The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Heartwarming to see former team-mates get success they deserve
Watching from afar, Jack Grimmer knew Cove Rangers were destined for glory this season.
Grimmer came through the same Aberdeen youth set-up as the core of ex-Dons that celebrated another promotion with Cove, following their League Two triumph this season.
Grimmer said: “Jamie Masson, Jordon Brown, Mitch Megginson, Scott Ross – I’m so glad they’re doing what they’re doing now.
“When they all got together, I thought ‘Well there’s only one direction they’re going’. I’m so glad they’re finally getting the praise they deserve.
“Ryan Jack, Ryan Fraser, Fraser Fyvie, Cammy Smith; it was a good cluster of players through an age gap of about three years.
“Ryan Fraser has gone on to become a Premier League player. I still keep an eye on the youth set-up and the players coming through – even when Dean Campbell took my record off me!
“To say once upon a time I was Aberdeen’s youngest player is enough for me, given it’s my home club.
“It’s maybe a regret that I didn’t feature more in the two years before I left. But hopefully that door is not closed for me and you never know what could happen in the future.”
Grimmer holds his two main coaches at youth level in high regard to this day. Neil Simpson, who is still the Dons’ head of youth development, and Neil Cooper, who went on to become Inverurie Locos manager, played a big part in his early football career.
He added: “Simmy looked over all the age groups, so it’s nice to see him and bump into him, and for him to see the progression I’ve made over the years.
“Every second word out of Neil Cooper’s mouth was a swear word. I was lucky at the time; my PE teacher worked out something with the club, that I could see her once a week and go train with the club when I was 15.
“I was going into this environment thinking ‘What is happening here?’
“Neil Cooper wouldn’t
pull any punches. He would tell you exactly what he thought.
“If Simmy thought you hadn’t run enough for the badge, if he thought you hadn’t worked hard enough, he would raise his voice and you’d know something was wrong.
“It’s interesting to see them both, two contrasting coaches but great guys that I’m glad I had the experience of working with when I was younger.”