup play-off on Tuesday night,facesa major rebuilding job this summer as he bids to prepare his side for a promotion push in next season’s East of Scotland Premier Division.

"We have our last league game of the season this Saturday (at home to Edinburgh University),” said Wilson.

"We’ll have a couple of weeks off after that then get straight back into it. The committee and myself will sit down and have a chat about the boys we’re bringing in.

"I feel sorry for the boys who are there at the moment because they are kind of shell-shocked after what they’ve been through.

"I don’t know if a fresh start would be better for them and us. That’s not to say I won’t keep anybody from this season outwith the boys I’ve signed already.

"But it’s a conversation I will have with them individually after Saturday.

"I’m not one for sitting back and saying we’ll stabilise next season. That’s not where we are.

"The history of the Vale is massive and my job is to bring them back up.

"It will be so difficult because some of the clubs there are huge – Haddington, Linlithgow, Penicuik, Tranent – teams like that are established. But my recruitment will be to get us up.”

Wilson, who joined Vale last month after leaving Peebles Rovers, has signed eight new players since arriving in Innerleithen.