Gus MacPherson goes back to grassroots to find success for The Spiders.
All focus has been on Celtic Park these past few days. But over at the traditional home of Scottish football, a quiet revolution has been taking place.
Gus MacPherson went back to the grass roots of the game to build a successful team for Queen’s Park.
Long hours standing on public parks paid off in fine style with the former St Mirren manager picking up the SPFL League Two Manager of the Month award for October.
Gus took over the amateur club at the start of the year and set out searching for a new generation of stars.
The Spiders had been struggling after losing talents like Andy Robertson, Lawrence Shankland and Blair Spittal to top-flight clubs.
MacPherson and his backroom staff left no stone unturned to recruit the players who have been so successful this term.
He said: “We made a conscious decision to cover every level of football Juniors, amateurs, juvenile. It’s all the same. You’re just trying to spot the best players you can find for the level you’re at.
“We were criticised for it being like the X-Factor, but it was never like that. We were at games every day of the week, sometimes two, standing at the side of parks for four months.
“I must have gone to over 100 matches. We were even missing training nights to see what we needed. It was a lot of work and a lot of selling. We’d be going to some games blind as well.
“We went to a semi-final to watch a right back, and ended up signing a left back from the opposition!
“Before coming here, I’d seriously thought about looking for a job outside football but I still have a passion and a drive to succeed.”
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