Darvel Juniors sign amateur forward

Dec 12 2008 by Clair Fullarton, Kilmarnock Standard

DARVEL Juniors have pulled off a massive coup by securing the signature of Ayrshire footballing legend David Kirkland.

The Irvine Valley side signed the 35-year-old striker on Monday from Ayrshire amateur giants Knockentiber – beating off competition for his signature from fellow junior sides Troon and Whitletts.

Darvel manager George Grierson is delighted to have signed the imposing centre forward, who has also played for other Irvine Valley sides Hurlford juniors and Galston United.

“I’ve known Davie personally for many years,” he said.

“We won the First Division title when we were at Troon Juniors together and when I took on the Darvel job I knew that we had gaps up front.

“While we had loads of pace, we didn’t have anyone with any great experience and no-one to really hold the ball up.

“When I started looking at this, Davie’s name was the first name that popped into my head.

“He’s a footballer with bags of experience, and he’s won almost everything there is to win in amateur and junior football.

“He’ll give us another dimension up front and as he’s so tall he’s great in the air too.”

Kirkland, who is from Galston, was club captain at Knockentiber AFC and has also been the captain of the Ayrshire Select amateur side, the Ayrshire juniors side and the Scottish amateurs side.

Grierson said: “Davie is a well-known figure in the local football scene and we are really chuffed to have him on board.

“It also shows that Darvel are being taken seriously when we get his signature with other clubs in the running for him. It shows just how much John West and the committee here are backing my plans.”

All the Recreation Park side need now is to play some football, after the severe frost has called off games for two weeks running.

Grierson added: “We’re at home to Lugar on Saturday and it would be great to see local football fans turn up to support us.

“We are a club on the way back up and there’s plenty of great football on offer.”