Southampton go for talisman from joons... Lea it out
It’s the improbable transfer reserved for Football Manager – junior minnows to Premier League giants.
That’s why Adam McWilliam is content to hang up his boots at just 23 to make the move from Montrose Roselea to Southampton a reality.
McWilliam will complete the 530-mile switch south next month to start a new role as a community coach working with the Saints Foundation, the club’s official charity.
Based out of St Mary’s and with Saints’ academy on his doorstep, the prospect of getting in on the ground floor of one of Britain’s iconic youth set-ups was too big a pull.
But it’ll mean packing in playing for the time being at least to focus on work – despite nine goals in seven games already this season.
He said: “One of their strikers is injured just now so I’ll maybe hang back, take a few free-kicks and hope Mark Hughes is kicking about... maybe do a few keepy uppies in the car park!
“One of the Roselea boys is a Celtic fan so asked for Stuart Armstrong’s shirt. But I think it is going to take me a wee while to get anywhere near there.
“The boys have been great – there’s been a bit of banter about asking for a few trials from the Roselea boys.
“They’ve been so supportive, everyone has been – they’re making it harder to go. It’s an incredible academy, I’m extremely proud to be able to associate my name with them.
“They’ve produced some great names and I’m going because of the opportunity to perhaps go into the academy and help with them.
“I want to work with the best-level players as I possibly can but as well at community level, use football as a catalyst to inspire a positive change in people’s lives.”
That’s what he’s been doing full-time for just over a year in a coaching role with the Links Park Community Trust (LPCT) in association with the SFA.
The striker, who combines playing for Montrose’s junior side with coaching the senior outfit’s Under-16s, credits Trust duo Peter Davidson and Logan Cruickshank with getting his move to Saints.
So renowned is Montrose’s charitable arm, McWilliam will fly out to Budapest today for an event the League One side will be joined at by Inter Milan, Feyenoord and Wolfsburg.
He said: “It’s everyone’s dream to be a full-time football player and it was my dream – but it’s now to work in football full time.
“I’ve got to make the grownup decision, that I realise it’s not going to be as a player. So if I want to achieve everything I can achieve in football it needs to be as a coach.
“If it means giving up playing at 23 to work at Southampton then I’ve got to just be a man and make that decision.
“I love playing but if the gain is I’m working with a club like Southampton then I suppose it’s not too much to give up.”