Stefan's goal is a League goal
Friday 9th November 2012
Clyde striker, Stefan McCluskey, has been hard on himself ever since missing a chance for the Bully Wee in their live TV game against Rangers. However, he does have the perfect pick me up as he can go and study footage of himself scoring a Cup Final goal and also look at his winners' medal.
The SFL Newsletter spoke to McCluskey just after the draw had been made for the Third Round of the Emirates Scottish Junior Cup this week and the former Shotts Bon Accord Cup winner said: “I noticed Shotts have drawn Greenock away and that will be a tough tie for them. I have played down there and it is always a hard game at a pretty open stadium so they will need to roll their sleeves up to get through.”
Shotts, of course, came from nowhere to defeat Junior giants Auchinleck Talbot 2-1 in last season’s Junior Cup Final at Livingston’s Braidwood Motor Company Stadium and McCluskey, who scored the opening goal, said: “Sometimes, I have to go and look at my medal to confirm that we actually won the Emirates Junior Cup.
"It is the best feeling I have ever had in football as we were rank outsiders to do anything. We were in the division below the top league in the West Region and getting to the Cup Final was a great achievement in itself. Winning it was just amazing.”
One of the major reasons that Shotts did so well was due to a well known player from the SFL with former Motherwell, Alloa Athletic and Albion Rovers attacking midfielder Andy Scott starring after moving over from the Coatbridge club with McCluskey saying: “Andy was unbelievable in that cup run and he was a big player in our success. He should still be playing at senior level but that just goes to show you how football can go sometimes.”
McCluskey’s own career has swerved and dipped as he explained: “I would say my football journey has been like a roller-coaster and the lowest point probably came just over three years ago when I was ready to walk away from the game. I had been playing for Blantyre Victoria’s Under-21 side and the plan was then to move onto their Junior team but it was not happening for me there.
“I was thinking that was it and I was chucking it at the end of the season. We got to a Cup Final where I played well and scored with the Lanark United Manager Tam McDonald spotting me. He contacted me not long after that to sign me and thoughts of putting the boots in the bin came to an end.”
The striker stayed at Lanark for two seasons however, he did flirt with the SFL as he got a run out with Albion Rovers but it was to prove to be an unfulfilling experience.
“Tam and the Albion Rovers Manager, Paul Martin, are good friends,” said McCluskey before adding, “And that is how my time there came about. I went along for a couple of games as a trialist and came on in one but I did not really enjoy it. I never trained with them or anything like that so I never really got the chance to show what I could do or to get to know any of the players so it was quite disappointing really.”
McCluskey returned to Shotts to play his part in their cup run as well as helping them to earn promotion to the top flight of the Junior game in the West of Scotland and after a brief summer holiday, he was set to grab goals again for them until Broadwood boss Jim Duffy got in touch.
“I had re-signed for Shotts and was looking forward to this season with them,” said McCluskey before adding, “I then found out that Jim was interested in me and that I had the chance to go to Clyde. I am a firm believer that you should play at the highest level possible so I went and discussed it with the Shotts Manager Tony McInally.
“Tony did not want me to leave but he ended up agreeing that I should try and prove myself in the Third Division and the move was on.”
As well as speaking to McInally about his career, McCluskey had advice close at hand to call on as he said: “My dad was a player over with Hong Kong Rangers and he knows football well and, of course, my brother Jamie had a loan spell at Clyde when he was a St. Mirren player and before he went to Dundee. They both said to me that I should look to move up a level and Jamie also said that Jim Duffy was an excellent coach and that the experience he passes on to you from his days at places like Chelsea is great.
“I decided to go for it and keep them both happy.”
McCluskey is now ten games into his Clyde career and he has notched two goals, both against Nairn County in the Scottish Cup, but he knows that it should have been three.
“Playing Rangers live on TV a fortnight ago was a fantastic experience,” said McCluskey before adding, “When I signed for Clyde, the decision to place Rangers in the Third Division had not been made so it was something I had never expected to do but I have been kicking myself ever since.
“I believe that I have settled in well but I know I need to get goals and unfortunately, I missed a bit of a sitter in the first half against them. It was 1-0 at the time and Bryan Gilfillan gave me a great cut-back but I snatched the ball wide.”
The 22-year-old has been reliving the moment ever since as he explained: “I have watched it about 60 times since and every time I watch it, the miss keeps on getting worse. A lot of people have told me that I played well in the game and I know I am being harsh on myself but it was a bad miss.”
McCluskey’s anguish will be lessened as soon as he gets off the mark in the Third Division as he explained: “I had a good header in that game as well which brought out a great save from Neil Alexander and whilst I have scored in the cup, I want a League goal. As soon as I have one of them, I am sure I will forget about the miss against Rangers.”
When he gets down over his Rangers miss, McCluskey does have the perfect pick-me-up as Sky’s live transmission of the Broadwood clash against Ally McCoist’s side was the second live TV game that he has featured in.
The Emirates Scottish Junior Cup Final of last season was shown by BBC ALBA and McCluskey has the evidence to prove it close at hand as he explained: “I have watched my goal against Auchinleck a lot more than 60 times, I can assure you! I even have it on my phone and I have been known to show it to people when I am out and about.”
Clyde take on Montrose this weekend and a win would see the Cumbernauld hosts leapfrog over the Gable Endies in the table and McCluskey said: “I want to score a League goal as soon as possible and the Montrose game may see me finally get one. Ever since I made the move to Clyde, I have enjoyed it and I am working hard to be a better player. If I keep on listening and learning from Jim and his assistant Chic Charnley, then I am sure the goals will come.”
