Ross Gunnion has enjoyed nearly a decade’s worth of upward trajectory as a manager, first in the Juniors and then the East of Scotland League.
But, as he walks away from the dugout, he’ll happily admit that he sees himself as a Jeanfield Swifts man rather than a football career man.
Perth’s second biggest club have announced that Gunnion and his coaching staff have stepped down from their posts.
The 43-year-old hasn’t yet been given a new official job title at Riverside Stadium.
But it will be an all-encompassing general manager-type role that he believes will suit him perfectly as Swifts aim to push further up the Scottish football pyramid.
“I only took over as player-manager back in 2015 to help the club out,” he recalled.
“We didn’t have any players signed and were in real danger of going into abeyance – that was under discussion.
“One things leads to another. You get a wee bit of success and things snowball.
“I don’t have a coaching badge to my name and never have done.
“I relied on guys like Sean Fleming, Eric Fleming and John Anderson at the start. They did a lot of the coaching.
“And recently, it’s been Logan McConnachie, Daryn Smith, Scott Cummings and Michael Dott.
🚨 CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨 pic.twitter.com/mH3caBVcTm
— Jeanfield Swifts FC (@JeanfieldSFC) May 14, 2023
“They’ve done all the coaching work and I’ve just tried to link everything together. It seems to have worked pretty well.
“We’ve got a good squad, everybody is from the Perth area and there’s a 20s team up and running now which has great players coming through.
“It’s set up for a new manager to come in and put his own stamp on it.”
Jeanfield Swifts sixth in the Premier
Jeanfield finished sixth in the East of Scotland Premier Division under Gunnion.
Improving on that next season will be his successor’s challenge.
Creating momentum behind ambitious plans to develop Swifts’ infrastructure in North Muirton – hopefully including an artificial pitch – will be part of Gunnion’s remit.
“We want to push on with the new facilities,” he said.
“We were in a good position in 2019. As with a lot of things during lockdown, it stalled and it hasn’t got back up and running.
“We’ve got a community liaison officer now, David Reid. Our plan is to get re-engaged. Now’s the time to capitalise on the position we’re in and provide a great facilities for the club and the local area.
“My skillset is definitely more suited to behind the scenes.
“It’s a natural progression for me.
“I’ve been offered manager’s jobs elsewhere and offered the opportunity to go and do my badges with an SPFL club.
“I’ll be honest, none of it really appealed to me.
“Being part of this football club growing is much more attractive than going somewhere else to be a manager.
“St Johnstone do well but Perth struggles to get a reputation for developing footballers. I think we’ve got a genuine opportunity to change that.”
‘Ludicrous’ conference league proposals
The creation of a new fifth tier below League Two, which would involve several B teams from the biggest clubs in Scottish football, has sparked opposition at Jeanfield’s level of the game (and above, for that matter).
“The Conference League is a ludicrous idea,” said Gunnion. “I’m glad Aberdeen have rejected it.
“If you’re going to do it, do it right and make Colts teams in the pyramid like any other that can get promoted or relegated.
“Would they risk losing face if they did that, though?
“We will continue to push our best young talent to our first team as quickly as possible, along with using the loan market to provide player pathway experience, which has been impactful over many years.”
Aberdeen reject Conference League invitation 👇
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) May 15, 2023
“The pyramid has been so beneficial for clubs like us.
“But I genuinely think it’s been beneficial for Scottish football as a whole.
“You can’t get complacent anymore.
“East Stirling, Cowdenbeath, Berwick Rangers and Brechin City have all dropped out of the SPFL. So far Brechin are the only club who have looked like they might come back up.
“That shows you the strength of the teams below.
“Kelty, Cove, Edinburgh City and Bonnyrigg are all success stories.
“If Spartans beat Albion Rovers they’ll be the next one.
“The old guard should have to look over their shoulders, make sure they modernise and offer up community facilities.”
Ross Gunnion: Conference League ‘would add block’
Gunnion added: “I’ll be honest, I don’t think the SFA have got a clear plan.
“Every year they come up with another new one.
“I appreciate it’s difficult but until someone sees it as a proper structure we won’t get this sorted.
“Every year it gets more difficult for teams to get licences and get promoted.
“This Conference League would add another block. It would be crazy.
“The Lowland League aren’t the greatest either but their hands are tied to an extent.
“Trying to get more teams in at the bottom is harder when you’re not getting many out.
“They should probably be the first to show the way – make it two up and two down.
“Hopefully that helps bring about something like one up automatically and a play-off.
Penalties are always a cruel way of losing any tie and once the disappointment of yesterday starts to subside, everyone at the club can reflect on what has been a memorable season. pic.twitter.com/e6ZsmK2l5w
— Brechin City FC (@BrechinCityFC) May 7, 2023
“It’s getting the SPFL teams who could drop out to vote for it that will be the problem.
“There should be more getting said to open things up further.
“Donald Findlay is a high profile chairman at Cowdenbeath.
“Why’s he not saying: ‘guys, you’ve no idea how hard it is to get out of this league’. Ken Mackie at Brechin. These people should be talking to their friends in the SFA and use their profile.
“Brechin are as good a team as I’ve seen in tier five. For them to have to play-off with a very good Lowland League team is ludicrous.”
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