Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Boss quits MTC PARK
Willie Kinniburgh has left his position as Gartcairn gaffer.
The 37-year-old guided the club to a third-placed finish in West of Scotland Football League Conference B in what was described as “bittersweet” by Kinniburgh.
‘Cairn had eyes on the title before the season kicked off but ended up finishing 15 points behind champions Cambuslang Rangers.
Now a hunt for a new manager is underway.
A statement by the club read: “By mutual consent manager Willie Kinniburgh has left the club. Thanks to Willie and his back room staff for guiding the club through Covid season and all the best for the future.”
Willie Kinniburgh says there was no point in continuing at Gartcairn after he claimed the club suddenly moved the goalposts when it came to plans for next season.
The 37-year-old, who had spent the last three years in charge of the Airdrie outfit, left MTC Park last week by mutual consent, having guided the club to a third-place finish in West of Scotland Football League Conference B.
Gartcairn missed out on the title to Cambuslang Rangers, but did secure a place in the new-look WOSFL Championship for next season ahead of a summer restructure.
Kinniburgh told the Advertiser earlier this month about his plans to strengthen for a title push next term, but he has revealed his vision for the 2022/23 campaign clashes with how Gartcairn’s committee want to approach it.
And the former Motherwell defender – who signed ex-partick pair Gary Harkins and Steven Saunders during his reign – says that is the reason behind his exit.
Kinniburgh said: “Things suddenly changed in terms of what the plan was for next season.
“I’d made my feelings well known about what I was planning for next year, but it’s the committee’s ball.
“If they decide that they would rather somebody new comes in and brings in less experienced players, with less money, then that’s up to them.
“I had my ideas, the players I wanted to bring in and it was mutually agreed that if that wasn’t going to be the case, then there really isn’t any point [in staying].
“You get to a point where if you aren’t going to agree on things, then maybe there needs to be a change.
“There is no point in being at loggerheads, where you want one thing and they want another.
“It’s just one of those things in football. That’s what happens.
“I’m very honest in what I want to do and if people see it differently, then that’s fine.
“At the end of the day, there’s many ways to skin a cat. That’s football.”
Kinniburgh guided the club during the pandemic and is proud of his achievements, adding: “The last couple of years were a tough time for everyone involved in football, but we got through it.
“We rebuilt in the summer and set out what to achieve, which was to make it into the Championship or above next season and we’ve done that.
“I can hold my head high and say the players mostly did me proud.
“I’ve got no regrets.”
Assistant manager Scott Mills and the duo’s coaching staff have also left their roles at MTC Park. Kinniburgh is keen to get back into the management game quickly, but says he won’t rush into anything after taking up a role as an analyst for Motherwell’s under-18s earlier in the year.
He added: “I’m always looking for my next challenge. Football is something I always want to be a part of and I’m very lucky to be a part of Motherwell under18s at the moment.
“I’m really enjoying that so it’s not as if I’m away from football entirely at the moment.
“Analysis is part of the game that is getting bigger and bigger.
“It’s a good learning curve away from the coaching and managing side of things.
“I’m looking at the game from a different aspect so I’m really enjoying it.
“What happens next would need to suit me for a number of reasons.
“It’s not just any old gig I’d take.
“I’ll take my time and take the right option.”