Former Albion Rovers boss Todd Lumsden faces an uncertain footballing future as for the first time in nearly 20 years he does not know what he will be doing next season.
Lumsden left his home in the north-east of England to join Oxford United when he was a 17 year schoolboy and for the next 18 years he enjoyed relaxing at this time of year before getting back to work in mid-June.
After departing Cliftonhill 4 weeks ago Lumsden is pondering, for the first time in 18 summers, when he will get back into the game.
The 35-year-old who played for Stirling Albion, Albion Rovers, Hamilton Accies and Raith Rovers before became Paul Martin’s playing assistant 4 years ago and the duo helped the Coatbridge side to promotion in 2011.
They kept the Coatbridge side in the Second Division last year before Lumsden moved into the hot seat 12 months ago when illness forced Martin to step away from football.
Rovers were relegated and the club’s board backed their new manager for next season before changing their mind a week later to leave Lumsden out of the game for the first time.
Lumsden said: “My close season is normally a couple of weeks of resting up and then getting back out pounding the streets to get ready for pre-season training. Last year I was organising pre-season as well and whilst I have not got itchy feet yet I know they are coming.”
“It was a good experience at Albion Rovers regardless of how it ended. I want to get back into coaching and management and put into practice what I learned last season. There were things I wanted to fix during the season but couldn’t until we had a turnaround in our players.”
The Rovers board had been supportive however that changed after a 4-1 defeat from Alloa on the penultimate Saturday of the season as Lumsden explained: “I was asked if I wanted to stay on and I said that of course I would as I wanted to put into practice what I had learned during the season. That changed after the game at Recreation Park and that was that.”
“I want to get back into the game and I am not precious about things. I would be happy to be an assistant again as I really enjoyed working with Paul. We were a real team and he gave me a real freedom to coach and get my ideas across. Hopefully I can get that somewhere else.”
Lumsden has not been totally lost to football as he is very actively involved as the Curriculum Manager at Cumbernauld College for a group that includes Football Performance Students as he explained: “The college course runs like a football season so I am just ending my other season at the College. I took the students over to a two week training camp in Spain which was a terrific experience and something that full time professionals at top clubs normally get.”
“We give the students football coaching as well as laying the foundations for a HNC or a HND in Sports Coaching. The students train every day with us and also get an education so I still have a great interest in football.”
Lumsden added: “Their first year involves a Classroom Education and takes in a HNC in Sport and Fitness. The Second year is Exercise and Fitness and basically introductory levels to how the body works and what the body does.”
“We also teach skill analysis and acquisition as well, investigating training methods, skill development and the first rung in the ladder for coaching sessions. The Third year provides a HNC in Sports Coaching and the Fourth Year a HND in the same subject.”
There is a speciality provided for football with Lumsden saying: “We deal with technical and tactical development in football. Their day includes a gym session, a theory session and practical sessions. Every day they are involved in football doing drills such as keeping possession, crossing and finishing. We also use SFA themes such as counter attacking and switching play.”
The students also form a decent team with players coming in from Pro-Youth, amateur and Junior sides with Lumsden saying: “The students playing other local colleges and then move to regional and national sides. It is a great experience for them.”
“I also take the Scottish Students Sport National College team were we take the best players from across the country and play games at a national level.”
Potential students from all backgrounds can apply to join Lumsden and his team based at Clyde’s Broadwood Stadium however an ability to play the game at a decent standard is required with Lumsden saying: “The programme is about meeting the needs for individuals. For example Pro-youth players at part-time clubs can find this a great support as it works around training with their clubs at night. They are getting full time training and an education it helps them in lots of ways.”
“When Pro-Youth ends 2 or 3 years down the line they would have an educational qualification that they might not get otherwise.”
As well as augmenting careers Lumsden’s College team can also turnaround players as he explained: “We helped players get their career going with players like Joshua Flood getting games at Stirling Albion and then moving to Albion Rovers. Gavin McPherson is still at Stirling Albion and doing the HND programme as is Ross Brash from Stenhousemuir. We were talking to his management team this week and they rate him very highly.”
“We have another student Calum Robertson who is due to go to full time with Raith Rovers so it is good to show that individuals do come through both educationally and as footballers.”
Ensuring that players/ students know the course is available is constant work with Lumsden saying: “Coaches move on from clubs or move to younger age groups and the connection they have with the College is lost. We have to raise the profile to ensure that all coaches know about us, not just the ones that we have contact with. If the message of what we do does not hit the right audience the chance is lost and players may leave football as a result.”
“The College Course could relight a spark in some players that perhaps have lost some love for the game.”
That love could be re-ignited in great facilities with Lumsden saying: “What we have at Broadwood would be the envy of many a full time side. We have a bespoke strength and conditioning area, a CV suite and we are awash with wi-fi which is a great development for teaching. Of course we can use the main pitch which is a great place to do training exercises as well as the 7 a side and 5 a side pitches. Training in that environment is fantastic and we have a lot to thank our partners at North Lanarkshire Leisure headed by Graham Atkinson and Neil Ross for. It is a real partnership between the two bodies.”
“What would be great to do next is secure the endorsement of PFA Scotland and the SFA. That is something that we have started working on.”
It is not just football either with Lumsden adding: “A lot of what we do is sports coaching that can be transferred and we also run a mirror programme for rugby and I can tell you that there are some big lads in the rugby course. Entrance level and progression is the same. They all have the same diverse career possibilities at the end of it. It is about giving a platform and hopefully a better chance of getting a job in a difficult job market.”
“A better education gives students a better chance of getting a job as very few people leave college and University and pick up a £40,000 starting salary.”
Lumsden finished by saying: “It would be great to find a role that allows me to have two footballing seasons again all the same.”
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