Meet Higgy the child in our squad
I love the paradox of an old pro with the humour of an 18-year-old. Step forward East Fife’s Chris Higgins.
Someone texted new signing Thomas Collins during the week pretending to be Scott Agnew, saying, ‘ We’re meeting at St Andrews for a session.’
But he was too wise, he cottoned on to it – and I’m sure it was Higgy again.
Back in March I phoned up a few New Bayview season-ticket holders to see how they were getting on.
Only one of them, going by the name of John Anderson, was actually Higgy, who recorded the call.
Now I’m sure this episode involved the same number. Thomas messaged the team WhatsApp, ‘I’m not having this, you’re on the wind-up’ and sent a selfie of Aggy I’d seen in the group.
Of course it’s a rite of passage for every new arrival but he’s a west coast boy so it would have been pretty harsh on him – maybe a bit more gentle with the prank next time lads.
Again, Higgy is doing great stuff for PFA Scotland as their personal development officer, helping players at an incredibly worrying time.
But in between being the mature, professional 34-year-old man he just feels the need to be a child again.
While we’ll not be back for a few months yet, at least one team got to enjoy a party this week with Liverpool crowned champions.
Luckily Jordan Henderson was smart enough in TV interviews to not give away the location where they were all gathered together otherwise there would be a group of fans outside.
I don’t think there was any danger of 50,000 fans turning up and setting off f lares in Arbroath and Forfar when I won the title with one and went-up in the play-offs with the other.
It was probably social distancing ahead of its time.
Mind you, after winning League One with Arbroath just over a year ago, I was getting pints bought for me down the local even though I hadn’t contributed an awful lot.
Then we ended up in the only nightclub in the town. I’ve not been back and I don’t plan to. It’s a memory that will live with me even if it’s pretty hazy.
What I don’t reckon will be so easily forgotten is how clubs have acted through this crisis, good and bad.
I’ve been very aware of clubs that have looked after their players and equally the ones that have just released full-time guys and told them, ‘ That is it’ in a profession where you can’t get another club at the moment.
It is an alien time so not using the government’s furlough system until July, for me, seems ridiculous.
It might be difficult for freed fulltime players after this to focus on that. It may be a case of, ‘ They didn’t treat boys right but it’s the only offer I am getting at the moment and I might have to take that option up.’
With any big thing that happens, it is big at that moment then it tends to be forgotten about. I hope that is not the case in a few months’ time.