'Five Grand Spurred Us On'

Apr 27 2008 John Hillcoat

THE long and weary journey all the way back from Elgin yesterday ended what can only be described as the season from hell.

Underachievement from myself and the Stenny squad has taken its toll on a group of players who should have been good enough to hold their own in the Second Division let alone push for promotion.

But it's guys like John Dillon, Ross Hamilton and wee Brian McLaughlin who have paid the ultimate price for failure as they were told by our gaffer John Coughlin that their services are no longer required.

Yet the season started so brightly for me and my Stenny mates. And it feels like only yesterday that our chairman Davie Reid strolled into the dressing-room before the first match against Arbroath and offered to put an extra five grand into our Magaluf fund.

That spurred us on to a good start to the campaign but a string of bad results and a 7-0 humping at East Fife was enough for manager Campbell Money to call it a day.

To be honest, half the guys who played that day should have walked with him.

The club moved quickly and appointed John and his management team of Matt Kerr and Alex Connon.

The players greeted the new boss positively as Coughlin and his crew have a good reputation throughout the game.

And that reputation was enhanced for me during the season as I found out that not only are these three guys good at their jobs, they are also passionate and honest as the day is long - traits sadly lacking by some folk in the Scottish game As I've got older I've noticed the seasons get longer and the holidays shorter and my brain frazzles at the thought of running round a track or up and down hills in only six weeks' time to start another pre-season slog.

But there will simply be no rest for the wicked during the shutdown as yours truly sets out on an exciting venture that will hopefully be my role in football for many years.

I have decided to start up a goalkeeping academy for youngsters at boys' club and amateur level in Renfrewshire and the surrounding areas as I feel the lack of formal training for budding kid gloves is as sparse as the hair on my dome.

Harmony Row Boys' Club have just opened a state of the art centre using field turf and have named their jewel "Sir Alex Ferguson Park" given the Man Utd legend's affiliation with the Govan side.

Club officials Jonnie Hendry, Dunky McCallum and the rest of the guys have given me the chance to use the great new facilities in a bid to get the Academy off the ground.

Word certainly isn't slow in going around and I was excited as hell every time the phone rang in the hope of capturing some raw talent.

My first call was from a man called Andy Johnston from Hillington Boys' Club asking all sorts of questions about the Academy's aims and what sort of training methods I proposed to use for the youngsters.

I was like the stuttering guy from One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest as I spoke from the heart about my coaching plans and how I hoped he would send his goalie along.

After about 10 minutes of hard sales talk there was a deadly silence followed by deafening hilarity as it soon became apparent I had been done up like a kipper.

Morton striker Iain Russell has had enough of me slagging off his boring patter in this column and decided to put his phone on loudspeaker for the world to hear my academy spiel.

Well done mate, my face is still red with embarrassment.

What goes around comes around I suppose.

Meanwhile, people think players, managers and the fans are the most important folk at a football club.

But there are guys who dedicate their lives to one place to the point that they sometimes get taken for granted.

However, that can't be said for Ayr United groundsman Davie Harkness who is now in his 30th year at Somerset Park. Harko has been rewarded with a testimonial year by the Honest Men that will feature a game against Rangers at the start of next season.

A variety of events that started with a race night in February has already taken place to mark his incredible achievement.

Next on the cracking agenda is a gala dinner at Ayr Racecourse on Friday, May 16 which will be attended by Scotland boss George Burley and a host of Ayr United stars past and present.

Tickets cost £45 for Harko's bash and are available from Somerset.

The club are also keen to hear from former players, staff and fans who could add to Davie's special night which I'm sure will prove to be a magic occasion.

For a groundsman to give 30 years' loyal service to the same club in this day and age is worthy of high praise indeed.

So congratulations mate and I look forward to seeing you next month.

For more details and to book tickets for the dinner contact Lewis Grant at Ayr United on 01292 263435.