GREENOCK football ace Nicky Low hopes to 'give a bit back' to grassroots football in Inverclyde after he agreed to become a coach with a newly-formed amateur side.

The former Aberdeen League Cup 2014 winner is keen to step into coaching once he hangs up his boots and hopes to mould his own style after learning from the likes of Craig Brown, former Morton star and Dons chief Derek McInnes and Arbroath gaffer Dick Campbell.

Nicky will take his first steps on the sidelines by helping to run Saturday morning league outfit Blairmore AFC.

He told the Tele: “I knew that the boys were starting a team and was out running run one night and one of the managers saw me and we got chatting away about it.

“A big part of it for me is being able to give back to football in Inverclyde at a grassroots level, because without that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to play professional football.

“Coaching is something I’ve always wanted to do after I stop playing.

"I thought this would be a good chance for me to get a head start and get some experience under my belt, because I’m only just starting to look into doing my badges.

“Hopefully I’ll take training with the guys and I’ll be able to relay some of the stuff that I’ve experienced playing under the likes of Derek McInnes, Craig Brown and Dick Campbell.

“The aim is to take ideas and visions that I’ve learned from these guys and put them into the sessions that we do here.

“I’ve started to prepare training plans over the last few days because we’re getting nearer to the time when we can go back.

"It is a good opportunity for me and I can’t wait to get started."

The East Stirlingshire midfielder will continue to play with the Lowland League outfit on top of his new coaching duties.

He says he is looking forward to pulling his boots back on after months without any football during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Low said: “I was joking to the lads I might need to play in a few Blairmore friendlies just to get that buzz again!

"In all seriousness, I hope to help the lads and that they will do well throughout the season.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes and if I can cope with the demands of coaching in the morning and then going and playing in the afternoon.

“There’s a few teams from Inverclyde in the Strathclyde Saturday Morning Championship B that we’ll be playing in, so there will be a few derbies to look forward to, which will be exciting.

“It’s a bit of an uncertain time to be starting up a team, but hopefully we’re starting to come out the other side of this pandemic and we can start thinking about getting going again, because grassroots levels are so important in the game."