Forfar Athletic’s League Cup disappointments have not shaken manager Gary Irvine’s belief in his team this season.
Three defeats in their first four matches this season, including Saturday’s 5-1 defeat at Dundee, saw the Station Park club exit the Premier Sports Cup in the group stage.
But this weekend, the Loons travel to newly-promoted Bonnyrigg Rose as the League Two campaign gets under way.
And Irvine says that is where Forfar’s title tilt will start as he challenged his side to go one further than last season’s second-place finish.
“It’s been a tough start for us but the belief and the message doesn’t change: we want to go a step further than last year,” the player-manager said.
“I have every confidence in the bodies we’ve taken in, it’s now about showing that in the league.
“We need to show we are good players and to get ourselves up there and challenging.”
Transfer struggles
This summer has seen eight arrivals at Station Park, including the likes of James Keatings and Josh Jack from St Mirren. That’s after eight departures at the end of last term.
The transfer market this year, though, has not been an easy one to navigate with a number of teams struggling to sign players.
“It’s been tough this year to get bodies in,” Irvine added.
“Speaking to a lot of managers, everybody seems to be saying the same thing.
“There’s a mixture of a lot of different things.
‘Belief and understanding’
“Clubs have been affected by Covid previously. This season the bigger teams are away abroad for pre-season so they have development players that teams like us target away with them. That’s slowed up the loan market.
“On top of that, it’s been difficult getting answers out of certain players.
“But the ones I have got in, I’m really pleased about.
“We are still working hard getting the messages and belief and understanding into them regarding the way we want to go about the season.
“I’ve no doubt that will click.”
Forfar Athletic fixtures: 2022/23 season begins away at League Two newcomers
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