AS HE takes his first steps into football management, Pat Scullion isn't about to make any bold predictions relating to on-field success.

"If you try it and you don't succeed, well, at least you've tried. If you don't try it, you'll never know," he tells Press Sport in an interview ahead of the new campaign, which began at the weekend, with his team winning at Oakley United.

The 36-year-old, who was a key player for Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts last season, has taken charge of their senior side from Grant Brough, who stepped aside at the end of the campaign, but remains with the club as head of senior football.

That presented the opportunity for Scullion, who started out with Dunfermline before representing Cowdenbeath – across three spells – as well as Elgin City, Alloa Athletic, Clyde, Stenhousemuir, Berwick Rangers and Edinburgh City with distinction throughout his career, to become boss.

Having also helped on the Swifts' coaching team last season, Scullion, who hopes to continue to play in addition to his new role, felt that the stars aligned for him to take up the post.

He revealed that it was while with the Blue Brazil, and latterly Berwick under former boss John Coughlin, who will work with Scullion and his coaching team – Mark Leslie, Graham Miller and Jamie Stephen – in a supporting role, that first made him think about coaching roles within the game.

"I think when I was at Cowdenbeath, under Colin Nish, when I was captain, I maybe started to think about it then, about five or six years ago," he explained.

"When I was working with John at Berwick, obviously I was a player. I was his captain and doing a bit of coaching with him – that's when I thought I wouldn't mind doing this, actually, I quite like it.

"When you start managing people at your work, you think, I wouldn't mind doing that at football.

"I never really went out my way to try and get a job. I've never applied for a job or anything like that on a football perspective but this opportunity came up.

"The club were keen for me to do it, and I was quite keen to do it, so it just all aligned at the same time. It was right for both parties.

"I might be really good at it, I might be really rubbish at it, who knows? But I'll give it a try anyway and see how we get on."

During pre-season, Swifts drew 0-0 at Scullion's former club, Cowden; defeated Gala Fairydean Rovers 6-0, lost 2-0 at home to Luncarty, won 2-0 at Alloa Athletic and saw off Kennoway Star Hearts 4-1.

With a predominantly young squad, Swifts finished 10th in last season's East of Scotland League, Premier Division – finishing clear of any relegation danger comfortably – and will hope to improve on that this term, as Scullion seeks to maintain a happy atmosphere around the club.

"I'm really enjoying it at the club and it's a family club. It's quite a nice thing to be at," he said.

"I've played football since I left school 20 years ago. I was full-time for a few years, then pretty much part-time, playing at whatever level, and just trying to learn.

"I'm doing it because I enjoy it. I'm doing it because I think it's a good club to learn, make mistakes, and hopefully have a little bit of success.

"Who knows where it will take us."

This evening, Swifts entertain Blackburn United at Dalgety Bay Leisure Centre.