Sunday 1st August 2021
LESS than a month ago, Sam Muir didn’t know when he’d next kick a ball.
He’d just been released by Motherwell, where he’d been since his early teenage years. When he wasn’t training on his own, he was sitting waiting for the phone to ring.
When it did ring, it changed everything.
Nineteen days after being handed an opportunity by Dumbarton, the teenage left back turned in an excellent performance in yesterday’s 3-0 win away to Clyde which started the cinch League One season.
That phone call now feels like a delayed birthday present – Sam turned 19 two days before he signed his deal with the club.
Yesterday was a day when he and his team-mates bounced back from a punishing Premier Sports Cup group where the calibre of opposition wasn’t the only thing making life tough.
Speaking to www.dumbartonfootballclub.com, Sam said: “I’m buzzing – it was a great start by the boys to go 2-0 up in the first half.
“We came out fighting after the restart to try to keep the lead, and to get the third goal in the late stages rounded things off.
“It was definitely a good way to bounce back from the Premier Sports Cup. We were getting to the end of that when we had boys coming back from Covid and they got game time from that, and now they’ve come out here and played as they have.
“I couldn’t believe it when the chance came along to join Dumbarton. I got released from Motherwell and since then I’d just been in my house training by myself.
“Suddenly Dumbarton asked me to sign within a training session or anything. I had a good feeling the next day and was buzzing to get the opportunity.
“I’ve loved every minute and was delighted to make my league debut today, as well as playing in the cup ties.
“It’s a good bunch of boys at the club and it’s all been good so far working with them. Hopefully we can keep this going.”
(Interview continues below picture)
Sam in action on his debut against Stenhousemuir. Copyright Andy Scott Photos 2021.
Sam’s new chapter comes after a tough time over the last 18 months, which has seen his career go stop-start before his release from Motherwell.
A loan spell to Gretna 2008 in the Lowland League last season only lasted until the turn of the year before the league was scrapped.
Having seen what Airdrieonians did to his former employers recently, he is wary of the next challenge facing Sons on Saturday.
But he’s confident that a similar performance to the one produced at Broadwood can earn another positive reward.
He added: “It was a horrible time (after lockdown was enforced). It was tough for the first four to five months and then I had the opportunity to go on loan to Gretna.
“After Christmas the Lowland League finished and I’d just been waiting since then before I got in for a few months of training with Motherwell.
“I think we can go high in the table this season and we’ll get another chance to test ourselves on Saturday against Airdrie.
“They are a good side, and they beat Motherwell last week, but if we play as we did today we can beat anybody.”
Andy Galloway