Tuesday 1st September 2020
NAT WEDDERBURN hopes to have a degree soon.
But he already feels he’s made one smart move.
After his first training session with Dumbarton, the midfielder is already looking forward to his first season in Sons colours, having signed a one-year deal.
It means a switch from full-time to part-time for the 29-year-old, who was with Airdrieonians last season and has also been full-time with Raith Rovers, Dunfermline Athletic and Inverness CT in previous years.
But there are no regrets for Nat, who is going to double his trade as a Sons player with studying for a degree in sports and fitness coaching.
The move to Dumbarton was one he was delighted to make – and he hopes that he’s got more to celebrate at the end of the season than passing exams.
Speaking to www.dumbartonfootballclub.com, Nat said: “It’s come at the right stage of my career.
“As well as training, I’ve been doing a bit of coaching and I’m about to start my degree, so that will help me move from full-time to part-time.
“Obviously I’m glad to get it done – it’s been a long time without playing football so I’m glad it’s all been sorted. It’s been getting done over the last couple of weeks since I spoke to the manager.
“It was tough at training tonight, but more than that it was good to be back in action. You expect it to be tough when you’ve been out for so long.
“The time without football has been OK for me – I’ve been at home with my wife and kids so it’s not been a problem for me.
“But I’m glad to be kicking a ball again, getting to know the boys and looking forward to the games at the start of the season.
“The manager has kept a lot of the players from last season so having finished sixth, they’ll want to take the next step and improve on that.
“In this league anybody can beat anybody.”
Copyright Andy Scott 2020
There are also 14 reasons why Dumbarton are glad to have Nat on board. Three of them are games when he was an Airdrie player last season.
Four with Raith Rovers the season before, six with Dunfermline over the two before that, and one with Cowdenbeath in April 2015.
There’s a connection between them all. He was never on the losing side in any of them. He last experienced defeat in a match involving Dumbarton when Cowdenbeath were beaten 3-1 at Central Park in December 2014.
The Blue Brazil were his first Scottish club, having moved north in 2013, and it’s a move he hasn’t regretted.
And the Fife connection is to continue in five weeks’ time, when Sons are due to play their first competitive fixture of the season in the opening Betfred Cup tie.
He added: “It’s a bit of a long story, but I moved to Scotland to try and rebuild my career after having injuries in English football.
“I’ve been here for six years now and I enjoy it. My family are settled and my kids go to school in Scotland.
“My debut for Dumbarton is set to be against Dunfermline and I’m looking forward to that. I know a few of the players who are there and it’ll be good to see them, but hopefully we can do well.”
Andy Galloway