Jim Paterson insists he thought “long and hard” before walking out on East Kilbride last week.
The 40-year-old was in caretaker charge of the club until February 18, when he and assistant Dean Shanks stepped down from the role.
Their resignations came just days after East Kilbride Football Club they were welcoming applications for the vacant manager’s role.
Paterson said: “I’ve been in football long enough to know that the club will be looking to get the best applicant possible.
“There’s nothing wrong with that, that is their prerogative.
"But the fact the club were looking elsewhere showed me where I stood in their thoughts.
“I thought about my decision long and hard over the weekend.
“I’ve always said I was interested [in the job permanently], but with the direction the club was going in I decided to step aside.”
Defender David Proctor and skipper Craig Malcolm stepped in to take training last week and guided the club to an emphatic 4-0 win over BSC Glasgow.
They will now take the team for training and matches until a permanent successor to Stuart Malcolm, who left for League One Forfar in November, is appointed in the next fortnight.
Paterson added: “I’d like to thank East Kilbride for the opportunity to manage.
“I’m delighted to cut my teeth at the club and the boys have been unbelievable.
“When I said goodbye to them last week, they said they appreciated the work I did and that has given me further confidence.
“I’ve always had confidence in my ability and that hasn’t changed.
“I was there for 11 games in the league and, won seven, drew one and lost three – to the top teams in the league in Kelty and Bonnyrigg and BSC Glasgow in the Scottish Cup.
“The BSC game was the big one for me and we were found wanting, which was really disappointing.”
The former Dundee United and Motherwell winger hasn’t been put off by the experience and is determined to take up his first permanent manager’s role in the near future.
He said: “I’ve done my time as an assistant at Stenhousemuir under Brown Ferguson and under Stuart at East Kilbride, so I’m definitely looking for a manager’s job now.
”It’s difficult as a caretaker because you are always swimming against the tide, but when one door closes another one opens.”
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