Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Suspension is a blow to Aitken
Barber Matt hopes season isn’t up for the chop
Albion Rovers star Matty Aitken is desperate to get back playing because football was the only thing keeping him going after his day job was also put on hold.
The Sfa-imposed suspension of lower league football has been extended until at least February 14, and Aitken is fed up with his lot.
A barber to trade, the striker isn’t just on the sidelines at Cliftonhill, and says it’s weird not to be playing on a Saturday.
He said: “I’m honestly desperate to get back playing because I’m a barber in my job, so I’ve had to stop doing that, and football was the only thing that was keeping me going.
“That was something to look forward to and that got taken away from us, so that was a bit frustrating.
“I can’t wait to get back, because Saturdays feel weird without playing – you’re just going about your own business, doing nothing, and it just feels wrong.”
Rovers will be in a relegation dogfight if and when League Two resumes, and Aitken says the enforced break will have different effects on the teams involved.
“It’s going to be wild when we’re back,” he said. “There are going to be a lot of games in a short space of time, I imagine, to get through it all.
“That could benefit and disadvantage quite a few different teams.
“It will be interesting to see what does happen when we go back – the teams with a lot more squad depth will probably end up doing a bit better, but anything could happen, really, which will be exciting.”
He added: “The fitness coach at Albion Rovers gave us all a programme to do, just running and stuff, with the knowledge that we will probably end up having to do another smaller preseason before we get back into it again.
“It is quite a long time to stop playing for, so it’s just to keep us ticking over.
“Even still, there’s a big difference between fitness, match fitness and match sharpness, so even if we do all that, when we’re back there will still be that little bit of sharpness missing in a game.”
Rovers haven’t played since a Boxing Day Scottish Cup exit to Buckie Thistle and it remains to be seen just how long they will be sidelined.
But Aitken, who has netted seven times this season, is loving life at Rovers and says the unusual position of being an ‘experienced’ head in the young squad at 23 makes him feel that he can fulfil a role.
He said: “I’ve scored five in the league and two in the cup, so I’ve done well personally and it’s just frustrating where we’ve found ourselves as a team.
“We’re quite a young team and that excuse gets thrown about a lot. It’s not really an excuse to be where we are, but I think it’s one of the factors.
“The gaffer has gone and got a few boys to bring in a wee bit more experience, so hopefully they’ll add to the squad, bring what we’ve maybe been missing, and we can kick on a wee bit.
“I’ve enjoyed my football this season because I’ve had a few frustrating seasons before – I think that shows in the amount of goals I’ve scored and the way I’ve been playing.
“I feel like I’m a more important player in the team than I have been previously.
“I’m only 23 but I’m one of the more experienced players, and I’ve found myself speaking to the younger boys as an older player, which is quite a wild experience.
“I still have a lot of learning to do in the game, but I’ve got to try and bring other boys up as well at the same time, which is a good experience for me.”