Elgin City’s longest serving player, defender Paul Kaczan, may well have already travelled more than twice around the world to play in home games for Ross Jack’s side however, when he pitches up for tomorrow’s game with Clyde, he will have an extra spring in his step.
Kaczan, who joined from Partick Thistle in the summer of 2004, has trekked in excess of double the near 25,000 mile circumference of the planet, from his Hamilton base to don Black and White colours at Borough Briggs and on Saturday for the first time, he is travelling as a player in an Elgin squad that sits at the top of the League table. A one goal better goal difference than Annan Athletic has seen Ross Jack’s men claim pole position on the first occasion during his reign as Manager and only the second time since City joined The Scottish Football League in season 2000/01.
The last, and only time, came after just one game in season 2003/04 when East Stirlingshire were beaten 3-1 however, that early season promise fizzled out. A year later, Kaczan, who started his career at Heart of Midlothian before spending a season at Firhill, was recruited by then Manager David Robertson after former team-mate Allan Dempsie sold him on Elgin.
The 28-year-old said: “I had never been to Elgin before I signed for them. I had been to Dingwall to play against Ross County and thought that was a long way from home so I presumed Elgin was beyond the back of beyond!
"Over the years, I have grown to appreciate the club and the city and I am part of the brickwork at Elgin now. Allan, who I have known since I was seven, told me to join and when he left at the end of last season, I suppose I became the old boy of the team.”
Kaczan was very much the young boy when he started his career at Tynecastle as he explained: “I went to Hearts straight from school after Jim Jefferies signed me. My first job was cleaning the boots of Gary Naysmith, Thomas Flogel and Robert Tomaschek and I also looked after Gordan Petric when he came in. He just lifted the place with his presence.
“I moved across from Hamilton into digs when I was just 16 and stayed at Hearts for four seasons as a full-time football player. That time gave me a good grounding in football and in life as I learnt a lot. I had to be disciplined about things that other people my age did not have to be.”
Kaczan did feature in the Hearts first team as he explained: “I made the bench and came on against Kilmarnock and was a substitute against Inverness Caledonian Thistle in a cup tie but never got on in that game. I regret I did not feature more often in the first team but I do not regret my time at Hearts.”
After being released by the Edinburgh side, Kaczan moved across country to remain in the SPL with Partick Thistle in Glasgow but it was not a memorable season for him.
He explained: “It was not too successful for me or for Partick. Gerry Collins was appointed Manager to replace John Lambie and he signed me but he did not stay too long. Gerry Britton and Derek Whyte took over but Thistle ended up being relegated and I was released.
“I went on holiday and found myself at a loose end when I came back and out of the blue, Allan called me about Elgin. I had known him since we were kids but it was a big step as I had always been a full-timer before.”
Kaczan came up and played in pre-season games and did enough to convince Robertson and his assistant, Kenny Black, that he was worthy of a deal and seven years later, he remains delighted with how things have turned out.
“I needed regular first team football,” said Kaczan, “and I got that here. I enjoyed playing and I enjoyed the club and to be honest, the last few years have flown by. There has always been a good group of boys that travel up and that makes things easier.”
A few Managers have come and gone during that time as Kaczan explained: “We had Jamie McKenzie in charge for a spell and that was pretty unique as he was a player when he got the chance to manage the team. After Jamie, Brian Irvine was in charge and then the Chairman, Graham Tatters, was in interim control before Robbie Williamson was appointed. The present Manager came in a couple of years ago after David McConnachie was caretaker and this has probably been our most settled period.
“We have traditionally been slow starters in the League and then played catch up for the rest of the season.”
This season, four wins in five games has reversed that trend and Kaczan puts that down to both the team spirit in the ‘north’ and ‘south’ players built by Manager Ross Jack and also the work ethic that has been instilled in the team.
Kaczan said: “Our team spirit just now is great and there is a well established spine to our team and that has not always been the case. We have a settled look and the players know each other well, get on well and know their role in the team.
“The Manager has improved our work ethic by one or two per cent and that has helped enormously. That small change can turn draws into wins and defeats into draws.”
Kaczan is enjoying Elgin’s moment in the spotlight saying: “We have been close to being top before but never made it, so it has been great to look at the League table this week.”
Although Kaczan has not kept exact figures of the miles he has travelled to get to the Third Division side’s home games, an average of 20 trips a season however, brings up a total of 56,000 miles over seven years.
Making the eight hour round trip is no hardship when Elgin are successful and with three home wins already this season, as well as Ramsdens Cup success at Ross County, the ‘South Boys’ as Kaczan refers to his travelling companions, have found their near 400 mile round trip fly by.
Kaczan explained: “Driving home is 100 times better after a win. When we have been beaten, hardly anyone talks. When we get a good bit down the road, someone will try and lift everyone’s spirits but if we have played badly, it will be quiet the entire way home.
“When we have won, the car is bouncing all the way home and it is half past eight before you know it and time to get out the car as we are home.”
The ‘South Boys’ travel in style with Kaczan explaining: “The club organise a nine seater car for us and seven of us travel up in it. My travelling companions are David Niven, Craig Frizzell, Ross O’Donoghue, Graeme Beveridge, Jason Crooks and Zander Clark. We were offered the chance of a pre-match meal by the club or having an extra hour in bed. We all decided getting going at eight in the morning is early enough so we take an extra hour but it was good of the club to offer.”
On-loan McDiarmid Park goalkeeper Clark is getting used to life in the SFL as Kaczan explained: “Big Zander is used to team buses taking him everywhere with St. Johnstone, so it was a bit of a shock to him. He was quiet at first when he joined this summer but he is coming out of his shell now.”
Elgin’s ascent to the summit of the Third Division has not only made travelling easier for Kaczan, it has also ensured that he gets a warm welcome at Larkhall Thistle, the Junior club he trains with during the week.
“During my time at Elgin, I have had my fair share of ribbing from the guys I train with,” said Kaczan, “However, they are much quieter just now.”
Finally, Kaczan was asked if his training mates would be remaining quiet and his travelling companions noisy by Elgin having a push for promotion this season and he advised: “We are showing signs of being more consistent and we are on top on merit. A Play-Off place would be a success and, of course, winning the Championship would be fantastic but in saying that, after beating Peterhead, other clubs will now see us as a scalp to take.
“Moving to the top of the table means that we are no longer flying under the radar so know that we have to play well to do anything this season. We have had challenges before but they have faded away but hopefully, not this one. Clyde have been going well but if we hit the standard we can, we will do okay.”
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