I found a Diamond in Zander, says Syngenta interim coach Wylde

“He was a brilliant ambassador for the football club,” said Wylde.

“It was myself that brought Zander here and he brought exactly what I thought he would to the place. He had the respect of the players, and the coaching was praised by the squad and it was shown in results.

“Only losing one game in the league to the point he left was an incredible achievement considering the quality of the other sides and the age of the squad.”

Ex-East Stirlingshire boss Wylde confirmed he would lead the team throughout the festive period, and he oversaw their 4-1 win over 10th-placed Edinburgh College in East of Scotland Football League first division conference X on Saturday to stay in the hunt for the title, three points off the top but with three games in hand on league leaders Whitburn.

He said: “It was a professional performance and we were worthy winners, and the scoreline was a fair reflection on the game.

“It was important to stabilise after a difficult period, which always happens if a manager leaves mid-season.

Goals from Liam Evans, Ryan Miller and a double from veteran forward Andy Rodgers sealed all three points.

The Dyes now face a Boxing Day clash with local rivals Bo’ness Athletic, themselves only a point in front of Syngenta as the title race intensifies.

“I am really looking forward to leading the team into the match, said Wylde. “As a player and coach, I always looked forward to the Boxing Day match, and at this level I didn’t know it was a thing until this season.

“We’ll prepare for it like any other game, knowing a result would be big for us and would put us in a really good place.”

The interim boss also took the chance to praise director of football Steven Allison, alias Santa, for his work behind the scenes throughout the season so far and during the summer.

“Santa has done so much work in the background to bring the club into the position we are in now. He is the guy that has found the players, and Zander and myself have coached them, but he’s the one who’s built the squad.

“The youth set-up is coming together now and the plan is to have local players come through and play for the first team. He’s the crucial person to making that happen,” he said.”

With spells as player across the lower leagues on his CV, Wylde has been taken aback by just how well his team have done this season, believing the fact they were top for so long was an achievement in itself, no matter what happens at the end of the campaign.

The 57-year-old said: “I think some people forget how new this club is. I couldn’t believe some of the stuff I heard when we lost the other week – people saying the bubble had burst for us.

“The team being in first for so long was admirable considering our experience and budget compared to some of the other sides. If we could go on to finish near the top, it would be a really special season for us.”