Former Rangers star Gregg Wylde has revealed a phone call from Ibrox icon Ian Durrant helped put his move to East Kilbride in motion.
Durrant is assistant manager to Kilby gaffer Stevie Aitken at K-Park and he was on hand to ensure Wylde joined the club for next season’s Lowland League title push.
The pair were at Ibrox together when Durrant was part of Walter Smith and Ally McCoist’s backroom teams from 2009-2012.
And it didn’t take much for Wylde to be sold on the chance to be reunited with his old coach.
Wylde, who played with fellow Lowland side East Stirlingshire last season, says it was a no-brainer and he admitted he was already well aware of East Kilbride’s ambitions.
The 30-year-old told Lanarkshire Live Sport : “I got the phone call from Durranty about three weeks ago, he was asking what my plans were for next season and I had already had a couple of clubs on to me at that point.
“Everyone knows what Durranty is like; he was on at me, like ‘C’mon do you want to come, do you want to come?’
“We had a chat and then I spoke to the manager on the phone after that and he spoke well.
“I knew who East Kilbride had in the squad from last season and with them trying to strengthen as well this year, it was a no-brainer.
“I told them that there was only one place I wanted to go because I know the ambitions this football club has and what they want to do going forward.
“I went up the week after and spoke to everyone at K-Park; the owners, the coaching staff and they were brilliant with me.
“From last season playing against them, we [Shire] drew 0-0 with them but I thought they caused us a few problems.
“At the start of the season, EK and Kelty were the firm favourites to go up but obviously there was a break due to Covid and Kelty went up on points per game.
“But I’m looking forward to the season ahead.
“There’s a good chance for us to stamp our authority on this league again and go and do what Kelty did last season and get promoted.
“I’ve always been brought up with the mentality of winning every game and doing the best you possibly can.
“Hopefully we can do that at East Kilbride this season, but there’s a lot of good teams in this league and we’ll need to take it one game at a time.”
Wylde’s career after Ibrox took him across the UK with spells in England at Plymouth Argyle, Millwall and Morecambe in between moves to the likes of Aberdeen, St Mirren, Livingston and Clyde.
And having played at different tiers all over the country, Wylde insisted the Lowland League is of a much higher standard than it’s often given credit for, having already spent a season in it with Shire.
He added: “Some people don’t realise how good the league is.
“There are good players and good teams in this league.
“I played a few teams last season and the standard opened my eyes a bit in terms of performances and individual players that are at that level.
“Some people ask why players are at this level when they could play above, but I think people underestimate it.
“People think it’s not good enough but it is from what I’ve seen in my year in it.”
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