McGonigal left Camelon Juniors at the start of the week to take over at Shielfield Park, and was shown around his new place of work on Monday, along with assistant manager Martin Mooney.

And if first impression's are worth anything, then McGonigal - who has been assistant manager himself at Forfar Athletic, Dumbarton and Stenhousemuir - has already gained his side a three point head start.

Speaking to the Berwick Advertiser on Monday, a confident McGonigal will look to build a squad full of similar minded players.

What are your targets for the season? "To win the league. No point wanting to finish second if you can finish first."

What of your past achievements? "Every club I've been at I've left in a far greater state than how I found them."

How will you turn things around at Berwick? "A happy dressing room is important - if you have that then you will have boys who are prepared to go out and die for you."

Despite being fully involved up until last weekend with Camelon Juniors, 44-year-old McGonigal says he already knows which players will be staying at Berwick from last season's relegated squad.

With contract's due to expire today (Thursday) on all but four current players - Ian Little, Gary Wood Grant McNicholl and Fraser McLaren have signed extended deals - a major clear out could be on the cards.

Despite being left with so few players, McGonigal is confident of having the squad he wants in place for the start of the season on July 27, with deals set to be offered to Robbie Manson and Scott Gemmill.

"We know which ones are staying and which are going," said McGonigal.
"We have just got to make sure we bring in a better quality player.

"We are a wee bit behind in getting personnel in but we'll get them. We won't be panicking - once we get our own players here then we can worry about everything else.

"We will probably approach 50 to 60 players over the next couple of weeks and if we get five we will be doing well."

Asked whether he would be recruiting any players from his successful Camelon Juniors squad, who he has taken from relegation candidates at the end of last season to second in the East Superleague, McGonigal added: "Possibly one or two - we have a really young team and a lot of nice football players. Unfortunately a couple left to go to Stenhousemuir (Scotland junior international's Jim Lister and Andy Skirra), and one of them I would have signed.

"We know the junior scene like the back of our hands, we know the players and will be looking at them.

"Every dressing room I have been called into at one stage or another was on it's knees - it is no different from this dressing room (Berwick).
"Martin Mooney is magnificent in the dressing room and you need that when things aren't going right for you.

"Man management at part-time level is vital. I have a simple philosophy - I wouldn't speak to anyone else that I wouldn't want to be spoken to myself."

His appointment may have come as a surprise to many Berwick fans, with high profile names such as Kevin MacAllister and Paul Ritchie being linked with the vacant job, but the assured McGonigal believes he is ready to fill the managerial post vacated by Michael Renwick last month.

He said: "It was not a surprise to me (to get job). My CV is as good as anyone's in the lower leagues.
"I am delighted to be offered the job and it is a chance to prove to one or two clubs who I was linked with before and promised certain things to prove what I can do.

"I've done it at every club I've been at and there's no reason why I can't do it here."

McGonigal added he has been approached by Allan Moore, manager of Stirling Albion, about playing a friendly between the two teams next Sunday (May 25). Although it has not been confirmed due to player availability, the fixture could well act as a trial match for McGonigal's squad for next season.