Rory McAllister: The prolific plumber not willing to gamble on full-time move

Rory McAllister won the League Two title with Peterhead last season

Striker Rory McAllister insists he has no regrets about turning down the chance to play at Scottish football's top level and hopes his move to League Two leaders Cove Rangers can rekindle his love for the game.

McAllister has spent eight-and-a-half years at Peterhead, netting a remarkable 197 goals.

Despite interest from leading clubs during that time, he decided to remain at the Balmoor Stadium, combining football with a full-time job as a plumber, until this week.

After handing in a transfer request, the 32-year-old has dropped a division, with ambitious Cove paying an undisclosed five-figure fee.

"I just thought I needed a change," he said. "I have not enjoyed it in the last six to eight weeks, maybe longer, maybe six to eight months. I am really excited with a fresh start and hopefully I can start enjoying it again.

"The travelling to training (in Forfar), there are only three Aberdeen guys left at Peterhead, the banter with the boys had gone, it was a lot of things. Then there was the football part, I wasn't enjoying playing, we weren't doing as well as we should have done and I felt a burden on my back because I wasn't scoring.

"It was just a combination of things that added up and I thought the decision was right for me and the club for me to go."

'It wasn't a gamble I was willing to take'

McAllister's goal scoring form in the lower leagues, coupled with his decision to remain part-time, has always posed the question, could he have done it at a higher level?

A number of bigger clubs have come calling over the years, including St Mirren in 2011 and, more recently, Dundee United.

That move fell through, and with Lawrence Shankland currently banging in the goals at Tannadice - earning a Scotland call and being tipped for a big money move in the future - does McAllister ever think 'that could have been me'?

"I spoke to Dundee United about three or four years ago but the money they were offering wasn't really enough to make me leave my job and part-time football to go full-time," he said. "And to move to Dundee as well, it wasn't enough, and we just couldn't reach an agreement.

"My friends said you should have just taken the gamble but it wasn't a gamble I was willing to take at the time. They wish I had done it, they think I should have done it, but I have just got to live with that now, so I don't really look at it that way.

"I had the opportunity and I didn't take it, so you have just got to enjoy what you have done. I've won at Ibrox, been to a cup final - a full house at Hampden just about, I have won two league titles, player of the year awards. I have had a good career and hopefully I can now add to that at Cove."

McAllister, who has signed a three-and-a-half year deal at the Balmoral Stadium, admits balancing his work demands, with football commitments can be tough, but says he wouldn't have it any other way.

''It can be hard, you are working eight or 10 hours a day and you come here at night, especially with two kids and a family, it is trying to juggle everything together. You have only got one day free a week, but that is what you give the sacrifices for to play football.

"Ever since I started speaking to Cove, they have been different class, the way they have looked after me, so I can't really thank them any more. Now I have got to go and prove to them why they did it."