Life after East Stirlingshire for record-breaking club captain Jamie Barclay

The goalie has left the building.

After playing every game, and every minute for the past four years, the club captain has decided to end his third spell at the club and try something new. But he leaves a record-breaker and a Shire legend.

Most clean sheets and second for consecutive appearances, the 30-year-old will be a firm fixture in club record books, now he’s on the market though not expecting the phone to ring too soon.

“I think people believe that I’m at the Shire for life because I’ve been there so long,” he told The Falkirk Herald just moments before the club confirmed his departure. “The phone has rang a few times but people don’t seem to believe I would leave the Shire because I’ve been there so often and played so many times.

“Drummond Calder knows every stat it’s incredible. He sent me spreadsheets of my time at the club and it was unbelievable. I played 202 times for Shire and 140 in a row over the last four years.

“I’m not leaving on bad terms or wishing I could have done something else. I’ve done everything I could. I do leave with my head high and they know that too.

“I’ve been there for four years, played every game, broke the clean sheet record and am up there for consecutive appearances. There’s not much more I can do aside from win something.”

He came close a year ago with Shire’s run in the Lowland League Cup before being beaten by BSC Glasgow in the final. That match stands out, as does an unbeaten run stretching over two easons and being made captain 18 months ago.

Now though, he’s following travelling companion Connor Greene out of the club and The Falkirk Stadium, but believes the Shire are on the up.

“The last couple of years I’ve seen an improvement in the club and they’re going the extra step to get back into League Two. They’ve found some extra funding and they’ve invested it well in some of the players they’ve signed. If they can maintain it it’s only a matter of time til they are back up in L2.

“The Falkirk Stadium has been a great base. To train there with all the equipment there and the space in the dressing rooms, it’s brilliant and that’s helped attract players. But I don’t think we’ve ever adapted properly to the pitch in games,” he added.

“It’s a huge pitch. We’re a lot better away from home than Falkirk. At Stenny we rarely got beat because it’s a tighter pitch. At Falkirk we’ve dropped stupid points and maybe opposition get a lift playing there because it’s a great arena to play in.”

When the club will be back playing there, who knows. And that uncertainty has contributed to the goalkeeper’s departure. Shire offered terms in February but as negotiations edged on, coronavirus hit and threw everything into disarray. Waiting to see how it pans out was not an option for Barclay who works in a property management company in Glasgow, and he’s trying his luck elsewhere and putting himself on the market.

“There will be many clubs in the same boat, and many players in the same boat too. I’m leaving on good terms. I understand the club’s position but I’ve also to think of myself too. I’m hoping when people realise I’ve left after all this time there might be some more offers.”

A step up to LeagueTwo may be next, but the Lowland League still holds appeal given the proximity of the clubs to his Clydebank base.

“I’ve always seemed to play for clubs in the central belt and especially around the Falkirk, Cumbernauld area – except for my move to Berwick.

“I’ll miss it and I’ll miss the guys behind the scenes. Robert Jack is one of my closest allies in football and I’m still friendly with Del (Ure, the manager) and Andy (Rodgers, assistant) but come the start of the season and I’m driving a different way to training, or pulling on a different shirt, it’ll be strange to re-adjust. It’s been a way of life at the Shire.”