Ross County release and the loss of full-time football can spur defender Connall Ewan on to bounce back after signing pre-contract deal with Elgin City in William Hill League 2.
The end of a full-time football adventure, and the start of a new journey.
Connall Ewan sees joining Elgin City’s rejuvenated promotion effort as the perfect way to bounce back from the disappointment of being released by Ross County.
The 20-year-old is fondly remembered by City fans after spending a season on loan from County at Borough Briggs, helping to steer the club away from the threat of relegation to the Highland League.
And while the Inverness-based stopper found it tougher to break into Caley Thistle’s starting line-up in League 1 last term - also on loan from County - Elgin were having their best season in years by reaching the promotion play-offs.
Ewan perhaps knew the writing was on the wall when he spent most of his Dingwall career being farmed out to lower league sides, and he is ready to adapt to part-time football and picking up his career once again with a progressive Elgin team.
Ross County were relegated from the Premiership on Monday, losing to Livingston in the play-offs and Ewan already knew his future lay elsewhere.
“There were talks with the manager (Don Cowie),” he said. “He obviously had a lot on his plate at the current time, so there was a conversation a few weeks ago.
“That's when he let us know that it wasn't going to be - that that was going to be it.
“I enjoyed my time there, but that was it. I’d been at the club since I was about 14.”
He serves two years in County’s youth academy before embarking on a two-year apprenticeship, after which he was handed his chance to break into the first team.
Ewan impressed on loan at Highland League Forres Mechanics as a 17-year-old, then was farmed out to Elgin the following season.
He made 31 appearances for the Black and Whites during a turbulent season which was smoothed over by the appointment of current boss Allan Hale, following short-lived spells with Ross Draper and Barry Smith as manager.
“Having had a successful loan there (at Elgin), and then after hearing the news with Ross County I had to consider my options and where I wanted to go from there,” Ewan said.
“It was always a good place to go to that I knew, so that was always an option of mine that I was keen to see if there was interest there.”
The recent departure of Elgin centre back Jake Dolzanski ramped up the Moray club’s move for a replacement. “There were options to have a talk with the manager, who I knew and got on well with,” Ewan continued.
“I knew the way that the manager and his staff worked . He didn't have a full season when I was there, but he came in and steadied the ship and they implemented their ideas straight away.
“It seemed like they had success with a full season this year. Something that was really intriguing to me and wanted to be a part of to add to this year going forward.”
While City finished fourth in League 2 last term and lost out to Annan Athletic in the play-off semi-finals, Ewan spent much of the campaign on Caley Thistle’s bench as his third loan move from County proved to be less successful than the previous two.
The Inverness outfit had Danny Devine and Remi Savage as their established centre back duo.
“Obviously it was a different loan experience from the previous two that I had,” he said. “You want to go to a club and play, especially as a loan player.
“It was a different experience for me, more off the pitch, and being resilient in that mindset.
“Although it was a really young group, it turned out that some of the most experienced boys in the group were centre-halves as well, so they were a big core part of that team.”
Ewan remembers his previous spell at Borough Briggs as an enjoyable one. The first half of his loan year at Elgin was one of great chance and some tough results, but Hale’s arrival and the positive role of senior players helped them through it.
“There was a lot of change throughout the season, but you just want to be playing football and thankfully I got that opportunity and that was my focus,” he said.
“I enjoyed my time and enjoyed playing regular football, so I wasn't overly worried with what was going off the pitch. Our job was to just enjoy it and try and get the best results on the pitch.
“There's still a strong core of the boys that were there when I was there.
“They've obviously added to that over the past year, which has led them to a really successful year pushing forward and kicking on, trying to get that goal of playing for promotion or winning the league.
“Playing with guys like Jake Dolzanski, Ross Draper, Matthew Cooper, Brian Cameron and Russell Dingwall was great. Even just the managing staff and the manager himself putting belief into himself and giving us strong ideas to go and perform on the pitch, that was what I remember.”
Next season Ewan is set to play in the heart of City’s defence with another former Ross County player in Jack Murray, who he doesn’t know despite their shared origins in the game.
“He was in the Ross County set-up when I was there, but he's actually two years older. I certainly know of him, but I don't know him personally.
“The plan will be to build up a strong foundation and good relationships with everyone on the park.
“But I know that no-one is guaranteed to play in Elgin’s team. You know that brings out the best in everyone and you need to have that strong competition amongst the group to make sure that no-one's resting or taking a foot off the gas.
“There needs to be that demand from the whole group. Standards are set.
“The whole club has probably changed for the better. They've really kicked on this year, which is what the club and the manager were aiming for, the real ambition.
“I'm sure I'll notice a difference for the better, but I know the club for what it is, what it means to the community. It's a good starting point.”
After three consecutive campaigns near the bottom of League 2, City’s challenge last season at the business end of the table will fuel fans’ confidence in another shot at promotion.
“That's the ambition, definitely,” said Ewan. “You've seen what they've done as a team.
“From the manager and the staff this whole season, they've had it under their belt. They've added to the squad with real quality and they've shown that throughout the season.
“They just missed out after a really good competitive season.
“I'm looking forward to the season ahead, as I'm sure the whole group are.”
