‘We’ve failed if we don’t win East of Scotland Premier League’, says Bo’ness Utd boss

Christie has come in and rejuvenated the BUs, leading them to a second-placed finish in the East of Scotland Conference B and clinching the League Cup in a remarkable 17-game winning sequence.

And he is demanding the bar be raised even higher next season as they look to clinch the newly formed 16-team Premier League.

He told the Journal: “I think we are big club and arguably the biggest supported club in the East region. There’s a winning tradition and a big expectation here. We have played [East of Scotland champions] Bonnyrigg three times and beat them once and drawn with them.

“The aim is to win the league, 100 per cent, if we do not win it then we have failed. That’s the ambition, that’s the expectation. You have got to have that edge to your play.”

Christie has seen four players leave including strikers Marty Wright and Allan McKenzie joining Cumbernauld and Darvel, respectively, while Josh MacDonald has also left. And the former Tranent boss aims to strengthen the squad over the coming weeks.

He said: “The guys have done remarkably well. We’ve got good footballers, we need to get a few more in and encourage competition and get good levels of performances. Competition for places means if you don’t play well one week then you’re not guaranteed to play next week.

“We’re working very hard to bring in at least three or four players. It’s the hardest time as far as any level of football goes. It can be soul destroying, a lot of teams are fighting hard for the same players.”