COWDENBEATH begin their Lowland League campaign next weekend and are heading into it feeling "a lot more optimistic".

The Blue Brazil begin their third season in Scottish football's fifth tier at home to Tranent Juniors on Saturday, July 27, and Robbie McNab has belief they can enjoy better fortunes this term.

Since being relegated from the SPFL in 2022, Cowden have finished 15th and 10th in each of their seasons respectively at that level, falling short of making a challenge for promotion.

They go into the campaign with a new manager in place, with former favourite as a player, Dougie Hill, taking on the role following Calum Elliot's departure to SPFL League Two Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic towards the end of last term.

READ MORE: Cowden are 'happy to be in SPFL Trust Trophy' says captain Robbie

He has brought in former Stirling Albion skipper, Paul McLean, to be part of his backroom team in a player / coach role, as well as former Blue Brazil team-mate, Gary Fusco.

Speaking at Hampden after the draw for the first and second round of the SPFL Trust Trophy earlier this month, McNab commented: "It's a good feeling within the camp this early on. I'm feeling optimistic.

"We started the pre-season pretty well last year, had a few good results, and a few good games against Arbroath, St Mirren, so we went into the league with a lot of confidence.

"But, the things we'd be looking to improve on is probably just consistency, not so much throughout the 90 minutes, but towards the end of games.

"If you had a look at our points lost in the last 10-15 minutes of games last year, it was criminal. If you add them up then you're in a completely different position.

"I think for ourselves this year, it's probably just being a bit more streetwise around the game, and managing things better."

McNab, however, recognises that Cowden face a tough task to try and challenge for promotion back to the SPFL.

Since the League Two pyramid play-offs were introduced, East Stirlingshire, who were relegated in 2016, Berwick Rangers, who dropped in 2019, and Albion Rovers, who fell in 2023, have all failed, alongside the Blues, to make it back.

"For the club, they got relegated two, maybe three years ago now. The teams have found it tough," former Kelty Hearts midfielder McNab continued.

"Your East Stirling's, Albion Rovers, Berwick's - all the teams have found it tough, that have came down.

"It's not as if as soon as they've came down, they've been up there again, firsts, seconds and thirds. There's been a bit of a challenge but, obviously, I came to Cowdenbeath last year, and it was a bit of rebuild that was going on.

"Luckily, we've kept a lot of the core, key players, minus one, but I think the club and the players themselves, having a bit more chemistry, camaraderie with each other, we're going into this season a lot more hopeful, a lot more optimistic, than we did last."