East Kilbride Bowling Club relishing 'huge challenge' after promotion success

East Kilbride Bowling Club’s president-elect Paul Kane says the team will relish their Premier Division status - even if they need to fight for their future in it when action gets underway.

The Village side will bring in their 40th anniversary this year by playing in the top tier of Scottish bowls for the first time. They have mostly played in second and third-tier competition.

An unbeaten home season has been a key factor in their promotion, with trips to Highland outfits like Elgin and Turriff now awaiting EK.

Kane is set to become president for the season after acting as vice-president this term. After celebrating their success, attentions now turn to staying in the Premier Division.

He said: “Next year is going to be a huge challenge. It will be a new experience for all of us in the club’s 40th anniversary year. We all get on well. But it did come as a bit of a surprise with the tough section we were in.

“It’s the first time this has happened in 40 years so I am expecting a baptism of fire on that front.

This season is wrapping up and around September, we get ourselves together and the formal league campaign kicks off in October. I certainly can’t wait for it. It will be a bit of a learning curve.

“One of the biggest differences will be that the division we are in at the moment is one where opponents are all fairly local to us. You are playing the same clubs for a number of years, seeing the same faces all the time.

“Once we get into the Premier, we are playing clubs from all across Scotland. We will relish a wee trip to Elgin and places like that. It will be a weekend stay most likely so that will be fun.”

Stuttering home form had held East Kilbride back in previous seasons, but Kane’s side managed to run the