Youth supremo quits
Soccer Schools at East Kilbride Thistle have been postponed for the time being after Jimmy Stewart, the club’s director and head of youth development, quit the club.
Stewart and his wife Gillian, who had been running the Jags Soccer Schools for youngsters of primary school age, left the Showpark earlier this month due to work commitments.
And now the Sunday classes have been cancelled until further notice.
Thistle chairman Peter Kelsall told the News:“Jimmy was finding it harder and harder to find the time to fit the coaching around his day job, which involves a lot of travel, so he has decided to call it a day.
“We held a meeting last Wednesday evening (September 13) to discuss the future of the Soccer School and we are actively looking to get a replacement, with all the necessary qualifications, in as soon as possible.
“The Soccer School has been doing well and things are starting to take shape for EK Thistle both on and off the park after a difficult period for us a few years ago.”
Stewart spent over five years at the Showpark, coming on board during John Drummond’s time as chairman of the club.
He was also acting chairman at Thistle in the days after Drummond stepped down from the helm in 2013 due to ill-health.
Latterly, Stewart was heavily involved in founding Thistle’s youth development programme.