Secretary Alan Irving has paid tribute to Annan Athletic chairman Henry McClelland who will step down tonight.

With the club set to move into community ownership, an interim board will be appointed at this evening’s AGM.

And having been elected to Dumfries and Galloway Council as an SNP councillor in May, McClelland will not be seeking to be re-appointed as chairman.

Irving said: “Henry is stepping down tonight. He has taken the club to this stage.

“But he has recently been appointed a councillor and that’s taking most of his time.”

Irving, who says he has been a committee member at Annan Athletic since 1974, said: “We have seen the club come from the Carlisle District League to the South of Scotland League to the SPFL.

“The club has made real progress on and off the pitch. It started off as a drinking members club with the football side of it on top. Now, the main thrust of the business is the football side. I will be sorry to see Henry go.”

During his spell in charge, which also saw McClelland face allegations earlier this year from the SFA that he placed thousands of bets that he shouldn’t have, Annan’s chairman has also overseen the installation of an all-weather 3G pitch at Galabank.

The Galabankies’ move towards community ownership is set to be ratified soon.

“What’s happening is we are going through the legal side of changing to become a fan-owned club. It’s all going through the legal side. The consultations have been put to the SFA and SPFL,” Irving explained ahead of this evening’s AGM.

“Tonight, there will be an interim board that will be appointed, which will take us to the point where it gets approved.

“Once the legalities are sorted out, the members will be entitled to take one share out and then they will be able to appoint their own board.”