McLean celebrates 400th
By Lee Gagliardi

 

Noarlunga United goalkeeper Fraser McLean will celebrate his 400th senior match on Saturday when his side hosts Devine Premier League promotion contender White City at Wilfred Taylor Reserve at 3pm.

McLean admitted it wasn't until he was told he was approaching the milestone that he actually stopped and thought about it.

After debuting in 1988 with WT Birkalla, the 41-year-old said his career had crept up on him and conceded he has been around for a 'long time'.

"It just kind of creeps up on you really," he said.

"You don't kind of realise the number of games you play until someone tells you you've played about 375 or whatever – you realise you've been around for a long time."

"It is a good milestone to achieve but you don't really look back and think you've played that many games to be honest. You just keep on going around season after season and they just start mounting up."

McLean retired in 2008 but was enticed back to the pitch to play between the posts again for Noarlunga.

The veteran acknowledged the significance of the milestone but said it was a case of it just happening rather than being something he set out to achieve.

"I did retire for a year so I think you get to the stage in your career when you achieve what you set out to achieve. The number of games don't really come into it," he said.

McLean was born in Scotland but moved to Australia before starting his junior career with WT Birkalla.

After making his senior debut with the club in 1988 and 53 senior appearances in four seasons, McLean moved to Adelaide Blue Eagles in 1993 during the club's golden years.

The Noarlunga shot stopper also noted representing South Australia has been among his career highlights.

"I played most of my junior career at Birkalla, from U13 to the first team. I did my apprenticeship there at an early age," he said.

"I think I was probably there another two or three years before I moved onto Blue Eagles from there. The five years I was there was a purple patch for Blue Eagles. We won three championships in a row, cups and Federation Cups left right and centre."

"It was a good period of time in my career. Also to play for the State under Zoran Matic was another great achievement."

McLean said it was fitting that on Saturday he will be able to celebrate his milestone with the club he joined for the 1998 season.

Noarlunga host White City who suffered their second defeat of the Devine Premier League Season against Playford in Round 8 and dropped to fourth on the table.

McLean acknowledged claiming maximum points is the priority but admitted it would be the icing on his milestone cake to hand White City consecutive losses.

"I've spent most of my career there now – 13 to 14 years," he said.

"It is probably fitting that I'm playing this milestone game with them. It's good to still be with the club where I've been for most of my career."

"The three points are probably more important than the 400 games to be honest. In the scheme of things it's very important for our team."

"All the pressure is on them, they're expected to win and don't want to lose two games in a row. I think them coming down to Noarlunga is a bonus for us. We're still undefeated there this year."

 

Noarlunga United v White City
3pm – Wilfred Taylor Reserve, States Road, MORPHETT VALE

Referee: Johnston         
Assistants:  Ford, Duku

Reserves – 1pm
U19 – 11am

Noarlunga United:   Fraser McLean (GK), Steve Reed, Adric Bachmayer, Josh Gallas, Peter Ritchie, Andrew Leane, Paolo Paris, Tony McArdle, Anthony Perrotta, Miroslav Markovic, Dejan Hercegovac, Matthew Sephton (C), Nick Atkinson, Ben Cooper, Aaron Thompson, Matthew Walding (RGK)

 

White City:   David Brook (GK), Paolo Crisci,  John Atkinson, Stevan Kalinovic, Mathew Dimopoulos, Vitor Ribeiro, Kosta Dimopoulos, Michael Keens(C) , Novica Micic, Miroslav Petkovic, Srdjan Semiz, Andrej Djakovic, Ryan Manolev,  Andrej Rastovac, Rami Ahmed,  Deja Markov, Richmond Kgatle, Alex Jackson,  Matthew Fanto, Costa Zacharopoulos (RGK)