East Kilbride are sleeping giants, says Mick Kennedy as he reveals he and Si Ferry turned down SPFL clubs to take role

Mick Kennedy believes East Kilbride Football Club is a sleeping giant and he hopes he can be the one to awaken their full potential.

The new Kilby boss has spoken for the first time since being appointed at K-Park late last month and believes the club will only get bigger and better if they manage to end their near-decade wait for a place in the Scottish Professional Football League.

Ex-Darvel boss Kennedy, who caused an upset for the ages when he knocked Premiership Aberdeen out of the Scottish Cup this season, knows he has a big job on his hands to get EK out of the fifth tier, but he says that task is one of the main reasons for taking on the challenge.

He told the Lanarkshire Live Sport : “When I went to Darvel I had to do a hell of a lot to get that club into a position where it was one of the most professionally run clubs in the league and in part-time football.

“I did that because I think it is important you have the best infrastructure you can for your players, but that infrastructure is already in place at East Kilbride.

“I don’t have to do that work, have that vision, plan and strategy for those things because it is already there.

“So that means my focus is on getting the right team on the park.

“There’s other things as well like the central location. Where the club is based helps us in terms of recruitment with the size of the population in the town.

“I think the club is a bit of a sleeping giant, to be honest.

“If somebody gets it right – and I hope that is us – then there are massive opportunities there. But that will only happen if you are successful.

“Ultimately, there’s nothing else that is acceptable here than being successful.

“There have been a lot of quality players at East Kilbride in the last