PREMIERSHIP high-flyers Boroughmuir will be in good hands next season after appointing a qualified pilot as their new team manager.
Former winger Ally McLean, 32, who works for Loganair, returns to the club which helped propel him into a paid career with Bedford, Worcester and Coventry keen to give something back after injury forced him to hang up his boots.
Vowing to draw on
experiences gained in the professional ranks, McLean said: "I'd love to still be turning out, but it is just too risky after taking quite a heavy blow on my back some time ago. Even playing touch rugby I'm aware if I took a whack I could be in a bit of trouble.
"That said, like everyone else who has played rugby, it is in my blood and the next best thing to pulling on the jersey will be to have some involvement after my job brought me back to Scotland.
"When head coach Eamon John approached me to become team manager I didn't hesitate on the basis that it would be good to spend time again at Meggetland and I feel I might just have something to offer."
A member of the Scotland Under-21 team on five occasions during 1997-98 it was at the end of that season and following a two-try display for 'Muir in their Scottish Cup Final defeat by a Melrose side boasting 11 contracted players when McLean joined Bedford Blues.
Earlier, he'd made six European Shield appearances for Edinburgh including the infamous "battle of Biarritz" when the team had to be escorted from the field at full-time after beating the French cracks, while he also scored a try against a Newcastle Falcons back line which included British Lions Alan Tait, Gary Armstrong, Alan Tait and Tim Simpson and All Black Inga Tuigamala.
McLean, who also represented Bedford in Europe, admitted: "I count myself fortunate to have enjoyed a few playing highlights, but in looking to try to keep Boroughmuir on top of the Premiership what might help most is the insight I got into top clubs like Leicester, Sale and Newcastle.
"My time at Bedford coincided with that club's appearance in the English Premiership so there were opportunities to see how the very best down south prepare for games. Boro might not be fully professional, but the approach is first class in terms of what they are aiming to do.
"Pre-season training has just begun at Meggetland and soon I'll find myself getting more deeply involved, work permitting. Last season will be a hard act to follow, but already I'm aware of a determination to do even better starting with our opening friendly against Stewart's-Melville (August 14]."
The full article contains 459 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
