05-07-2025
Striker Alan Trouten eyes successful season as he recalls 'proud moment'
Trouten will play into his 40s, having enjoyed a prolific promotion season
Rutherglen ace Alan Trouten has signed a one-year extension at East Fife that will ensure he plays into his 40s.
Trouten is in pre-season to enter his fourth season at Bayview, and hopes it can be a successful one in the third tier.
The striker, who turns 40 in November, played a major part in their promotion-winning campaign in League Two last term by scoring 28 goals in 43 games.
And he said: 'The season ended well, with the play-off victory and promotion – that's what we set out to do at the start of the season.
'We're up to League One, I've signed a new contract, along with the majority of the boys. We've kept a good nucleus of the squad together and we just need to add more bodies so we can compete at a higher level.
'I never really set myself personal targets, goals-wise and stuff, I always just want to contribute, help the team – that's what I'm there to do, to score and set up goals.
'As a team, we need to take it game by game. I know when you look at the league it's going to be exciting. There's going to be four full-time teams in there, ourselves and Peterhead have just come up, but I think we can give a good account of ourselves and hopefully have another successful season.'
Trouten picked up the PFA Scotland League Two Player of the Year award, setting a record, and says it was a great moment.
He said: 'It was a proud moment for me and my family, especially seeing that the award is voted for by the players that you're up against over the course of the season – that always makes it that bit sweeter.
'It's always good to get that recognition that the players you're playing against appreciate your performances.
'I think that was the fourth time I had been nominated, so to finally win it meant a lot, and they told me on the night I was the oldest player ever to win a PFA award at any level, so that was a nice moment as well.'
Trouten says a change in mentality under Dick Campbell led to East Fife's success.
Trouten said: 'When the manager first came in, the first thing they said was that they would change the team's mentality, that we had to improve on that as a squad.
'I think there were games last season that we might not have won in previous years.
'The biggest thing they've brought is the mentality. The management team have won a lot of promotions and there are players in the team that have done it as well, so it has been a good mix.'
