Hogging the limelight is not going to be the way of things for new Kilsyth Rangers No.2 Keith Hogg despite him making a decent fist of putting forward a case to be considered as the replacement for outgoing Duncansfield boss Eric Sinclair.

Gleaning a single victory from 11 starts this season led to former Dundee and St Mirren frontman Sinky revealing he was willing to step aside if the Super First Division strugglers could find a new man to take over the helm.

This somewhat stunning statement of intent coincided with the mutual consent departure of assistant manager Jamie McKenzie as well as the announcement that Kilsyth's experienced defender Hogg had severely damaged stomach muscles and would not play again until the New Year.

Was it a case of cause and effect? Well not according to one-time Junior Scotland cap Hogg even though he was subsequently approached by seasoned gaffer Sinclair with a view to taking up a dual player/coach role.

The 34-year-old insisted: "I accepted the position until the end of season but only on the grounds that Eric would continue taking the lead as the team manager.

"He is so experienced in the game and there is so much I can learn from working alongside him. Although, people should not look upon me as a total novice because I did have spell in charge of the reins at Bathgate Thistle last season when Graham Love resigned.

"That stint whetted my appetite for more of the same particularly in relation to coaching and working with players on the training ground. So, I'm very keen to do more of the same here at Kilsyth not least because I'm getting on in years and don't have many playing seasons left in my tank.

"There's no magic formula and I try to keep things simple by passing on the many good habits and playing routines picked up from playing with top clubs such as Glenafton, Linlithgow Rose and Arthurlie in the hope it helps the Kilsyth lads improve their game."

No one can deny Hoggy's methods appear to be doing the trick in light of Kilsyth's results of late taking a considerable upturn with five goals hammered home in Cup encounters against Rossvale and Shettleston followed last Saturday by a first league win of the season through a 3-2 victory away to Kilwinning Rangers.

He cautioned: "In between those three games is a 2-0 defeat by Ashfield so we cannot afford to get carried away and think we are out of the mire and that the corner has been turned.

"Our target now is to try to find some momentum by taking another three-points haul when Renfrew come visiting next weekend.

"They are just one point and one place better off in the table, so beating them would provide a marvellous boost to our hopes of climbing the table and set us up nicely for heading up to Fife the following week to face Kirkcaldy YM in the Junior Cup."

Sinclair and Hogg's appointments appear to have killed off terracing whispers reckoning John Richardson was on the verge of returning to his first managerial club.

He derided the rumour mongers earlier in saying: "Why my name keeps getting dragged into the mix every time a manager's post becomes vacant is beyond me because I'm happy to be away from the Juniors and have no intention of going back into it."