AN ex-goalkeeper who once starred for the likes of Aberdeen hopes to win a place in the Conservatives’ team at Holyrood after being confirmed as the party’s candidate for Renfrewshire South at the Scottish elections in May.

Derek Stillie aims to take the seat, which covers Johnstone, Elderslie, Lochwinnoch, Barrhead and Neilston, from SNP incumbent Tom Arthur.

Following his retirement from football in 2008, Mr Stillie pursued a career as a lawyer but has been aiming to secure a switch to politics since 2019, when he ran as Tory candidate for Central Ayrshire in the snap General Election.

After finishing second in the constituency and increasing his party’s share of the vote, he has now set his sights on turning Renfrewshire South blue for the first time.

Mr Stillie, 47, said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been selected by the Scottish Conservatives to fight Renfrewshire South.

“While campaigning will inevitably be different due to Covid restrictions, I am looking forward to engaging once again with voters and fighting for the issues most important to them.

“We must focus on rebuilding our communities and the economy across Renfrewshire South after the devastating effects of the Covid pandemic.

“Jobs and livelihoods remain at great risk and the SNP has been too slow to help. They’re still too busy spending their time and energy on planning for another divisive referendum, which is the last thing our communities want.

“A vote for me is a vote to stand up for the issues that really matter to people.”

Mr Stillie, who also played for Wigan Athletic, Dunfermline, Dundee United and Gillingham, is also up against Labour candidate Paul O’Kane, who is an East Renfrewshire councillor representing Newton Mearns North and Neilston.