Rory McAllister Prepares for Scottish Cup Clash

Rory McAllister Prepares for Scottish Cup Clash

Rory McAllister Prepares for Scottish Cup Clash

Scottish Cup, Second Round - Formartine United vs. Buckie Thistle

Venue: North Lodge Park, Pitmedden Date: Friday, 24 October Kick-off: 19:45 BST

Coverage: Watch live on BBC Scotland, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport online, and the BBC Sport app.

Rory McAllister is perhaps the most renowned plumber in Scottish football.

At 38, the prolific striker, celebrated by Ally McCoist, is gearing up for another Scottish Cup adventure as his team, Formartine United, faces Highland League rivals Buckie Thistle in a match broadcasted by the BBC.

Interestingly, McAllister's journey could have taken a different turn had he chosen to be a goalkeeper instead of a forward. "My son is actually a goalkeeper; he’s 11," he shares. "I was around his age when I transitioned from being a keeper to a striker."

McAllister began his career with Middlefield Wasps in Aberdeen, playing there from the age of eight until he was about 14 or 15, when he started receiving trials with various clubs.

He had stints at Celtic, Rangers, and Chelsea before eventually signing a full-time contract with Aberdeen. After a year of honing his skills, he joined Inverness Caledonian Thistle, where he scored his first senior goal in the Scottish Cup at 18, during a 1-1 draw with Ayr United.

"I started accumulating goals and was selected for Scotland as I progressed through the age groups," he recalls. "Then I hit a wall and found myself going backwards, which led me to Brechin."

This was in 2009, and Glebe Park, known for its iconic hedge, became the birthplace of a lower-league legend. McAllister netted 26 goals in the 2009-10 season and 25 the following season.

"It was fantastic; that’s where I made my name, scoring goals at part-time level," he reflects. These two seasons put him on the map, although McAllister's career is predominantly rooted in the northeast of Scotland.

His next stop was Peterhead, where his scoring prowess continued. The 2013-14 season was particularly outstanding, with 33 goals in 35 matches.

In the decade following his breakthrough at Brechin City, McAllister maintained an impressive average of over 24 goals per season. He also played for Cove Rangers and Montrose, becoming a familiar name on the Sportscene Results vidiprinter.

His scoring continued, and in 2024, he became only the third player to achieve 250 Scottish league goals since World War II, joining the ranks of Gordon Wallace and Ally McCoist. The Rangers legend praised him in a social media video, calling McAllister "a legend of the SPFL."

Remarkably, this success comes from a part-time footballer who also works as a plumber. McAllister has turned down numerous offers to pursue football full-time, citing various commitments and the financial viability of his plumbing career. "Every time I was offered a full-time chance, something in my life just didn’t align with it, or the contracts weren’t as lucrative as my plumbing work," he explains.

As a jack of two trades, McAllister has excelled in both. Football is as much a vocation for him as plumbing. He cherishes the highs he has experienced, including a memorable victory for Peterhead at Ibrox against Rangers in 2013, scoring five goals in a single match against Falkirk in 2015, and netting twice in a Scottish Cup quarter-final for Brechin against St Johnstone.

Nearly 20 years since he began his Scottish Cup journey, another adventure awaits at Formartine's North Lodge Park in Pitmedden, located 16 miles north of Aberdeen. After joining the club in the summer, McAllister is excited for this opportunity to showcase Formartine on a national stage against Buckie, especially in front of the Sportscene cameras.

"It’s wonderful; it’s a great community club where you see familiar faces each week. They’re lovely people," he comments. "It’s important for them to receive this recognition, as well as for the staff and manager who work diligently. It’s also a chance for players who haven’t played on TV before to gain exposure and for the Highland League to get some acknowledgment."

Catch our interview with Rory McAllister during the live coverage of the match on BBC Scotland, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport online, and the BBC Sport app, starting at 19:30 on Friday.

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