KELTY HEARTS boss John Potter has said there may be movement both in and out of the club before the transfer deadline.

Clubs across Scotland have until midnight tonight (Thursday) to get deals over the line, although clubs outwith the top flight can still bring in loan players from a higher division, as well as free agents who have not been registered with a club this summer.

Since taking over in the close season, Potter has brought in nine new players, but is considering his options as the League One newcomers contend with a raft of injuries.

For Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Montrose, inflicted thanks to goals from Kerr Waddell, Rory McAllister and Martin Rennie, he was shorn of the services of experienced players such as Tam O’Ware, Thomas Reilly, Jamie Barjonas, Joe Cardle and Nathan Austin.

Potter is hopeful of having Cardle and Barjonas, and possibly former Bairn Austin, available for this weekend’s visit of third-top Falkirk.

When asked if he could do further business before then, the manager told Press Sport: “Potentially. There could be a couple going both ways.

“We’re continuing to work hard. We think the signings we’ve brought have added a little bit to us, and we’ll continue to do that, but a lot of teams are looking for the same types of players. It’s difficult.

“We’ve got to try and get the right ones for us. If we don’t, then that’s fine, we’ll go with what we’ve got. If we’ve got the squad we’ve got, and we’ve got everyone fit, then I think we can compete in this league.

“All our forward players have been injured at some point, centre backs have been injured at some point, so it’s been pretty ongoing since the day I walked in, and that’s frustrating and disappointing, but it’s football.

“Fingers-crossed we’re getting somewhere with a few of them, and we’ve got another two or three bodies back for the weekend.

“We had seven players missing at the weekend; it’s a lot.

“It has an impact but there’s no excuses. There’s an impact on your squad, especially when they’re all in the one area, or the majority of them are, and they have been since day one.

“It is difficult, but that’s football. It’s my job to bring players in, to get them back fit, or to get more out of the ones we’ve got.”

Potter felt that the final scoreline at Links Park, where he came up against former Dunfermline team-mate Stewart Petrie, wasn’t a fair reflection of the play.

Kallum Higginbotham, in particular, and Darren Lyon had good opportunities during the match, but they remain on one point, only being kept off the bottom by Peterhead.

Falkirk, who have a player Potter used to coach and manage at the Pars, Ryan Williamson, in their ranks, will provide stiff opposition as Kelty go in search of their first League One win.

“There will be a good atmosphere at the stadium. Falkirk are a good team, they’ve got good players, they’ve actually had a good start to the season under a new manager, so it will be a big test for us,” Potter added.

“But it’s one we can hopefully go and enjoy, go and compete, and try and win the game.

“They play a nice brand of football, they’ve been reasonably successful with it so far this season, and they’ll fancy it, but we’ve got to worry about ourselves.

“I think the most important thing is we do what we do. If we can play to the best of our ability, and get a few players back fit, then I’m confident we can go and get something from the game.”