By Lewis Anderson

Copyright glasgowworld

It’s fair to say that supporters of a Bellshill Athletic persuasion have certainly had their value for money so far this season with goals aplenty across their opening nine games. Seven wins and one defeat from their first eight West of Scotland Second Division fixtures. Top scorers in the league with 27. And sitting top of the table with 21 points on the board – five clear of the chasing pack led by Threave Rovers. The only minor blip has been an early South Region Challenge Cup exit at the hands of Premier Division side Arthurlie and a rare 2-1 home defeat to Bonnyton Thistle last time out. There has been plenty to be positive about ahead of the team’s return to action, with West Park United visiting the Rockburn this weekend on Scottish Junior Cup duty. GlasgowWorld reporter Lewis Anderson sat down with manager Johnny Fallon to discuss the start to the season, further squad movement and an injury update on some key players… “I’m absolutely delighted with the start we’ve made. I think if you’d have asked me at the start of the season that we’d be sitting here now with seven wins from our first eight games, we would’ve bitten your hand off for that. “It’s strange the way things transpire in football. The one game we lost at home to Bonnyton last week, and we’ll not make any excuses, but we were bombarded with some defensive issues through injuries etc. Brady Craig then gets sent off with about half an hour to go to leave us with one centre-half on the pitch – Robert Thomson, who hasn’t played at all really so far because he had no pre-season and had his appendix taken out. “So that probably allied with the fact that we missed some big chances last week. Listen, I sound like I’m moaning about one game and the players probably think I’m a pain in the a*** when I do that. But I think given the standards that we’ve set, I’m absolutely delighted with where we’re at. “To be honest with you, the new signings have all come straight into the group and every one of them has added quality and contributed, which has been really, really pleasing. Obviously (Andy) Duffy coming in at centre half as captain has been a great leader for the group. He’s just picked up a bit of an injury and is going to be out for a prolonged period, which is a sore one for us. “(Graham) Gracie has scored seven goals in eight games and we signed Callum Graham last month as well, which was a massive coup for us. He’s scored five goals in three games. So everything is positive. We’d be silly to think anything other than, we just dust ourselves down and get back on it next week when the Scottish Cup comes round.” “I think it’s allowed us just to take a wee bit of time to take stock and recharge as a group. We’ve got a few players back that have been toiling with wee knocks and injuries. The squad has been utilised to the full, which we knew it would over this period. “My only disappointment is that we’re having to wait two weeks to try and get ourselves back on to that winning track. I said that to the players before the game against Bonnyton that it would feel like a long two weeks if we didn’t get the job done today. So that’s how it’s worked out. We’re licking our wounds a wee bit. “But listen, we’ve got more than enough quality in that dressing room and I wouldn’t like to be West Park next weekend.” “Lee and Taylor were both playing top-level amateur football as part of a team that were beaten Scottish Cup finalists last year. Lee is a Scottish internationalist at amateur level and Taylor is no stranger to the junior game, he’d been playing it since he was 17. He had a good spell at Larkhall. I think for two seasons there he was top scorer as well and in the Team of the Year in the West of Scotland 3rd Division. “To be honest, he’s been absolutely outstanding since he came in. Lee was great for the first couple of games and then picked up a wee knock, so he’s missed the last couple. But he’s back training now. We’ve also just added Craig Crawford – another experienced centre half who was playing at Shotts previously – and Lee Hadden has returned to strengthen the goalkeeping department. “We’ve also had Calvin (Cowie), Ross (Anderson), Kieron (Markey) and Paddy Queen agree to extend their contracts until the end of the 2026/27 season, which is great news and helps us lay the foundations for the future.” “Absolutely. As I said, we’ve only worked together for a short period of time so far but what I’ve seen so far, I really like. He comes alive in the final third of the pitch, he works his socks off and defenders don’t get any time. He’s good in the air, aggressive and he’s scored five goals – none of them have been out with the six-yard box. So he’s a proper predator. He knows where to be in the right areas at the right time. And his experience as well has been vital. “Callum and Graham Gracie’s experience will help Kieron Markey as well, but Kieron is a handful for anybody himself anyway. He’s scored a few goals already this season and is chipping in well. So it’s pleasing to have that firepower at your disposal. It would be silly not to. “Don’t get me wrong. I shot for the moon when I asked the committee about the potential of signing Callum and thought I’m maybe punching a wee bit hard here. But to be fair, we’re very much all on the same page. We’re all aligned in where we want to be. And the fact that the club could get it done was great. He’s a local boy and we want the best local lads coming and playing for Bellshill. “Why not be part of something? Why not try and take us up the divisions and try and get us into the Premier Division? That’s the long-term aim and that will never change. You’re always looking add quality and if it’s there, then of course you go and take it. You’d be silly if you were in a position and saying, ‘no, I’m happy with my squad, I don’t want anybody else’. “I’m talking hypothetically here, but if Lionel Messi appears then of course you’re going to sign him. If the quality appears, then you’ve got to try and get it done.” “For a young lad with bags of potential, he’s still 17 years of age and had an opportunity to go into the senior game. Listen, the wee man was a breath of fresh air, really when he was involved with the group. He’s got bags of pace, a frightening prospect for anybody. “Certainly going in at his own age group now and going to Queen of the South, you’ve got to go and push on. You’ve got to give the kid the best opportunity to be the best he can be. I think the selfishness as a club needs to be taken out of it. At that point in time, it’s all about how far can this guy go and to say we’ve been a wee part of it. “Listen, he could go there and it might not work out for him. Maybe coming back to Bellshill in the future might be an option for him again one day. “With Owen, it came down to game time really. The big lad over the last couple of years was in and out of the team. I think he only started around 25 of the last 60 games. Obviously we then signed a few boys who did quite well and Owen had picked up another wee injury again. “So we had to tell him that his game time would be limited and that it might be beneficial for him to go and get regular minutes elsewhere. He’s away to a good club, Steven McGurgan, who was obviously my No.2 for a short while here, is manager there. So he’ll be well looked after there. There’s no hard feelings there, it’s just reality sometimes and a fresh start might do him good. “Chris Reilly has also moved on over the weekend as well to Wishaw.” “He’s had his operation and the outcome of that was really successful. He’s been back in the gym working on his rehab, so we’re expecting John to be back out running by around December/January time, which is really good. Fingers crossed, we don’t want him to push himself too much, but we’re hoping to see him back in a Bellshill strip before the end of the season.”