New Berwick boss Haynes first game in charge put on ice as Shielfield frozen

The former ‘Gers striker and ex-assistant manager will be back in the dug-out for his first SLFL game in charge up at Linlithgow Rose on Saturday 25th as the black and gold have a free weekend.

But he’ll be putting the side through their paces in the training sessions leading up to that fixture as the Borderers look to pull away from the relegation zone that is uncomfortable close just now.

“It’s a great club and it’s run by really good people – there’s not many clubs I would have left Dunbar for,” the new gaffer told the club’s social media team.

“The short-term goal is progression. There’s nothing weird and wonderful. It’s can we catch the teams above us and can we progress as a team, can we progress as a club, and try and drive the whole place forward,” he said after his appointment to the role following the departure of Thomas Scobbie and his coaching staff.

Experienced hot-shot Liam Buchanan has joined the staff in a player/coach role that has extended his contract to the end of 2025/26, while Haynes has also brought his coaches from Dunbar with him.

“I want us to be in control of the ball more often, I want us to pass the ball – but with that stuff you need to work hard, you need to be able to create space, you need to run and have energy to win the ball back, and that’s what we will be,” continued Haynes, who was in the Berwick side that won the SPFL Third Division title in 2006/07, scoring 22 goals in over 50 appearances for Rangers.

“We’ll stick with the team. We might not get a true version of what we want to be short-term – there might be short-term pain – but hopefully not. It’s that progression. They’ve got to let us progress, got to let us build a team, build a squad, and aim to where we want to be.”

On-loan 17-year-old Hibs left back Owen Calder has agreed to extend his spell at Berwick to the end of the season.