FORMER Pars star Andrew Barrowman says he wants to bring his own "personality, character and ideas" to Kelty Hearts after being appointed as the club's sporting director.

Last week, the 36-year-old was announced has having landed the newly-created role at New Central Park, fulfilling a "burning ambition" he had held.

Barrowman, who enjoyed two spells with Dunfermline during his playing career, had been working for Spanish sportswear manufacturer Joma - who currently produce kit for both Athletic and Kelty - as their senior brand manager in Scotland for the last four years.

However, he has given up that role to take up a position at ambitious League Two newcomers Kelty, which will see him work with manager Kevin Thomson on player and staff recruitment, as well as supporting him and his players with matchday preparations.

He is also being tasked with creating and implementing "a philosophy across the club that can be fed from the top down to the Community Club", so that they are "all adopting the same plan, giving us the best chance alongside the facilities and platform we can provide for the best local young players to produce our own talent".

Speaking to Kelty's website, Barrowman said: "It's been a burning ambition of mine to take up a role of this type for some time and it’s one that I’ve been preparing for, for a number of years.

"I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to join such an exciting project. After initial discussions with Dean (McKenzie, general manager), it became clear that the ambitions and long term objectives of the club were perfectly aligned with how I feel a football club should operate. Following promotion to the SPFL, there is great excitement around the club and local community.

"I aim to bring my own personality, character and ideas to the role to compliment the incredible work that’s been carried out throughout the club over many years. We are all under no illusions as to the difficulty of the tasks that lie ahead but we relish the challenge and will approach it with excitement and a determination to be the best we can be."

The football club's general manager, Dean McKenzie, commented: "I’m delighted that after a few chats with Andrew, who has been a friend for a few years, has seen and admired our work at the club from afar as well as me admiring his work that he is now part of Kelty Hearts FC and its growth.

"After sharing the plans and vision at Kelty going forward, we were delighted he shared our vision and has agreed to come on board to play a huge part in us achieving our goals in the years to come.

"He has a wealth of experience in football and business having headed up very successfully, the Joma Sports in Scotland as Senior Brand Manager the past five years, his football playing history North and South of the border and through his business management diploma that he worked on for four years.

"It’s a real coup for the club to have Andrew on board, I’m extremely excited to be working alongside him as part of our team off the pitch."

Barrowman began his career with Birmingham City and, after turning out for Walsall, Kilmarnock, Queen of the South, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Ross County, joined Dunfermline in 2011.

He was recruited by Jim McIntyre after their promotion to the SPL and, although he hit the net six times, a disappointing return to the top flight ended in immediate relegation back to the First Division.

He was a key part of Jim Jefferies' side that aimed for a swift return the following season but, after scoring 14 goals in 27 games, Barrowman was one of several players that were made redundant in March 2013 as the Pars went into administration.

Spells with Dundee, Livingston and Morton followed before he came back to Dunfermline in January 2015, scoring twice in 13 games as John Potter's side could only finish seventh in League One.

He then moved to Albion Rovers, before finishing his career with junior club Arthurlie.

Kelty open their League Two campaign at home to local rivals Cowdenbeath next Saturday.