Brechin City have installed former Hearts and Northern Ireland striker Andy Kirk as their new manager.
Kirk, 42, will renew his ties with his one-time Hearts boss Craig Levein – who joined Brechin in a director of football-style role on Friday.
Kirk has been on the Hearts backroom staff since 2016 in various roles – including stints as interim manager and assistant to Daniel Stendel.
𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗬 𝗞𝗜𝗥𝗞 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗥
Brechin City FC is delighted to confirm the appointment of former Northern Ireland international Andy Kirk as Manager.
➡️ https://t.co/kOvPHiiG5T pic.twitter.com/czQZFAaP1m
— Brechin City FC (@BrechinCityFC) June 7, 2021
He was recently in charge of Hearts Women FC.
But he has landed his first permanent role in the mens’ game as boss of Brechin as they bid to recover from the shock of being relegated to the Highland League.
“Andy clearly has the ambition and drive we are looking for to take us to the next part of our exciting journey,” said Brechin interim chariman Kevin Mackie.
The bold move to reunite Kirk with Levein underlines the ambition of Mackie who was only confirmed as interim chair at Brechin’s EGM last Monday.
Kirk’s playing career
Kirk netted 164 goals in 517 games during a 16-year career in the game with his most successful spells at Hearts and Dunfermline.
Kirk played under Levein for three years and has worked closely with him in the coaching set-up in recent years.
He was capped eleven times by Northern Ireland before beginning his coaching career in Rangers’ youth academy.
He had a brief spell as iterim manager at Hearts alongside Jon Daly in 2016 and worked alongside Stendel and is keen to make his mark in the game at Glebe Park.