THE SON NEVER SETS
Stevie works 24/7 at Dumbarton
Next big tournament, it will be less of a shock.
The Euros have been terrific though, and I hope our defeat against England won’t overshadow how far we’ve actually progressed.
So many families went out to give support.
Hopefully it’s the start of Scotland being a regular in tournaments, more people watching and more young girls playing. Getting the games on mainstream TV was big.
There was also great publicity on social media.
But where do we go from here?
The Euros have shown our consistency is not yet in the top tier. We’re capable of pulling off great results – but not in every game. To lose 6- 0 to England but beat Spain is the perfect example.
We were only one goal from qualifying from the group and that will build the conf idence of the younger girls.
It’s something Shelley Kerr will need to work on when she takes over from Anna Signeul.
Women’s Euro 2017 Final: Netherlands v Denmark (Channel 4, 4pm kick-off)
When you’ve turned day into night the way he has, when sleep is an inconvenience and work a means to an end, something has to keep the meter ticking.
“I’m in here every day,” the 40-year- old said with a resigned grin, fresh – or as fresh as he can be at least – from another night shift down the road at Rolls-Royce.
The irony of his employer isn’t lost on him – the elite superiority of their name a counterpoint to his constant football battle to be the best of the have-nots in the world of the haves.
But the Dumbarton manager refuses excuses. Part- time is an irrelevance – professionalism is all that matters.
And it’s a measure of his determination to succeed that he has turned his life upside down to do it. Literally.
Entering his sixth season as a manager, his reputation growing with each of them between Stranraer and now the Sons, Aitken’s success is built on a commitment few in the full-time game could or would match.
He said: “I’ve been in at Rolls- Royce for 10 years now. I was an inspector and my routine was early shift, back shift.
“And they were great with me, letting me start and finish early on the nights I had to take training.
“But I never got to Under-20 games to see potential players we could maybe take on loan because they always started at three.
“I never got to speak to players when I needed to speak to them because my schedule was never their schedule.
“So I made a change – permanent night shifts. I now start at half nine, f inish at six in the morning, sleep for a few hours then have my days to do what needs done in football. I get out and watch games, speak to players and coaches.
“It has meant a job change. Instead of i n spe c t i n g t he engines before they go back to the planes, I’m on the wash side of it.
“We’re the first port of call once they’re stripped down, run them through all the chemicals and get all the c** p off them – you wouldn’t believe what comes off a plane’s engine!
“Don’t sweat it, though,” Aitken added with a laugh, realising the image he had just planted. “When you see how much we test them they’re bulletproof. You’re fine to get on a plane again, honestly.
“They’re brilliant employers though – and I’m grateful for it. Every time a job comes up at a bigger club they’re encouraging me, saying, ‘This is the one for you.’
“They’re even willing to give you a three-year career break and if it doesn’t work out you come back in. But if I do go full-time I want it to be for life. Hopefully
the opportunity comes.”
If it does, no one can say he hasn’t earned it. A full-time pro with Morton until they went into administration in 2001, Aitken carved out his name as a part-time midfielder – probably playing below his level – who spent the guts of the next decade in two spel l s with Stranraer. But it was his move into management with the Stair Park club that saw him start raising eyebrows.
The Blues finished third in the third tier behind the full- time juggernauts of Rangers and Dunfermline in his first full season then only lost out on the title by two points to another full-time operation in Morton the next one.
In the two years since with the Sons, he has kept them in the Championship against the odds – twice finishing eighth – and last season incredibly as the league’s top scorers away from home.
In his continual haves v havenots war, though, he’s constantly having to run at a million miles an hour just to stand still.
He said: “I see my players on a Saturday then not till a Tuesday night – it’s not enough at this level, nowhere near it.
“Only us and Brechin are parttime in this league and we’re not going to be full-time ever. So we have to get into the players’ heads there’s no reason they can’t beat the teams in front of them.
“We were three wins away from the play- offs last year. We’re not here to make up numbers – we have ability, we have good players,
“If you want to use part-time as an excuse you’ll get what’s coming to you. When you go out on a park