AN AYRSHIRE football legend from Stevenston who is about to chalk up his testimonial season with his current club has admitted he didn’t think he’d last that long.

Alan Cairns signed up recently to a 10th season with Glenafton Athletic - and admitted that he’d “fallen in love” with the club during his time at Loch Park.

He said: “It’s scary at the age of 29, turning 30 now, my full career has basically been at Glenafton. I didn’t think I’d last that long, to be honest with you.

“It’s been brilliant. I didn’t think I’d have won as much as I have. It’s a great club as well, the community down there is brilliant, the guys have been good with me.

“I can’t thank the club enough to be honest.”

Amid a decade of highlights with the New Cumnock side, few shine brighter than the Glens’ 2016-17 triumph in the Scottish Junior Cup.

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It was Alan’s wonder goal which settled that season’s final in Glenafton’s favour against the most successful club in the tournament’s history, local rivals Auchinleck Talbot – and it’s a goal, and a day, which will live long in the memory of the Glens’ supporters and will ensure Alan always has a special place in the hearts of the Loch Park faithful.

“What a day that was,” he said. “It was brilliant. That was a great season as well.

“We won the Scottish Cup, the league, and then we won the Evening Times Cup at the end of the season.

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald: Alan joined the Glens from rivals Cumnock in 2013Alan joined the Glens from rivals Cumnock in 2013

“But that [the Scottish Cup] was a good weekend, it was Sunday night into the Monday night, it was brilliant.”

But asked if that was his main highlight from his nine seasons so far, Alan had a different take on his own stand-out memory.

He said: “I’ve played with great boys, I’ve met great friends for life through playing with Glenafton.

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“Even the guys who run the club, I’ll be friends with for life.

“I’m very close with the like of the chairman, they’re almost like family now.

“I basically just fell in love with the club.”

Alan’s not yet sure of the plans for his testimonial year, though he does know what he wants from his testimonial match – a team of former team-mates, rivals and friends to face either that Glens cup-winning side or, with the help of current manager Ryan Stevenson, a former club.

Either way, he is fully focussed on results on the park next season, something he has been impressed with since the new management team took over.

He said: “Since Ryan and Mark have come in, they’ve been brilliant. It’ll be interesting to see what next season’s like, I’m looking forward to it.”