A Breath of Belief - Making It

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The Premier League awaits, a real world away from Scotland and Glasgow. Barry Ferguson would be off to Birmingham after being sold after boozegate, they were in the Championship and under McLeish. Wouldn't have minded that move either, if they were interested and came in with an offer there is a chance I'd have hopped there instead.

Anyway, the Premier League with Hull City AFC.

Aged 26 after years with the Old Firm I was over in England. I was ****** nervous too, I hadn't played a game of football in ages. Hear I was trying to turn out in a friendly against North Ferriby United with a few youngsters and Dean Windass and it just wasn't easy. I felt like I had two weak feet and I was running on a trampoline.

This was a friendly against North Ferriby United.​
 
Should be interesting to see how you get on at Hull!! Great stuff as always mate

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Great stuff Jela. Hope Rory can be a success at Hull!
 
Yeti01 said:
Great stuff Jela. Hope Rory can be a success at Hull!
Click to expand...

Fingers crossed!

Sam91 said:
Should be interesting to see how you get on at Hull!! Great stuff as always mate

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
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Cheers! Will be interesting!

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Love how I'm almost at ten pages and Rory Scott has just hit his playing peak and I have only just considered a FM save for Mr Scott!
 
I have a few pages to catch up on! Looking forward to it! Keep up the great work man.
 
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"Your fitness, mate.. " Sean Rush opened up, they had been a final pre-season meeting between Phil Brown's backroom staff and we had been told that we'd be spoken to as well if there was anything of note to discuss. Getting a call from Phil Brown was scary, I thought I'd maybe be in the side for the opening game against Fulham but instead I was to come in on our final day off before the league started to talk with the fitness coach, Sean.



"Yeah, I know. Coming back from a lengthy time on the sidelines. I'm getting there." I replied, as I took a seat besides him in his small office by the clubs gym. It was more of a equipment cupboard he has converted but it did a job.



"We were hoping you'd be in much better shape by now, I mean, it's a step from Scotland to England. Never mind the fact you have spent so long injured and trying to recover. We have decided that, so we don't burn you out or have any further injuries, to have you have your own time over the next 14 days to get your head and body in the right place then upon returning you will go through a 30-day fitness program with myself and Simon, the physio."



Wow. I really didn't think I was this far behind the rest of the lads. This hurt. I knew I wasn't at the peak of physical fitness but could still run about for 90 minutes. Maybe I had completely misjudged my fitness though.



"So I won't touch a ball with the first team for another 2 or so months?" I asked, I just wanted to play football and here I am getting told I've put on a few too many pounds and my road to recovery wasn't over.



"Yeah, sorry bud. With that, the boys above us, don't feel you should be paid in full for your time away since you are not in contention. But that will be spoken about with them.



"What? We don't dock wages from someone who is injured. I am here, feeling relatively fresh being told I won't be able to play. What about the others in the side not competing? Gonna dock their wages too?" I got up, angry. I stormed out of the training ground and didn't communicate with the club, unless it was through my agent. I found myself, somehow, in another story with the press over money issues. This time there was substance to it but it wasn't meant in a bad way.



I was just generally frustrated that I wouldn't be playing for even longer. I had played in 3 friendlies. North Ferriby United, Hartlepool United and Rotherham. I hadn't played in the others because of squad rotation, but this was stupid. I am fit and raring to go, however, instead of having my £33,500 per week wage just cut a little bit it was completely gone until I returned as I hadn't signed an absence with consent form.



Ended up returning when I was going to anyway, 2 weeks down the line, an angry manager, shocked fitness coach and disappointed players. I had to fight to win them back and to have them on my side. Most of the players understood my problems though. This was a silly situation, where I had the media watching me and a gaffer who had to be stern with me at the owners wishes now.



On the pitch, the team had got off to a strong start, a win at home to Fulham was followed by a draw at Blackburn Rovers and then only 1 loss in 6. Bringing us to October and I was officially back in training with the first team, deemed fit enough to play football.

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I'd see myself in the squad for the first time as we set up for Manchester United at the start of November, we'd just come off a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea and the United game was a real classic. We were 4-1 down but late goals saw us really fight for a point but just missed out late on, I'd not come on but finally got a debut midweek against Bolton.



I'd replace Dean Marney who picked up a small knock against United, the gaffer was still making it clear that he didn't think I had it in me for this side but really I reckon he was trying to fire me up. We'd lose 1-0 and I was quiet, I would be booked for complaining in frustration late on and the game was just poor. It was our 3rd loss in a row and we began to slip down the table but wouldn't touch the bottom half until Christmas, when I'd feature next.



We'd be smashed 4-1 against Sunderland, I'd be at fault for one goal but also set up Geovanni for his, we'd then get absolutely mauled by Manchester City 5-1 on Boxing Day where I'd be replaced early for a defender as Phil Brown attempted to keeps scoring low, Phil Brown also embarrassed us by marching us down to the supporters for the half time team talk. While some players accepted it, a few players did lose respect for him but didn't make it clear to that many.



We'd reach the end of January with 6 losses in a row, I had now only featured in 5. 2 starts in the league, 2 times off the bench and another off the bench in an FA Cup replay defeat to Newcastle United.


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"Alright, mate? Things have clearly failed to work for you here. The Premier League is a step up and with Jimmy Bullard coming in I can't see you playing much more in our campaign this year." Phil Brown spoke to me in quite a cautious tone, I was gutted but I wasn't being given the time of day in Hull and I was another Scottish flop in England.



"Any interest?" I gulped and looked up, nervously expecting a 'find yourself a club in 2 days' before the window closed but it wasn't the answer I got.



"McLeish wouldn't mind you at Birmingham, they are competing for promotion in the Championship. Worked with him at Rangers, didn't you?" He inquired. I was excited, almost. It was the Championship but it would be a loan move and if I played well and we were promoted; Birmingham could be interested in myself or even other Premier League sides.


I'd travel to Birmingham to talk withthe club later in the day.

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"Welcome, Rory!" Alex McLeish bellowed, arms wide as he engulfed in a hug ignoring my agent and walking me down to a few comfy, leather couches before asking for tea and coffee to be sent our way.



"Been a while, hasn't it?" He added, accepting his cup of tea and ushering mine towards me. I wasn't a tea drinker but couldn't say no to the excited McLeish.



"Cannot believe you went to ****** Celtic though? What was that Frenchie thinking?" He continued, sipping away as Jeremy, my agent was left tea-less.



"Yeah, I was sent away and thought I'd hop to Celtic, y'know?" I responded. Looking around the open reception area at St Andrews.



"Well, we can go up this year. I want you to be part of that. I don't think I want to spend that much to bring you here permanently yet but Phil is happy for a loan deal. We're paying half your contract which is a massive £33,000? How'd you work that one?" I couldn't tell if I was supposed to feel bad or lucky to be on the money so I just looked and smiled at Jeremy who just raised his eyebrows.



"If you came in here, permanently at the years end then I doubt we could match that but it completely depends, alright?" He continued, before walking me towards David Gold, the clubs chairman to sign a few bits of paper and do a quick medical. I quickly began to dislike the chairman who followed us for the remainder of the meeting mentioning how I wasn't allowed to be nicking pies or what not, merely as a joke, I am sure but I expected some professionalism and wished they'd respect the fact I battled back from 10 months on the sidelines with a broken leg that I probably shouldn't have returned from. ​
 
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@AndyHCAFC: Fat Scott is off to Birmingham, eh? Hardly a miss, will be pies left at half time! #WhoAteAllThePies

@JimmyTiger: Shame Rory Scott never worked out, 10 months out to try return to the Prem when used to Scottish football cannot be easy!

@TommyFromTheBlueCity: McLeish got the best out of Scott in Scotland, sure he can do it in Birmingham.

@JerryBhoyROI: The fat joke is gone running to the arms of McLeish again!!

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@RoryScott: Excited to work with Alex McLeish again! Desperate to prove the doubters wrong. #Recovery #FatScottNoMore​
 
"Alright lads, most of you should know Rory. He's had a tough 16 months, he made it back from a ten month injury and never really got going at Hull due to reported 'weight issues' but we have all seen him today in training and he is as hungry as any of you. He's gonna slip into the side to play Burnley. He's one of us now." Alex McLeish closed the training session with a small statement regarding myself. I had sweat dripping, I had worked so hard and actually went to my hotel, where I was staying until I could rent a home or flat and spewed. I hadn't worked so hard before, and I was feeling it the next few days.



I'd befriend a fellow Scotsman in James McFadden at the club too, I was desperate for things to work out and he just told me to keep my head on the game. I'd featured with him at a National level but I hadn't touched a Scotland squad since my days in Scotland - since then of course I had a 10 month injury and only a few appearances for Hull.



Burnley arrived and I was playing just behind the striker, Kevin Phillips. It was a position I had adopted under McLeish when I probably had my strongest season at the club. It was a poor day, a windy, rainy day had myself and others struggling to make an impact. I hadn't even played reserve or U21 football so it took me a bit to get a feel. After half an hour we found our footing and were piling on the pressure, a McFadden corner swung in and a poor clearance had the ball drop to me on the edge of the box. I'd take the ball wide and drive it back across goal it would ping off the knee of Kevin Phillips and we'd take the lead.



In the end it would be only 1-1 but I had a very solid game and pleased those whom it mattered too. We'd win at Nottingham Forest and then go on a choppy 3 game run. I'd score my first for the club and grab another 2 assists and then end our 3 games without a win with a late winner at Bristol City. We were sat second and hungry for promotion.



I had already played 6, more than I did at Hull, I had set up 3 goals and scored 2 for myself to win the February player of the month award - the same month would see me hit 27. It really felt like Yesterday when I was at Aberdeen or trying to breakthrough at Rangers and then it really was just the other year where I mistakenly took the armband at Celtic.

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I'd earn another Scotland Call-up, the first in ages and play in my 9th International Game where we would lose 3-0 to a strong Holland side. I was enjoying myself again, however, after every game I'd desperately need a day off and then struggle to train two days later. My leg and groin would be in agony.



10 games to go in the league, promotion is right there as we sit second.​
 
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"Alright, Rory - Know you haven't been here long but we want to bring you in permanently. Spoken to your parent club and they have agree'd a £400,000 fee for ya and some extra going their way upon promotion. We just need you to be interested." McLeish said, welcoming me into his office. I had no idea there was talks going on and I didn't even have my agent here with me.



"Oh, right. Well, okay." I stammered before asking about the details and sending a quick text to Jeremy.



"Now, okay - we can't and quite frankly won't match your current wages at Hull. No Championship club should be paying that money, obviously if we do go up this year they'll be a bonus there for you. We were thinking £15,000 per week." He mentioned cautiously.



"That's more than a 50% cut, gaffer. If we earn promotion I want to go back up to a reasonable amount. That's an utterly stupid cut. Like, be reasonable?" I said, almost outraged at the fact he was expecting me to take such a cut when Birmingham were a successful club financially at the minute. He looked disappointed as he pulled out a phone.



"I don't know, the board were relatively strict but we could see you go to £20,000 if we do earn promotion this year?" He inquired, hopeful.



"Don't be ******* stupid." I said, getting up angry at the stupid demands. I stormed out of his office. No one would say no to that money, sure but when I am dropping a league to earn promotion to the Premier League, no way should I still take a big cut. Absolute joke.

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