Keir Milliken has spent the last six years turning out for the most successful team in the Juniors and now he’s determined to sample that same feeling as a Beith player.

Auchinleck Talbot legend Milky’s surprise decision to quit Beechwood Park in favour of joining the Mighty undoubtedly ranks alongside Pollok’s capture of his erstwhile Talbot team-mate Bryan Young among the biggest transfer stories of the 2017/18 close season.

And there are terracing whispers that centre-back Martin McGoldrick could be making the same switch while Dylan Stevenson has also moved on to Dalry Thistle

And it’s this “break-up” of his Bot dressing room that prompted the 29-year-old to take stock of his own situation.

Coupled with that was Tommy Sloan’s men chalking up a solitary trophy success last season through a 5-1 Ayrshire Cup Final hammering of Cumnock.

Last night he reflected: "Walking away from a club where I’ve won every silverware prize in the game -15 in total - is no easy call to make but it feels as if the time is right for me to go and look for a fresh challenge .

“Losing massive players like Butch and Goldie is a sure sign of a period of change coming to Auchinleck and I say that even though I have every confidence in Tucker coming up with suitable replacements and putting a new team together.

“Pollok manager Tony McInally appears to be someone who gets his transfer business done and dusted as early as possible.

"But that’s not Tucker’s way and you can bet on him waiting to assess how things are shaping up at the club before making moves

“He’s never been one for rushing into the transfer market and I cannot see him changing his methods even though it says everything about the standards set at Talbot when last season was looked upon as a huge disappointment.

“Supporters at any other Junior club would be delighted to have won a trophy and finishing runners-up in the Ardagh Glass and Scottish Junior Cups as well as a fourth top league placing.

"However, there’s no getting away from the fact that expectations are far greater on Beechwood’s terracings than anywhere else in the Junior game.

“This appetite for success is going to remain unchanged even in a time of transition and will put added pressure on Tucker and the players but he will get it right eventually.”

Making the suggestion that his move to Beith might be perceived as “jumping ship” was laughed off by the strong running front man.

He added: “How anyone can regard Talbot as a team on a downward spiral given the quality of players still at the club is beyond me ?

“ They will be challenging for the big prizes as I hope will Beith, who lost fewer league games than any Super Premier outfit last season and were only a couple of draws away from ending up as title winners .

“ I have turned down more lucrative signing offers to go there because I believe they will be in the running again .

“The manager Johnny Millar has made me feel wanted in our many talks and the prospect of proving myself all over again is not something that fazes me in the slightest.”

Milky scoffed: “Going back to Beechwood with Beith promises to be something special but I’m someone who divides opinion among fans and it wouldn’t surprise me to attract less criticism than I did as a Talbot player ”

The signings of Milliken and experienced ex-St Mirren, Stirling Albion and Brechin City hitman David McKenna will act to significantly boost Beith’s attacking resources left depleted by the loss of Ross `Archie` McPherson through work commitments and Kenny McLean, who is recovering from cruciate ligament surgery.

Lively pair Darren Christie and Thomas Collins are set to provide healthy competition for the jerseys and supporters will not have long to wait for a first sighting of their side’s new-look striking prowess with a Monday night friendly joust arranged against the Stevie Swift managed B.S.C. Glasgow (Beith Astroturf 7pm).

Elsewhere on the transfer front comes word of Troon winger Dale Moore signing for West Region kingpins Glenafton while his Portland Park team mate Gareth Armstrong continues to be linked with a move to Auchinleck .

And newly installed Irvine Meadow boss Ross Wilson has recruited three more new faces in midfielders Con Boyle (East Kilbride Thistle), Steven McKeown (ex-Arthurlie) and former Renfrew full-back Alan Cairns.