Pulling on the green and white shirt over 1100 times between them, it was always going to take time getting used to seeing Paul Hanlon and Lewis Stevenson in new colours. The pair have arrived in Kircklady with ambitions of glory with Raith Rovers.
After an emotional end to life at Easter Road, 34 year-old Hanlon highlights why the drop down to the Championship was the right decision for him.
“You can tell that the club are hungry for success. That was a big factor for me coming here. They came extremely close last season and the chance to be successful is definitely there. We thought it would be a good environment to come into and so far, that’s proved to be the case”
“It can be pretty daunting coming into a new squad after so long in one place but the boys have been really welcoming, both them and the staff have made it really easy for us” said Stevenson.
After over a decade at Hibs, the pair believe that all the foundations are there for young players, at the Edinburgh club and across Scotland, to kick on and be successful. Both have seen a shift in football standards since the start of their careers.
“I always highlighted to younger players that you need to enjoy yourself” said Stevenson, “you can get bogged down with things at times but its important to have fun and play with a smile on your face.”
Hanlon added that consistency is key, “Young players at every club have a lot more information than we ever had and its important to value that. Be as professional as possible. Players now know how to look after themselves, but they’ve got to be keen to do it.”
With the tools there to be successful, the Rovers duo underlined how the key to a successful career can often lie away from the pitch. Both players have been members with PFA Scotland for over 15 years and have regularly taken advantage of upskilling through personal development opportunities.
“I’ve always done a bit of studying. It’s helped keep me going and keep learning” noted Hanlon, “recently we’ve both completed the Applied Management in Football course at Napier and we found it really helpful. I would definitely recommend it to other members.”
“The lecturer, Stevie Robertson, was first class and it helped us learn a lot of life-skills” added Stevenson, “it’s probably been about 18 years since I last wrote an essay, but the course gave you the tools to progress and I found it really interesting.
I would always say to players now, get in a habit of doing it earlier. You are preparing yourself for the future. Whether that’s within football or not, it’s important to consider what’s next and the support available.”
Both Hanlon and Stevenson were one of 10 current players that completed the course with Edinburgh Napier University, that aims to educate members on what’s required to become a manager, director of football or academy director. The course, which is completed over 25 weeks, highlights the dynamics of a football club and the off-field skills which are key to becoming a successful leader.
Find out more about that course, here. More information is available about educational opportunities online and you can get in touch with Players Services Manager, Chris Higgins, or Women’s and Youth Development Officer, Heather Richards, for further discussion.
