COWDENBEATH are looking upwards ahead of the new season and their manager insists they have every reason to head into it with optimism.

Despite finishing bottom of the pile last season – with only a penalty shoot-out win over East Kilbride ensuring they retained their SPFL status – Gary Locke says that his squad share the same ambition to challenge at the right end of the table as the other League Two clubs.

The Blue Brazil boss has retained key players such as Scott Rumsby (pictured), Fraser Mullen, Shaun Rutherford and Kyle Miller for next season while adding former loanee David Syme and prolific Hawick Royal Albert goalscorer Josh Morris to his pool.

Although they have lost goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon and strikers Dale Carrick and Kris Renton, Locke believes he saw enough from the players he has last season to give him belief they can make a push for promotion this time around.

Cowden lost just three of the 13 games Locke and assistant Billy Brown (who agreed to stay at the weekend) were in charge for, and he told Times Sport: "It was tough (to be in the play-offs) and, if East Kilbride were in our league, then I think they'd be around mid-table because they've got some decent players. But it's up to myself and Billy to get the quality we have in our squad out of them.

"I felt in our short spell last season that the players were underachieving before we came and were low on confidence, which is going to happen when you're not getting results. They started to show more confidence towards the end of the season and we went on a decent run, so I hope we can carry that on.

"There's nothing in it (League Two) and it's really tight. In the games that I was involved in, I wouldn't say that any team were miles ahead of us; even when we played Arbroath and Forfar these were really close games. Last year we didn't win enough and we need to make sure that changes.

"Every team will have the same aspirations at the start of the season; Edinburgh City had a good first season in the league and will look to build, and Peterhead who have come down can maybe offer a bit more money for players and will fancy themselves.

"We've got targets but the main thing is making sure we're better than we were last season."

To help him in his quest, Locke is looking to replace striker Kris Renton, who left Central Park for League One Alloa.

He added: "Rents felt that to get the opportunity to play in League One, with the age he's at as well, was something he couldn't turn down. It was a blow to lose him and Dale Carrick; they did well for us and will be difficult to get a replacement, but we'll try."