Needing to search for a new manager was an indication of how far Cove Rangers have come, according to chairman Keith Moorhouse.
After a busy and unexpected search, following the departure of Paul Hartley, Cove were able to unveil Jim McIntyre as their new boss on Wednesday.
Plenty of names were linked with the vacancy; some were chasing their first managerial role, some were household names within Scottish football.
Cove are preparing for their maiden season in the Championship, on the back of three promotions in four years. You could be forgiven for wanting to draw breath at some point.
Needing to find a new manager, after having one lured away for the first time, has been a new but exciting process.
“I hope we don’t have to do it again! We are still newcomers in the SPFL and we see that as a good reflection on the club, that bigger full-time clubs want our staff,” Moorhouse said.
“That’s a good reflection in what we have and what we’re producing. Yes it’s been different to go through the process, but it’s been an enjoyable process, other than the fact it’s happened quick and we’ve had a short window of time for Jim to come in and work with the boys.
“It’s been great to meet all the different characters, but there was an instant connection with Jim. A lot of people say go with your instinct and we’ve gone with that, along with the rest of the profile we’ve mentioned.”
McIntyre had been out of work since leaving Dundee in 2019, a season which ended in relegation for the Dark Blues.
But the 50-year-old comes with a pedigree; he won the old First Division with Dunfermline Athletic in 2011 and led Ross County to their best-ever season – a top-six finish and League Cup success – in 2016.
“He was the outstanding candidate,” said Moorhouse. “He ticked all the boxes, in terms of what we felt the profile was of the manager to lead us on the next step in our journey.
“Clearly being in the Championship is great for the club, but along with that comes a big challenge. It was important for us we found someone with real fire in the belly and make sure we stayed in the Championship as an absolute minimum.
“The experience of the league in particular and the character we’ve got in Jim, is a great fit with the culture of the club. He’ll do well with the guys in the dressing room and they’ll do well with him.
“For us, it’s always about the right fit and that really made Jim the frontrunner from the outset.”
McIntyre, who also has managerial experience with Queen of the South, has targeted “four or five” players ahead of the new campaign.
His first friendly will be against old club Dunfermline a week on Saturday, but there will be a sense of realism today, when the fixtures for the new Championship season are revealed.
“I can’t wait to get going,” said Moorhouse. “I’m pretty sure the boys all feel the same. At the end of the day the club is judged by what happens on the park on a matchday and we’re all here to help Jim, Jimmy and the boys to get the best results.
“Our ambition is still burning as strong as it ever was – we’ll aim as high as we can, but we’ve got to be realistic. We need to draw breath, settle down and move forward.”