Published: Wednesday, 18th June, 2008 12:00
I'm ready to help Alloa be promoted
By John Simpson
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Dougie Hill returns to the Wasps.
Pic by: Central Fife Times
DREAMS of signing an extended full time contract with Celtic, Hibs, Falkirk or Hearts did not materialise for a young footballer – but he is now gearing up for his second spell with Alloa Athletic.
Dougie Hill has just joined the Wasps, hoping to help them fulfill their ambition of promotion to the First Division which they just missed last season.
Alloa fans will remember Dougie in the Wasps colours when Tom Hendrie was the manager but although he did not hold down a regular place at the Recs, he went on to become one of Cowdenbeath’s top defenders.
The 23-year-old, from The Inch in Edinburgh, who is a plumber with W. F. Wightman in Morningside, showed great promise in his early footballing years and has lost none of his urge to do well in the game he loves.
He said, “I started playing as a 10-year-old with local Edinburgh side Sernnieside then moved to The Inch Boys Club but my break seemed to come when I joined the Celtic Boys Club team.
“Then I moved to Loanhead Boys Club but Celtic came back for me to join their under-12s.
“Then I spent a year on Hearts books and another one with Hibernian but things looked better when Falkirk signed me full-time and I spent two years with them under Iain McCall and then John Hughes.”
Tom Hendrie brought Dougie to Recreation Park, seeing great potential, just like his earlier signing from Edinburgh, Martin Cameron, whose scoring exploits along with Willie Irvine, brought exciting new times to the club.
Dougie said, “I started all right with Alloa but felt I was playing out of position, sometimes on the left when I was really a centre-half.”
On his release Dougie lost none of his passion for the game and jumped at the chance when Dave Baikie stepped in to sign him for Cowdenbeath. “He moved on but I remained for three years, continuing until recently under Mixu Paatelainen and Brian Welsh.
“My contract was up at Central Park but they did offer me re-signing terms. I had captained the team and helped them win promotion to the Second Division but I was finding myself a bit unhappy, since they are now relegated.”
But by this time Alloa were showing an interest in the defender and he is very much in their plans to go up a division Dougie said, “Allan Maitland telephoned me and asked me to sign on. This pleased me because I really wanted to come back especially when he said I would likely be playing at centre-half or left back, which is fine because I would feel comfortable in either postion.
“This is a new challenge for me and I’m obviously looking forward to the new season. Allan said the club is goung for promotion and I am impressed by that.”
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A five star performance from Alloa