THE INTERVIEW
Steve McCormick talks to Karen Fleming
You left Arbroath in 1997. Did you carry on playing? If so where and for how long?
I went to Shotts Bon Accord and played for them for one season, but by then my dodgy knee had had enough and I had to give up.
What are you doing now?
I have nothing to do with football. I've been busy building up my business and at the weekend I play golf.
Do you ever go and watch football?
No. I kept in touch with what was going on in the senior game for a couple of years after I left Arbroath and was still enthusiastic about the game then I applied for the Forfar managers job at the time when Neil Cooper got it and after getting that knock-back I just drifted away from the game and my enthusiasm went. I might come to Gayfield to see a game after this though.
What was the highlight of your career?
It has to be winning the Third division with Forfar. There are a lot of players better than me who never got a league medal so that has to be the highlight. As for the highlight at Arbroath, I was very touched when the 36-0 club presented me with a decanter to thank me for my contribution to Arbroath. In my opinion the fans are the main people at any club and to be appreciated like that means a lot.
My personal favourite memory of you is during a cup game at Gayfield against Morton and enthusiastic goal celebrations.
What do you remember of that match?
I think it was a Scottish Cup game. I had injured my cruciate ligament a couple of months previously but Tommy Campbell persuaded me to play in that game and about another five before my knee completely collapsed. The score was 2-2 and I scored both goals and was Man of the match. The Morton fans had been giving me a bit of stick, there were a few choruses of “Who ate all the pies?” and “sumo” so I really enjoyed the goal celebrations. Morton were a very good, full-time team and we did really well to get the draw so I suppose that would be the highlight of my playing career at Gayfield.Do you keep in touch with any of your old Arbroath team-mates?
Stevie Rennie, not the one at Arbroath now, and I stay in touch. I also catch up now and again with Alan Middleton, Willie Watters and Hinchie.
You've been organising a fund for another ex-Arbroath player, Don McVicar who has Motor Neurone disease. How is that going?
With the efforts of Partick Thistle, the St. Johnstone supporters, the proceeds from John McAulay`s bounce game and myself and the ex-Forfar boys we have raised £6,500 for a chair for Don. This chair would make him more comfortable and also help his circulation. I spoke to Don`s wife last week and they are choosing a chair that is suitable for him, but unfortunately Don has had a wee set back and isn`t too well at the moment.
Finally, anything I haven’t asked that you’d like to say?
Yes, I have one major regret from my time at Arbroath. When Dave Baikie first took over he asked me into his office and told me that as a senior player, he respected my opinion and asked me to give him a run down on all the players. I was very honest with him and told him during that chat that if it had been two years down the line, I would have applied for the job myself. He obviously felt that I was a threat and I never kicked a ball for Arbroath again. He moved me on. This disappointed me as I felt I could still do a job for the team. I had my knee reconstructed by this point and felt if I could score two and collect the man of the match award against a full time team without a cruciate ligament, then I still had something to offer with one. Then to make matters worse the press got hold of the story and the Sun printed a piece in which they said I had slated the club for the way I had been treated. This was not the case, there was only person I felt had treated me badly. I still have great memories from Arbroath and feel everyone else had respected my efforts for the team.