FOOTBALL Kelly proud of his time at Luncarty
Jon Kelly looks back on a proud three and a half years in charge of Luncarty.
He is stepping down as boss of the Bleachers due to work commitments, with Robbie Holden, up until now a striker with the club, taking the reins.
Holden was penned in to become manager at the end of the season but Kelly believes the time is right to make the switch now.
Many special memories have been created through the years, including Scottish Junior Cup runs.
“I’m pretty proud to be honest,”said Kelly, who will remain involved with Luncarty. “When we walked through the doors, it was in abeyance.
“There was nothing at the club at all and we built it from scratch. In the first season we got to the last 16 of the Scottish Cup.
“Then we finished up in promotion spots the following seasons. I’m proud and really thankful to the committee and coaches.
“The club has moved up and now Luncarty is not known as a team who you can just take three points off of.
“We’ll stand up and be counted. I believe Robbie is the man who will take it to the next level.
“It has crossed my mind over the last four or five months with my work. But I’d never let anybody down at the club.
“I feel the time to do it is now. The timing was right for Robbie, so it has worked out well.”
Kelly took charge of his final game last weekend and it proved to be a disappointing 3-0 defeat against Forfar West End.
Luncarty currently sit sixth in the North Super League but have played more games than those around them.
“It has kind of been the story of the season,”Kelly explained to the Perthshire Advertiser this week. “I reckon we had 70 or 80 per cent of the game and didn’t get ourselves in front when we should.
“It was disappointing and was a bit of a shell-shock, coming away with a 3-0 defeat. The boys and Robbie will need to bounce back.
“There’s a good squad and, with being in the Super League, it is known that we need a wee bit more quality.
“I’m sure Robbie will be working on that to bolster up the squad a bit.”