050 Birthday special with Sunderland's Ross Stewart: Loving football again at Ardeer & Kilwinning, his dad's life-changing £500 & leaving the land registry
It's a special show this week as we broadcast our 50th episode AND celebrate our first birthday. And for a special show we wanted a stellar guest. It's a longer episode this week but Ross Stewart's rise from the juniors to challenging at the top of England's League One with Sunderland is a story worth listening to. Whether you get through it in one go or do it in bursts across the course of the week, ever one of Ross' answers can act as inspiration to anyone involved in semi-professional football. On Monday Ross made his first start for the Black Cats but just eight years ago he was having to tout himself around juniors teams and working for the land registry. Ross is the perfect example of just where you can go if you work hard and put your mind to it. After playing for St Mirren and Celtic as a kid he got his break at Ardeer Thistle then moved onto Kilwinning Rangers and hasn’t looked back since. Spells at Albion Rovers and back at St Mirren followed before his form at Ross County won him a move to the Stadium of Light in January. We’ll hear how he fell out of football then found it again after being petrified walking into Ardeer's changing room for the first time. We hear how his dad had to pay £500 to make his dream of leaving Kilwinning Rangers for Albion Rovers a reality - but has he paid that life changing sum back yet? There's the spell where he left his day job working for the land registry on a Friday - and started full-time football with St Mirren three days later. Ross also tells us about the Sunderland medical and his reaction to their manager Lee Johnson's claims he wants to mould him into a combination of Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips. We'd also like to give a quick mention to our sponsors FortyFour Creative. They have a team of highly skilled and passionate photographers, graphic designers, videographers and video editors to help promote your content, brand, organisation or event. They make creation personal. Find out more at www.fortyfourcreativehq.comIf you have any comments we'd love to hear from you. Likewise if you're at a club who would like your post-match audio featured on the show then do get in touch. You can email [email protected] or contact us through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.It’s all here as, for the 50th time, we go, Down The Divisions. Down The Divisions logo design Adam AitkenIntro and outro music Bensound