THE INTERVIEW
Karen Fleming Q&A with George Rowe
Can you give us a potted history of your career?
I signed for Clydebank as a 19 year old and stayed there for 4 years, then I signed for Queen of the South and was there for eight years as a player then as player/manager. After leaving there I came to Arbroath for the two years, then signed for Stirling Albion where I was for three years.
You were Arbroath captain during out most successful period in recent times. What were your personal highlights from that time?
There are three, which very quickly come to mind. I remember playing a game at Queen of the South, I think it was a midweek game and I think we won 5-1, that was personally very pleasing. Then there was a game at Brockville when we beat Falkirk either 3-2 or 2-1, I can’t remember. I scored one. But that game had everything, there were guys fighting, Moyes got sent off, but to me that game just typified the team we had at Arbroath at the time, a bunch of guys that would roll their sleeves up and fight for each other. You knew you could count on them when it got tough. There was a real team spirit about that Arbroath side. But probably the best memory was a game I never even played in. The day we beat Berwick to win promotion. I had it all planned, we would be promoted, my son and nephew were to be the mascots and it would be a great day. Then I went and spoilt it all by getting sent off against Forfar and being suspended. I couldn’t sit with my family that day, I was kicking every ball from the stand, so I went and sat out of the way beside Bill, (Leckie), who was covering the game for the papers. It was a fantastic day and a very memorable one.
That surprises me; I would have thought that missing out on that game would have been one of the worst moments of your Arbroath career?
No, it was great to be part of a promotion winning side. The only down side of that day was that I couldn’t take the boys onto the pitch to be mascots, the rest of the day, and night, was tremendous.
After signing for Partick Thistle during the close season, you had to retire before kicking a ball for them. That must have been difficult?
Discussions for that actually started at John McAulay`s Testimonial Dinner. I got speaking to Dick Campbell, he asked me for my number and to be perfectly honest I thought he was only being polite and I never dreamt I'd hear from him. He asked me in to see him, I arrived at 11am and by 11.45 I had met the Chairman and signed my contract. My Dad went straight out and bought two Partick tops for my boys and I said they couldn’t wear them until I had worn mine and they agreed. As Partick were full-time and trained in the morning, and I would be their only part time player, I would train with Stenhousemuir. I went to the first session and I just knew that my knee wouldn’t hold out so I spoke to Des and Cowboy who was the assistant at the time and they tried to convince me to play at a lower level, but to be honest I knew I wasn’t going to manage so I called it a day. Without meaning to disrespect the other four clubs I've played for, Partick would have been the biggest club I'd signed for so it was unfortunate, but it just wasn’t to be.
Are you involved in football at the moment?
Basically what I do is watch Partick`s opponents for the following week, then give a report to Dick Campbell. Colin McKinnon has finished playing now too so he comes with me; my wife calls us the Victor and Jack of Scottish Football. It's very sociable, and to be honest I love it. I go round loads of clubs and get to speak to guys I've played with or against every week. I really enjoy doing it.
Is management something you see yourself getting back into?
Absolutely not! I’ve been saying that for years and I think it’s only now people are beginning to believe me. I'm just not interested. It's something I did and enjoyed it at the time but I have a different life now. I have two wee boys, I enjoy watching football and I'm sure when they are a bit older they’ll come along to watch with me. I just don't want to give the time it involves. Managing a part-time club is a full-time job. You are watching other teams, looking for players, looking at the youths, sorting things out and I have no inclination to get back into that at all. Also I have such fond memories of the four clubs I played for and have good relationships with the people at those clubs I wouldn’t want to spoil all of that by going back to be manager. After all there's only sure thing to being the manager, you will loose your job!
Finally, anything you’d like to say that I haven’t asked?
Just a couple of things people might not know about me. For all the years I've played, and over 500 games, I have never been relegated, I've been promoted twice, but never won a title. You don't get anything for finishing second in the league and the only winners medal I have is the Reserve League West medal I won at Clydebank. Also I scored a hat trick once for Queen of the South in the derby game against Stranraer. The third goal was punched in, as in the “hand of God” and I’ve always been hated by the Stranraer fans because of that.