Teenage winger Kai Fotheringham has hailed Stirling Albion’s staff for helping him fit in to his latest loan spell.
The talented on-loan Dundee United wideman, still only 19, has already gone out for stints at Cove Rangers, Falkirk and Raith Rovers in his young career – but believes dropping down into League Two can only be a positive step forward in his development.
Fotheringham was once again at the heart of Albion’s latest win – with his driving run from inside his own half winning the crucial penalty to help see off Bonnyrigg Rose 2-1.
He has already racked up three goals and five assists after joining the club on loan from the Terrors in August, becoming a vital part of a dangerous forward line which has propelled the Binos to the League Two summit.
And Fotheringham has warned the league’s defenders that more dazzling pieces of play – like the run on Saturday – may be in the pipeline as he aims to continue his development in the heat of a promotion battle.
He said: “I think that’s seven on the trot now, including the Brechin game on penalties. It wasn’t the prettiest of games, but we dug in and got the result we needed.
“I’ve worked on it for the past few months, just being positive and trying to face up my opponent.
“It’s something I’ve done at United and even at training here, it’s always about trying to take players on one-on-one.
“We looked at the loans I had and there were a few in the past where I was playing in a higher league but coming here, the standard really isn’t that much different but it was getting game time, getting goals and assists and getting my numbers up as an attacker and I’ll keep trying to do that.
“I needed minutes and in the last two years, I’ve not really played a lot but with the group of people here, I feel part of the team so it’s been good.”
This week’s trip to Cliftonhill represents a far cry from the glamorous lifestyle of a full-time Premiership footballer – including being included on the bench for United’s European clashes with Alkmaar this season.
But down-to-earth Fotheringham insists he’s happy to help out in any way he can to push Albion forward – including assisting the backroom staff with tidying up the dressing rooms after matches.
He added: “You can see when you come to a lower-level club that the facilities aren’t the same, so everyone needs to dig in and help out – I’ve always been brought up like that so that won’t change.”
