The Burgh were on the hunt for a new head coach after Bill McDonald departed at the end of last season and, with a wealth of experience and almost 20 years at the club, Cashmore was perfectly suited for the role.

Cashmore originally coached the senior team from 1996 until 2004 and has since taken on a nummber of other roles at Ardencaple — coaching the younger teams as well as fulfilling his duties as minis convenor and fixtures secretary.

However, he will now return to the first team hot seat — a challenge that excites him due to the potential of the current squad and the players coming through the youth system.

Cashmore told Advertiser Sport: “It was a hard decision but I was asked to do it and I am excited about the coming season because I know the coaches and players will give it everything.

“A great many players at this club are hugely talented and there is fantastic potential coming through from under-18s.” However, while Cashmore has inherited a talented squad he will need to do without last year’s captain Sean McNee who has left the club to join Gala but the new head coach has confirmed he will run the rule over a number of new players at pre season training, he continued: “Admittedly, we have lost some key players but we’ve also been approached by some new ones so we’ll just have to see what we have when pre-season starts on July 8.” And while training numbers will be boosted by the new players, training sessions will also be supplemented by a new arrangement with Loch Lomond which will see the two clubs train together, Cashmore explained: “This season we’ll also be training with our near neighbours, Loch Lomond RFC.

“An association like this immediately boosts numbers and increases competition for places.

“We’ll be looking at dual-registration so that, between us, we can select a strong Helensburgh first XV playing in West One, a strong Loch Lomond first XV competing in West Three, and a strong joint second XV.

“We would also like to continue to arrange once-a-month vets games to follow on from our incredibly successful Veterans Tournament in May.

“The targets for both clubs are simple — to win one game at a time.

“With Irvine and East Kilbride now out of our league, that leaves the door open for a number of others to make a charge.

“Helensburgh players have huge heart and every season they punch well above their weight.

“We took some big scalps last season but let’s see if we can do better this season. I also believe Loch Lomond can win promotion back up to West Two.” As well as a change to Helensburgh’s leader on the sidelines there will also be a new man calling the shots on the pitch after the club confirmed that Mark Sloan will captain the side next season.

And Cashmore is confident that Sloan will prove to be the perfect role model for the younger players in the squad, he said: “Mark Sloan is a hugely respected player at Helensburgh. He and I played our first game for the firsts together against Strathendrick back in 1996, he was only 18, I was, well, shall we say a bit older.

“Pride in the jersey and respect for the club are attributes that Mark and I will demand this season and, as skipper, Mark will do what Mark does best — he will lead by example and I know the others will follow.”