The McCord brothers - Ryan and Ross - may not be twins but they do share a lot of things in life together. They were both born in Dundee, they are both Dundee United players, both boys are midfielders that played for the same Tannadice youth side and, both McCords played on loan at the same Second Division club and now both are on loan at different SFL clubs in different divisions.
To keep the similarities going, both players scored at the weekend and it is probably just as well they are well known in footballing circles as Pongo and Pingu, otherwise you may well have difficulty knowing which one is playing for what team.
Ryan found the net for Airdrie United in their 2-1 IRN-BRU SFL Second Division win at Station Park against Forfar Athletic with Ross hitting home twice for Montrose in their extremely handsome 8-1 win over Clyde in the IRN-BRU SFL Third Division.
Ryan is the older sibling at 21 and he is known as Pongo (although he was none too chuffed to be asked to confirm this!) and he has been at Tannadice full-time since April 2006 after being developed via their youth programme.
In the summer of 2008, this McCord got some first team experience against the giants of Barcelona in a pre-season friendly and then against the not so well known in European circles side of Airdrie United in a Co-operative Insurance Cup tie. One game was won 2-0 and the other lost 5-1 and there is no prize for guessing the correct outcomes!
To aid his development further, Ryan got some match action at Stirling Albion when he went on loan from January 2009 until the end of the 2008/09 season. He started three games for the Forthbank side and also featured as a substitute on four occasions. He had the misfortune of being red carded after becoming too involved with Arbroath’s Ian Dobbins in a League game as well.
Ryan said, “It was good to get some first team experience at Stirling and Allan Moore was very good with me.
“I scored my first senior goal against Ayr United and I came back to United a more developed player.
“Last season, I was always involved in the first team squad and made it on to the bench a few times but never played.
“As the United midfield is so strong, I was not sure I would be starting many games this season either. Airdrie United wanted me on loan and it has turned into a good move. I am there until Christmas and I am enjoying it so far.”
It has been a strange experience for Ryan to go from a young player in amongst an experienced squad to one of the most established players in a starting eleven.
He said, “At 21, I am the fifth oldest player at Airdrie United which is quite a strange turnaround.
“They are a good young side who should do okay this season. They are full of young boys that are out to make a name for themselves in football.
“I am enjoying playing football regularly and this is important to me as my contract with United is up at the end of the season.”
Goals have been flowing for Ryan who said, “I have scored three already for Airdrie which is not a bad return.
“I netted against Kilmarnock in The Co-operative Insurance Cup and, although we got beat 6-2, it was great to play from the start against a SPL side at Rugby Park.
“I then scored a free kick against Stenhousemuir and at Forfar at the weekend, I scored again. It was a scrappy goal at Station Park but they all count.”
The Diamonds face Dumbarton this weekend and Ryan will build up to the game in the same manner he has done all season as he explained, “I train Monday to Wednesday with United, Airdrie on a Thursday and then back to United on a Friday.
“I do not know too much about Dumbarton but I am sure the Airdrie Manager, Jimmy Boyle, will have us well briefed before kick off.”
Ironically both brothers are now playing at clubs with artificial surfaces with Ryan saying, “The surface at the Excelsior is just new but it is really good when it is wet but a bit sticky when it is dry.
“With the weather in Scotland, it should be fine for most of the winter. Funnily enough, I have not scored on it yet whereas Ross has hit a couple on Montrose’s pitch.”
Ryan was too modest to advise who the best player between the brothers is, saying, “Ross is more skilful than I am but I am the better passer,” before joking, “I am probably quicker and I know he will get wound up by me saying that anyway.”
When Ryan ended his time at Stirling in the summer of 2009, younger brother Ross took over as he accepted a six month loan deal at Forthbank. It was his first taste of senior football and he scored for Moore’s men as well, with a goal against East Fife.
Four starting appearances were made by Ross in Stirling’s red and white colours with a further seven appearances being made from the bench. Ross returned to Tannadice and whilst he could not force his way into Peter Houston’s first team squad, it was a great time to be a Terror.
He said, “I did not make the first team but there was a great atmosphere about the club as we went on our cup run and ended up lifting the Scottish Cup.”
Keen to get some more first team experience, the 20-year-old agreed to join Third Division Montrose on a loan basis until Christmas time.
Ross said, “It has been great at Links Park for me so far, there’s is a great bunch of lads and I am really enjoying playing every week.
“It is a great buzz to play in League games and there are bigger crowds than I am used to as well. You learn more by playing every week as well.”
Ross’ Gable Endie team-mates have not been slow to tell him he has a privileged life as a full-time player with the midfielder explaining, “It is a bit different meeting up with guys on a Tuesday and Thursday night who have been working in other jobs throughout the day. They tell me I have it easy by training at Dundee United during the day and not having to work elsewhere.”
Life in the Third Division seems to be agreeing with Ross who said, “The standard is really decent and I have to say we should have won more games than just the two against Arbroath and Clyde.
“The Manager, Steven Tweed, encourages us to play football all the time, which is great, and whilst we have been unlucky, we have given away some daft goals as a team and we need to cut that out.”
The player has built on his solitary strike for Stirling Albion by finding the net three times for Montrose with his first goal coming against Elgin City at Borough Briggs on 18th September when he finished off a fine passing move with a lovely lob over Scott Bain.
Two more counters were added in Saturday’s win over Clyde with Ross saying, “It was a pretty decent goal against Elgin but the goals against Clyde were a bit strange. One was a header and the other a left foot shot but it was a bizarre game after they had the two players sent off in the first half.”
Watching the McCord brothers play was easy when they were both in the same Dundee United youth team however, Dad McCord now has to watch his sons week about as he cannot be in two grounds at the one time.
Ross explained, “Dad was watching me on Saturday against Clyde so it was a good one to see me in. I got into the car after the game and he told me Ryan had scored as well so it was a good day for the McCords.
“He will be watching Ryan at Dumbarton this weekend which is a good trek but we are at Stranraer so Dumbarton is not so far.”
Ross is keen to keep on impressing in Montrose colours saying, “My contract is also up with United at the end of the season so hopefully, I can impress United during my time here or anyone else that is having a look.
“The main thing is to be playing every week and I am enjoying that.”
Like his big brother, Ross would not be drawn on who the better player was saying, “We play the same position and are very similar players but we are different as well. He can pass a ball better than I can but people say I am more skilful.”
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