Andy Rodgers: Former Falkirk, Stenhousemuir, East Stirlingshire and Syngenta striker hangs up his boots

At 38, the striker, who made over 700 appearances for a host of clubs across Scotland has decided to call time on a career that saw him notch over 250 goals - with most of them coming from his time spent at local Falkirk district sides East Stirlingshire, Stenhousemuir and Syngenta.

“It was the right time for me to call it a day,” Rodgers told the Falkirk Herald. “I’ve not contributed as much this season as I did last year and it just felt like it was the best time to call a day on my playing career, I didn’t want it to drag out. My new role as the Syngenta under-20s head coach has played a big part in it too as I was out of the house four nights a week and two of my weekend days were at a game - it was just too much for me.

“My legs are starting to go a wee bit now and you don’t want to regret anything, I could have played on and not scored another goal or been a hindrance to the team and I didn’t want that.”

Rodgers kicked-off his senior career at Falkirk, staying at his boyhood club for four years before moving on to Dumbarton after a successful loan spell at the Rock. He then turned out for Montrose before joining East Stirlingshire for a first spell at the club. Spells with Ayr United and Stenhousemuir followed before he helped Peterhead win a first-ever League Two title.

His second and most fruitful goalscoring spell then came at his second stint at the Shire, where he scored 68 goals before eventually becoming assistant manager alongside Derek Ure.

Rodgers then had a short spell at Kelty Hearts before joining the Dyes and helping them win promotion to the East of Scotland second division last year.

“I don’t think too many referees will be sad to see me retire or to be fair a number of people as I am sometimes a wee bit outspoken,” joked the man who was once banned for two games by the Scottish FA after calling people from Fife ‘mutants’ during an explosive Twitter rant while playing for Peterhead.

“On to the serious stuff, when I left Kelty near the end I wanted somewhere local to me and I knew the owner of Syngenta Steven Allison really well. It was the perfect place for me and it has turned out to be exactly that.

“I’ve hinted at it so many times but my career was honestly topped on my first appearance. To come on for Falkirk and score the winning goal in the game was enough for me, if that was all that ever happened I would still be sitting here today happy.

“That’s been 22 years in the game and I genuinely think only a six-month spell at Montrose wasn’t enjoyable. I’ve been the luckiest guy in football to be honest, I’ve been lucky with injuries and every club I have played for has a place in my heart.

“My two East Stirlingshire spells were completely different. In the first spell we were fighting relegation from the league system until Jim McInally came in and we turned it around, going for promotion a couple of times in a right talented group.

“My second spell was when I actually thought about hanging up the boots but John Sludden convinced me to carry on and I scored 40-odd goals in that first year. I loved playing in the Lowland League and it suited me. I just wanted to have fun and when you score so many goals you can’t help but revel in it. I equaled the all-time goalscoring record at the club too and that won’t be beaten for a long time.

“Being at the Shire was a great experience because I got that little taste of management too. It didn’t end quite how I wanted it to end but listen you can’t think about the negatives, it was such an enjoyable time overall.

“I really enjoyed my time at Stenny and of course Falkirk too and the people I played and worked under made it so worthwhile. To win a league title with my boyhood club was just a genuine dream come true. I can remember so many moments, scoring against a really strong Dundee side in the Scottish Cup springs to mind but there are just so many.

“My time at Peterhead was worth a mention too because it was a first league title for them and it was a special time at the club when I was there. Even at Ayr we won promotion through the play-offs, so I really have been lucky.”

Rodgers is currently undergoing his Scottish FA coaching badges and he admits the aspiration is to one day manage at the same level he played at.

In his role at Syngenta Juveniles, he is charged with taking the club’s under-20s squad who play in the Scottish Lowlands Development League.

He added: “We’ve started the season pretty well and it has been going brilliantly so far. Now I have called a day on playing I can really give the job my full attention.

“I am working hard on my coaching badges too and I am wanting to tick them off as quickly as possible. The goal now is to help younger players experience the things I did as a player and share any knowledge I can with them, even if it is the dark arts of the game!

“I can head along to some Falkirk games now and just enjoy the experience and for me that really is living the dream.”