East Kilbride Thistle supporters of a certain vintage will be harking back to the club's halcyon days as the team find themselves mired in a season of hell.

It's approaching 30 years since Joe Reilly and Kenny Gordon goals saw the Jags overcome Bo'ness United 2-0 at Ibrox to lift the Scottish Junior Cup in 1983 for the one and only time in their 44-year history.

Fast forward to the present day and the Lanarkshire outfit are in sorry state and close to going to the wall.

Saturday's 3-0 Central First Division demise against St Anthony's also consolidated their unwanted distinction as the only West Region side without a single league point to their name.

Matters are not much better away from the playing pitch with their once thriving social club in need of extensive repairs following a fire while a number of former players from last season's squad are threatening legal action over alleged unpaid wages.

However, ahead of this week's Junior Cup jaunt north to meet Ellon United, club official Mark Wilson has given his unequivocal backing to under-fire boss Brian McMillan and coaches Gary Marshall and Andy Bryant.

He said: "We have been fighting tooth and nail to try and prevent Thistle from going under and at long last there are signs that all our hard work is paying off.

"Admittedly our results could be better but all our efforts up to now have been channelled into raising funds to pay essential bills and basically keep the wolves from the door."

He went on: "Thankfully there's now a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel and we're about to commence works to improve our playing surface and dressing-rooms.

"Brian already unearthed a couple of young gems from in and around East Kilbride so the trick now is to help their development by instilling a solid core of experienced Juniors."

Wilson added: "The realist in me says we might need to go down a division and start all over again, but if that's what is needed to establish East Kilbride Thistle as a Junior force again then so be it."

Heading much closer to home on their Emirates Junior Cup ventures are Ayrshire cracks Irvine Meadow, understandably buoyant following last Sunday`s thrilling Ardagh Glass Cup victory over Auchinleck Talbot.

Exactly 40 years have elapsed since Medda last held aloft the game's No.1 silverware prize in beating the mighty Cambuslang Rangers 1-0 at the third time of asking – and manager Chris Strain is urging his current crop of playing charges to revive those glory days.

He said: "Our form has been a bit up and down all season but I think the guys showed their true capabilities in beating Auchinleck at the weekend.

"I'll be asking them to step up to the plate again when we head through to meet Vale of Leven this week."