SAUCHIE'S Graeme McGregor could have been part of very different surroundings on Saturday, rather than a disappointing day in Musselburgh.

The former youth star used to lead out Celtic namesake Callum on Scotland duty and had been tipped for the top when he left boyhood club Falkirk for the Bolton Wanderers academy.

But, a decade later he has swapped East Stirlingshire for the Wee County, linking up once again with Martin Mooney at Beechwood Park.

Nevertheless, the 26-year-old has no complaints about the hand he's been dealt and feels he will always look back fondly on the early days of his career.

Still, he admits it is strange to be considered one of the senior players in the Sauchie dressing room.

"When I was younger I was at Falkirk and then I was a young boy when I moved to Bolton," McGregor told Advertiser Sport. "It was a good experience and then I came back up the road to St Mirren for a season.

"I had a good youth career and that has helped me to play football in the right way.

"With Scotland, I was part of a side which contained the likes of Callum McGregor, Jamie Walker (Hearts) and Dylan McGeouch (Sunderland) so it was a really good and talented side.

"It was funny down at Bolton because I used to hang about with Michael O'Halloran (St Johnstone) and then Owen Coyle was there, so it was good to have some other Scottish voices.

"It's a weird feeling now thinking I am one of the older ones at this time of my career. I am 26 which isn't too old but I am going to have to use my experience to help the team.

"It's a different challenge for myself and some of the other older lads to use our experience to help the team.

"We are no longer some of the younger guys but the experienced heads people rely on."

McGregor ended his second spell with East Stirlingshire after playing more than 150 games for Derek Ure's side in both the SPFL and later Lowland League.

And as soon as Mooney came calling, he admits he didn't think about going anywhere else.

He said: "Things were going on at East Stirlingshire that weren't really for me and so I wasn't looking forward to going back at the start of pre-season.

"I had a chat with the manager and he agreed to let me go and to go and find a club. They were happy to let me move on because of what I've done for them.

"I worked with Martin at East Stirling when he was assistant manager. I knew he was at Sauchie and I knew a couple of the guys like David McCaughie and Kris Faulds – one of my best mates – so for me I had a chat with Martin and was happy to sign.

"It's a nice wee club and good people involved and a good set of lads. So it was an easy decision for me.

"As a semi-local I am not far so know they have been a right good junior side for as long as I can remember. They have got a good set-up, a nice stadium and lovely grass park.

"Martin likes to play football in the way I like to play by getting it on the ground and moving it quickly.

"That's how he wants us to play and to get it down and move it around. He's very enthusiastic and had a good playing career himself.

"He knows what he wants from his players and how he wants the game."

The midfielder was part of a Sauchie side which made it three games without a win in the Premier Division as they followed up last Wednesday's Linlithgow Rose defeat by losing to Musselburgh.

McGregor said: "We've got a good squad of players and do think we will do well.

"There's a lot of new faces and I am sure it will just take some time. It's been described as a skeleton squad and we've not really even had subs.

"I am sure with time we will get things right."