THE former head coach of Kelty Boxing Club, Alex Docherty, is joining up at the Cardenden ABC to head its coaching staff.

The Kelty set-up produced a lot of talented young fighters but in 2012 it closed.

Between 2004 and 2012, the Kelty ABC accumulated a quite incredible medal haul – 6 GB Championship Gold, 52 Scottish Championship Gold, 29 GB Championship Silver, 42 Scottish Championship Silver and 43 District Championship Gold.

Furthermore the club had two representatives compete at World Championship level with one boxer reaching the quarter-final stages along with a number of other boxers who represented Scotland at international level.

Husband and wife boxing stalwarts, Alex and Rachel Docherty, were the people who provided the base that allowed the Kelty club to flourish but in 2012 they had to withdraw themselves from the long hours involved in running the operation to allow them to spend more time on work and family commitments.

So it is a major coup for Cardenden ABC to be able to get Alex to come to their Bowhill Centre base, in this their centenary year.

Secretary of the Cardenden club, Bill Burns, explained: "Our club has been running for a few months without a proper coaching structure.

"Alex retired in 2012, but I recently contacted him, and we arranged a meeting and he agreed to take up the challenge.

"Alex's reputation is there for all to see having produced champions at all levels including six G.B. titles, 52 Scottish titles, plus numerous internationals at schoolboy and senior level.

"We are delighted to have Alex aboard and he will be an inspiration to the current coaches we have and to all our young fighters".

The club's centenary celebrations in August saw almost 200 people attend the evening and people from the club's past were there to remember a golden past.

It was a massively successful event which saw former champions and internationalists, including Willie Burns, there to remember an amazing past.

So to see someone of the stature of Alex Docherty join the set-up will make it a truly memorable centenary year.

The Cardenden Club will operate training sessions on Mondays/Wednesdays/ and Thursdays from 7pm till 8.30pm at the Bowhill Centre.