Aitken's Galabank Return
Thursday 9th September 2010
Defender Andy Aitken’s football career ended up back where it started this summer as the one time Annan teenager signed on as the Player/Assistant Manager at a Galabank ground where he took his first steps as player.
In the fourteen years in-between Aitken’s Black and Gold playing days he has picked up three League winners’ medals, one cup winning medal, two losing Cup Final medals and also sampled European football.
Aitken talked through his career saying, “I was born in Dumfries but lived in and around Annan and started playing in their youth teams from the Under-12 age group. I progressed through to the first team and played in the East of Scotland League when I was just a teenager.
“I was part of a team that visited the likes of Whitehill Welfare and Gala Fairydean in the East of Scotland League.
“When I was 12, I was striker but as I grew, I seemed to work my way back further in the team and I was a defender in those East of Scotland days.”
The centre back’s stay at his home town club was brief as his good form had not gone unnoticed. Aitken advised, “Rowan Alexander and Mark Shanks took me to Queen of the South in July 1996. I was studying at that time for a qualification in the Leisure Industry so I put off starting the second year when I was offered a two year deal to turn senior.”
That started an eight year period at Palmerston where a Challenge Cup Final appearance was secured after only 15 months when the Doonhamers went down 1-0 to Falkirk at Fir Park. “We played really well that day,” said Aitken, “especially as we were a Second Division side at that time and they were in the First.”
There was success when Aitken picked up a Second Division Championship medal in season 2001/02 and a Challenge Cup winners’ medal was secured six months later when they beat a Brechin City side that ironically enough, included his now boss at Galabank, Harry Cairney.
In the summer of 2004, Aitken joined up with Alexander again saying, “Rowan took me to Gretna and we won the Third Division. The following year we won the Second Division Championship but it was strange as I never played against Queens during that time.”
After 18 months away, Aitken returned to a Queen of the South side managed by Ian McCall that moved out of the relegation zone with a late rally.
Aitken commented, “It was a really easy decision to go back when I was asked. I had been captain there between 1999 and 2001 as well so I had no hesitation at all.
“I enjoyed Gretna and picked up another couple of medals however, I was delighted to be going back to Palmerston.”
The second spell lifted Queen of the South from the back pages to the front pages with Aitken beaming, “We got to the Scottish Cup Final which was not only the highlight of that spell, it was also the highlight of my career.
“Not long after I rejoined, I damaged a cruciate ligament and was out for six months so to come back and play was great but to reach the Scottish Cup Final was a dream.”
“I played in all the Scottish Cup games from Peterhead onwards and also in Europe against Nordsjaelland. It was a great experience and just shows you what a lot of hard work can do. The European results were disappointing but it was still great to be there.”
The European adventure cost Aitken a glamour match in his Testimonial year although he did have a busy time of it to mark his time in Dumfries.
He explained, “The European ties meant that I could not get a proper testimonial match fixed up. I had a fun match back at Annan with some of the former players at the club and I also had a Race Night, a Dinner and a Golf Day so I cannot complain too much.”
The season that began with the high of Europe ended in a low as Manager Gordon Chisholm felt it was right for Aitken to move on and the then 31-year-old spent a further year in the First Division at Ayr United.
Aitken finally came across Queen of the South and after two defeats at Palmerston in August and February, he was part of a Somerset Park side that defeated Chisholm’s men 3-0 in March.
In the end it was not enough to save Ayr from the drop with Aitken saying, “It was a really disappointing end to the season when Ayr were relegated. They offered me another year’s contract but I was not too keen.”
Travelling from Annan to Ayr was proving troublesome with Aitken saying, “The drive was getting to me as the road between Ayr and Annan must be the worst in Scotland. When Annan came in and asked me to join them again, it was another easy decision to make.
“I knew the players and Harry reasonably well as I trained for part of last season at Galabank when the weather was really poor and driving to Ayr was just not on, so I am not a total new face to the players.
“I played against the boss in that Challenge Cup Final nearly eight years ago and funnily enough, I tend to bring that game up in conversation more than he does!”
Aitken has now put a foot firmly into the coaching camp saying, “I am working my way through my B Licence and I was firstly offered a Player/Coach role here and I was delighted with that.”
The role was quickly changed with Aitken advising, “Derek Townsley had decided to retire from playing and then he indicated that he wanted a total break from the game. As a result, I was offered the Assistant Manager’s role as well as playing with a two year contract.
“I combine both those roles with being a Housing Officer with Loreburn Housing Association in Dumfries and I am lucky in that they allow me to be quite flexible which helps greatly.”
It all seems to be going well with Aitken saying, “I am really enjoying all my jobs and Annan are unbeaten in our four League games. We have had two wins and two draws and it could have been four wins.
“In the games we have drawn against Stranraer and Montrose, we have lost early goals before coming back to dominate.”
Aitken was asked what has changed at Galabank during his time away and he said, “The Club has not changed too much as the infrastructure is much the same with a Committee running things as opposed to a Board of Directors.
“Physically the ground has changed a lot with a new astroturf pitch to train on, the new Main Stand and lots of improvements in the ground including floodlights. These moves can only benefit the club.
“Fans have turned up in greater numbers as well with an average crowd of over 600 which is great. A few of them remember me from my first spell here although I am not convinced that is a good thing.”
One thing that has changed at the club is a new scheme to improve possession amongst the players with the consequences of coming in last place at training promising to be sore if the rest of the Annan squad have their shooting boots on.
Aitken explained, “We like to give the players the chance to get training off to a fun start as some of them will have driven a good way to get there.
“We play a possession game where we count the number of passes made and the duo with the lowest score have to undertake a forfeit.
“They have to bend over on the goal line while the rest of the squad take shots at them from 18 yards out in a routine similar to the one used by Argentina in their World Cup training schedule.
“It can be a sore one to take as you have to bend down and give the rest of the guys a target to aim for. Possession has improved all the same since it was introduced.”
Aitken’s unbeaten Annan face bottom side Elgin City this weekend and the Assistant Manager will join boss Cairney in telling the players to be prepared to face a right good side.
He said, “Elgin will be a real test, they are a difficult side and a side Annan never beat in the League last season. They create a lot of chances and are in a false position in the League.”
There will be a first for Aitken this weekend when he faces the Borough Briggs men saying. “I know they have Paul Millar who is six foot nine inches and I have never come across a player as big as him. I am not looking forward to marking him and it just shows you that you keep on learning in this game.”