From Smokies to Bridies - Interview with Gavin Swankie

With the new league season recently underway Forfar’s joint second longest serving player and newly appointed Club Captain is relishing the new challenges which lie ahead. For Gavin Swankie the 016-17 league campaign presents the opportunity to emulate one of his earlier footballing achievements. Gavin explains, “I have happy memories of winning the Third Division with Arbroath back in 2011. That came in the season following Arbroath’s relegation to the lowest tier, funnily enough at the hands of Forfar via the play-offs. I really hope Forfar can achieve a similar outcome this season and get straight back up”.

Born and bred in Arbroath with strong family connections to the fishing industry, Gavin’s links to the Red Lichties are undeniable. He has spent three spells with the Gayfield Club spanning more than a decade from 2000 to 2012 during which time he made over 200 appearances and scored almost 50 goals.

Before joining Arbroath Gavin was introduced to football by older brother, Scott, when they spent happy evenings kicking a ball about with friends. Gavin also has fond memories of playing for Inverbrothock Primary School in Arbroath and winning virtually every trophy on offer including the Primary Schools Scottish Cup. Outside of school Gavin spent time at the Rancel Boys Club in Arbroath before venturing across Angus to play with Forfar Boys Club. Returning to Arbroath to join the Lads Club around the age of 13 Gavin then went on to train with Aberdeen. With Gavin’s early footballing inspiration coming from Ally McCoist it was not surprising that he preferred the role of striker before moving out to the wing while at Dundee. As fate would have it his boyhood team, Rangers, and hero, Ally McCoist, would feature front and centre in the highlight of Gavin’s footballing career to date when the Loons were victorious over the Glasgow side in August 2013.

Back to the young Gavin, who although invited to continue to train with the Dons, decided to join Arbroath in 2000 aged 16.  The lure of playing for his home team at that tender age proved too tempting for Gavin who went on to score on his debut a year later against Clydebank. Fast forward to his final stint on the Angus coast which brought some great times not least of all being part of the team to win Arbroath’s first ever senior league title in April 2011. Gavin also won the 3^rd Division Player of the Year award. He shares these good times with current teammates - Darren Hill and Stuart Malcolm who were also part of the successful Arbroath team. “It was a great season and there was a real buzz around the club. I really enjoyed that time at Gayfield being part of the club’s history was amazing. Out and about around the town people would stop to speak to you because you were a local lad playing for your local team. It would be great to repeat that success with Forfar this season.”

Signed by Jim Duffy in 2005 Gavin’s time at Dundee did not get off to the best start. Unfortunately he sustained an injury shortly after signing which led to a frustrating three-month period on the side-lines. Even for the unflappable Gavin this interruption to his playing career was hard to take. Once back to fitness Gavin went back to Arbroath on loan in January 2006. By the time Gavin returned to Dundee in the summer of 2006, Alex Rae was in charge and gave Gavin a good run out in the team. He went onto enjoy his time at Dens making over 70 appearances and playing alongside the likes of Kevin McDonald (recently signed at Fulham) and Craig Forsyth (currently at Derby County).  

While considering a new deal from Dundee in 2008, Gavin received an offer from League of Ireland Premier side Derry City who, only the season before, had taken part in the preliminary rounds of the UEFA Champions League. Gavin was in demand with Derek McInnes also interested in taking him to St Johnstone.

“It all happened at once with an offer from Dundee and Derry City. Then the call came from Derek to join him at McDiarmid.  I thought highly of Derek and accepted his offer.  I enjoyed my time there because he was a brilliant manger. He was like the current gaffer – able to laugh with the boys but when we needed to get down to some serious work he made sure we did! Training was really enjoyable and there was a good spirit in the team. It has felt a lot like that with Forfar this pre-season which sets you up in a positive frame of mine for the year ahead.”   

During his first season in Perth Gavin enjoyed league success when St Johnstone secured promotion to the Scottish Premier League in 2009. Gavin played alongside Paul Sheerin, later to become his manager at Arbroath.  The following season Gavin played in the SPL meaning that he has played at every senior level in Scotland during his career.  Gavin would eventually make over 40 appearances for the Saintees before going back to Arbroath in 2010.

 Dick Campbell brought Gavin to Forfar in 2012 in a deal which came as a bit of a surprise to local football circles. This decision by Gavin to leave his home town club to join local Angus rivals was not taken lightly. However Gavin was soon taken to the hearts of the Forfar fans scoring on his debut against Dunfermline in a 3-2 Challenge Cup victory.  Almost a year to the day of this debut Gavin resolutely sealed his place in Forfar Athletic history by scoring twice in the Loons extra-time League Cup victory over Rangers on 3 August 2013. This was Forfar's first victory against Rangers. For Forfar fans who have endured close run things against Rangers over the years, including an agonising extra-time semi-final defeat in this very competition in 1978, the hullabaloo surrounding the present-day Rangers was not important. This was a day to remember for everyone connected with the Station Park club.  For Gavin, however, it was a bittersweet occasion. “I have played against Rangers and Celtic a few times including playing in front of 60,000 at Celtic Park and you do look forward to big games and the larger crowds. Getting the two goals and the win was brilliant but it was also hard for me because I had lost my mum a few months before. I missed her being there and sharing the day with the family and me. It helped to dedicate the goals to her but it still makes me sad to think she wasn’t there – so definitely a case of mixed emotions.”

Gavin has also enjoyed recognition by his peers through inclusion in the PFA Scotland Scottish League One Team of the Year in both 2013-14 and 2014-15 and has now played over 150 times for the Loons.

Less enjoyable memories came via two play-off defeats in 2013 and 2015 and of course the recent relegation to League Two. However Gavin is keen to move on from the disappointment of last season. The players have already been enjoying a fresh approach to training with pre and early season sessions taking place at the excellent training facilities at the University of St Andrews. This departure from the usual set-up has been well received by the squad.  “The facilities in St Andrews are top notch – excellent training park and gym and food laid on for us. You can see why the big teams go there for summer training camps - it is an ideal training base.  It’s thanks to Gary that we have had this opportunity to put in a really good pre-season. He’s very organised and firm but fair. You get the hard stuff out of the way and then you get a lot of the ball work. It was great at bringing the boys together especially the new ones.”   

One other thing which has changed over the pre-season is the team captaincy with Gavin handing over the match day duties to Stuart Malcolm and Gavin assuming the role of Club Captain. So how does Gavin feel about that? “I’m really happy with this change and in fact I initiated it. I felt that with Stuart coming back it made sense to use his experience at the back. He is ideal for the Captain’s job and so I suggested this to the manager as a way to freshen up the team. Gary and his team agreed and Stuart was happy to take on the position so it’s all worked out well for everyone.”  As well as the shuffling of captaincy roles there are many new faces in the dressing room and Gavin can see they are already settling in really well. “There’s no shyness about the new lads - I think everyone already feels at home which helps build the team spirit.”  This harmony was strengthened with the intense period of competitive matches in the Betfred League Cup although Gavin does share the view of many that the new set-up favours the full-time clubs.  “In a one-off game you can sometimes get a good result against a higher ranked team but it’s difficult to get four out of four wins. I think we gave a good account of ourselves against Dumbarton and East Fife but by the time of the last game against Dundee we were tired and that showed. It was just one of those games where everything went for Dundee and nothing for us but we’ll learn from that and move on.” 

What about the other new addition to the Station Park ranks - Baxter the Bridie?  Gavin laughs “You can’t miss Baxter on Facebook and in the papers – it’s all good fun! I think it is great for the club to have a mascot – anything that brings a bit of fun and positive attention to the club and the town is good news - especially for the kids.”

Like Baxter, Gavin is looking forward to welcoming some new league opposition to Station Park and also taking part in the Angus Derbies. “You always enjoy the buzz around a derby.  We are looking to win the league and so every game is important but the derbies are a wee bit more special so it is great to have eight such matches this season. The lads were pleased to get off to a winning start against Edinburgh City last weekend. They had a lot of media coverage about their first ever senior league fixture and so it was a tough place to go for the first game. It maybe wasn’t the best of games but it was important for us to battle to through to get the three points we deserved. ”

Signed with Forfar until 2018, Gavin is not yet thinking about life beyond his playing career. “I did some training badges when I was younger but at that point I couldn’t imagine spending all that time with lots of young kids volleying balls around all over the place! Now that I have two boys of my own I am a bit more patient so who knows I might get into coaching when I hang up my boots but I am not thinking about that just yet.”   No matter for how much longer his playing career continues Gavin is sure he won’t match his good friend Martyn Fotheringham in celebrating a testimonial year. “In this day and age it’s an absolutely brilliant achievement for a player to spend ten years with one team - especially at a part-time club. It says a lot about Forfar being the type of club environment where a player like Foxy has wanted to stay. He really deserves this reward and I hope he enjoys the year.”

For Gavin it is the love of the game which makes him continue to embrace the life of a part-time footballer. Juggling work – he is based in Montrose with Highland Fuels – with football and a home life can be challenge especially with a young family. “I am out of the house working from 8am to 5pm, then back home and straight out again for training twice a week. Most of Saturdays are spent on football and so it is pretty time consuming. I’m  not complaining because the set-up at Forfar is great and the people behind the scenes make it as easy as possible for the lads but it can still be tough working a full day and then having to travel to and from somewhere like Peterhead – especially if the result does not go your way! I wouldn’t do it if I did not love it and I am sure all the lads would say the same.”  

Gavin recognises that an important reason why he can manage all these commitments is the continued support of his family. His Dad Brian, a well-known face around Station Park, attends almost every game. His late mum Audrey was also very supportive and proud of Gavin’s career although sisters Ainslee and Louise are happy to leave the football to the boys in the family.  Gavin now has a family of his own with fiancé Kirsty and sons Rio (6) and Kody (almost 3) coming along now and then.  A highlight for Rio was running out as the mascot at the now famous Rangers League Cup fixture. With a wedding to look forward to next summer Gavin confidently declares that “all the wedding plans are in place”. One suspects this is testament to Kirsty’s organisational skills because Gavin’s laid back manner (his Dad often is heard to say ‘if Gavin was any more laid back he’d be horizontal’) would suggest that flowers, table plans and menus would not stress the groom-to-be a year in advance of the big day!

After 15 years in the game and heading towards 500 senior appearances, winning still means as much to Gavin as it did as a 16 year-old. So as Saturday afternoons come alive again at Station Park with the new league up and running Gavin is keen for the Forfar fans to get behind the lads and - excuse the Olympic related comparison – to row in the same direction towards the league title.  “I think we have a really strong squad of lads with the potential to achieve success. It will be tough and there will be low points during the season which you have to expect in football. So I’d ask the supporters not to give up on us because their backing is really important. There were great crowds at Dens and Meadowbank which the lads appreciated.  Hopefully at the end of the season we can all be celebrating promotion together.” It’s clear that with his skill and experience Gavin will do everything he can to ensure everyone at Forfar is partying come May 2017. And hopefully the Loons will have an excuse to hold this ‘warm-up’ party before Gavin celebrates the most important match of his life with his wedding to Kirsty in June 2017. Who knows if there’ll be smokies or bridies on the wedding menu or a strange combination of both perhaps?

Gavin Swankie was in conversation with Louise Taylor for the match day programme v Cowdenbeath on 13 August 2016.