Bohemians' Scott Allardice: 'Trevor Croly improves me every day even when I'm not playing - that's why I'm so happy'

When Scott Allardice cancelled his contract with Dundee United to join Bohemians at the start of the season, the Scot might have expected to see more time on the field.

The 21-year-old joined the Gypsies on a permanent basis in January following a trial after manager Keith Long had originally made contact with a view to signing him on loan.

The arrival of Conor Levingston and Danny Mandroiu at the same time, as well as the form of stalwart Keith Buckley in the middle of the park, has restricted first-team opportunities.

The Scot has been forced to bide his time, picking up minutes in EA Sports Cup and Leinster Senior Cup outings and the odd league appearance off the bench.

The physically imposing midfielder broke through with the Arabs just after he turned 19 but he’s been restricted to just one league start and three in the cups since making the move to Phibsboro.

Far from looking at his options in the window, however, the Dundee native is loving his time at Dalymount Park and feels he’s improving week on week.

“I love it, to be fair,” he told extratime.ie.

“Everyone’s at an age where they want to go and do something in the game. There’s no egos, there’s no nothing.

“Trevor [Croly] improves me every day even if I’m not playing – that’s probably why I’m so happy.

“I’m coming in every day and I’m getting pushed, and I’ve come in and played 90 there [against Cork]. I couldn’t have gone through that, even when I was playing back home.



“It’s the fittest I’ve felt and I’ve not played many minutes, and that’s a testament to everything about the way the club is, the values they hold.

“From an early age I’ve been taught to get on the ball and be brave and if you make mistakes, so what?

“You come in here and everyone is the same. We’re young but everyone is technically good.”

Allardice put in a man-of-the-match performance on Monday night in a 2-0 win over Cork City as Bohs lined up an EA Sports Cup semi-final away to Dundalk in August.

He very nearly capped it off with a spectacular goal in the dying minutes but his thunderous effort from distance smashed off the crossbar.

"I was ready to run into the crowd if I’m honest. There wasn’t many people there. If it had went in the shirt would have been off!"



And while Allardice admits he’s been frustrated by the paucity of first-team opportunities, he can have few complaints given the team’s performances this season.

Levingston will likely return to the starting eleven against Finn Harps tonight (kick-off 7.45pm) but, with Buckley rated as doubtful, he may hold on to his place.

“I’ve been raging with the gaffer, if I’m honest. I’ve not had many minutes at all, but it’s probably more an onus to Levo and Bucko and Robbie McCourt when he’s come in.

“It’s been really frustrating for me, and there’ve been a few of us that even when we’ve made eight changes we’ve not come in and played.

“But we’re bursting our balls every day in training to take our chance when we get it and we done that [against Cork].”