Huntly FC hero and former Caley Thistle, Peterhead, Deveronvale, Shepparton South, Turriff United and Formartine United man Gary McGowan calls it quits on football career
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A FOOTBALL career spanning 20 years has come to an end with Highland League star Gary McGowan’s decision to hang up his boots.
The 36-year-old had five spells at his home town Huntly, as well as having spells at Deveronvale, Turriff United and Formartine United.
McGowan also played for Caley Thistle and Peterhead, and enjoyed two years playing in Australia.
Below - McGowan scores for Huntly in this season's Scottish Cup
“I’ve probably battled in my head for one or two years about stopping as my love for the game has slowly dwindled,” he said.
“I love playing golf and I feel at peace with my decision to stop and start a new chapter in my life.”
Super-fit McGowan recently ran almost two marathons over one weekend and raised more than £2500 for Age Scotland, in a diversion from his football.
“I’ll continue to run as I seem to be good at it and play golf for six or seven months of the year,” he said.
McGowan moved to the Huntly area at the age of four and was brought up watching the all-conquering Huntly team which won a record five consecutive Highland League titles during the nineties - he was a Christie Park ball boy during this era.
“I remember watching the Huntly greats like Martin Stewart and ‘Luggies’ (Brian Thomson) and the great five-in-a-row team,” he recalled.
Soon McGowan was a Huntly player himself, debuting for his local team at 16 before going on loan to Caley Thistle and signing for the Inverness club permanently, aged 18.
Before long he was back at Huntly where he enjoyed the highest point of his career when he won the 2004-05 Highland League title.
“Winning the league at 21 with my best mates at Huntly will live with me forever,” he said. “I got Highland League young player of the year also that season.
“I was buzzing to get a move to Peterhead the following season but soon realised I enjoyed playing with my mates and in the Highland League more.”
Another Huntly spell was followed by two-and-a-half seasons at Deveronvale, then a decision to try his luck Down Under for Shepparton South in the Australian state of Victoria.
“Luckily I got that chance to play in Oz at 26 through a Caley connection and had two amazing years there I’ll never forget,” he said.
Back in Scotland he signed for Turriff where he played in two consecutive Aberdeenshire Shield finals, winning one, and finishing second in the league.
Formartine and Banks o’ Dee followed next, with a loan spell at his beloved Huntly to finish his career.
