Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
ROVERS SIGN STEVENSON
Ex-hearts star looking to fire club to safety
Ryan Stevenson insists he is ready to help fire Albion Rovers to safety in League Two as the club get set to return from almost three months in cold storage.
The former Hearts striker signed up at Cliftonhill last week as one of four new signings by Rovers gaffer Brian Reid to boost their survival hopes.
Stevenson, 36, joined fellow exayr United man Jamie Mckernon, ex-cowdenbeath defender David Cox and on loan Troon centre-back James Mcgowan, as Rovers strengthened their squad significantly ahead of Saturday’s clash away to Stenhousemuir
With the lower league suspension finally lifted, Rovers are back amid new Covid measures at the club, including a weekly testing regime, aimed at completing a shortened season by mid-may.
This week a 22-game season with play-offs is expected to be voted through by clubs and Stevenson hopes to do his bit to haul Rovers - currently second from bottom and two points ahead of Brechin - to safety under Reid, whom he worked with at Ayr United earlier in his career.
He said: “I had a good three years under Brian at Ayr so I know him well, kept in contact with him. I know what he’s all about and when he asked me to come here it was a no-brainer for me.
“We’ve spent a lot of time this year not playing football so I was desperate to get back playing.
“For me personally, I didn’t look too much into that [the league position].
“I spoke to the manager and he said it was a good bunch of boys here that should be doing better than they are.
“I know what I can do and what I can bring to the team.
“As it’s been so stop-start for everyone, it’s a clean slate for everyone coming back in.
“We are where we are, but we want to go on a decent run and hopefully I can come in and help the boys, and get further up the table.
“It’s uncharted waters we are in now. We are getting tested every week, there’s the rules and regulations to go with every week as well, so it’s a bit strange.
“But the fundamentals are that you want to get back to a Saturday, 3pm, getting your boots on and playing – no matter what the circumstances are or how we are going to do it.
“It’s what we are all here for, so we are just looking forward to getting started.”
The veteran striker was playing
in thewest ofscotland League with Troon earlier this season, but with that setup still lockeddown theexstranraer and Partick star is just delighted to get back on the pitch.
He knows he will beexpected to pass onhisexperience to a youthfulrovers squad, butinsists those fitter thanh i m will need to dotheir bit as well.
Stevenson added:“i kept myself reasonablyfit during lockdown anyway, but nothing compares to coming back outand playing games, having the ball out.
“The stage I’m atin my career now, it’sabouttrying to helppeople as well.
“I’ll try and pass on as much information and knowledgeas I can to the youngerones - and, in turn, they will need to do my running about!
“It works bothways.
“I enjoy that part of the game.i enjoyed it wheniwas at Stranrear last year and we had acoupleofmore experiencedboysthere, so I know there’sa bit more onusonme here.
”But no matter what club I’m playing for, I’ll do whate v er I ca n to h el p t h e team.”
Stevensonhas beendoing punditry on theside for Sportscenethis season, butinsistedhe has no plan to hang up his boots forthat just yet.
Headded:“i’m going to try and keep playing. I took a break of two years at 31, so Iwantto play as long as I can.
“I wantto keepdoing the punditry sideof thingsand I’ll continueto do that, as well as playing.”