Jamie Darroch was a stand-out for Pollok last season in helping Tony McInally’s side clinch the double of Super First Division title and Evening Times Champions Cup.

And he adamantly believes that competing on a week-to-week basis against the West Region elite should hold no fears for the Southsiders on their return to the Super Premier Division.

But the 25-year-old has still decided to quit Newlandsfield in favour of returning to his former club Irvine Meadow.

The one-time Campsie Black Watch discovery’s decision to leave has raised eyebrows, not least because he admits to having no axe to grind with anyone connected with Pollok.

And he unequivocally tips further good times ahead under the tutelage of gaffer Macca and coaches Stewart Ralston and Brian Hendron.

But a desire to play in his favoured centre-back position proved the catalyst that swayed his mind to move.

He said: “I had a hugely enjoyable time at Pollok, but from a playing sense the best times were towards the end of season when Paul Gallagher’s unfortunate knee injury prompted Tony to play me in central defence.

“ Being a versatile type had led to me previously alternating between right-back and left-back so it was great to be in the thick of the action again.

"However, the writing was on the wall when the gaffer's early strengthening moves over the summer months were to sign up two out-and-out central defenders in Ross McCabe (Petershill) and Chris Walker (Shotts).

“And with arguably our best player last time out and team captain to boot, Gal, also on the way back from his injury, one could do the maths and work out that I wouldn’t be figuring as regularly where I ideally want to play.

“It was a huge wrench to walk away from my team-mates and the many terrific people involved behind the scenes at Pollok, but I am being professional in looking after what I believe are my own best interests.

” Just seeing what last season meant to the supporters made me proud to have been part of everything and I’m delighted to have the memories of my time at Pollok.”

Port Glasgow-based Darroch owned up to having no intention of resigning at Irvine Meadow when making his shock quit decision.

He said: “A couple of signing approaches were made by Super Premier outfits which I was mulling, but there was only one place I was going to go once Stevie Rankin and Murdie McKinnon declared an interest.

“They were both hugely influential in developing my game when I first turned Junior at Ashfield and consider me to be part of their plans to strengthen Medda in order to mount a challenge for the game’s major prizes.

“I’m looking forward to working with them again and also meeting up with former team-mates Paul Maxwell, Gary McCann, Shaun Fraser, Chris Hall and Robert Halliday when pre-season training gets underway tonight.”

Lok boss Macca, who continues to be credited with a signing interest in Airdrie’s former Auchinleck Talbot striker John Boyle, said: “Jamie leaves with all our best wishes for his future in the game and the same applies to other players who are moving elsewhere such as bGraham McLaren , now at Kilsyth Rangers or indeed Ryan McBeth and Guiseppe Capuano who are not short of admirers.

Macca took the opportunity to break his silence over claims made by Vale of Clyde manager Ian Currie over Pollok’s recent capture of highly sought after striking prospect Derek Hepburn.

He declared: “ Pollok Football Club and myself have always gone about our transfer business in a proper and respectful manner so I’m disappointed that Ian has chosen to claim otherwise.

“I’ve waited patiently for the true account to come out, but to no avail so it’s only right that our supporters and the rest of Junior football are kept informed.

“Business commitments kept me from contacting Ian directly over our move for young Hepburn. However, I did ask our Match Secretary Franny McNeil to let his Vale counterpart Jim Wilson know of our intentions, which he duly did.

“What I believe should have been a subsequent conversation is Vale of Clyde’s business so I was blissfully unaware of Ian being unhappy and kicking up a storm until reading the Evening Times last week.

“And, for the record, Derek , a terrific prospect whom we hope to help reach his potential at Pollok, was an amateur player and therefore free to discuss his future with whoever was chasing his signature .

”But winning that particular race saw Pollok and myself unfairly maligned.”

Also back to pre-season training this week are Cambuslang Rangers, whose newly-installed manager Paul McColl will be unveiling a host of newcomers in the Somervell Park dressing room following some hectic transfer activity.

Fans favourites Thomas “Deco” Kilmartin and Jamie “Messi” McLeod are among the notable recruits along with ex-Blantyre Vics and Cumnock goalkeeper John Mullen and former Rangers signing Bob Davidson.

Paul said: “Chris Faulds and Ryan Mackie whom I coached at have also penned deals and I am very hopeful of several others giving the same commitment when we meet them face-to-face.

“We have deliberately not rushed into things on the playing front so it’s pleasing to see how things are coming together.”