East Kilbride boss explains Robert Thomson's exit after striker joined Gartcairn

East Kilbride have parted company with striker Robert Thomson, with the experienced frontman heading to the West of Scotland Premier Division to join Airdrie outfit Gartcairn.

The 31-year-old helped Kilby lift the Lowland League title last season after joining the club from Stirling Albion in January, scoring six goals and providing four assists in his 10 league outings for the club.

But his stay at K-Park has been short-lived with new signing Cami Elliott leaving Thomson’s game time limited. And now the former Dundee United and Dunfermline star has made his exit for the sixth tier of Scottish football.

On the decision to let Thomson move on, boss Mick Kennedy said: “With Cami coming in last month, that meant we had to move somebody on and we decided that person would need to be Robert, and there will be one or two others moving on as well.

“Cami is our new number nine at the club. We wanted someone in who was more dynamic and a lot fo what we do will be based around him.

“Robert, at 31-years-old and with the career he has had, was not going to sit around and be a bit-part player for the rest of the season, so it made sense for him to move on.”

Meanwhile, Kennedy has added former Hamilton and Morton striker Steven Boyd to his squad and hopes to add a further two fresh faces soon.

He added: “We're still looking at a centre-midfielder and a goalkeeper in on loan, then that will be us.”

The move to bring in a new goalkeeper comes amid some bad news for shot-stopper Chris Truesdale, who has been plagued by injury since his arrival last summer.

The 27-year-old has just undergone a second operation and Kennedy explained: “Chris Truesdale had to have another operation so he will be out for another six weeks. He got an operation