I'm Singing A Different Tune

Apr 6 2008 By Scott Mcdermott

Ryan Is Back On Song After Game's Ups And Downs Queen Of South V Aberdeen Saturday, Kick-Off 12.15pm Hampden, Live Sky Sports 1

RYAN McCANN became so disheartened at boyhood heroes Celtic he used to sing Please Release Me in the dressing-room.

But after quitting Parkhead the 26-year-old has turned his career around at Queen of the South and is now dreaming of a Scottish Cup Final appearance at Hampden.

It has been an incredible journey for the full-back who was forced out of Celtic due to the influx of big-money signings in the Martin O'Neill era.

After spells at Hartlepool, St Johnstone, Bohemians and Clyde, McCann is finally settled again at Palmerston.

He could even become a world record holder - if his mind-boggling 86-yard goal against Dundee in the quarter-finals is verified by Guinness as the longest ever scored by an outfield player.

As he prepared to do battle with Aberdeen in this weekend's semi-final, Ryan reflected on a colourful career that included his Engelbert Humperdinck impersonations at Celtic Park.

He said: "You wouldn't believe the quality we had in training - even in the reserve team at Celtic. We had guys like Liam Miller, Colin Healy and Shaun Maloney and hardly lost a game at that level in two seasons.

"O'Neill's team generally picked itself. It was a winning side so you could hardly complain and I don't regret my time there.

"But I learned more at Hartlepool in a year on loan than I did at Celtic. I had to admit it wasn't going to happen for me at Parkhead.

"We used to sing Please Release Me because so many boys weren't getting a game.

"Clubs were after a lot of us but we just weren't getting a crack at it. I had a lot going on in my personal life too and just wanted to get away from things so Bohemians seemed ideal.

"But I went to Ireland for all the wrong reasons.

"It was tough on my own and I didn't have a telly for six weeks - you don't realise how much you miss it until you don't have one.

"Initially I came home every weekend but I couldn't afford to keep that up. So I came back and now I'm loving every minute at Queen of the South."

McCann's contract is up at the end of the season and Hampden could provide the perfect shop window for a player who still feels he can play in the SPL or in England.

He didn't do his chances any harm with that unforgettable goal against Dundee when he picked the ball up in his own half and launched it into the net to seal a 2-0 win.

Ryan has watched his strike again on YouTube but insists his mates are more obsessed with the goal than he is.

He said: "I'll never hit one like that again. I got loads of messages - most of them saying things like 'nice shank'.

"I think people were delighted for me as I'm an honest boy who has just tried to get on in life.

"The goal has given me more of a profile. Someone's looking into it to see if it's a world record for an outfield player. I'll get a badge made up if it is!

"I didn't see the replay until the Monday as I was at a comedy club in Glasgow on the night of the Dundee game.

"But I've watched it on YouTube and pals even have it on their My Space page."

McCann can't wait for the Aberdeen tie - even though he wanted to take on old club Celtic in the semis.

Ryan said: "I never expected to get to a cup semi-final when I joined Queens.

"And I was disappointed it wasn't Celtic because I'm a fan and in a way that would have been my cup final. Most of the boys are happy it's Aberdeen and with our squad anything is possible on the day.

"If they have an off day and we play to our best we can win.

"Guys like Stevie Tosh and Neil MacFarlane are looking forward to it most because they've played at that level.

"But it's the biggest game of my career as it might never happen again for me.

"The team spirit at Queens is excellent. Normally at clubs when there's a lot of travelling involved you get cliques but that's not the case here.

"There aren't any superstars in our team - it's a workmanlike group with no prima donnas.

"If we win we could be in Europe which is incredible. But stranger things have happened.

"It's a chance for me to show people what I can do.

"I have 45 family and friends going as it stands and if we win I'll have a wee tear in my eye."