Jags boss on neighbours’ signing spree
East Kilbride Thistle boss Iain Diack has hailed local neighbours East Kilbride FC for showing the right way to build a club.
The Jags gaffer says there is no jealously after an influx of big names dropping to the Lowland League to play at K-Park.
However, Diack has issued a word of caution to other big-spending clubs making the jump from the junior ranks to the new West of Scotland League.
“East Kilbride FC for me are just ambitious,” he told the News.
“There isn’t a ‘we have cash’ or anything. We don’t envy them, I have a lot of gratitude for them for doing it the right way.
“They have progressed in the right way. They are looking at getting a new stadium and have a good manager in Stevie Aitken and have the plans for the stadium.
“If you get a good manager the players will know what they are getting.
“The guys who own EKFC want to do well. They have the infrastructure to deal with this.
“There are other clubs at our level who are just throwing money at it.
“That’s always been the case in the juniors; you had it years ago when I first came out of the seniors it was Irvine Meadow who were throwing the money about.
“They were paying guys way over and above what the level can stand.
“Years before that Kilwinning were doing it, before that Rob Roy; there always seems to be a wee shot.
“Someone will come in and throw money around for a while, but it goes away.
“There is only so far a junior team can go at times with a crowd of 120 or 130, and it doesn’t fluctuate, there is only so far you can take that.
“Another prime example of doing it right is Kelty Hearts. I played them when they were in the Super League, they were a mid-table team, and a couple of 100 people went to see them.
“When I played them in the Lowland League they had crowds of 500-600, loads of sponsors; they had done it the right way.
“Their club, and East Kilbride, have grown. Some clubs don’t do it the right way.
“They throw cash at it, don’t get the result they want, they pull out, and the club is in the s***.
“That happens a lot, but good luck to them.”