Iain McMenemy has announced he is stepping down as chairman of Stenhousemuir with the club firmly on course to win their first-ever league title.

Gary Naysmith’s side are currently 16 points clear at the top of League Two and McMenemy looks certain to bow out on a high having steered the Ochilview club through some difficult times, as chronicled in a series of columns for The Scotsman.

McMenemy’s six-year tenure was perhaps defined by the Covid crisis, when he played a prominent role in Scottish football’s response to the unprecedented challenge. In some ways he has acted as the conscience of the game as he outlined the difficulties and pushed the interests of smaller clubs amid general bickering over league reconstruction and the controversy over how to curtail the league season. As well as being constant thorn in the side of football's governing bodies, the 52 year-old also served on the SPFL's competitions working group.

Iain McMenemy has confirmed that he is stepping down as Stenhousemuir chairman following the conclusion of this current campaign (Photo: Michael Gillen)

A former territorial army reservist who saw active service in Basra with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Tank Battle group just over 20 years ago ago, McMenemy was able to strategise and provide clear sighted analysis as deep fissures erupted within the game during the Covid crisis. His first column for The Scotsman appeared four years ago this month, days after the SFA and SPFL announced Scottish football was being suspended due to the pandemic. It focused on Stenhousemuir's efforts to bring some succour to the local area, with the setting up of a club-run helpline. Several clubs followed Stenhousemuir's lead.

As owner of his own PR firm McMenemy was initially reluctant to step into the world of football. “I initially said no when I was asked to join the board because of time commitments,” he told The Scotsman on Thursday. “But in the end I thought it was something I could get involved with. Since then I have become chairman and was not long in the role when Covid hit. Along with most other chairmen we did not know what was going to happen to the club. We just had all these costs going out and no income coming in. It was just a really difficult period.

"I think we went about it in probably the right way. We put the focus on the community, which I think was the most important thing in line with the ethos of the club. We always saw ourselves as part of the community sand this as the time to step up and show it.

"Coming out of Covid, it was just a bout trying to rebuild," he added. "Nothing really was the same straightaway and I’d say, even now, I don’t think society has fully gone back to what it was.”

McMenemy and his directors have since successfully restructured Stenhousemuir, including the appointment of a Director of Football Operations in Martin Christie, once of Hibs. Naysmith, meanwhile, recently led the club to a record-breaking run of 12 successive league victories.

A former classmate of Duncan Ferguson at Bannockburn High School, McMenemy had an otherwise limited association with football before agreeing to join the Stenhousemuir board in 2012. It has since become an all-consuming passion and while he intends to keep watching his local team, who celebrate their 140th anniversary later this year, he won’t be involved in decision-making. A new chairman is likely to take over in the summer.

“As someone who wholeheartedly believes in embracing change and progress, I wanted to give early notice that I intend to step aside from this post later this year,” McMenemy announced on the club’s website. “This will allow for a new chairman to be appointed who will bring their own ideas and their energy to the role and help take the club forward on our continuing journey. In order to take the next steps as a club, we see the need to reinvigorate the club board by adding new directors. We will be making further announcements about this shortly, however, we would also encourage anyone who might be interested and has something different to offer the club, to get in touch and be part of the club’s next chapter. You would love it!”

Iain McMenemy calls time on Stenhousemuir tenure after helping Scottish football survive pandemic