East Kilbride YM boss relishing 'momentous day', as club set for West of Scotland League debut
East Kilbride YM boss Graeme Robertson is hoping the town comes out to back his side on a 'momentous' day for the team this Saturday.
The town's oldest football club make their debut in the West of Scotland Football League when they host Irvine Vics at Kirktonholme for a Fourth Division clash.
YM have made the leap from amateur football to the WOSFL after being voted into the bottom tier of the Scottish football pyramid at the end of last season.
And everyone at the Village outfit is brimming with anticipation for their big bow at this level.
Gaffer Robertson, who led the team to the Caledonian Premier Division title last season, said: 'It will be a momentous day for the club and everyone is looking forward to it.
'All the volunteers will be out in force and planning is well ahead of schedule for Saturday's game.
'Hopefully the weather is good for us and we get a good support behind us.
'We've been absolutely flabbergasted by the response to season tickets - we've sold just over 100 so far - and there have been a lot of people in the town coming up to us to speak about it, so there is a lot of interest.
'Every game we've had in pre-season we've seen a really good crowd and we are really impressed with the response in our first season.'
Irvine Vics will be one of the favourites for the title this term, having been relegated from the Third Division last term, and Robertson added: 'I think Irvine Vics could be our toughest game of the season.
'They just got relegated but they have been playing really good teams in pre-season and winning comfortably. It should be a good game.'
YM have managed to hold on to most of their squad from last season's title-winning campaign, while also pinching players from near neighbours and Division Four rivals East Kilbride Thistle, who they host on August 2.
'We've kept most of the boys who won the Caledonian Premier Division last season and we've added a few experienced players who have played at this level so we hope that will stand us in good stead,' said Robertson.
'We've brought in three players from EK Thistle - Adam Edgar, Ryan Anderson and Lewis Gray - so they have made the move across the Village.
'We are also delighted to get Greg Miller from Kello Rovers. He was being chased by the likes of Port Glasgow, but he opted to join us because he can see what our plans here are.
'We are just trying to consolidate. It is a big step up from amateur to semi-professional so we need to try and find our feet in the first season, try to be as solid and hard to beat as possible.
'Our ambition is to do well within the West of Scotland League and see what happens.'
Saturday's clash is a 2pm kick-off at Kirktonholme, with tickets priced £5 for adults, £3 for concessions and kids under-12 go free.
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