Scott Arfield couldn’t have dreamed of a better return to Scotland as the ex-Rangers midfielder signed on with first love Falkirk.
Arfield, 36, had always pledged to return to the Falkirk Stadium, the same place he broke through as a youngster.
It’s a place of real emotion for Scott Arfield, the ex-Rangers midfielder having adorned the number 37 throughout his career after a training ground tragedy took the life of academy teammate Craig Gowans.
And it’s with the former Falkirk talent’s memory in mind that Scott Arfield has returned to the Bairns with legacy at the forefront of the midfielder’s mind.
Scott Arfield on dream return to Falkirk
Scott Arfield took the long way round when it came to returning to Falkirk.
The talented midfielder wound up south of the border with Huddersfield before spending five years in the Premier League with Burnley.
Scotty Arf would then spend five years at Ibrox with Rangers and was part of the team that restored the Gers to former glories, if only briefly.
Moving on from Ibrox to Charlotte FC in the USA, Arfield arrives at Falkirk after a brief stint with Bolton Wanderers.
The midfielder has been speaking about that dream second debut where he scored a stunning hat-trick to announce he has back in Scotland.
”I always says I have made a career on just arriving in big moments,” Arfield told Sky Sports.
”I didn’t think it was going to come in the first minute but I did feel like it will come at one stage of the game.
”It was just an amazing feeling just to get that money off your back, get back on the scoresheet and hopefully crack on.”
It’s not just the goals that meant the world to Scott Arfield, with the return to Falkirk an emotional one given the link to Craig Gowans.
The 17-year-old’s passing in 2005 has stuck with Arfield throughout his career and it’s something that made the treble all the more special.
”(It was) extremely special,” said Arfield.
“This club, I’ve spoken on a number of occasions, this club is more than just a football club to me, to many people, but to me personally.
”The tragedy with the Gowans family and everything we went through as young boys, 16, 17, u19s, you’ve never seen that sort of tragedy, the after effects of what happens.
”So it stays with you and as my career sort of moved on it was always a club I wanted to come back and play, or coach and manage, that’s what I wanted to do.
”Thankfully I’ve still got enough in the legs that I can come back and still do it as a player.”
Scott Arfield gets number 37 blessing at Falkirk
Scott Arfield also took the number 37 shirt in honour of Craig Gowans upon returning to Scotland.
The former Rangers star wore the number at Ibrox and and Falkirk took it out of retirement in a special testament to Gowans especially for Arfield.
The number will be re-retired when Arfield leaves the Falkirk Stadium but the ex-Rangers star would never have adorned it without first getting permission from the people who matter most; Craig Gowan’s family.
”When I was driving up transfer deadline obviously it’s in the back of your mind, ‘what number are you going to take?’” Arfield said.
”Chris the kit man wanted to speak to me about the number. He came in and said the club are willing to unretire the number if you want to do it.
“I said of course, I would love to do it. To wear the 37 here would be a tremendous ocassion and I’m very honoured to do it, but I need to speak to the Gowans family.
”I phoned John and Sheila and they gave me the blessing to wear it with pride, which I have done my full career.
”To do it here is extra special and everything you want to do is keep legacies going as much as possible and his shirt is still in the tunnel and it’ll continue to be up here.
”When I leave this football club the club will re-retire the number which is an amazing thing and everybody that comes to Falkirk Football Club, whether your down south or abroad or in Scotland, you know that number means something.“
