East Kilbride became the fifth team to be promoted from the Park’s Motor Group Scottish Lowland Football League to the William Hill SPFL last season, after defeating Bonnyrigg Rose in a playoff final.
Former Darvel manager Mick Kennedy, who famously oversaw a Scottish Cup upset against Jim Goodwin’s Aberdeen a few years ago, led his side to promotion after a standout season in the fifth tier.
However, concerns have been raised about the high turnover of the playing squad during the club’s title-winning campaign.
Since Kennedy, who also once guided amateur side Colville Park to the Scottish Amateur Cup, took charge of ‘Kilby’ in 2023, the club has used a remarkable number of first-team players, 54 in 2023/24 and 38 so far in 2024/25, with 11 new signings this summer alone.
Yet two of those summer recruits have already departed K-Park in what has been an unusual saga.
First, Josh O’Connor, the 21-year-old son of former Hibernian and Scotland striker Garry, left Northern Irish side Crusaders at the end of last season and was announced as an EK signing on June 25.
He featured in a friendly soon after, but just weeks later, on July 10, was unveiled by League Two rivals Elgin City.
One such case could be written off as an odd anomaly. However, fellow new signing Mouhamed “Sena” Niang, Dumbarton’s Player of the Year last season, has also left, despite only joining earlier this summer.
The Senegalese midfielder was announced as an East Kilbride player, also on June 25, and appeared on the bench twice before suddenly moving to another League Two side, Clyde, on July 18.
Kennedy’s side also signed Ian McShane and Scott Ferguson from Gartcairn in the final months of last season, only for both to leave before making a single appearance in their debut League Two campaign.
With rumours of a fractured relationship between players and staff, and such a high rate of player turnover.
Could be the first sign of trouble at a club widely expected to challenge for another promotion?
During their Lowland League campaigns, the club took full advantage of the less-restricted non-league transfer windows.
But following promotion, East Kilbride must now operate within the standard summer and January windows.
They can no longer make quick changes after a couple of poor results. The question now is whether Kennedy and his team can adapt to the realities of league football, or if we are seeing the early signs of teething problems for the SPFL’s newest members.