Ryan McRitchie swaps sunny Melbourne for Mosset Park as former Rothes defender returns from Australia and signs for Forres Mechanics

A year in Australia landed a football title for Highland League defender Ryan McRitchie.

Now the 24-year-old, a double cup winner with Rothes before his trip Down Under, has returned to sign a short-term deal with Forres Mechanics.

McRitchie (24) has teamed up again with Forres manager Steven MacDonald, who first signed him for Rothes from Caley Thistle to kick-start his senior career.

The centre back jetted off to Oz last January to play for Mazenod Victory in the Victorian State League Division 2, where he was based in Melbourne.

Thrilled by the experience, the Inverness-based player would love to return there one day and is keeping his options open by signing a short-term contract with Forres until October.

He was training with former club Rothes until Mechanics made contact and persuaded him to take up a peg at Mosset Park.

It's a ground where Ryan's father Mark used to play, as he was a goalkeeper for the Moray club during a long Highland League and SPFL career.

Speaking about his move to Mechanics, Ryan said: “I had been back for a few weeks and was training with Rothes when ‘Biscuits’ (MacDonald) got in touch,” he said. “I’ve worked with him before and always got on with him really well.

“He spoke about the future of the club and what they’re planning on doing, and everything I want to do football-wise aligned with that so I was more than happy to sign for them.”

McRitchie loved his time in Australia, and while he awaits his Forres debut in sub zero temperatures in Scotland he is constantly reminded of the blazing sunshine over in Melbourne.

"Some of the (Mazenod) boys are putting stuff on the chat just now," he said. "They’re sunbathing, or on the beach with music blaring. That’s not easy to take when it’s freezing over here right now."

He found playing in the State League in Victoria to be not too dissimilar in standard to what he experienced in the Highland League.

"It wasn’t completely different to the Highland League but there was a lot more playing football from the back and it was emphasised at training that long balls were a no-no,” he said.

“Even from then it was a place for me that I knew I wanted to be because their style of play suited me. It was a lot less physical than the Highland League but everything else was near enough the same.”

McRitchie made his mark with his Australian club, helping them to win promotion to the top league.

“It was a really good experience winning the league with Mazerod. Everyone was really nice, the club committee and all the people there. I couldn’t fault it. I was on a part-time wage and one of the sponsors got me a job as an apprentice tree surgeon. That was a bit random but I ended up really enjoying it.

"The lifestyle was great. The weather in Melbourne wasn't always that different to Scotland. Their winter was May, June and very similar to here.

"Obviously their summer is our winter and a lot warmer.

"I was house sharing with two boys from the same team who I met from day one and we’ve formed what will be lifelong friendship.

"Football aside, you were moving away from family and friends but that was a good life skill as well, living on the other side of the world."

In Australia he met up with former Rothes team-mate Jaime Wilson, who like McRitchie came through the ranks of Caley Thistle and also had spells in the SPFL with Dumbarton, Falkirk and Elgin City on loan.

"Jaime and I are quite good pals and I met up with him a couple of times. He was the only guy I knew out there and he was playing a couple of leagues above me.

"He is still out there and loving it, I don’t see him coming back any time soon."

McRitchie may well end up returning there himself, as he is weighing up another season Down Under if the opportunity arises.

"My contract is until October 10 so I’ll stay here to play football and finish the season with Forres, then I'll do pre-season with them and play from the start of next season.

"If I don’t decide to back to Australia and I’m enjoying it at Forres, I’ll sign on with them again.

"Biscuits and Forres have been really understanding about that knowing that I enjoyed Australia that much. I didn’t want to make any full commitments until I knew exactly what I was doing.”

It will be like father, like son when Ryan first steps on to the park to represent Forres.

His father Mark began his career in goal for the old Caledonian team in the Highland League, and enjoyed a loan spell at Lossiemouth.

He returned to Inverness to form part of the brand new Caley Thistle team formed from Caley's merger with Inverness Thistle.

A permanent transfer to Lossiemouth followed and he then made the switch to Forres where he enjoyed a successful five-and-a-half year spell.

“He’s not really spoken much about it, whoever I sign for he wishes me the best of luck and he comes and watches the games.”

Forres have rearranged Saturday's postponed league match at Keith for tomorrow night, although the weather is likely to take its toll once again.

Mechanics are due to host Deveronvale on Saturday.