East Kilbride - Non League to Legends

[Ewan MacGregor]

RE-attempt at a previous story that didn't get off the ground sadly.

16 June 1017

I climbed the steps towards the blue doors ahead. Hampden, the home of Scottish Football.  The sun high in the sky above Mount Florida.

Now retired, having enjoyed a notable playing career which began at East Kilbride Thistle as a youngster before signing for Rangers at 18, I’d struggled to make an impact and spent the next 6 years at Partick Thistle and Falkirk before I re-joined Rangers under Walter Smith.

The rest they say, is history, replacing Andy Goram in goal and having the privilege of playing for Scotland 57 times before I finally succumbed to injury and had to hang up my gloves.

I had the privilege of working with a few talented lads, but none more so than my best friend and long-time confidante George McCulloch, a strapping 6 foot 3 Centre half who came through the Academy at Murray Park, broke into the first team and played 22 times for Scotland before a horror tackle versus Italy took his right knee out. Purely accidental, and Marco Verratti was in bits afterwards, really affected him. He came to visit George in Ross Hall hospital, choosing not to fly home with the Azzuri, opting to stay in Glasgow to be with George, which I thought was a really nice touch by the lad.

Poor George was devastated, he knew his career was over and even wee Rino Gattuso couldn’t get a smile out of him.

Having been there myself, although I’m 10 years George’s senior at 40, I took the big man under my wing and a friendship was forged.

Suffice to say, the last year or so had been tough on George, his wee son running around and poor George laid up in bed.

We’d both made a few quid out of the game so I knew financially he would be okay. I’d begun my UEFA coaching badges and, knowing George’s knowledge of the game, knew he’d a lot to give back.

We’d finally made it, our UEFA Pro Licenses, hence the trip to Hampden to pick them up.  George met me in reception and we were ushered into the conference room which was already starting to fill up.

A few familiar faces there, Neil McCann, now at Dundee and Paul Hartley. Billy Stark noticed us immediately and made his way over to us, his friendly, beaming putting us both at ease straight away.

“Drink after we’re done lads?” asked Billy in a tone that suggested he was demanding we go for a drink rather than ask us nicely.

“Sure Billy, get you over in the Monty in an hour, Guinness for me and a lager for George”

“Smashing lads, got something to put to you that I think you might be interested in!”

George and I grinned knowingly, we knew that look. Billy knew something good and he wanted to ask if we wanted a piece of the action.

The ceremony passed without incident, and George being George, bagged himself a phone number from the lovely big brunette hostess who poured our drinks.

“You never change big man” I teased the big man

“Right, finish yer drink pal, Billy Stark is not a man who likes to be kept waiting”!!

 

New Beginnings

‘The Monty”, or The Montford to give it it’s correct title, is a snug little pub just off Aikenhead Road, yards from Hampden and a regular watering hole of the Tartan Army.

Billy had purposefully chosen a table towards the rear of the bar, where it was a little quieter and away from any drunk fans clamouring for autographs or selfies.

Billy likes a drink, and 2 empty pint glasses as well as our full pints and whisky chasers filled the table but our attention was focused on the manilla folder which sat in the middle of the desk.

“lads, thanks for coming”

“Aye, no problem Billy, cheers for the drink”

George shifted nervously in his chair as Billy opened the folder

“George, Ewan, you’re now qualified coaches, well done. That Pro License isn’t easy. Now, I need to ask, is it something you did for fun or are you both up for a challenge?”

“Shoot” came our simultaneous response

“I’m stepping down for my role at K park lads. Canny say too much at the moment guys, legalities and all that, but let’s just say a wee post at the SFA has become available and the salary is a bit better, but you didn’t hear that. Ronnie Park at East Kilbride has asked me to find the guys to replace me and I would like to ask you if you fancy the job at East Kilbride?”

“Lowland League Billy? No disrespect pal …..”

“You’ll get well weighed in, I’ve told Ronnie that. He wants the best guys he can get and he knows it’s going to cost him a few bob. He wants East Kilbride into the SPFL and I think you’d inherit a squad that should win the Lowland League at a canter. I can also recommend a couple of lads you’d pick up for free that would come in and do well. Another drink lads?”

Billy then left us as he made his way to the bar, tactically knowing we would be thinking about his offer between us.

“What you think pal?” asked George, but I could already see him in his club tracksuit, barking orders from the touchline and he probably saw the same glint in my eye too

“George, we’re not skint pal, we’ve made a few quid and I’m getting fed up playing golf and sitting in the bookies every day. Besides, it’s my local club, I live in East Kilbride”

Billy returned a couple of minutes later, carrying a bottle of champagne. He knew, and we knew he knew we were going to take the job

“Right lads, let’s get pished then grab a curry. I’ll phone Ronnie in the morning and we’ll get your contracts set up”

 

 

 

[Ewan MacGregor]

We began life at K Park on 16 June and arranged for the entire first team squad to meet us at there. George and I had already looked at countless videos of the squad after our chat with Billy, so we already knew who was for the chop.

We spoke to 8 first team players that morning including deposed club captain Bryan Prunty and made it clear they were surplus to requirements. Most of them took the news well, they were after all playing part time and not on any big wages, so the news was relatively well received.

I decided to bring in one of the boys that Billy Stark had recommended, a young striker called Jaison McGrath. a 21 year old once of Celtic and Hamilton.  After a spot of lunch, it was a quick trip up to Glenrothes to play them in a friendly, young McGrath scoring twice in a comfortable 3-0 win and a chance to implement our 4-4-2 formation. 

[Ewan MacGregor]

Another run out on July 1st saw us run out 2-0 winners against Hill of Beath, McGrath scoring again as well as a fine strike from Martin McBride.

I see the fitness levels starting to rise and touch wood, we're injury free too, 

Much sterner opposition will come next Saturday in the shape of Clyde before our Betfred League Cup Group Stage kicks off against St Mirren, Hamilton, Annan and Ayr United.

"Lads, we aren't going to win the Betfred cup, so I just want to see decent levels of fitness out there, and theres a £50 bonus to anyone who snaps Dougie Imrie in half"

A raucous cheer went up among the lads. The little bastard elbowed me right in the face the last time I played against him and I was itching for revenge.

 

[Ewan MacGregor]

Another run out on July 1st saw us run out 2-0 winners against Hill of Beath, McGrath scoring again as well as a fine strike from Martin McBride.

I see the fitness levels starting to rise and touch wood, we're injury free too, 

Much sterner opposition will come next Saturday in the shape of Clyde before our Betfred League Cup Group Stage kicks off against St Mirren, Hamilton, Annan and Ayr United.

"Lads, we aren't going to win the Betfred cup, so I just want to see decent levels of fitness out there, and theres a £50 bonus to anyone who snaps Dougie Imrie in half"

A raucous cheer went up among the lads. The little bastard elbowed me right in the face the last time I played against him and I was itching for revenge.

 

[Ewan MacGregor]

A crowd of 136 came to see us play Clyde at K park, they brought a coach load from Cumbernauld.  A damp squib of a game, ending 0-0 dominated by the presence of one David Goodwillie, branded a rapist in the Civil Court and forced to pay his victim £100k as a result.

Needless to say, cries of "beast" and "dirty clatty wrong yin" from the vociferous East Kilbride suppost rang out throughout the match, and the man himself withdrawn after 40 minutes after some rather hefty challenges which were met with cheers every time he hit the deck. 

He walked past me as he left the park, looking as though he was going to try and shake my hand, but I think my "outside ya ****in monster" look told him to keep walking.

[Ewan MacGregor]

The next week was a flurry of paperwork, meeting with sponsors etc. Training was good and I sensed a good affinity between the lads. We'd took a punt on a young goalkeeper who Colin Scott, our goalkeeping coach recommended and from the first time I met the lad, I was very impressed with his  enthusiasm. HIs name is Connor Cullen, 19 and he definitely impressed me on the training ground, so much so that I felt he could play a part in our upcoming match v St Mirren in the Betfred Cup Group Stage match at home.

East Kilbride 1 - 1  St Mirren (St Mirren win 4-3 on penalties)

As is the case with these matches, if the scores are tied after 90 minutes, the match goes straight to a penalty shooutout. Personally, I think it's a great idea and the fans seem to enjoy it too.

My first competitive match as a manager, George's too although we tried not to appear nervous. Let's face it, there's 3 divisions between the sides and we expected to be heavily beaten.

We decided that a defensive minded 4-4-2 withe wide midfielders as opposed to traditional wingers would be a good start and the game began well, a real feisty affair with a handful of over zealous challenges going in early doors. A St Mirren barrage, led by the superb Lewis Morgan led to them taking the lead in the 14th minute, a stupendous curling shot from 20 yards by Cammy Smith which young Cullen could do nothing about.

It was more of the same for the next ten minutes or so before our moment of magic. A free kick, just inside their half, pinged into their box from young Kieron Gibbons, knock down and blasted high into the net by Craig Malcolm !!  1-1 on 32 minutes and I think that really lifted our spirits and I feel we were the better side for the remainder of the half.

Young Jaison McGrath, who had been hounded out of the game, hadn't played well and I made the decision to replace him with young Liam Coogans at half time.

The decision was useful and his pace caused the Saints a few problems although the standout performer was definitely young Morgan, terrorising our back 4 time and time again.

To our credit, we held on and what a relief the final whistle was.

The shootout was a tetchy affair, we missed a couple, our keeper made 2 fantastic saves to take proceedings to sudden death and we were finally defeated as David Proctor hit a very well struck penalty off the crossbar.

This prompted a very angry response from otherwise cool as a cucumber George McCulloch, incensed at one or 2 dubious refereeing decisions throughout the match and he angrily confronted the referee and has since been cited to appear at Hampden to explain his actions.

All in all, we were magnificent and to lose in a penalty shootout to a Championship side is testament to the squad I have.

My star player:  Kieron Gibbons. The central midfielder was the heartbeat to our side, tackled hard, passed intelligently and his attitude throughout the match was exemplary. 

 

[oche balboa]

Nice start 

[Ewan MacGregor]

Thanke Oche Balboa. Really looking to get my teeth right into this save. Hopefully we can pull off an upset at Hamilton now !