Little did skipper Kevin McDonald know that leading Kilbirnie Ladeside out in their West of Scotland Cup clash against Arthurlie last Saturday would be his last ever game for the Blasties.

Super First Division high-flyers Beith pounced on transfer-deadline day to snap up the experienced centre-back who revealed himself totally bemused by weekend events that saw Kilbirnie accept a lucrative transfer offer tabled for his services by their arch rivals ... without him having the foggiest idea of what was going on.

"The first I got wind of any transfer talks was when the gaffer Stevie Swift telephoned on Monday morning to say a deal had been agreed for me to go to Beith that was dependent upon how I felt about going there," he said.

"Gobsmacked doesn't even begin to explain how I felt, particularly as this was my first inkling of there ever being a transfer deadline at Junior level and my team-mates were every bit as shocked when I turned up at Valefield to hand back my training gear in midweek

"The fact Beith gaffer Johnny Millar had not been in touch as per the normal way of things when a club is interested in a player only made me more puzzled and I initially told Swifty the prospect of playing at a lower division was not appealing in the slightest.

"But it then dawned on me that Kilbirnie were obviously willing to move me on or they would have rejected the approach out of hand so I opted to ask for permission to speak with Johnny and quickly realised just how keen he was to get me on board.

"Mark McShane and David McGowan are two of their players who come from Dennistoun like myself and it also helped that Stuart McDonald and Zander Ryan are former team- mates so I didn't anticipate any major problems settling into Beith's dressing room and made my mind up to sign."

Kevin hopes to make his debut on Saturday when second-placed Beith travel through to face Super First frontrunners Troon in a top-of-the-table clash.

He said: "I'm hoping to be back playing at Super Premier level next season because Beith are ideally placed to win promotion if not the title itself if they can get the better of Troon.

"It's a massive game to have as a starter but I wouldn't have it any other way."

Kilbirnie co-gaffer Stevie Swift said: "Kevin has been an exceptional professional and a terrific team captain in his time with this club and both Mark Crilly and I are sad to see him go.

"Ultimately the decision to leave was his but the cat was thrown among the pigeons by the offer made by Beith which was too good to turn down at this stage of the season.

"It's a measure of him as a man that he came along to our training on Wednesday night to say his goodbyes to all the players and it goes without saying that everyone here wishes him all the best ... within reason of course."

Also on the move are defender Martin McGuire, who has been loaned out to Kilwinning Rangers from Albion Rovers, while Pollok have snapped up recently released Beith central defender Gary Wild, who finds himself in line for a daunting Lok debut against derby rivals Arthurlie on Saturday.

On the managerial front comes news of Ayrshire District League outfit Ardrossan Winton Rovers having a vacancy to fill after popular team boss Derek "Freddie" Frye tendered his resignation.

Former Whitletts Vics veteran Derek McCulloch - who retired from playing in the wake of last weekend's 7-0 Scottish Cup beating from Camelon - is one of the names being linked with the post along with ex-Kilwinning Rangers boss George Grierson.