St Andrews United: Manager Robbie Raeside is targeting back-to-back promotions for his side

Raeside, whose team start their 2023-24 first division life at home to Newtongrange Star this Saturday, kick-off 2.30pm, wants to be elevated another rung up the ladder by the time the 2024-25 campaign comes around.

He told the Herald and Citizen: “We’ve got a tough start to the season against Newtongrange, who were just outside promotion last season.

"We also played them in the cup last season. I think it was 1-1 after 90 minutes and we won with a late penalty in extra time.

"Then it’s Kirkcaldy & Dysart away in our second league game next Wednesday night (kick-off 7.30pm) before a trip to Camelon Juniors a week on Saturday.

"We know Camelon have all the former Syngenta players and they’re spending big money, so that’s also very tough.

"But I’m really looking forward to it, it’s where we want to be.

"When I look at all the fixtures I’m so glad we’re in this league and not in the league below. We can’t wait to get going.

"We want to try and get promotion.

"That’s what we’re looking to do. Whether we get that or not, it’s a long way away.

"I think it's going to be a very competitive league. I don’t think it’s going to be like the league below where Whitburn ran away with it. I think it will be a lot tighter.

"Even ourselves in division two last season finished a long way ahead of third.

"But I think this year there’s six or seven teams that could all get promotion so they will all be fighting for three places. There’s not a lot between a lot of the teams.

"I think teams will drop more points than what is normal for teams at the top of the league.”

Raeside said that, although the early stages of pre-season were tough due to a high number of players missing as a result of injuries and holidays, he said that subsequent home friendly results – a 0-0 draw against a Dundee United XI, a 1-0 success over a Dundee XI and Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Petershill (report inside), had whet his appetite for the campaign ahead.