Peterhead defender Scott Ross is the latest player to take on The Press and Journal’s Starting XI feature.
The 33-year-old, who came through the youth ranks at Aberdeen, is in his second spell with the Blue Toon after spending six years with Cove Rangers.
The central defender, whose side travel to Station Park to face Forfar on Saturday, took time out to reflect on his career, which has featured scoring in a famous win at Ibrox, as well as being part of Cove’s journey from the Highland League to the Championship.
What do you remember about your senior debut?
My debut was for Peterhead as a substitute in a League Cup tie at Caley Thistle in 2010.
I had a quick look at their team back then and they had the likes of Adam Rooney, Jonny Hayes and Roy McBain, while Ryan Esson and Shane Sutherland were on the bench.
Looking back there is probably no disgrace losing 3-0 to a team with that quality in it.
What is your career highlight so far?
I’ve got quite a few to be honest.
Scoring and winning at Ibrox is something that only a few players can say they’ve done, but I’ve also been lucky enough to win league titles with Peterhead and Cove Rangers.
It’s hard to pick one, but I think winning League One with Cove with a group of my best mates was something that I’ll cherish for the rest of my days.
What we did at Cove as a group of boys that came together from Aberdeen to get them from the Highland League to the Championship in the space of a few years was something special.
Who is the best player you played with?
It’s one that I wouldn’t want to admit to his face… but it’s Fraser Fyvie.
When Fraser joined Cove from Dundee United, he was struggling with injuries, but you could tell right away he was just head and shoulders above everyone at that level.
How Cove managed to recruit him, I’ll never know, but they’ve done a fantastic job there.
And who is your toughest opponent?
Jermain Defoe. He had it all – speed, movement, ability, and for being a smaller guy, he was unbelievably strong.
When I played against him, it was like he was two or three steps ahead. He just knew where to be before the play had even started.
I should give another player a mention here as well in big Jordan White of Ross County.
I used to despise playing him when he was at Stirling Albion because he was big, strong, physical, fast – he kind of had it all.
I was obviously younger back then, probably wasn’t filled out and not as street smart and streetwise as I am now, but he was a nightmare to play against.
Dressing room threads – who has the worst fashion sense in the dressing room?
This is a tough one because a few boys at Peterhead are terribly dressed.
The younger generation seem to enjoy baggy clothes which would remind you of a skateboarder or someone. I’ll throw a couple in there in Kieran Shanks and Max Barry.
How would your team-mates describe you?
There are probably two answers to this question.
If you ask my teammates of the early years, they’d say I was a hothead who suffered at times from the red mist.
But I’d say in the last six years of my career I’m more relaxed, and I’d like to hope that I’m a guy that they like being around who is always up for a laugh.
What is the best advice you have been given?
You pick up advice throughout your whole career, but the one that stuck with me is actually from my cousin Colin Milne – he played for Peterhead, too, but Colin retired quite early in his career due to family commitments.
Colin always says to me just enjoy it. Enjoy playing football and play for as long as you can because you just don’t know when it’ll stop.
What is your favourite away ground and why?
I’d probably go with Ibrox for the hostile atmosphere and the fact I managed to win there. The pitch is absolutely beautiful and it’s a lovely stadium.
What is your favourite goal scored by you or a team-mate?
Again, we’re staying with the game at Ibrox when I scored in 2013.
My goal was the equaliser after we had gone behind early to Lee McCulloch’s goal.
I scored with a header from a short corner before Rory McAllister went on to get the winner.
It must have been some bus journey home because I don’t really remember it to be honest.
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?
I could maybe give you two answers here.
For a former teammate, I’d probably go for Morgyn Neill who is now at Alloa. From day one, we just hit it off. He’s a top guy and we still talk to each other on a weekly basis now.
He’s always there for you and he’s hard as nails, so if there were any problems, I’d definitely be putting Morgyn up first before me – that’s for sure.
From the current team, it would probably be little Jack Brown – Jack and I just click.
He’s daft and some of our conversations that I probably couldn’t say here are just weird and wonderful.
From the current squad, I’d pick Jack to keep me amused.
How do you relax away from football?
My family comes first.
Before, I’d play a lot of golf, but now I’ve got a little one when I get the chance I spend time with my four year-old daughter and my wife.
We fill weekends with as much fun activities for her – obviously, football takes a large part of your life away when you work Monday to Friday, so every Sunday is based around what she wants to do.
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