BJ Coll created a little piece of East Kilbride history this month when he became the first player at the club to make 200 appearances in blue and gold.
The left-back is currently in his second spell at K-Park after returning to the club in January from League Two Stenhousemuir. He previously spent more than five years at the club before leaving for Forfar in 2020.
Fan favourite BJ made his 200th outing on April 9 in a 6-0 win over Bo’ness United and at the weekend he was recognised by the club for his achievement, as well as winning the man of the match prize in a 1-0 defeat to Bonnyrigg.
But BJ, who won two Lowland League titles with EK and their 2016 players' player of the year, insists he always believed he would get the chance to hit 200 games for the club.
He explained: “I was on 191 games when I left the club a couple of years ago and that was one of the disappointing things, that I didn’t get to that.
"But I always knew I would be back at East Kilbride one day. I love it here.
“My body feels like I’ve done 400 games. The season is getting to an end and my body is in bits! But it’s a great moment for me and a good number to get to when I’m still relatively young at 27.
“That’s me at 202 games now. The Bo’ness game a couple of weeks ago was my 200th.
“The whole point of going to East Kilbride this season was to get games and I’ve been doing that.”
Asked to pick his highlight of the 200 games in Kilby colours, it was an easy decision for the defender.
He added: ”The Celtic game in the Scottish Cup [in 2016] is the standout game, all day.
"Being a Celtic fan, that was huge.
“All my family going to the game as well, it was brilliant, and a moment I’ll never forget.”
Coll can make it 203 appearances this weekend when he comes up against former EK manager Stuart Malcolm, who brings his Berwick Rangers side to K-Park in the quarter-finals of the Lowland League Cup.
The 27-year-old added: "I was at East Kilbride under him and then he took me to Forfar.
"Stuart gave me the opportunity to play in the SPFL so I'll always thank him for that. He always believed in me to go up there and do that, so I owe him a lot.
"We played his team a couple of weeks ago. They were a good outfit and it should be a good game on Saturday.
"Hopefully I get one over him, but I'm not sure he'll speak to me after it if we do!"
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