I can help Lauchlan and Kilby up to the top level
But his only true release is stepping out on to a football pitch. It’s a place where he can’t make mistakes. Not life-changing ones anyway. When he’s playing, no one can get to him. For 90 minutes he can forget the trials and tribulations that have ruined his career. At 19, Strachan had the world at his feet. He was in Partick Thistle’s first team, starring in Scotland’s top flight and regarded as one of the country’s most prodigious young talents. Now? He’s just grateful to be kicking a ball. While at Ross County in 2009, Strachan was charged with assaulting his girlfriend. And the downward spiral – both on and off the pitch – accelerated from there. Four years ago he was jailed for carrying a knife and in 2013 he was caught by cops stashing £2000 worth of heroin in his pants. By that point football was an afterthought. And when he was sent down in April last year for cocaine dealing some would argue he didn’t deserve to play again. St rachan h imsel f had accepted his fate when he got out eight months ago. Thankfully for him, his ability if not his attitude, has never been in question. That’s why junior outfit Irvine Meadow gave him a chance. And now Lowland League side East Kilbride, managed by another exThistle winger Martin Lauchlan, have offered the 29-year-old an escape. Strachan doesn’t need to be told he’s done wrong. He had 10 months of contemplation time inside to reflect on his life choices. He’s brutally honest about his flaws. And he’s still not clear of danger yet. Being back involved in the sport he loves – and quality time with his daughter – will help. But he can’t change the past. Strachan said: “There was definitely a point as a teenager when I realised I was heading down the wrong road. A few times, I’d think to myself: ‘ What are you doing?’ I was a young boy at Partick Thistle but I was classed as a man. I was a wee boy in a man’s world. “I could talk about a million things that d idn’ t go my way. But listen, it was me who made the bad decisions, no one else. No one ever pushed me into anything. “I wish I could turn the clock back but I can’t. I can’t change how people think about me. They’ll have read the papers and seen all the stories – I can’t change that. “If I was looking at it, as a member of the public I’d think the same about the guy in the pictures. So I can’t play down any of the mistakes I’ve made. I know how serious they are. “I’m not sitting here saying I’m really Mr Nice Guy because I’m not. If I was, these things wouldn’t have happened.
“I’ve got a wee girl now and that makes life harder when you make those mistakes. I’m not one for cliches. I’m not going to say that I’ve got focus now and I’m looking to the future.
“When you’ve made the choices I have and you’re in a bad place, you need to sort yourself out first before you think about anyone else. You’re no good to anyone if you’re not in a good place yourself. Right now, I feel I’m in that place.”
Strachan was released by Thistle in 2007 before moving to the Highlands with County. Despite being linked with several big clubs in the UK, his career was on the slide – and his life was spinning out of control.
He’s genuine when he says he’s not making excuses. But justified in wishing he’d had better guidance as a kid. So much so that he’s now keen to help young players who are in danger of going down a similar route.
Strachan said: “It was a whirlwind for me at Thistle. I’d like to sit down and talk to young Scottish players about it now. In our game I don’t think the talented kids get enough direction, especially ones from the kind of background I came from.
“We have plenty football coaches. But sometimes boys need people to coach them in life. There were dangers there and I could have done with a bit more guidance.
“The wrong people were advising me at certain times, especially in and around football.
“A lot of moves fell through and that always got my tail up. I didn’t know how to deal with it. That affected me in a big way. There were rumours when I was younger about Celtic and Aston Villa being in for me.
“When it didn’t happen I had a daft boy’s attitude and threw the toys out of the pram.
“It’s tough when you go from being a somebody to a nobody in a short space of time.
“You have to be thick skinned because it’s hard to deal with. Your mum or dad goes to work and tells everyone that their boy is a professional footballer.
“Then it’s embarrassing a couple of years later when they have to go in and say that he’s now working on a building site.
“That’s hard. A lot of families don’t realise the amount of pressure they put on their kids.
“It probably won’t happen but if the SFA, SPFL or PFA ever asked me to speak to youngsters in Scotland about the perils and everything I’ve been through, I would. If I could help one person, it would be better than helping nobody.
“Anyone can tell you a story or scenario and the different ways to deal with it. But if you’re speaking to someone who has actually gone through it? That makes a big difference.
“I’ve done it all, I’ve been there. And I’d never want anyone to go down the path I took.”
Strachan is reluctant to say he’s on the straight and narrow again. But he’s got a job as a window cleaner by day and concentrates on his football at night.
He’s been a key man for Kilby this season and, at 29, could yet play as a professional again. As long as he’s on a pitch somewhere, away from trouble and temptation, Strachan will feel free.
He said: “I still don’t know how my life will go now. I’m just trying to enjoy myself again, play football and spend time with my family.
“How will it pan out? I honestly don’t know. You never know what’s round the corner. “What football does for you is incredible. It doesn’t matter what other issues you might have in your life, football is an escape. You can go out there on a Saturday and not worry about the strains of life. It’s definitely a release.
“Paul Gascoigne used to say he loved playing as he felt it was the only place no one could get at him. I understand where he was coming from now.
“I’ve loved playing football since I was a wee boy. But after the last off-field issue I had, I felt my days were numbered.
“With everything that had gone on, I didn’t think I’d play again. I’d always said I was going to change but for one reason or another, I didn’t. I always had the hope that someone would still take a chance on me.
“But I was realistic. Managers will always look at the public perception of you.
“But when I came out of prison, my friend Davie Greig, who is manager at Irvine Meadow, was the first to call me. He told me to forget about what had happened in the past. He just wanted me to perform on a Saturday and he never doubted my ability.
“I tried to keep as fit as possible when I was inside. Obviously I couldn’t play games but I’ve always kept myself in good shape. I had all the apparatus in prison to keep myself reasonably fit.
“Davie knew football would give me an escape route. And you don’t realise how much you miss the dressing room until you’ve been away from it.
“I owe Davie a huge thanks. He stuck his neck out for me just after I’d been released. I’ll always be grateful to him for that.” Martin Lauchlan has given Adam Strachan a golden chance to revive his career.
Now the troubled star wants to help his gaffer carve out one of his own in the dugout.
East Kilbride boss Lauchlan took a massive gamble by offering convicted drug dealer Strachan a contract for this season.
But the 29-year-old former Partick Thistle and Ross County winger is hell-bent on repaying that faith.
And he’s convinced that if Kilby continue to progress and get out of the Lowland League, Lauchlan can go on to become a top manager.
Strachan feels like he’s been given a fresh lease of life and said: “I had a few other offers before signing but I wanted something different.
“This felt like a new start for me. I had played junior football before and I could have gone back into that.
“But it would have been the same teams, the same grounds, the same players.
“So I thought I’d give it a shot at East Kilbride and it’s been great. The gaffer has been great to work with and all the boys really apply themselves here. It’s as professional as it can possibly be at that level.
“I don’t remember the gaffer too much from our Firhill days but he’s constantly reminding me that we were there together.
“He says I’m the second best winger Partick have had in the last 20 years – after him!
“Seriously, he’s got an idea of what he wants to do as a manager and alll the boys have bought into it. He probably looks at other young gaffers around the country doing well and wants a piece of that.
“He played with Alan Archibald at Thistle and look how well he’s done. Martin can definitely do the same. There’s no reason why not.”