PROMOTION-chasing Troon FC have snapped up former Kilmarnock defender David Syme.

The defender last week put pen to paper, joining the Super First Division side from Cowdenbeath on a long-term contract.

Seasiders assistant manager Matt Maley is delighted with the news and said: "David is a fantastic signing for us, he's a quality defender and gives us a real physical presence. We know there was a lot of serious competition to sign him, so we're delighted he can see what we are doing at Troon and wants to be a part of it."

Syme began his career at Kilmarnock and made his debut on 4 April 2015, in a 2–1 defeat to Motherwell, where he scored the Rugby Park club's only goal of the game.

In June 2016, Syme signed a one-year-contract with Partick Thistle after the defender left Kilmarnock three years after he broke through the youth development team and into the first team. He made 15 appearances at Rugby Park with one goal to his name, and his manager Lee Clark described him as a highly rated young defender with bags of ability and wished him well on his move to Firhill.

In January 2017, Syme was released by Thistle after only featuring three times for the club and signed for Scottish Championship side Raith Rovers until the end of the season. In March it was announced that Syme had joined Cowdenbeath on loan. Syme was released by Rovers at the end of the season, and subsequently signed for Cowdenbeath permanently in June 2017. In Syme's first game for the club he bagged a double in a Betfred Cup fixture and also went on to score in his league debut for the side, before becoming a key player in his side's defence throughout their league campaign.