Robbie Hedderman
It’s been a case of full circle for former Aberdeen player Robbie Hedderman after he returned to the club recently as Senior Scottish FA Community Coach at Pittodrie. Before discussing his new role, Robbie went back into the past and told us about life at Aberdeen first time around.
“At the time Aberdeen scouted me, I was playing for a part time team and the University team. The AFC scout worked at the University and after I had been on trial at a couple of English clubs, he came to watch me and invited me here. It went well and I was offered a contract and I joined around 2001. There was a lot happening at the club at the time and I was just 19, very young and raw. Everything was a whirlwind at the start. It took me a while to settle in, it was very exciting but very different. Even just leaving home was a challenge but I was chasing the dream, to be a professional footballer.
“Budgets were starting to be cut and the manager was finding it very difficult because he was losing experienced players each year. It did mean there were a lot of young players coming through but many were exposed to the first team too quickly.
“The first season I was here we did really well. We finished fourth and got into Europe. At the end of that season, we lost one or two important players and it made it very difficult. We lost Derek Whyte who was a massive influence around the place. Then the day came when Ebbe decided to resign and that brought sweeping changes throughout the club.
“I then returned to Ireland and I played for a couple of professional clubs, Cork City and Derry City and then I went semi-pro. I played with Selbourne and a couple of others. I had a decent career. Going home, I had to get over the disappointment from being released from a big club like Aberdeen but I eventually found my feet and started to play well.
“The league was very good in Ireland, it was very competitive as there were a lot of players who had not quite made it or were not getting enough football in the UK. They came home and the money was good and the standard was very high. We moved to summer football and the crowds were up. There was a buzz about the league and the teams were doing well in Europe at the time. “Summer football completely changed the domestic game on a number of levels. The pitches improved. The game got faster because the pitches were firmer. It was a younger man’s game because of the increase in pace. Crowds were very good because they were watching games in better conditions.
“From a player’s point of view it was a little strange at the start because you had to do a preseason in January! It was tough! I think it was a positive step moving to summer football. I know feelings are mixed on the subject but you can see from Dundalk this season in Europe that it has worked.
“But then as time passed I started to look at other things. What was I going to do long term? You can chase the dream for so long but then you need to be honest with yourself and realise the level you are at. It is difficult when you stop playing, making that transition into normal working life and a lot of players struggle with it, but there comes a time when you realise you are not going to be a multi-million pound football and need to have something else. So I went semi-pro and started a career in the financial services. I was around 24 at the time.
“I finished playing when I was around 28 and then had the opportunity to go in as a player coach at Malahide United. At the time, the recession had hit Ireland very hard and the contracts were poor.
"I had my coaching badges so it seemed to the right move. I then got the chance to go on my own and manage Junior club Ayrfield United. I got them back to back promotions and then in the first season in the top flight we finished fourth. It was huge achievement and I got the buzz for it.
“I will never forget my first day as a manager on my own. We had training twice a week but it was a 24/7/365 job and a big commitment. You are dealing with players, the chairman, the medical staff. You are a counsellor, social worker as well as a manager! When it is going well though it is a great buzz.
“Earlier this year though, I saw the job advertised here. I had done my coaching badges with the SFA. I had the bug from the manager role. It was not just managing the team, it was seeing the club develop as a whole whilst I was there. I had done nine or ten years in finance and let’s just say it was not what I was passionate about. I was always passionate about football so I thought with my football and finance background it was a good fit and I fancied a new challenge.
“Now, I am senior Scottish FA coach within the AFFCT. I am basically the co-ordinator for all things football in the community. I organise all the events and anything football related. There is a lot of forward planning and line management, budgets, looking after staffing, so the finance background that I had ties in as well as the football background and club development.
“It has been very busy and I have had to get up to speed as quickly as possible. They are very fast moving here which is great and is why the community department has had the success it has had. Over a very short space of time there has been huge growth with the community department. We are delivering some great programmes but in the background it puts a lot of pressure on the administration. There are a lot of good people here working very work behind the scenes.
“The community model here is similar to many of the clubs in Germany. We go out to the community instead of waiting for the community to come to us.
“It is a great city if you played for the club because people don’t forget you. I was part of the first team squad and was the U21 captain but I was never a regular so I am very surprised by the amount of people who have come up and said they remember me.
“There are still a number of familiar faces and seeing them is very reassuring. Relocating my family was a big decision so when you see staff who have been here for those 13 years and are still involved with the club, they must still be here for a reason!”
