Back injury forces defender Forrest to retire from football

Hamish Hutchinson • Published 19 Jan 2012 08:00 0 Comments

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ALLOA Athletic FC defender Fraser Forrest has been forced to retire due to a recurring injury.

The 28-year-old, who has been struggling with a back problem since he was a teenager, was advised to quit or risk long-term damage.

It was a tough decision for the Wasps player, having recently made his 100th appearance for the club.

He told Advertiser Sport, "I could keep playing for a couple of years but I'm already noticing my standards are dropping in my play.

"It is more a lack of mobility due to my back problems which had started to niggle other parts of my body. It means I can't train and play at the level I'm required to."

Forrest, a PE teacher at Jedburgh Grammar School, said he was 15 when doctors found something "structurally wrong" with his back; two lumber discs at the bottom of his spine were fused together.

He said, "I used to get away with it when I was younger. I didn't have that many problems, but it was always going to be something that would catch up with me.

"At the start of the season I felt reasonably okay. I thought I could give it a go but I took a fall in training and I knew then that things with my back were bad, and it just deteriorated."

When Forrest signed to the Wasps at the beginning of the season it was his third time pulling on the black and gold strip.

He played for Stenhousemuir and Sauchie Juniors before coming to Alloa in 2005.

Forrest remained a regular in the squad until January 2009 when under then Alloa manager Allan Maitland he was transferred on loan to Berwick Rangers for the remainder of that season.

Forrest said, "I didn't want to leave the first time I was there. It's a fantastic club and they look after you really well.

"I really enjoyed playing under Allan Maitland but he was trying to do something different with the team at that point."

He joined Bo'ness United and helped them win the Scottish Junior Football Association's East Region Super League.

But it wasn't long before Maitland was knocking on Forrest's door after the club was hit by injury and suspension in the second half of 2010/11 season. The defender was drafted in under the guise of trialist for three games.

Then at the end of last season he was approached again, but this time for a permanent role.

He said, "It came out of the blue. I was on holiday in America when I got a call from my dad saying Alloa were keen to sign me.

"Paul [Hartley] is a young manager but he's got a lot of good ideas and a good back-room staff around him.

"I really enjoyed training as it always kept you on your toes."

Forrest admitted, "He wants his team to play good passing football from the back, which is something that's not always my forte."

While Forrest played in the bounce game against Hibernian U19s, his last competitive match for the Wasps was against East Stirling. It also happened to coincide with his 100th appearance for the club - something that came as a surprise to him.

He said, "I knew it was in the 90s but had no idea that my 100th appearance would be my last game. It wasn't the way I planned it at all.

"I had been talking about it (retiring) for a couple of months as my back had been causing more stiffness and pain.

"I didn't feel comfortable in the East Stirling game and the bounce game against Hibs made my mind up."

Looking to the future, Forrest is keen to progress behind the scenes and complete further coaching badges.

He said, "It's going to be weird not having to train or play on a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday as I've done it for so many years.

"I'll miss the camaraderie. There's no other better feeling than being part of a team and training to achieve something together.

"I'll be popping up to a good few games before the end of the season. Hopefully we'll continue challenging for promotion and win the league as the boys are more than capable of doing so."

A spokesperson for the club said, "Fraser has never given anything less than 100 per cent in his times at Recreation Park and a more honest player you will not get.

"The club would like to thank him for his commitment whenever called upon."

This article appeared in Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser 18 Jan 12

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