Alan McRae was aware the flak was coming. It just did not faze him.
His ascension to the Scottish FA presidency in 2015, succeeding Campbell Ogilvie in the role, drew criticism in some quarters, due to his association with Cove Rangers.
McRae’s club, to that point, had not been involved at the top level of Scottish football. His long association with the SFA – including a term as vice-president – was seemingly put to one side.
His time as SFA president, from 2015 to 2019, was far from plain sailing. Scotland’s wait for a major tournament appearance was not ended under his tenure and various viral incidents, including the infamous Rod Stewart cup draw, threatened to overshadow his time in the role.
But his role as one of the driving force’s behind Cove highlighted the work he was prepared to put in.
“At the end of the day, people have the right to criticise,” said McRae. “Sometimes they go a little over the top. It comes with the territory. Everyone in the association knew the work and time I put into things, we all did.
“Those comments didn’t bother me. It was never about me. It is all about the people in Scottish football who are working hard, from volunteers to people in power, to have the structure and clubs we currently have in our game.
“I am just pleased we have shown that Cove Rangers have been a good addition to the senior ranks.”
Moving up the pyramid
McRae stepped down as Cove chairman in 2000 and has also served as chief executive and club president, prior to his current role of honorary president.
He was awarded an OBE last year for his services to football and he still remains involved with Uefa to this day.
Cove had a couple of near misses getting into the league, before their eventual promotion in 2019.
They had designs on entering at the turn of the last century, when Peterhead and Elgin were voted in, and were even closer in 2008 when Annan Athletic were edged in ahead of them.
Cove were advocates of a pyramid system being introduced, to allow promotion to the league to be decided on the field. That came in at the end of the 2014-15 season, with the Aberdeen side losing out twice (2016 and 2018) before their victory over Berwick Rangers.
“I called it a beauty parade because that is basically what it was,” said McRae. “We had two to three attempts but we weren’t successful.
“In reflection, part of our sale to the SPFL at the time was that we were going into a new ground. The fact it took so long to get the stadium – it has probably now worked out alright in the end, with the way things have gone on the football side and the pyramid system being introduced by the Scottish Football Association.
“I chaired the pyramid working group twice. We weren’t going anywhere but things changed when Rangers went down the league.
“Things all fell into place because we won the play-off and got into the league. We have also seen it with Edinburgh City and Kelty Hearts.”
‘An amazing journey’
The club celebrated their centenary this week with the publication of a new book, commemorating their 100 years in existence.
McRae’s involvement with Cove dates back more than half-a-century, starting out as a player before becoming chairman and helping drive the club from amateur status into the Highland League.
“It has been an amazing journey, who could have foreseen how far the club has come,” said McRae. “I played for Cove at Allan Park in the 1970s.
“It was just an ideal structure that could be improved. The old president, Alex Smith, and the committee bought the land for Allan Park for £100 and that foresight gave us the money to sell there and to help build our new Balmoral ground, which was 20 years in the making.
“On the footballing side, it has just been amazing. I mean we are now playing in the Championship.
“It is difficult because we are a part-time club against full-time opposition but if we can remain in there and build and consolidate again. We have never expected things to happen so quickly.”
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