Thursday 3rd August 2017
HE’S grown up living every young footballer’s dream. Playing for one of Scotland’s best-known clubs.
Since primary school, Tom Walsh has been destined to make it in football. He’s spent more of his life playing for Rangers than he has doing other things.
But in January, that all came to an end. He ended his stay at the club he’d served for eleven years, since he was nine years old.
He’s still set to make it in football alright. And this season, he hopes he can make it at Dumbarton.
Playing for Sons is nothing new to the 21-year-old. He was on loan there from Rangers in the later part of 2015/16.
It was hoped that he could go back to Ibrox and make an impression, but that never happened.
However, despite going part-time for the first time in his career, Tom hopes that as one door closes, another is opening.
And although he’s not giving up on his dream of regular top-flight football, right now his focus is only on doing well for what is now his own club.
Speaking to www.dumbartonfootballclub.com, Tom said: “I’d been at Ibrox since I was nine, but it wasn’t really a hard decision to leave the club.
“I felt like it was time to go – you know that in your gut.
“The likes of Dumbarton have decent enough facilities and staff – and they look after you well as a player.
“So I had no problems going back into that environment because I know how well you are treated when you play for the club.
“I’m definitely hopeful that this can help me move back up the ladder. I know I’m young enough and I’m at that stage where now is the time to show what I can do.
“I’ve been full-time all my career until now and I don’t know much about going part-time. But I just need to look after myself and kick on again.
“I need to get back to playing my best. A number of players who were at Dumbarton last season got full-time moves and they are much older than me.”
As well as doing well for himself, Tom also has goals for the Dumbarton team during the coming season.
He admits that the big goal is to make it seven seasons in the Championship, but why not aim higher?
He added: “I’ve had thoughts here and there about what I can do outside football, but nothing definite.
“The big thing for me is just getting the deal done with Dumbarton. Football is the most important thing and I wanted to get working on that.
“Dumbarton have done really well in the last five seasons to stay up and there’s no reason why we can’t push on this year.
“Hopefully the top six can be a realistic target, although when it comes to it, staying up is the biggest thing for the club.
“I think it does want to push on as far as it can go, so maybe we can aim a bit higher this time around.”
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Andy Galloway