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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Ben Ramage

Johnstone Burgh boss heaps praise on youngster Gillespie as promotion push continues

Johnstone Burgh youngster Jojo Gillespie put Girvan to the sword to help his side keep up their promotion push.

And Burgh boss Jamie McKim heaped praise on the talented midfielder for stepping up to the plate yet again having become a key player for the Keanie Park side in the last few months.

Gillespie was on the fringes of the squad earlier in the season but has since become a key player for Burgh, regularly netting crucial goals and picking apart defences with devastating assists.

McKim insists the influential player is a great example to all the club’s young prospects of what is possible when you put in the hard work on the training pitch.

McKim told Express Sport: “Jojo was really impressive for us on Saturday, yet again.

“He’s a huge player for us now. He just keeps picking upgoals, assists and man of the match awards like its nothing.

“In such a short space of time he’s gone from being a young player on the fringe of the squad to an absolute key player in the team.

“The improvement has been incredible and his confidence is absolutely through the roof at the moment.

“For me his journey is what it’s all about. It’s what we’re about as a club, bringing younger players through and helping them grow on and off the pitch.

“He’s a great example to our younger players of what you can achieve when you put your mind to it and work hard every time you get on the pitch.”

Gillespie’s brace helped push Burgh up to just five points behind Maybole in the Conference A table, with the Ayrshire side currently sitting in the last promotion spot.

McKim’s side have a game in hand on Maybole, and the gaffer is confident they can keep pressing on up the table as long as they keep putting the work in.

He also feels their new additions Thomas Cruden, Ruaridh Clark and Conor McGregor will also help give the club a timely boost at a crunch period of the season.

McKim said: “We’re right in the mix now but we have to keep fighting and keep winning.

“We need to be at it all the time and I’m ambitious and so are my players.

“We know we need to work our bums off and this Saturday we’ve got a difficult trip to play Saltcoats Vics.

“I had one of my worst results in management there before, so I’ll be making sure the players aren’t taking it lightly even though they haven’t had the greatest season so far.

“The boys we have brought in have all done well and settled in nicely.

“Clark has been a big voice in the dressing room as has McGregor.

“They’re both influential guys and have both made a big impact since coming in.

“That’s exactly what we needed as it gives us some strength in depth at a really important point in our season.”

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