Prior to a game you’ll sometimes look at opposition teams and think, “yeah, we’re winning today.” Sometimes you look and think, “oh, shit.”

​

Scott McGowan played against 1874 in April 2015 and didn’t get a kick. In October 2015, we visited Congleton and McGowan banged in a ridiculous hat-trick. They took him off when they went 3-1 up and he understandably walked off to applause. Someone shouted, “geddoff, yer not that fucken’ good”. But he was.  His replacement scored to extend Congleton’s lead, but even so, that game ended up finishing 4-4. Mad.

​

There are some players that you just wish would don your club’s shirt. That game ensured McGowan was one of those players. He was red-hot.

 

He joined us in the summer of 2016 along with a host of other really good players. Beadle had moved on. Brandon had retired. These were tough boots for any goalscorer to fill. But there was optimism.  This was a Galactico summer for 1874, but like Real Madrid regularly find out, for some reason, it just didn’t click. Often playing second fiddle, Scotty departed in February 2017.

Things weren’t right at ’74. An absolute gunslinger had left us.

​

But then, as the winds changed, so too did managers, and Scotty returned. Brought back to settle some unfinished business.  Typically, he then scored a trademark goal to win us a cup final. The following season he became the pinnacle of our side; 42 goals plundered in an outstanding season where he was the focus of every attack.

​

And then as 1874 developed, Scotty developed with us. We were gaining our identity, finding our place in the world, and Scotty just seemed to, well, ‘get it’. Another 36 goals were added last season. That took his total to 100. It was a season that ended in perhaps our most triumphant moment so far, yes, but for so long it was so frustrating. But for the goals of Scotty McGowan, who can say where we might have ended up.

​

The end of season awards all seemed to go his way: Player of the season. Players’ player of the season. Goal of the season, for his outrageous lob against West Didsbury & Chorlton.

​

Ominously for other sides, he is already off the mark this season as well...

​

He doesn’t do any of that instagram story crap, he’s far too focused for that. He has about five twitter accounts, probably because he’s too busy scoring goals to ever get into it. He’s an old school player; a nightmare on the pitch, but a gentleman off it.

​

And, perhaps most importantly for us fans, we can see it on his face. We can see what it means. To us. To him. To 1874, and everyone working together towards the same goal. Simply put, he’s our Scotty. He always wants more goals. As do we.

​

Keep doing your thing, Scotty, and we’ll keep singing your name. 

​

Here’s to the next century. 101 and counting.

​

(originally published August 2019)