One of the Manager’s latest recruits is Ruari Paton a highly rated 20-year-old who spent last season at Stranraer. The young Irishman attracted attention with his performances for the Stair Park side with 10 goals in 24 games.
As a teenager he left his native Dublin where he was playing with Belredere FC to sign for Hibernian. After leaving Easter Road he had a spell with East Kilbride before moving to Stranraer. Ruari has played for Ireland at Under 16 level.
The youngster is thrilled to have made the move to Palmerston “Absolutely over the moon, 100% delighted. There were a few teams interested so it’s been a bit hectic in the background so I’m happy to get it sorted and I can get my head down for the season and do well. I don’t know how to explain why I chose Queens, it’s hard to say, I just felt it was the right place to come. Sometimes you just get a vibe in life you know what’s right, you know what your gut tells you and Queens were the right move in every direction in my opinion”.
Making the move along the A75 to Dumfries, Ruari has signed a two-year contract “Yeah, two years that’s great. I noticed a lot of people last season were on one-year deals so to be given a two-year deal, I look at it as a compliment. But whether it’s a one- or two-year deal, I am going to have to play well, I’m going to have to play well every week. There will always be pressure either way as people expect you to play well, be at your A game every week”.
Having played in League two last season he is looking forward to playing in the Championship “I am ready for the step up. It’s going to be a tough league but we’ve done a lot of training over the past few weeks and I have never enjoyed my football as much. It’s good to finally be back fulltime, exercising and training every day, I have enjoyed every minute of it and I’m looking forward to the season now”.
“My ambition is to take my game to another level, to play every single minute, score goals, set people up just be involved and be part of a successful team. I’ve got a real platform to show what I can do at a high level so that is my aim and achievement for the year”.
Ruari’s performances last season drew a lot of attention which brings added pressure with the move but that is something that he is looking forward to “There may be is expectation when you come from a team that people know and they saw that I did well last year so they will expect me to come in and do well. But no matter who you are there’s an expectancy that you will go and play well every week, have an effect and be a valuable player. I don’t mind the pressure; pressure is pressure and I’m ok with expectations I don’t mind that at all”.
“I love all that, I love it both ways, I like it when people don’t expect you to be that good or if people expect me to be a good player, I will try my hardest to live up to that because I know what I can bring to the table. Expectancy forces people to do their best, there is no slacking”.
So just what will he bring to the table?
“I can score goals I know that. I can score goals, I can link play I can give you energy, I can be direct I can go forward, I can do a lot of things. I’m not here to toot my own horn, I’m an exciting player to watch that’s probably what I would like to say. Football can be very boring at times, people can be rigid and stuck in their ways but I would like to think that I can excite, go forward, score goals and just be at the heart of things. I can play wide or play up front, anywhere around that middle area. I wouldn’t say I’m a luxury player, I work hard and get the ball. The more I can get the ball and have an impact the better as that is where I think I am best”.
“I love attacking football, I’ve spoken to the Gaffer a few times about how he thinks he will play me and in front of the midfield is where I think he sees me playing. I like to see players going forward, because at the end of the week if someone comes along when they’ve finished work and are looking forward to a game, they’ve paid their money or bought a season ticket, people don’t want to come and be put to bed they want to come and see something exciting, something that grabs their attention and I am all for that. I think that’s the right way to do, if it’s risky then so what, if they want to lie back they can stay at home and read books, you come to watch games to be excited and entertained”.
Having been capped for his county at Under 16 level, Ruari would love to gain a full international cap someday “It’s not something I have thought about too much because I have been mainly focused on club football but yes 100% I would love to play for Ireland again. It’s an immensely proud thing to play for your country so if it happens it happens, I’d love that and I hope it happens but for now I’m focused on doing well for Queen of the South because that is much more important at the minute”.