Rob Roy boss says striker Sawyers can be club legend

Willie Sawyers made his 100th Rob Roy appearance at Kilbirnie last week

The 30-year-old hitman made his 100th appearance for the club in last week’s match at Kilbirnie.

And typically he marked the occasion with a goal - his 66th in Rabs colours - to send his side on their way to a 2-0 win and a return to the top of the Super League Premier Division table.

Sawyers, who turned 30 earlier this month, began his career with Maryhill before stepping up to the senior ranks with Clyde.

He spent two seasons at Broadwood and was the club’s top scorer with 10 goals in the 2009-10 season.

Sawyers then returned to the junior ranks and after spells with Renfrew and Pollok he joined Rob Roy for the first time in 2013.

The following year he moved to Irvine Meadow but things didn’t work out there and he returned to the Rabs ranks after less than a full season in Ayrshire.

Since then he has found the net for the club on a regular basis again and netted the clinching penalty in the Sectional League Cup final shootout against Shettleston which secured the club’s first trophy in 43 years.

And Maxwell reckons many so-called experts under-rate the abilities of the player he has twice signed for the club.

He said: “I don’t think Willie gets the credit he deserves in junior football circles. He’s a prolific scorer.

“He had spells at Pollok and Irvine Meadow where things maybe didn’t quite work out as well as he would have liked but I think you have got to play to Willie’s strengths and he scored regularly at Maryhill and Renfrew.

“Sometimes you get a club which fits you and you fit them and I think that’s the case with Willie at Rob Roy. I think he can potentially go on to be a Rob Roy great.

“When I took over at Rob Roy Willie was one of my first signing targets. He was then enticed away but when he phoned me up I had no hesitation in taking him back.

“He always gives you 100 per cent and never misses a training session.

“Willie thrives on service and if you can get the ball in to him there’s nobody better at holding the ball up with his back to goal.

“His goal ratio proves the quality of his finishing and it’s good to see him get the recognition he deserves.”