THE chairman of Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts says the “time is right” to step down from the role after 22 years.

Eddie Spence formed the club, alongside Barry McMahon and Damien Hildrew, in 1996 to give girls and boys of all abilities the opportunity to play football and attracted more than 100 youngsters to its first-ever training session.

Since then, the Swifts have gone from strength to strength and currently have more than 400 players registered at age groups ranging from 2002s to 2013s for boys, and under-seven to under-13 for girls.

An SFA quality marked community club, the Swifts have gone on to win numerous trophies during the last two decades as well as produce players that have gone on to play at senior level, including Eddie’s son, and Raith Rovers striker, Greig; St Mirren’s on-loan Hearts and Scotland under-21 full back Liam Smith and Montrose forward Martin Rennie.

Although he’s not leaving the club completely – he’s a coach with the 2008 age group and runs the over-35s team – Eddie told Press Sport that he was happy to allow vice-chair for the past 10 years, Craig Reid, to take on the chairman’s position.

“I have to give a massive mention to Craig Reid and the work he has done over the last 10 years,” he commented.

“If the club is an eight-out-of-10 just now, then Craig will push it on to be a 10-out-of-10. He has a lot of new ideas and ventures that he is starting on over the next few weeks, and he deserves the chance to take the club to the next level.

“I had a heart attack about six weeks ago but I had decided before that; it wasn’t to do with my health. The time is right for the club to move on.

“When we formed the club, it was always to put boys and girls on the park, no matter how good, what colour or what religion they were.

“At our first training session, we thought that folk would turn up because we had advertised, but over 100 turned up and it grew from there.

“Every season, we’ve had 400 kids registered. It’s more than just about football; we’re a community-led group and organise things like Christmas days out to the cinema.

“I think it has worked well over the last 22 years.”

Eddie, who was nominated for a Press Community Champions award in 2016, continued: “We have won countless trophies and have had 10-15 boys that have gone on to senior football, like Greig and Liam Smith at Hearts, and boys who have been capped for Scotland.

“It’s absolutely fantastic but the highlight, for me, has been keeping it going year after year. I still coach the 08s and have got five seven-a-side teams, which is 50 kids, and there are 32 teams at the club at the moment.

“We’ve got 100 coaches, and then you start to add all the secretaries for the different teams, the treasurers – it’s a big undertaking.

“There’s 60 girls at the club at the minute, which is fantastic, mini-kickers at schools and I run the over-35s team.

“It is a family club and there’s a level for everybody.”