Sean Winter

And the Kilby midfielder has suggested the ideal candidate would be a mixture of former gaffers Billy Stark and Martin Lauchlan.

Following Stark’s resignation, the K-Park side are now searching for a fifth manager in five years as they bid to replace a man who had extensive experience under his belt at Celtic, as a coach to the late Tommy Burns, and Scotland under-21s, where he managed for six years.

But Winter reckons Stark’s style of play wasn’t best suited to the cut and thrust of the Lowland League.

In the 2016/17 campaign Kilby cruised to the league crown under Martin Lauchlan, who arrived from Junior side Rossvale and adopted a more direct approach. His side just missed out on promotion after losing to Cowdenbeath on penalties.

Whereas this season EK fell short of winning the title and suffered some shock results against both Stirling and Edinburgh Universities under Stark.

Winter said: “We won the league last season and we should have got promoted, if not for the penalties, under Martin.

“I don’t think he’d mind me saying this, but he wasn’t the most technical manager.

“He was very direct and it wasn’t about trying to play football at the back and play it out. The aim was to get the ball up the park as quickly as possible and use our attacking strengths to win games – and, to be fair, it worked.

“Billy Stark came in with a specific game plan. He wanted us to play attractive football, but that’s not always what is needed at this level. Attractive football works at the higher level he is used to, but in the Lowland League you don’t get the time to play.

“So I think the next manager maybe needs to be a mixture of them both.

“Someone who knows early on what is needed, who knows what games you can play attractive football in and the games where you sometimes have to go route one.

“It needs to be someone who understands the level we are playing at and, hopefully, if we get to a higher level then we can think about attractive football.”

East Kilbirde opened up applications for the vacant managerial position minutes after Stark’s departure was announced.

They hope to have a new boss in place by the end of this month to allow the club time to build for next season.

Stark will remain involved at K-Park

In the Lowland League you don’t get the time to play