'Your phone goes constantly, 24/7' - Mark Weir quits demands of being Carluke Rovers manager to spend more time with his family

Straight after the full-time whistle, Weir – involved in playing and coaching for Rovers since being signed from Stranraer by Whitey Moffat way back in 2000 – quit John Cumming Stadium with the vow that he will never return to football management.

"It’s been very stressful,” Weir said. “I didn’t realise how much work was involved at our level. Your phone goes constantly, 24/7.

“Results have not helped matters. With my kids I don’t have a minute to myself and I just thought it was the right time at the moment to step aside, let somebody else come in and hopefully take the team forward.

“The game on Saturday was disappointing. We should be competing with teams like Ashfield.

"At the end of the day they wanted it more and it wasn’t a nice scoreline.

"No excuses, the goals we were conceding were through schoolboy errors.”

Weir will now get more time to spend with wife Toni and their four boys Aaron, 15, Jak, 13, Lucas, 12 and Oliver, 3.

"My oldest is pro youth with Ayr United,” Weir said. “So I’m there three times a week, my 13-year-old does running, my 12-year-old’s on trial at Livingston and my three-year-old has joined a football club as well. Hopefully they go on and do what I’ve done in the game.

"So every night I’m out and about and more time is needed to put into Carluke Rovers.

"Rovers have been a big part of my family. My papa, my dad have played for them and I’ve gone on to manage the team.

"Highlights for me were winning the league and the Clydesdale Cup with Carluke when Colin Slater was manager.

"The squad that Colin built created a great dressing room with characters in there.

"I have left in good terms. I’ll still be up supporting the guys the next game.

"I will go to Carluke games as much as I can.

"I’m looking to get a season ticket at Motherwell as well.”

Weir’s assistant at Rovers, Kenny Neill, will take interim charge until the end of the season.

"I think Kenny’s a very capable guy to do the job,” Weir said. “He just needs to bring someone in that he can work alongside.”