Scotland the brave rallies the Swans troops
By Chris Wathan (Wales On Sunday)
JASON SCOTLAND has all the credentials to be the deadly marksman Swansea City need for a march on the Championship – after revealing his former days as a soldier.
As Roberto Martinez looks to the 29-year-old to provide the forward firepower at the Liberty this season, Scotland has opened up on his past life serving with the Trinidad army.
And no wonder he showed an eye for goal last season with 29 goals in League One after being fully trained for weapons duty back in his homeland.
Scotland grew up in humble surroundings on the Caribbean island, long before his football ability brought him to the Liberty Stadium via spells with Dundee United and St Johnstone.
And he admitted: “I was playing for the army team back in Trini, Defence Force.
“But you had to be a soldier to play for the club so I went through six months’ training to become one.
“And it was difficult. You were a soldier first and a football player second, so you would do things like weapon duty overnight then have two or three hours sleep before you were on the training ground playing football.
“I remember what all that stuff was like so it makes me appreciate what I’ve got even more now.
“It was hard, but you did what you had to do. I didn’t come from a well-off background, everybody struggled and did their best for their family.
“That makes a lot of players from Trinidad & Tobago appreciate what they’ve got.”
What Scotland appreciates now is the fact he has the chance to make his mark in the Championship having proved a hit in front of goal in his first year in South Wales.
Surprising, then, Scotland reveals he relied on his tough upbringing to help him play through the pain barrier last season and grab the goals that led to the club’s record-breaking promotion.
After going under the knife to correct a stomach problem last month, Scotland admitted: “I actually picked the injury up at Christmas, but I took painkillers and played on.
“There wasn’t any pressure to do that because the gaffer and the physio both knew about it, but I wanted to because I’d got 15 or 20 by then and had to carry on.
“Still, I couldn’t shoot properly with my right foot and that’s why I probably scored more with my left last year!”
Now Scotland is returning to full fitness, but knows he will have to use both barrels if he is to keep his place with Guillem Bauza, Febian Brandy and Gorka Pintado all eyeing up strike force starts.
And he said: “Hopefully I will be back to normal because there’s huge competition.
“But I had the fans singing my name last year and I want to hear them singing again all this season.”
