The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Fife rivals gearing up for derby clash at Stark’s Park
RAITH ROVERS: On-loan midfielder recalls meeting Sir Alex Ferguson
Jordan Thompson has revealed he received a warm welcome when he joined Manchester United as a teenager – from Sir Alex Ferguson.
The 19-year-old Rangers midfielder is on loan at Raith Rovers and has started the first two league games for the club, helping them secure successive victories that have taken them to the top of the Championship table.
Northern Irishman Thompson will never forget meeting the United legend, who told him at the time that his countrymen had always done well at the club, including a certain George Best.
Thompson, who should be in the Raith side for today’s mouth-watering derby against Dunfermline, said: “It was brilliant being at Manchester United.
“I moved there when I was quite young, 14 or so.
“It was great learning more about football and about how they play.
“Every day you were training with better players and it was a brilliant way to start my career.
“I was put up in digs but there was a boy I knew from Northern Ireland, so I stayed in the same place with him.
“We went to school and college at the same time – most of the time it was only half days at school so it wasn’t too bad.
“Training was great and all the staff helped me when I was there.
“Whenever you went with the under18s you were in the same building as the first-team, so you saw them preparing for training and it was very good.
“Most of the reserve boys trained with the first-team to make up the numbers.
“But it was great being about the place with so many top players and the manager.
“When I first moved over I went in to see him before one of the matches to have a wee meeting with him and he just told me that Northern Irish boys do well at the club. I think he might have mentioned George Best!”
After leaving the English giants, Thompson was snapped up by Rangers and he says it was a dream come true for him to play for his boyhood heroes.
Now though, he is determined to do his best for Raith, a club recommended to him by Rangers team-mate Ryan Hardie, who had a spell on loan at Stark’s last season.
The striker is currently farmed out to St Mirren, and Thompson admitted it was good to secure bragging rights when Rovers beat the Buddies last weekend.
He said: “I grew up a Rangers fan and my family always get the boat over for games.
“So it was a dream come true for me to join the club.
“I have been on the bench a few times and I made my debut last year.
“Even getting a half hour coming on, that’s what I want to do.
“But now I am at Raith, I just need games to improve me as a player.
“The first matches for Rovers have been brilliant and thankfully we have got off to a good start.
“I spoke to Ryan Hardie before I came and he told me how much he enjoyed it here. He loved it and obviously, I played against him at the weekend when we played St Mirren.”
Now, Thompson cannot wait to sample a derby with Dunfermline today.
He added: “Jase (skipper Jason Thomson) was telling me about it, saying it should be a great atmosphere.
“The gaffer has been saying it is a big match that we need to win so I am looking forward to it.”