East Kilbride manager Mick Kennedy has made clear his ambition to finish top of their Premier Sports Cup group, despite facing formidable opponents in Premiership side St Mirren and Scottish Cup finalists Dunfermline Athletic. The draw for the group stage took place last week, placing Kilby in Group C alongside the Buddies, Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline, League One rivals Cove Rangers, and League Two side Dumbarton.
Kennedy's Optimistic Outlook
While some may dismiss the idea of the newly-promoted League One outfit topping the section, Kennedy is unwavering in his belief. He stated, “We are really looking forward to it. I’m the most optimistic guy in the world and I look at that group and say we need to finish top of it. So it is a great challenge for us.” The team kicks off their campaign at home against Championship side Dunfermline Athletic on Saturday, July 11, at K-Park.
Anticipation for Neil Lennon Match-Up
Kennedy expressed particular excitement about facing Dunfermline, managed by former Celtic boss Neil Lennon. “Neil has got a great relationship with loads of people at the club and behind the scenes as well. He has done a fantastic job this season so that will be an exciting one for us,” Kennedy said. “It will be a great day, that first game. After Neil having such a good season and knowing his winning mentality, I’m sure he will want to kick on and get promoted at the minimum. He brings a lot of attention on his own with the career he has had in football and as a manager. Dunfermline are a massive club as well and bring a great support so what a way for us to start the competitive season at home. The boys are buzzing with it and we are looking forward to it.”
Group Stage Fixtures
Following the opener against the Pars, East Kilbride will travel to face Cove Rangers at Balmoral Stadium on Tuesday, July 14. They then host Dumbarton on Saturday, July 18, before concluding the group stage away to St Mirren on Tuesday, July 21. St Mirren is managed by former East Kilbride player Craig McLeish.
Kennedy reflected on the other matches: “Cove is in our league so that will be a challenge. Dumbarton we know a lot about from last season but I think they will be a lot different next season. For us, this is where the part-time teams struggle because we have to use it as part of pre-season. Ideally, you’d want to play Dunfermline two games into a season so by the time the St Mirren game comes along we will be a bit fitter and more aligned with how we want to play. We did really well in the competition last season so we are looking to do that again.”
