Craig Bryson says he has been lucky in his football life – and dropping down to a part-time role at Stenhousemuir is just the next stage in his career.
An injury-ravaged final season at St Johnstone hampered Bryson’s appearances, and he last played for them in a 3-1 Boxing Day defeat against Celtic.
That, and the fact that he’s 35, has seen the former Derby County and Aberdeen midfielder take a one-year deal at the League Two club; but he says it suits him at this stage in his career.
A qualified personal trainer, Bryson is also with Keller Williams estate agents, and has some rental properties – but he also has a young son, and is looking forward to spending more time with him.
Bryson, who hails from Westwood, said: “It’s something I’m looking forward to, it’s the next step in my career.
“It has been well documented that I’ve had an ankle injury for near enough the whole time I’ve
been back in Scotland, so it hasn’t been ideal, obviously, but it is what it is.
“I got the injury when I was 33, I think it was, and to take the positives, I’ve done well in my career not to have a serious injury up until then.
“It will be good, I’m looking forward to it. I’ve had a great time in football. I think that’s over 19 years I’ve been playing, and just over 600 professional games.
“If you told me, as a young lad of 16 at Clyde, that I’d go and do that in my career, I’d have snapped your hand off.
“If you had told me then that I’d be able to go part-time at 35, I’d have snapped your hand off as well.”
Bryson, who had loan spell at EK Thistle in 2004, won the League Cup and Scottish Cup double with St Johnstone last season, and this past term hasn’t worked out well for him or the team, avoiding relegation from the Premiership via the play-off.
But he says leaving McDiarmid Park was likely at this stage anyway.
“I really enjoyed my time up there,” he said.
“We had a good time with the cup double and finishing in the European places in my first season, but that took its toll in the second season, and I was injured again just at the tail-end of last year.
"Leaving St Johnstone was one of those that was always going to happen. Joining St Johnstone was never really a long-term thing, considering my age when I signed.
“I have nothing but positive memories from St Johnstone.
“I got on well with the manager, I still get on well with the manager, it’s not as if we parted on bad terms.
“I think everybody understood the situation, and it’s just the way it is.
“The harsh realities of football – a side that a lot of people don’t see – is that once you hit a certain age in football, and you’ve had a few injuries, nobody’s really interested.”
Moving to Ochilview under boss Stephen Swift and assistant Frazer Wright, a fellow East Kilbride resident, will also open the door for another aspect of the signing, and one that Bryson would have laughed at even a few years ago.
“It’s not just a completely football decision,” he said. “I’m not 100 per cent sure of what I’m going to do in my spare time.
“I’m qualified as a personal trainer, I’m doing a bit with the estate agency and I’ve got some rentals and stuff like that.
“It also gives me a bit more time with my son, and daft things like taking him to nursery and picking him up.
“I had a couple of other offers, and on paper people would potentially say they are better clubs, but I think for me, the whole project is important.
“I know Frazer Wright very well, and I spoke to him and the manager, liked what they had to say, and the position they want me to play in, and stuff, and my role at the club.
“Potentially there might be a chance of doing some coaching as well.
“I would always have said ‘never, I’m not interested in coaching’ but the closer you come to the end of your career, it’s something you have to start thinking about.
“I’ve been in football ever since I left school, and I’ve done some personal training and estate agency and stuff, but nothing ever comes close to football.”
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