Alan Main

For the former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, see Alan Main (minister).
Alan Main

Main in 2009
Personal information
Full nameAlan David Main
Date of birth5 December 1967
Place of birthElgin, Scotland
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing positionGoalkeeper
Youth career
Elgin City
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1986–1995Dundee United152(0)
1988Cowdenbeath (loan)3(0)
1988East Stirlingshire (loan)2(0)
1995–2003St. Johnstone233(0)
2003–2004Livingston15(0)
2004–2007Gretna61(0)
2007–2010St. Johnstone75(0)
2010Ayr United (trial)1(0)
Total542(0)
National team
1988–1989Scotland under-213(0)
1998Scotland B1(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Alan David Main (born 5 December 1967 in Elgin, Moray) is a retired Scottish football goalkeeper.

Main began his career in the Highland League, where he made his debut for Lossiemouth at the age of fifteen and also played and for Elgin City. He signed for Dundee United in 1986 and also played for St. Johnstone, Livingston and Gretna in a twenty-year full-time professional career. In addition, Main appeared for Cowdenbeath and East Stirlingshire on loan and Ayr United as a trialist. He won the Scottish League Cup with Livingston and three Scottish Football League divisional medals. He also earned runners-up medals from the Scottish Cup and the UEFA Cup, having been part of the Dundee United squad that reached the 1987 final of the latter during his first professional season.

He began his second spell with St. Johnstone in 2007, and during the 2008–9 season helped them win promotion to the Scottish Premier League as well as breaking the club's all-time appearance record.

Despite having been called up the Scotland squad, Main was never capped at full international level. He did however represent Scotland in under-21 and B international fixtures.

Career

Main began his professional career with Lossiemouth his local club Highland League Club before transferring to neighbours and fellow Highland Club, Elgin City. From Elgin City he was transferred to Dundee United, making his début as a nineteen-year-old. He spent nine years at Tannadice, mostly under manager Jim McLean, even making Andy Roxburgh's Scotland squad. Due to make his début against Malta, he hurt his back and required an operation that kept him out of action for nine months.

Main signed for Dundee United's Tayside rivals St. Johnstone in 1995 as competition for Saints' then first-choice goalkeeper Andy Rhodes. Known for his long kicks and dribbling skills outside his box, Main signed a three-year deal with the Perth club in 1997 and was again called up to the Scotland squad (this time by Craig Brown) not long afterwards. He made the substitutes' bench twice, but with Jim Leighton and Andy Goram ahead of him in the pecking order, he never took to the field.

Main broke his shin in a September 2001 game against Motherwell[1] and was out of the game for over a year, missing Saints' relegation to the First Division. Main returned to first-team action in October 2002, despite Kevin Cuthbert – Main's deputy – having just won the First Division Player of the Month award.[2] Four months after returning to first-team football, Main ended his nine-year association with the Perth club and returned to the Premier League with Livingston.[3]

In February 2004, Main was one of a number of players affected by financial problems at Livingston and was asked to take a pay cut to remain at the club.[4] Within days, Celtic indicated their interest in signing Main.[5] Along with the other five players asked to accept reduced terms, Main agreed to remain at Livingston for the remainder of the season.[6]

Following the beginning of the 2004–05 season, Main joined Scottish Third Division side Gretna on a three-year deal and went on to feature in each of their consecutive championship wins, culminating in promotion to the Scottish Premier League. Main guested for Shamrock Rovers in a friendly against Hibernian in July 2005.[7] On 6 March 2007, two months before Gretna's promotion to the top flight, it was announced that Main had signed a pre-contract agreement with his former club St. Johnstone on a two-year deal.[8]

Despite turning 41 in 2008, Alan Main was still the number one keeper for St. Johnstone going into 2009. In April 2009, Main overtook Drew Rutherford to become the player with the most appearances for the club. He also signed a one-year contract extension until May 2010, making him a part of the squad promoted back to the Scottish Premier League for the first time in seven years. At 42, Main was the oldest registered player in the Scottish Premier League during the 2009–10 season.[9]

Main started in the first nine SPL games of the 2009–10 season before being edged out by former Kilmarnock and Rangers goalkeeper Graeme Smith, who had missed the early part of the season due to an injury sustained in a pre-season match. Main remained on the substitutes' bench after Smith made his way into the starting line-up, and was released by St. Johnstone at the end of the 2009–10 season.[10] on Tuesday 17 August, Main joined Second Division side Ayr United, on an emergency loan deal.

In recognition of his achievements and services to St. Johnstone over his 2 spells at the club, a series of events were planned for throughout 2010 as part of Alan's testimonial year. These events included a race night and also a hosted dinner. Alan was also granted a testimonial match against a Manchester United XI Manchester which was played at McDiarmid Park McDiarmid Park on Saturday 31 July 2010.

On 21 August 2010, Main appeared as a trialist goalkeeper for Ayr United and kept a clean sheet in their 1–0 victory over Dumbarton.[11] At 42 years 259 days old, he became the oldest player ever to play for Ayr United. A permanent deal however did not come to fruition.

On 7 January 2011 Main joined SPL side Rangers as temporary goalkeeping coach due to Jim Stewart requiring knee surgery, staying in this position until 3 March. Main officially announced his retirement as a player on 26 March 2011.

Career statistics

Season Club League League Scottish Cup Scottish League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1986–87Dundee UnitedScottish Premier Division2010--30
1987–888020--100
1988–89Cowdenbeath (loan)Scottish Division Two30---30
East Stirlingshire (loan)20---20
1989–90Dundee UnitedScottish Premier Division27050-10330
1990–91310601020400
1991–92170-20-190
1992–934302030-480
1993–94170-4020230
1994–9560-2020100
St. JohnstoneScottish First DivisionN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
1995–96N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
1996–97N/A1020N/AN/A
1997–98Scottish Premier Division3403020-390
1998–99Scottish Premier League3404040-420
1999–00210101040270
2000–013802020-420
2001–0270---70
2002–03Scottish First Division1401010-150
LivingstonScottish Premier League120---120
2003–0430---30
2004–05GretnaScottish Third Division40---40
2005–06Scottish Second Division3107020-400
2006–07Scottish First Division260101020300
2007–08St. JohnstoneScottish First Division3405010-400
2008–093201010-340

Honours

Dundee United
1986–87
1990–91
St. Johnstone
1996–97, 2008–09
1998–99
2007–08
Livingston
2003–04
Gretna
2005–06
2005–06
2006–07

References

  1. "Main out for a year". BBC Sport. 2 October 2001. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  2. "Reward for McCall". BBC Sport. 13 September 2002. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  3. "Livi give Main chance". BBC Sport. 28 January 2003. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  4. "Livi cut six players". BBC Sport. 10 February 2004. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  5. "Celtic keeper gets time off". BBC Sport. 13 February 2004. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  6. "Livi six accept cuts". BBC Sport. 17 February 2004. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  7. Can't find that Page
  8. "Main and Bingham to exit Gretna". BBC Sport. 5 March 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  9. St Johnstone FC. "Main beats Rutherford's record at Dunfermline". Retrieved 2009-04-13.
  10. St. Johnstone Football Club – News Archive
  11. http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/news.asp?int_news_id=2079

External links