Sixth placed Elgin City travel to Hampden on Saturday looking to defeat second placed Queen’s Park and start a seven game end of season winning run that will take them into a promotion Play-Off place.
The player who will be driving them towards their ambitious goal most on the pitch is skipper David Niven who lives a whole lot closer to the National Stadium than he does to Borough Briggs. The 25-year-old is one of half a dozen players that combine playing with the Black and Whites with living in the West of Scotland and after six years, he has no complaints about being a long distance player.
Niven said: “I started at Elgin in January 2007 when I joined them from Ross County on loan. I was injured in one of my first games and missed a good chunk of my loan spell but I have enjoyed it ever since. I had been a full timer at County and had enjoyed good times with them under Scott Leitch when he was the manager and played nearly 20 games in their first team.”
“County picked me up from my local side Partick Thistle and I was striker when they signed me before getting moved to centre half and with Elgin I am usually a full back.”
There was almost success in those early days as Niven explained: “I played in the early rounds of the Challenge Cup at the start of the season 2006/ 2007 but missed out on the Final against Clyde due to bronchitis which struck mean 3 or 4 weeks before the game at McDiarmid Park.”
“My former Elgin City team-mate Jason Crooks marked his top tem debut that day by scoring the winning penalty. We had a really good squad and Derek Adams played in that side, mind you he missed a penalty in the shoot-out when he sent his penalty against the bar.”
Even then his fellow team-mates reckoned that Adams would go on and be a gaffer with Niven saying: “You could always tell that Derek was going to be a manager as he just studied the game constantly.”
Shortly afterwards Niven went on loan to Elgin and over 130 games later Thistle remain his local team as he has commuted from Glasgow to continue playing with the Borough Briggs side during his now lengthy spell at the club.
Niven explained: “It may well be 6 years that I have been there for but it does not feel like that as I have enjoyed being an Elgin player. I train during the week with Ashfield juniors who are a really good side to work with. They have improved every season under their manager Stevie Rankin and are now in the top league in the junior game.”
“They are a well-run junior side and have Craig Smith back playing with them on loan from Queen’s Park. He is one player you do not want to have to do sprints with as he is super quick as I know from games against him in the Third Division.”
As well as his training nights with Ashfield Niven is a very recognisable figure in the north of Glasgow as he runs frequently through Springburn, Bishopbriggs and Auchinairn in his red, white and black Elgin training kit although it is sight that may be seen less in the future.
Niven explained: “I go out running several times a week and on days like last Saturday when our game was called off. I must be the only person to go out running around here in Elgin kit but I may have to cut back as I have been told that I have the early signs of a condition called ‘runners knee’.”
Niven’s time at Elgin has seen steady progress on the pitch as he explained: “The highlight of my time here was the play-offs last season. We may not have won them but they represented real progress as when I joined we were very near the bottom of the Scottish Football League.”
That progress has made the travelling easier with Niven adding: “I have been making the round trip up to play for all those years and I have clocked up a fair few miles. Paul Kaczan was a constant companion during most of that time however he has been missing for a while now with injury.”
“Ross O’Donoghue is another who has made the trip for a good few years as well but he took a year out and played for Dumbarton. Whoever you are travelling with it is always better after a good performance.”
It is a busy car with Niven explaining: “It is a good set of boys that we have travelling up just now. The car is full of bodies as Paul Harkins, Sean Crichton, Ross McKinnon and Graeme Beveridge as well as myself and Ross all head north. The Clyde game was called off last Saturday so we did not have to make it then but it was done early so we had not even set off.”
As well as enjoying the company of his team-mates Niven is happy to travel to play for a manager he respects as he explains: “I have worked under a lot of bosses with guys like Scott Leitch, John Robertson, Dick Campbell and Alex Smith at County and also Gardner Speirs who was my boss in Dingwall when I was in the Youth set-up there.”
“It was Robbie Williamson who took me to Elgin and then current boss Ross Jack took over and he has been behind that steady progress at the club. He has been great with me. I have missed a few games recently due to a knee injury but he is always encouraging me to get back playing again which suits me as I hate not playing.”
Niven added: “I would like us to get some success to repay him for the work he puts into his role as he is very committed to his job.”
“Ross also made me the captain of the club. Paul Kaczan was out for a few games and I stepped in and when it was realised that he was going to be missing for a lengthy period I was told to take the armband.”
It is a position that sits easy with Niven who said: “I enjoy the role and I have been captain at every club that I have been at. I was the skipper for Partick’s under-19’s and was the same at County. I like to think I have a winning mentality and that rubs off on the other players in the team.”
Elgin had enjoyed a fine first half to this season when a Play-Off place looked assured, however the loss of several key players to injury had seen things slide until the recent 1-0 win over hosts Peterhead got their Play-Off hopes boosted again.
That win could spark a push to a top four place with Niven adding: “It was a good win over Peterhead and a good performance that set us up nicely for the recent game against Rangers. We put in a decent performance against the side that will win the league and I thought we were unlucky not to take a point.”
“We still have 7 games to go and will battling to get back into the Play-Offs. If we could get everyone fit then we have a really strong starting eleven and have very healthy competition for places.”
Whatever happens regarding promotion and play-offs for Elgin this season will still have been a memorable one with Niven saying: “It has been some year as we have played at two of the best stadiums in Scotland this season. Having Rangers in the League means that we have played at Ibrox as well as Hampden, so it is a season full of good memories especially as we have drawn at both grounds.”
“It has been brilliant to play at a packed Ibrox and a packed Borough Briggs and whilst we have not beaten Rangers in our games having them in the Third Division has been good. This Division has received more publicity than ever and people have seen that there are good players at our level who maybe need a break to get into a full time side.”
This weekend Niven will not travel far as he will meet up with his Elgin colleagues at Hampden when they face the Spiders looking to grab another win in their quest for a Play-Off place.
Niven said: “It will be a really tough game at Hampden as Gardner has them playing well. I know that he does a good job but we have won there in the past. They are a really fit team but this is a game I always look forward to playing in.”
“A win and being home by six o’clock would be a good day.”
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