Saving Andy Ryan

It is clear from the first few minutes of the conversation that Andy Ryan loves his football. Playing on a Saturday, celebrating the successes and learning from the disappointments are all part of a game he wouldn't give up for anything. Despite only being 21, Andy has an impressive footballing resume to which he is hoping to add further achievements from the Forfar chapter of his footballing story. "I want to get game time and score goals for Forfar. A striker is judged on goals and if I can score it will help my career and also make sure Forfar move up the league. Ultimately I want to get back to full-time football and I am fortunate to have the chance to get my career back on track at a club like Forfar".

One of Gary Bollan's first tasks as the new Forfar manager was to secure a striker. Up stepped Andy who made his debut for the Loons in January at home to Stenhousemuir. His first goal came in his second run out against Stranraer. His start at Forfar was not ideal sandwiched between the best forgotten Linlithgow Rose matches when he was cup-tied. Trips to Airdrie and Cowdenbeath fell victim to bad weather further curtailing his much wanted game time. Despite this stop-start beginning Andy scored four goals in his first five games although being the true striker that he is, he is frustrated not to have scored in recent weeks.

Andy's footballing career didn't start out up front though, instead he was a goalkeeper. "Every young kid enjoys rolling about in the mud and for me goalkeepers had the most fun. So I started out in goals but then I moved to left-back before taking up the left-midfield position. In fact I went to Hamilton as a left-sided midfielder but I was put up front in one game and scored four goals so that was it – I became a striker."

Growing up in Drumchapel, Andy's love for football began when he played at his local primary school, Lochgoin (now Antonine PS), and for Clydebank Boys' Football Club. At the age of 10 he was signed by Hamilton. You can hear the smile in his voice as he recalls these early days. "The first memories I have are of me with a ball at my feet. As a young boy I dreamt of being a professional footballer so when Hamilton contacted me I leapt at the opportunity. I was at Hamilton for the next 11 years until I left last December and I am very proud to have moved up through the ranks playing at every age level from U'11s to the senior squad."

In 2011, at the age of 16, he signed a professional contract at Hamilton under Billy Reid who gave Andy his first start in the semi-final of the Challenge Cup against Livingston in 2011. The New Douglas Park club has long demonstrated a strong youth policy, nurturing talent such as James McCarthy and James McArthur now at Premier League sides Everton and Crystal Palace respectively. Andy was part of that successful youth programme. "The philosophy at the club under Billy was that that if you were good enough, you were old enough. Billy was the type of manager that would give you a chance and that is what he did for me – I was one of the youngest playing in the Championship at the time. The Chairman Les Gray also believed in the youth system and it was a great club for young players."

Alex Neil, teammate and then manager during Andy's time in the senior ranks, also played an important part in Andy's football development before the lure of the English Premier League took him south in 2015. "Ask anyone that worked under Alex and they will say he is a superb man manager. He knows when to give you a boot up the behind and when to put a reassuring arm around you. It was no surprise to me or the other lads at Hamilton that he got the move to Norwich."

Andy's young promise was recognised in February 2012 when he won the SFL Young Player of the Month award. Other highlights included reaching the final of Ramsdens Cup in 2012. Andy laughs when he recalls the only scorer on the day being none other than recent adversary Darren Dods, then captain of Falkirk. Although Andy scored Falkirk proved to be Hamilton's nemesis again a year later in the quarter final of the Scottish Cup. Andy also enjoyed a trip to Celtic Park in 2014 when Hamilton won 1-0 and remembers that before the match Alex Neil's professionalisms shone through when he reproached some of Andy's teammates for taking photos and videos on the pitch as if they were on a sightseeing trip.

The main highlight of Andy's career, which came in 2014, would become part of recent Scottish football folklore. Not that it was a smiling matter for Hibs' fans. As the 2013-14 Championship season drew to a close Hamilton needed Dundee to draw or lose to Dumbarton. Not an impossible scenario. However Hamilton also had to win by eight clear goals at home to already relegated Morton. This combined set of results was pretty much unimaginable and so the Accies' players took to the field on 25 May more in forlorn hope than any realistic expectation that they would end the afternoon as league champions. By 4.45pm many were astonished at the scoreline coming out of New Douglas Park with the home side equalling their club record with a 10 v 2 victory. However the fairy tale did not deliver its happy ending at that time with Dundee managing a narrow 2-1 victory at Dens Park to secure the title. "Before the match the goal difference was so huge and no-one thought there would be an eight goal margin so we just went out to play our own game. By all accounts Dumbarton should have had a clear penalty and they hit the post in the last five minutes so while we were on a high it was gutting to be so near yet so far."

Following this disappointment Hamilton regrouped to beat Falkirk and make the play-off final against Hibs. Despite Hibs' poor form they were the strong favourites to retain their Premier League status after leading 2-0 from the first leg.

Only the most optimistic Hamilton fans and perhaps a few disenchanted Hibees could have predicted the turnaround that took place in Leith a few days later in front of 18,000. The Accies team however had faith in manager Alex Neil's game plan. "We were very disappointed after the first leg but we knew it wasn't over. We had some great talent in our team and knew if we pushed on early at Easter Road, Hibs would get frustrated and their fans would get on their backs because the pressure was all on them. That was how it played out and the preparation that we put into the second leg was all credit to Alex Neil."

Hamilton's Trinidad and Tobago internationalist Jason Scotland and on form Frenchman Tony Andreu scored an early and late goal respectively to take the tie to extra time. Andy came on as a sub in the second leg, as he had in the first match, but did not take any of the required penalties, quick to point out that Hamilton only had to take four spot kicks to win. Cue ecstatic celebrations. "It took a few days to sink in that we had actually done it. You want to win league titles but when that was not going to happen we put our hearts and souls into the play-offs. Coming back the way we did was incredible. I know there will be many older pros coming to the end of their careers that will not have something like that on their footballing CV. It was a day I'll never forget."

The start of the 2014-15 season brought continued success for Hamilton in the Premiership but it was a frustrating time for Andy as he didn't feature in many games. He then required surgery which ruled him out of for a year following which he had a short loan spell with Arbroath making ten appearances and bagging three goals. This was his second Angus club having spent a month on loan at Brechin in 2013, scoring once in four appearances. It was during his time at the Red Lichties that he had his football epiphany. "Any footballer will tell you that the match day feeling is the best. You are buzzing and full of adrenaline. I missed that. When I went to Arbroath I re-discovered my love for the game and started to enjoy Saturdays again. So when I went back to Hamilton I agreed with the manager Martin (Canning) that while I really loved the club and had so many great times, at this stage in my career I needed full games and so I left Hamilton last December to pursue first-team football."

The move to Forfar was partially influenced by former Hamilton teammate Darren Hill who encouraged Andy to think about joining the Station Park side. At that time Andy was on trial with a few full-time clubs. When this did not work out Gary Bollan convinced him to sign with Forfar even though he had other clubs chasing his signature. While he is enjoying his football, and feels his sharpness is improving with each game, Andy concedes that the result at Brechin was a blow. However he firmly believes the team is finding its feet and the mood has improved. "When I first came in things were a bit flat but there is now a buzz at training and on match day. Right from first training session I could see it was a good squad with the right mixture of young lads and older experience. You need that in a fight to avoid relegation. Cowdenbeath and Albion Rovers were big results and showed the spirit of the team to keep going to get a winner. We have to keep pushing on but I believe we can do it."

He is also getting to know some of the other lads based in the west by sharing the driving to training and matches. Peter Kay's Car Share it might not be but Andy enjoys the banter with Darren (Hill), Bryan (Hodge) and Scott (Martin) which helps ease the tedium of the journeys.

Looking to the future Andy, who displays a maturity beyond his years, wants to get back into full-time football but he knows that won't be easy. "I want to play out this season and do as well as I can, first and foremost for the team but also to make an impression in terms of my goal-scoring. I'll then see what happens in terms of a full-time contract."

So how is Andy handling life without a full-time contract? "It took a wee while to sink in when I was used to going into the club every morning. I miss the training, the match-day routine and the chat and support of the lads. But there comes a time when you need to move on and take a different road. I made this move for my career and to get first team football. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to get to where you want to be".

Andy is grateful for the support of his family and girlfriend in adjusting to part-time life. His dad, also Andy, works on the roads, and his granda, another Andy, now retired travel home and away with mum, Donna, a nursery worker, to watch Andy jnr play. They are proud of his achievements. Andy is quick to recognise the important role his granda has played in his career. "He took me to my first ever football trial. When I couldn't drive and my dad was working he would drive me all the country. He is still my biggest fan."

We didn't discuss if his distinctive hairstyle is courtesy of girlfriend Ashleigh who works in the hairdressing industry but she does comes to watch him as often as her career allows. Andy's two sisters, Nicola and Sophie, are not really into football but Andy thinks they might come to watch him "but only if it was really big game".

What about his on-field personality? "My old teammates at Hamilton would describe me as a 'moaning face so and so'. I think that's a compliment because I give 100% whether it's the first or the last minute of a match. So I moan if I don't think others are doing their bit."

Andy appears to be a pretty open individual but when asked which team he supported as a boy he hesitates before skipping over the direct question with a deft bit of deflection. While some of his family do follow them, he wouldn't say he was a Celtic supporter as such, but his biggest influence did come from one of the best players to wear the green and white hoops. "Henrik Larsson was my boyhood hero. I used to watch videos and DVDs of him and I was fascinated by his movement on and off the ball. Even back then I knew he had everything a world-class footballer should have - a left and a right foot and he could score goals with his head. He could do pretty much everything."

Interestingly Larsson's inspiration is said to have been videos of Pele's life story given to him by his father. While there may not be any Andy Ryan DVDs on sale just yet his goal scoring could make him a hero with young Loons. Certainly if force of personality and determination are anything to go by Andy will not sit around waiting for his footballing career to be saved by anyone other than him. Rather it is clear he will work hard and battle to earn his return to the full-time stage. He believes it will be worth the sacrifices he has to make along the way. On the evidence to date everyone at Forfar is willing him on to realise his latest ambition and in doing so help to save Forfar's season.

Andy Ryan was in conversation with Louise Huggan for the match day programme v Cowdenbeath on 12 March 2016