Soccer World North of Scotland Cup Fourth Round at Kaimhill on Saturday 16th March

Report by Andy McLarern

Former Elgin City goalkeeper John Calder has no regrets about leaving the Scottish Football League to play for amateur side RGU.

The 25-year-old has also played for Inverness Caley Thistle, Nairn and Fraserburgh and admitted he turned down an offer to return to the Highland League in January.

But John, who is the football president for Robert Gordon University, believes some amateur footballers are good enough to play in the Highland League.

He said: “I have enjoyed every minute of playing football in the amateur leagues.

“I still don’t know what I want to do next season but for just now, I’m concentrating on winning some silverware with RGU.

“There are a few boys from this university team who could comfortably play in the Highland League.

“Elgin offered me a new contract at the start of this season but I decided to leave because the travelling was taking up too much of my time.

“As football president, I wanted to encourage as much success for the university as possible which is one of the reasons why I joined the team.

“I had to retire from full-time professional football with Inverness because of a hip injury, so it suits me playing every week with my friends and with less pressure.”

RGU, a team made up of past and present students, have only lost two games all season and have made it into the final of this year’s White Cup.

Calder, an accounting and finance student, spent two seasons at Elgin before joining RGU at the start of the season.

And John, who also had a spell at Peterhead, admits he may be tempted to play at a higher level in the future and revealed he has had another offer to play in the Highland League next season.

“It would be a pleasure to captain the side in the Premier Division if we gained promotion this season,” said John.

“The offer to play in the Highland League is there if I want it but I’m 100% focussed on playing with RGU in the amateur leagues.

“There is no reason why we can’t win three trophies this season as I believe we can also win the North of Scotland Cup.

“The club were close to winning a trophy last season so it would be amazing if we could clinch some silverware as a reward for the guys’ efforts.”

RGU only enter three cups and were close to gaining promotion to the Premier Division in 2011 and 2012, finishing third in both seasons.

But RGU player-manager Ian Campbell, who is in his tenth season with the Aberdeen outfit, is confident John’s arrival will boost their chances of achieving the treble.

He said: “The main priority is to get promoted and hopefully we can win a cup.

“Every year, we try to build a strong side with the main aim of getting students involved with the club.

“Having a goalkeeper from the Third Division has given the team a new lease of life and increased the squad’s confidence.

“We have always had good players but lacked a decent goalkeeper so John is the final piece of the jigsaw.

“You can see he is a brilliant goalkeeper with the way he talks to his defence and the way he distributes the ball so we are very lucky to have him.”

Meanwhile, RGU progressed to the fifth round of the North of Scotland Cup with a convincing 2-0 win over rivals University in this derby.

It was University who exerted the pressure in the opening stages when Aaron Edwards’ low cross was met by Chris Reid who could only blast his shot into the side netting.

But Robert Armstrong should have made it 1-0 to RGU moments after when he was alone in the box but he couldn’t control Taylor’s looping cross.

Calder showed his class on 25 minutes when he expertly denied Edwards and Nicolas Carlisle with great reflexes.

Half-time: 0 – 0

RGU’s high work-rate and fluid movement stretched University and they duly took the lead on 50 minutes when Chris Ryan punched the ball into his own net after Armstrong’s shot took a wicked deflection.

The Division One (East) side should have doubled their advantage shortly after but Craig Thain failed to connect with Jamie Wilmshurst’s powerful cross.

But Armstrong spared Thain’s blushes when he made it 2-0 on 65 minutes after coolly chipping the onrushing Ryan.

University’s Robert Hayes was inches away from pulling a goal back for his side on 80 minutes but his deflected shot could only skim the post before going out for a goal kick.

RGU threatened again when Thain latched onto a Wilmshurst pass but could only drag his half-volley around the post on 85 minutes.

Full Time: 0 – 2