Ramsdens Cup Semi-Finalists Stenhousemuir were at the head of the queue this summer to grab a goalscorer that had hit triple figures and the front man they brought in, Ross McNeil, has started showing why he was so sought after.
Ochilview Manager Martyn Corrigan and his assistant Kevin McGoldrick were confident that McNeil would bridge the gap between amateur and senior football and that confidence does not look to have been misplaced with the front-man knocking on the door for a starting place already.
McNeil bagged all his goals for under-21 side Rutherglen Glencairn and his prowess in scoring had slipped virtually unnoticed by senior sides until last year as he explained: “I had played with local amateur teams in East Kilbride when I was growing up but I was never involved at a pro-youth level or anything like that. I had trials at Motherwell and Alloa as well as a couple of trials with Queen’s Park at under- 17 and under-19 level but things never went further than that.”
“A few boys and myself from Glencairn played reserve games for Ayr last season but nothing came of that either.”
It was no one season wonder either from McNeil who said: “I grabbed 101 goals last season, 85 the year before and 54 the season before that one. I only played half that season as I was over in America for a few months undertaking a Scholarship.”
“I did not enjoy it and never settled at all so I came home at Christmas and never went back.”
McNeil’s return and ability to find the net was picked up a year ago by senior clubs and he was tracked by a number of sides as he explained: “I was made aware that teams were watching me last season and it was hard not to get distracted. I tried to go about my business as usual.”
“I did okay especially in a Cup Final when a few scouts where there and I scored a hat-trick in a 4-1 success.”
The chase for his signature was quickening when McNeil had a Roy of the Rovers moment to win his team the league title as he explained: “I scored really late against the team in second place Knightswood Juveniles for us to win the league. They are a really good side that had been in the Scottish Cup Final and beaten us in the league the week before.”
“We had been 9 points clear and if they had won they would have been breathing right down our necks. They had just scored but I grabbed a goal in injury time to make it 2-2 and that took me to one hundred for the season. To score my hundredth goal and for it to get us a draw that won the league was a bit special!”
“I then scored number 101 against them when we won another Cup on the following Saturday.”
McNeil’s under-21 side is a feeder for the Junior side of the same name based in the south side of Glasgow and signing for them could have been an option for the striker who said: “A number of the boys stepped up to the juniors in the summer but I was quite fortunate in that a manager in the junior game had seen me. He recommended me to Kevin McGoldrick who is the Assistant Manager at Stenhousemuir and things took off from there.”
“One thing led to another and I was invited in to do pre-season training at Ochilview. I thought I knew what pre-season was all about but we did a lot more fitness work than I was expecting. It was hard going but I got through it and was offered the chance to sign for them.”
McNeil is certainly no lone striker with the Warriors who have John Gemmell, Darren Smith, Sean Higgins, Errol Douglas and Salim Kouider-Aissa all chasing places in Corrigan’s line up.
“There are lots of front men at this club and there is quality as well,” said McNeil before adding, “But I am stating my case to be playing. I scored the winner at Airdrie in the last minute in a league game and that was a good moment.”
“John and Sean also have a lot of experience and it is great to learn my trade at this level from them.”
McNeil is certainly learning well as he added: “I also scored in the last minute of extra time up at Peterhead to give us a 3-1 win in the second round of the Ramsdens Cup. All my appearances so far have been off the bench and I know I have to bide my time but hopefully I will be starting games soon.”
The striker did hit the net very early in his Warriors career as he explained: “I also scored against Arbroath in the penalty shoot-out in the Ramsdens Cup game that opened the season. I count that as my first goal.”
“It ended 4-4 and when it got to penalties and volunteers were asked for I put my hand up straight away. I was a bit nervous as I ran up to hit it but scoring that goal settled me down at the club.”
After seeing off the Red Lichties and the Blue Toon, Stenhousemuir reached the last four of the Ramsdens Cup by defeating Dundee at Dens Park on penalties with McNeil saying: “It was great win for the boys up at Dundee. We came back from a goal down and finished extra time really strongly.”
“All the fitness work put in during pre-season paid off as it would have been difficult to tell the difference between the full and part time side in extra time.”
McNeil erred from the spot this time and he said: “All I can say is that our goalkeeper Chris Smith dug me out of a hole big time. He has saved 5 out of the 8 penalties he has faced this season in shoot-outs which is a terrific record.”
“He also scored his penalty against Dundee as he had done against Arbroath, in fact he is probably the best penalty taker at the club.”
McNeil will come up against an Honest Men side tomorrow he could have been playing for if they had followed up their interest last season.
The 21-year-old said: “I am looking forward to playing them after having a short spell there last season. Three of us from Rutherglen went there but none of us were taken on so it would be good to show them what they missed out on.”
“Funnily enough one of their strikers, Craig Malcolm, also comes from East Kilbride and I am looking forward to seeing him.”
A win would move Stenhousemuir 4 points clear of the Somerset Park side in the race for promotion and it would take their record to 4 wins in 5 games with McNeil still rueing the three points that slipped away against Dunfermline 3 weeks ago.
The striker said: “We are on a good run apart from the Dunfermline game at home that we lost 5-4. That was just madness and to go from 3-0 and 4-2 up to losing 3 goals in the last 6 minutes was just ludicrous.”
“However we have bounced back and won our two games since then.”
McNeil finished by saying: “I am really enjoying the step up although I have to say that pre-season was not nice. Everybody has been great with me and really made me feel welcome at the club and hopefully I can repay that by grabbing more goals for Stenhousemuir.”
Craig Stewart
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