7 minute read
Fraser Fyvie
Having become the Dons’ youngest ever player when he featured against Hamilton in 2009, the midfielder moved south, where he picked up an FA Cup medal with Wigan Athletic, and later became a Hibernian hero as part of their Scottish Cup winning side in 2016.
Had it not been for cruel luck – he suffered two serious cruciate injuries – there is little doubt his career at the top level would have been a lengthier one, but that has been to Cove’s benefit, and Fraser has proved an excellent signing since joining up ahead of the club’s debut in the SPFL in the summer of 2019. “To be honest, I was wondering where my career was going to go. I’d had the second cruciate at Dundee United and they had cancelled my contract, and you’re obviously seen as a risk by every manager, every club.
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“I’d had the chance of a move to Greece, I’d actually gone over, but it didn’t feel right, and there was something in Holland as well, but none of that sat well with me at the time.
“Cove was on my doorstep, I thought it was a chance to rebuild myself, and three years later I’m still here and thoroughly enjoying it. We’ve won a couple of leagues and I’m back in the Championship.”
With two Cup-winners medals in his pocket, and approaching what should be the peak years of his career, did Fraser have any qualms about taking such a major step down?
“To be totally honest, I didn’t want to. Who wants to drop down? In my opinion, I’m a Premier League player. It’s a long time since I played there, but I still think I could be. Circumstances went against me at times, some of the decisions I made weren’t the right ones, but you learn to take it on the chin and just concentrate on what you can influence.”
This has been the most settled period of Fraser’s career, and he has played considerably more games for Cove than for any of his other clubs. He has, in the main, stayed fit, although there was a frustrating lay-off earlier in this campaign, when a hamstring problem kept him out for seven matches.
But he is back now, and ready to make an impact: “I think it takes up to five games to get going again. I’ve obviously not been as sharp as I’d like to be, but that comes with more minutes on the pitch. I am a naturally fit guy though, so hopefully I’ll be back at one hundred percent soon.”
It is a decade now since the teenage Fyvie left Pittodrie to sign for Premier League strugglers Wigan Athletic. The Lancashire club would be relegated at the end of that 2012-13 campaign, but they would go down, incredibly, as FA Cup winners, having shocked star-studded Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley.
Fraser had a pitch-side view, having been named as one of the substitutes on the big day:
“Obviously being so young, and being involved in my first season down there, it was a bit surreal at times. I probably didn’t appreciate it enough then, but working with the manager, Roberto Martinez, and some brilliant players; what an experience that was.
“I was coming on at Wembley. He told me to get stripped with about twenty minutes to go, and I was standing there ready at the side. Then Shaun Maloney whipped the corner in, Ben Watson scored, and I was told to sit back down again; it was just eleven men behind the ball for the rest of the match. But it was great to be part of that memorable day, and I’d done my bit in the earlier rounds.”
With Wigan on the slide, Fraser left in early 2015, immediately signing a shortterm deal with Hibernian. That would be extended in the summer, and twelve months later, Fyvie and his team-mates were history makers after a thrilling win over Rangers at Hampden:
“Special memories, a really good group, and a great manager in Alan Stubbs. The club had been relegated, there was a rebuild going on, and he recruited players who maybe had a point to prove, or hadn’t had a proper chance elsewhere.
“The second season there we were on for the treble. We lost the League Cup semi-final, actually to the gaffer’s Ross County, and we came up just short in the Championship, but we made up for that at Hampden. “One hundred and fourteen years since Hibs had won the Scottish Cup! I still get people coming up to me getting really emotional about that day, thanking me for what that team did. The open-topped bus was incredible, there were two hundred and fifty thousand people on Leith Walk that afternoon, and I can assure you it was a great few days afterwards.”
It was next stop Tannadice, and while he put in some excellent performances with United, Fraser was again beset by injury, and ultimately landed up at Balmoral, taking the big step of moving to part-time football.
It may not be what he dreamed of as a kid, but Fyvie now feels at home with Cove Rangers, and knows he is valued, and working with good people:
“It’s a strong group, it really is. There’s a nucleus who have been here for years; we all knew each other when we were young lads, but there are no cliques, we’re all in this together, the local lads and the boys who travel up.
“This season is all about consolidation in the Championship and we will fight as hard as we can to achieve that.”
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JIM MCINTYRE
Last Saturday was a particularly enjoyable one as the team put in a strong performance to ensure we were never in danger of becoming a negative Scottish Cup headline.
I had emphasised to the players the need to show Dunipace respect, and to be totally professional in our approach, and that was exactly what they did.
The fact that I put out as close to a full strength starting line-up as I could made it clear how importantly I was treating the tie, and it was pleasing to see the side score the goals they did, while putting in a nice solid defensive display.
In games like that, it is all down to the mentality of the bigger team; ours was spot on.
It was great to see Gerry McDonagh hitting the net as often as he did, and the second half headers were excellent. I would hope that gives him a real boost, and that we see the best of the big man in the months ahead.
With the game under control, I took the opportunity to make changes, and give a few of the lads the chance to get minutes on the pitch. They all contributed, and it was nice to see two of the substitutes, Leighton McIntosh and Jamie Masson, getting among the goals.
The draw for the Fourth Round saw us paired with Championship rivals, Ayr United. I was delighted we got a home draw, that’s what you’re looking for first and foremost. It will mean we play Ayr two weeks in a row, which isn’t ideal, but when those games come round, we’ll be ready for them, and I always back us against anyone here at Balmoral.
For now, all our focus is on the league, and with Max Johnston and Jack Sanders available again this week, after having to miss the cup-tie, I have a near full strength squad to choose from. That’s a position every manager wants.
Partick Thistle have just emerged from a challenging run, losing six in a row, which is evidence of what a tight league the Championship is, and how difficult it can be to pick up points. They have bounced back with 3-0 wins over Arbroath and Kelty, in the Cup, and will be determined to get their promotion bid back on track.
We picked up what was an excellent point at Firhill a couple of months ago, Mark Reynolds’ double late in the game earning a draw from a game which had looked lost.
As we approach the halfway stage of the league season, we will be looking to go one step better this afternoon.
Enjoy the game!
Jim McIntyre
CHAMPIONS MAGAZINE
