Perfect parting gift as Coll leaves Kilby Left-back wins best player poll as he joins Forfar
Tough tackling
PAUL THOMSON
Bernard Coll has been voted East Kilbride’s Player of the Decade in our online poll – and the left-back has revealed it’s the perfect parting gift after joining Forfar last week.
The 25-year-old has been at K-Park for five years, but the tough-tackling defender has been reunited with former Kilby boss Stuart Malcolm after landing the award last week.
Coll earned 36 per cent of the vote to beat winger Sean Winter (22 per cent) to the crown, while long-serving goalkeeper Matt McGinley (13 per cent) was third.
The shortlist was determined from the public’s Team of the Decade vote last month.
And Coll said: “I was buzzing to be in the Team of the Decade, so it’s amazing to win the player vote.
“I’ve played under some great managers, but now that I’ve left to join Forfar , this is a nice way to go out.
“The plan was to come here and get games. I’ve played well over 100 and, although we haven’t won promotion, I’ve achieved a lot. I’ve won a lot of trophies and a player of the year award, so it’s been amazing.
“This club will always mean a lot to me - and my dad, who has been at every game and made a lot of great friends at East Kilbride.”
Coll joined the club in 2015 from Queen’s Park and scored a stunning opener in EK’s 2-2 Scottish Cup draw with Stenhousemuir in November that year, a tie which East Kilbride went on to win 2-1 after extra-time in the replay.
He was also a member of the starting 11 that faced Celtic in the last 16 of the competition that season.
Part of the Kilby 100 club, ‘BJ’ has been a regular under every manager he played for, winning two Lowland League titles, two South Region Challenge Cups, two Lowland League Cups, two East of Scotland Qualifying Cups and one East of Scotland Cup.
Crowned the club’s players’ player of the year in 2016, Coll was also part of the team who went on a 30-game winning run and had their achievement recognised by Dutch giants Ajax.
Signed by Billy Ogilvie, Coll has been an important part of the squad this season and has been one of the few performers in a disappointing league campaign.
Coll added: “This season has been a real mis-hit for us, but I’m sure the club will re-group.
“Its a great club and I’d like to thank all the people behind the scenes who have done so much for me.
“I remember my first game was away to Whitehill Welfare and then my second was away to Edinburgh City.
“I’d just joined from Queen’s Park, but I realised the standard of the Lowland League was really good and equal to where I’d been.
“I went on to play against Celtic in the Scottish Cup – something I never imagined I’d be able to do – and the Scottish Cup has been brilliant for East Kilbride.
“We’ve beaten Stenhousemuir, Cowdenbeath twice and had some big games, so we’ve shown we can compete.
“I’m gutted to be leaving them now, but I feel the time has come to test myself at a higher level.
“I’m sure I’ll be back at East Kilbride one day.”
Bernard Coll 36%; Sean Winter 22 %; Matt McGinley 13%; Ross McNeil 8%; Paul Woods 8%; David Proctor 5%; Scott Stevenson 3%; Stephen Bronsky 2%; Michael Anderson 1%; Kieran Gibbons 1%; Chris McDougall 1%.