From Costa Coffee to scoring at Celtic Park – Falkirk defender Keelan Adams’ rise as a professional over the last two years is one few could ever experience.
The right-back quit his job as a barista when the then League One side came calling, and also paused his pursuit of a law degree to go into full-time football.
But the University of Glasgow graduate admitted that professional football wasn’t always a reality.
“Probably not, no.” Adams said when asked if football was a realistic career path at Costa.
“When I was at uni, I never really knew what I wanted to do next. So I had a conversation with my dad and he sort of suggested that if you don’t know what you want to do career wise, then why don’t you focus on playing football?”
“I got a chance at Cumbernauld Colts to do that. The facilities there are really good for young players trying to up their game. Falkirk then came in for me, which was quite lucky.”
Before Falkirk offered Adams a trial, he considered studying a Masters in Law, but was deterred by the £50 application fee. He refused to rule out returning to this in the future, however.
“Right now, I’m just focused on football, we’ll see what there is down the line.”
“But yeah, I could see myself going back to uni and maybe doing a Master’s. The experience I’ve gained from football will lead me elsewhere, so we’ll see.”
Falkirk made the decision to halt his law career, and it was a lot easier after a successful trial midway through their League One promotion campaign, before Adams went on to play each game of their Championship winning season.
“I had to take a couple weeks off work then went on trial for two weeks.”
“Then after two weeks, John McGlynn and Paul Smith the assistant offered me something and I just accepted it. I could’ve maybe got a wee bit more money but for me, it was a good deal.”
“It was easy to leave Costa and accept that!”
Falkirk returned to the Premiership after lifting the Championship title last season to achieve back-to-back promotions, and the 23 year-old said there was always faith internally they could accomplish this.
“There was a silent belief we’d do well in the Championship.”
“Out of house, we’d say ‘let’s aim for the play-offs’, but secretly we knew we could push for the title.
“It’s mad to think that you’re in the Premiership after only one full season of professional football.”
Falkirk sit fifth in the Scottish Premiership in their first season back in the top-flight since 2010, and the right-back has embraced the jump in level.
“We’ve got Scott Arfield and Brian Graham, and a couple others, but on the whole we are pretty inexperienced and it’s a learning curve.”
“We knew for the first couple of months, everyone would be learning.”
“In terms of playstyle, I don’t think we are ever going to change, I don’t think the gaffer is like that.”
“We maybe have to be a bit more pragmatic, be a bit tighter and not be so open all the time. It’s something we have to learn and we have been getting a lot better at that.”
And the former Lowland League player is dreaming of taking his career one step higher to international level.
“There’s been no contact (from Scotland). “It’s definitely something I’m keeping my eye on as well.”
“I’ll keep taking it week by week and try to improve my game at Falkirk first.”
“To play at the highest level that I can is always my ambition.”
