Elgin City defender Ross Draper is next to tackle our Starting XI feature.
Englishman Draper has been a stalwart in north football since joining Caley Thistle as a holding midfielder from Macclesfield Town in 2012. He went on to help Caley Jags win the Scottish Cup three years later, before going on to spend four years across the Kessock Bridge with Ross County.
Following a short spell at Cove Rangers, 35-year-old Draper has been with Elgin since 2021 where he has switched to a defensive role, with a brief stint as player-manager last season.
Draper, who aims to help City maintain their unbeaten start to the League Two season away to Clyde on Saturday, looks back on his career.
What do you remember about your senior debut?
I was at Stafford Rangers in the Conference when I was 17, but we were part-time so I don’t really class that as my senior debut.
I joined Macclesfield and made my senior debut away to Northampton in League Two. It was dull, boring game that finished 0-0.
It was actually Billy Mckay’s senior debut as well for Northampton – it’s funny how football works out as we are now good pals up in Inverness.
What is your career highlight so far?
It has to be the Scottish Cup win with Caley Thistle – it’s quite an easy one.
I enjoyed the Championship win with Ross County, and the IRN-BRU Cup that season, but I don’t think anything will top the Scottish Cup.
I’ve still got fond memories of it. It’s coming up for 10 years now, which is scary in itself. I’d be very surprised if that gets topped.
Who is the best player you played with?
I have had a lot of good ones. I liked playing with people like Andy Shinnie, and Greg Tansey was brilliant. He made my life so easy.
I would go for Ryan Christie though, just for what he has gone on and done since he left Inverness. Even when he was young though, he was very technically good and the first thing John Hughes did was put him straight into the first team.
And who is your toughest opponent?
The Celtic team was full of big names like Virgil van Dijk and Victor Wanyama, who went on to play in the Premier League, while James Maddison was at Aberdeen for a small period.
In my position, I never played directly against the likes of Scott Brown who were also deeper players.
In terms of where I played, I would say someone like Tom Rogic. He was very clever, not blessed with pace but his intelligence made it so hard to get near. He would take you into areas you didn’t want to go.
Dressing room threads – who has the worst fashion sense in the dressing room?
I would go for Dajon Golding. I’ve only seen him at the end of season night, where he wore a string vest thing. It wasn’t acceptable – but he gets away with it because he’s a big lad.
I would like to see what the boys bring for the Christmas night, but he’s just a little bit quirky, which is not a bad thing.
How would your team-mates describe you?
On the pitch I would say committed, and a bit of a senior figure. Old would be one, I get a lot of stick for my age – grandfather clock was one I got the other day from Dajon.
I would say tight as well. A few of the boys have clocked on that I’m a little bit stingy, but that comes with age as well. Old and tight probably covers it.
What is the best advice you have been given?
I wouldn’t say there’s a certain person, although my old man, Graham, was very good with me when I was younger. He made sure I didn’t give up after a few setbacks as a kid.
I got let go by Wolves, who are my boyhood team, after seven years which was tough. I then went to Shrewsbury for two years as a scholar, and got let go by them. It would have been easy to chuck it and got a job. Without my dad, I probably would have, but he told me to keep plugging away.
What is your favourite away ground and why?
I liked Tynecastle, back when we were doing well. Hearts always had a full stadium, with the crowd right on top of you – although you can hear everything they say so it’s not great.
I liked Ibrox as well, although I didn’t play there as often as Celtic Park.
What is your favourite goal scored by you or a team-mate?
I would honestly go for the one at Elgin against Dumbarton. Just because of the whole relief – it was a free-kick into the box with less than 20 seconds to go.
We had found out from the bench that results in the other two games had gone for us. We knew a goal from a set-piece was going to keep us up.
The celebrations were brilliant and it was great for the club, as it’s full of good people.
If you were stranded on a desert island and had to bring one current or former team-mate for help, who would it be and why?
A lot of the boys at Inverness were mad for the fishing down on the loch. David Raven was a keen fisher, even back then he was a man of experience.
He tried to give someone a citizen’s arrest because they didn’t have a permit to go fishing, whereas he paid for his permit. The fishing would come in very handy and keep us going.
How do you relax away from football?
It’s tough – with full-time work, and kids and dogs knocking about the house.
I’m not a mad golfer or into the X-Box and that sort of stuff.
I enjoy my Saturday nights and Sundays with the family, before work comes back around on the Monday. That keeps me in the good books.
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