The Scotsmans remarkable technique and ability to pick out his team mates led to his hallmark – a raking, pinpoint long pass from deep that put the ball on a plate for the attacker.

It is a talent he used on multiple occasions.

McGav (to his friends) was the midfield heartbeat for Saint Davids and now a driving force for his new club Park Sports Project who took over from Saint Davids back in 2022.

Craig put off retirement off & returned for season 23/24 to see if he could along with Joe Cranston & Mark Calder if they could roll back the years and drive a young but talented PSP squad to a premier league title after 2 seasons of being so close 1st to Singer then Corinthians.

They succeeded in the most unbelievable fashion.

In the GCFA career of Craig McGavin he has been fighting for cup and trophies every season and he is definitely one of the standout players to have played in the GCFA.

HONOURS

PREMIER DIVISION 🏆

LEAGUE CUP 🏆

2014/15 – SAINT DAVIDS 🏆

2012/13 – SAINT DAVIDS 🏆

GCFA CUP 🏆

2022/23 – PARK SPORTS PROJECT 🏆

2018/19 – ST DAVIDS 🏆

2016/17 – SAINT DAVIDS 🏆

2015/16 – SAINT DAVIDS 🏆

When McGavin decided to hang up his boots it’s was inevitable that he would go from being a GCFA ICON to an actual GCFA LEGEND but the win v Islands was stuff of football dreams.

The GCFA Career of McGavin makes him a true GCFA Legend and worthy entry into the Legend hall of fame.

So what have been the high points of your time with GCFA?

“Outwith winning major trophies, was meeting team mates that probably outwith football I wouldn’t interact with. People like, Joe Cranston and Paddy Woods are not guys I would usually have met. But you get to know some one and it opens your eyes and I would now class these guys as friends for life, so it’s amazing how football can bring people together!”

Who have been best players you have played with? L

Any opponents you just loved playing against?

“I loved playing against the best – Maryhill thistle – JJA at the time were the best and I loved these games, they were always great games and if you got the win you know you earned it!!”

So what is your next football journey?

“I am already coaching my sons 2016 team and have passed all my SYFA courses, I will continue to do that and try and pass on any knowledge I can into the younger generation coming through.”

Any regrets?

Could have been better, league wiped out 2 league titles in the covid years when we were on course to win. And that meant haven’t won a league since 2105/16 which is annoying”

This article was when Mcgav became an icon & was not the end of the story

We caught up again with Mcgav after retiring from GCFA as a premier league winner in unbelievable game that cemented McGav & 2 others as GCFA LEGENDS

How did you stay motivated during tough times of losing league last year and return this season

The will to be a winner never leaves me and the losses o have had drive me on to keep going !

What are your plans for the future in football after you finally said this was end of your GCFA career?

To coach the younger generation and try and pass what experience I have on to them !

What do you enjoy doing outside of football to relax and unwind? Spending time with my family and having a beer or 2 !

What is was your training schedule like as you returned for one final attempt to win another Premier league title? Has it changed over the years ?

I always liked to train how played 100% commitment – I have tried to keep myself fit in my twilight – and Euan Ronald has helped me a lot in this.

Is their a player or players who have been most influential over your career

– there are to many to mention with all the players I have played with – but I will mention a few – Joe Cranston and Craig Alexander.

Do you have a favourite strip you have worn over the years ?

No

Do you have a special routine or superstition before you play a big

game?

Going for a coffee with Alan Duncan.

What are your favorite stories over the years?-

Too many to tell- but I just love the lads I have played with and would do anything for them on and off the pitch.

Can you tell us about a defining moment in your career that helped shape you as a player? – maybe not many know but o lost my dad aged 15 and then I gave football up after that for obvious reasons. Then one day wine I was 21 and just having a kick about my mate asked me to joint DTI and the rest was history.

What was your approach to maintaining peak physical and mental fitness throughout your career?

I like to train how I play and Euan Ronald would not accept anything less if you weren’t fit then you wouldn’t play !

Can you share insights into your training regiment and how it has evolved over the years?

As above train as hard as you can for as long as you can.

Can you describe a particularly memorable goal or victory that stands out in your mind?

Yes when we won 4-1 against Maryhill to win the double !

What role do you believe teamwork plays in achieving success on the pitch?

Team work is everything – you win nothing as an individual.

Have you generally been injury free throughout your career long career?

I have been lucky not to pick up serious injuries in my career.

How do you stay motivated and focused during periods of adversity or injury?

Losing makes me more hungry to succeed !

What does your diet and nutrition plan look like now you are a veteran footballer?

Stella and pizza !

What have you learned about teamwork from your past experiences with your teams?

Team work is everything as said before you win nothing unless part of a team!

How have the past teams you’ve played in made you a better player?-

playing with better players made me a better player !

Describe your major highlights and achievements in GCFA & full career?–

I think the trophy haul speaks for itself

Tell me about your most successful season in football?

I have had a few but the double winning season we had at St David’s was unreal

Who in your opinion have been the best coaches or managers you have been involved with?

I have had the pleasure of having grest coaches throughout my career – Tam Dunn , Alan Sharp , Kenny Sinclair , but one man who for me is the best is Euan Ronald , the man is a great man manger and tactician and the best manager I have ever player for. Barr none , he often challenged me by dropping me a few times to make me a better player and you know what he was right ! I would also like to name John Kinnaird as without his input I would have retired without the closure I got m.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve gained from your fellow players, coaches or managers over the years?

Believe in yourself !

How would your coaches and teammates describe you?

Ask them

How do you keep your teammates feeling positive and motivated during a loss?

Ask them but I try and make people laugh because I thing that makes people fell better !

And here are 3 people who knew him best

I’ve known Craig for over twenty years, having played with – and managed him – at DTI when they were in the Strathclyde Saturday Morning FL.
When I returned to St Davids in 2011, I asked Craig to join as I knew he would be a good fit at the club. He didn’t play as much as he had hoped in his first season, but from the next year on, he was a mainstay in the team. He won a lot of team honours during his time at the club, but he also picked up more than a few individual awards as well. Player of the Year, Players Player of the Year, Manager’s Player of the Year – he won them all, and not just once. This goes to show how good his performance levels were over the years, and how highly he was thought of – especially given that the club were blessed with several exceptional players during that period.

As a manager, you need players around you that you can trust. During my time at St Davids there was nobody I trusted more than McGav and he would fill any role in the team, no questions asked. I think his flexibility to cover when needed was a great asset, and he excelled in whatever position he played.

During my time in football, I have never seen anyone else have such a positive effect on a dressing room. On the very odd occasion that he was unavailable, the build up to kick off was a lot quieter than normal. His positivity was infectious, and players became more upbeat being around him. He is a born winner, and he would lift players on the park as well – nothing other than victory would do.

I’m glad Craig is still playing a part at PSP and, when the time does eventually come, The GCFA will be a poorer (and much quieter) place without him.

euan

“What can I say about Craig (McGav) McGavin?

I’ve been lucky enough to play in the same team with some tremendous football players since joining St.Davids in 2004, and Craig McGavin rates right up there at the top of that list.

A great servant to St.Davids for a number of years, PSP and to the GCFA as a whole. Part of so many successes over his years within the GCFA he has a number of honours to his name, although he was usually in his bed by 6.30pm after winning those titles because he had stanked 15 sambucas before the breakfast rolls had been served!

I could comment on how deadly he is from set pieces, or the crucial goals he has scored and assisted over the years, but he knows all that already, so I think the biggest compliment I can give McGav is to acknowledge how much he has driven his teammates on to be better players. He sets a great example to everyone by attending pretty much every training session, and always leading the way when there’s running drills to be done.

A legend of all the clubs he has played for and within the GCFA, he’s also a brilliant host for a summer bevy session, even if his gaff is 4 boundary charges away from civilization 🤣

A great football player, person, and friend to everyone that knows him – Craig McGavin”

“If I was looking to add anything to Euan’s & Shug’s words I think it would be about the impact he has off the park. He’s the main man in the changing room, always full of energy, the source of most of the laughs – all the boys respect him”