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Rangers and Hibs rejected me and I was freed by Hearts so I worked in Costa Coffee - now I could be Premiership-bound
Keelan. The name derives from Ireland and translates into the word slender. Its definition is: Gracefully slight. Thin and delicate, often in a way that’s attractive.
As a young footballer desperately trying to make the grade, Keelan Adams’ body fitted the description. But in terms of being appealing to Scotland’s top clubs? That certainly wasn’t the case. When Hearts let him go, there was a danger he could be lost to the sport all together. A university degree in history and politics followed, along with working as a coffee barista, as football was put on the back burner.
But thankfully for Falkirk – and maybe even the Scottish game – while Adams’ physical stature might have been flimsy, his mentality was fiercely strong and iron-willed. That’s why, at 22, he’s arguably the best right-back in the Championship and heading for our top flight. His journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Bairns boss John McGlynn plucked Adams from Lowland League obscurity where he was playing for Cumbernauld Colts.
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Since then, he’s excelled against sides such as Hearts and Celtic. With such a high ceiling, it’s impossible to predict how high Adams could go. But given how his career started, the fact he’s made it as a pro is an achievement in itself. In an exclusive interview with MailSport, Adams said: “There have been moments where it’s all been a bit surreal. When we beat Hearts in the League Cup this season, someone told me a mad stat. That exact week, a year before, I had played against Hearts’ B team for Cumbernauld Colts in the Lowland League.
“Twelve months on, I was beating their first team. But I always had the ambition to play at the highest level. Did I think it would come this fast? Probably not. Especially to play against teams like Celtic. But I always thought I could play in the SPFL. I didn’t know how quickly I could do it. But I’ve always had the ambition and drive to play at the highest level possible. I was in and out of pro youth clubs when I was a kid but I was a late bloomer. I didn’t grow until I was around 17.
“I was never going to go full-time because of my size. I wasn’t able to compete physically with teams. I trained with Hibs and Rangers. And I was with Hearts between the age of 13 and 15 but was let go. Will a few youth coaches regret letting me go? I’m not sure, maybe!
"But I’ve improved massively, to be fair. I fell out of love with football a bit. Once I got to Glasgow University, I got my love back for the game and started to believe I could go higher.
"That’s when I started to grow in size and get my pace. But I always knew I was technically good enough, so maybe it’s not that big a surprise that I find myself here now.”
After getting his qualification and playing for Glasgow’s uni side, Adams took a gamble. Having taken a growth spurt and built up his strength during Covid, he put his degree in a drawer, took a job at Costa and dedicated himself to football.
He wanted to give himself a chance to make the grade and if he didn’t, at least he’d have something to fall back on. A move to the Lowland League was a step up, albeit he admits that before McGlynn handed him a Falkirk trial he’d started looking at alternative careers.
Adams said: “When I was at uni in my final year, I had a part-time job at Costa as a barista. When I finished uni, I did more hours while playing for Colts because I wanted to concentrate on football for a year. It meant I had no excuses, I didn’t have another career to pursue so I just purely focused on football.
"I had time to make the right meals and go to the gym. I had to do all the right things. And then I got the break with the trial. There were people around me saying: ‘Why aren’t you applying for these other jobs?’ I didn’t know I’d go into full-time football. I just wanted to try to jump up. And I knew Costa was a job I could easily drop out of. But the week before I went on trial to Falkirk, I was looking at proper jobs. Thankfully, that went out the window after a few weeks at Falkirk.”
That must now feel like a lifetime ago for Adams. With McGlynn’s men flying, they look destined for the top flight next season. The full-back could soon be showcasing his talent at places like Ibrox and Celtic Park on a regular basis. And you wouldn’t rule out international recognition at some point either.
But given where Adams has come from, understandably, he won’t get too carried away. He said: “I’ve adapted to this level quicker than I thought. But a big part of that is the team. I was able to fit in easily. I need to push on again. But it’s not like I think I’ve made it. I want to stay on that upward trajectory. In terms of playing in Europe or for the national team? I haven’t thought about it. Obviously if it comes, it comes. I know the next two or three years are going to be important.”
Keelan. Remember the name.
