Robbie Winters picks up football medal

May 6 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

BEFORE Saturday, Robbie Winters’ last Scottish football medal had been earned when the striker swapped his shooting boots for goalkeeping gloves.

The then-Aberdeen striker was called into action as emergency keeper back in 2000 when Jim Leighton was carried off crocked.

Winters and his Dons team mates were on the wrong end of a 4-0 defeat that day but a decade later the veteran striker has picked up another gong, his first-ever Scottish league winners medal, and he couldn’t be happier.

He said: “That is my first Scottish league winners medal and I never thought it would come in the Third Division but hopefully we can build on it next season.

“My last Scottish medal came in that final and it was quite different this time around.

“But, at the end of the day, all footballers work hard and do their best to try and get into finals and win things and we’ve managed to do so.”

Winters capped a dream weekend by being named Third Division PFA Player of the Year, pipping club captain Liam Fox in the process.

“It was a wee surprise to win the award but the most important thing was that Livingston won the league and earned promotion,” he said.

“I was up against our captain as well so it was a real honour to win and it will find a place in my house.

“We had a good turnout of lads at the event and about 15 of us went along in what was a top night.”

On Saturday, Winters once again found himself the target of the Shire boo boys from the stand and some heavy challenges but he shrugged that off and preferred to look ahead to what will be a tough challenge in Division Two next season.

He added: “It was bit scrappy game with some tough tackles in the midfield but we managed to win and get the result we wanted.

“I got smashed a few times but that's part and parcel of football.

“It will be sad to see some of the guys moving on but hopefully they will get picked up by other clubs, maybe even in the First Division, where they can look forward to a new challenge.

“It has been a long season and being favourites added extra pressure but I feel we were professional throughout and I feel we managed that and are happy with the end result.

“If we are losing a few of our experienced players hopefully the manager can freshen things up with a few new faces but we'll have to wait and see.”