East Kilbride appoint Billy Stark as new manager

Billy Stark has managed Morton, St Johnstone, Queen's Park and Scotland Under-21s and has been assistant boss at Celtic and Albion Rovers

Former Scotland Under-21s manager Billy Stark has taken up the role of manager of Lowland League club East Kilbride.

He replaces Martin Lauchlan, who left at the end of last season, along with his assistants Carlo Girasoli and Paul Roberts, following the League Two play-off final defeat by Cowdenbeath.

"For us to secure Billy as our new manager is a real coup for East Kilbride," said chairman Mark Horner.

"Everyone in Scottish football is aware of his pedigree."

Stark was assistant to Tommy Burns at Celtic in the mid-1990s before becoming Morton manager from 1997-2000.

He then had spells at St Johnstone and Queen's Park before becoming Scotland Under-21s manager for six years from 2008.

For the past two seasons he has been assistant manager at Albion Rovers.

He told the East Kilbride website: "I am delighted to be joining such an ambitious club with a clear vision of where it wants to go.

"I would like to thank the board at East Kilbride for the opportunity that I believe offers a great step forward.

"I am inheriting a strong core of players from last season who came very close to SPFL promotion, and it is obvious there has been great work done at the club in the past by previous managers.

"The town of East Kilbride deserves a senior side in the SPFL, and I will do everything possible to help make the vision a reality."