Photo Credit: University of Binghamton AthleticsPrior to his arrival at the University of Binghamton, Cameron Keith (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) enjoyed two successful campaigns with Keith FC in the Scottish Highland Football League. Last year, his club claimed the league title after an impressive and historic run. In 2007, they were undefeated in 27 matches. Cameron Keith finished first on the team with 13 goals scored in league play. He also was top goal scorer in the Highland Football League with a combined 26 goals from league and cup competition.
While at Binghamton this fall, the Bearcats forward scored 10 goals and was named the 2007 America East Conference Striker of the Year. Keith opened his scoring with a hat trick versus Cornell. The game marked the opening of the new Bearcats Sports Complex. Keith was the first player to record a hat trick for the Bearcats while competing at the Division I level. He scored a second hat trick later in the season versus Maine. The feat was especially meaningful because his family made the journey from Scotland to attend the game.
At the end of the season, Keith was named to College Soccer News Playmakers List, the America East All-Conference First Team, and the NSCAA All-Northeast Region First Team.
Binghamton finished the season 14-6-0 and won their second consecutive America East regular-season title but lost at home in the America East Tournament Championship to the Vermont Catamounts. It was the first loss at the Bearcats Sports Complex and their first home loss in the last 21 after going 15-0-6 over that span.
Cameron Keith took some time with Soccer City FC to talk about the Bearcats season, his time with Keith FC, and his thoughts on the Scottish National Team’s historic away victory over France in Euro 2008 Qualifying.
- Prior to coming to Binghamton, you played in the Highland Football League. What do you miss most about the league?
A: I played for Keith so I obviously miss my teammate and the fans at Keith as I have a lot of good friends up there. What I miss most about the league is playing every Saturday from August until May. It has been hard having to accept that the season here only runs from about August till November/December. I find it difficult during the spring not playing every Saturday.
- How did the league ready you for playing collegiate soccer with the Bearcats?
A: I felt like I was able to adapt quite well and become a leader within the side straight away. This is because I was used to playing with grown men who show no mercy for two seasons. I felt like this really toughened me up for coming across here. However, I must say that the fitness demands are a lot higher here and the technical level of players is a lot better than I expected.
- Did you get an opportunity to play in a Scottish Cup match?
A: Luckily enough I did as I played in the first round last season. The format for the Scottish Cup has completely changed. This is because amateur teams now have the opportunity to compete in the early rounds of the Scottish Cup from the off. Whereas beforehand, amateur teams like ourselves had to qualify first in order to even reach the first round.
- You scored your first hat trick of the season against Cornell in the first game ever to be played at the Bearcats Sports Complex. What was your favorite goal of the three?
A: To be honest, my favorite was the first goal for a few reasons. Firstly, it was the first ever goal to be scored at the Bearcats Sports Complex so that was special. Also, I was not playing that well at the time and I knew that I was about to be taken off until I scored. Thirdly, it was actually a wonderful goal and one of the better ones I have scored in my time.
- Your second hat trick came against Maine when your family was in from Scotland. How important was it for you to have a good showing with your family in attendance?
A: That was great because obviously you cannot predict what will happen in a match. So to score 3 goals in front of them was nice considering they had traveled so far. It felt like a bit of weight off my shoulders as everyone had been saying to me that I’d better score in front of my parents.
- A successful season ended with a loss to Vermont in the America East Championship. It was also the first home loss of the season. What positive did you take from the experience?
A: It really was a horrible experience and a major letdown considering the amount of fans that turned out that evening. But I think it made us realize how every game we play next season will have to be treated like a cup final. It will be the last season for a lot of boys so I believe that there is now a greater determination to ensure we never go through that again.
- Will you be heading back to Scotland in the summer or remaining to train in Binghamton?
A: I will be going home to Scotland in the summer to train and to spend time with my family and friends.
- Did you and your teammates watch Scotland’s historic away victory over France during Euro 2008 qualifying?
A: Yes. All the Scottish guys in the team watched it and it was a truly marvelous performance. I wish I could have been in the streets of Paris that night to celebrate with the Tartan Army. It was just a great pity that we did not qualify as I felt we deserved it. However pride has most definitely been restored in our national game again.
The National Team did well as did club sides Celtic, Rangers, and Aberdeen (my team) in European competition. They were still in Europe past Christmas for the first time in 26 years. So there is a high optimism back home that Scotland will qualify for the next World Cup.
- What can we expect from the Bearcats in 2008?
A: We will definitely be at the national tournament this year as we are determined to put the ghost to rest from last year. Then, we hope to progress far in the national tournament and put Binghamton on the map. We were greatly encouraged by the performance of U-Mass and that is definitely the example we wish to follow.
While at Binghamton this fall, the Bearcats forward scored 10 goals and was named the 2007 America East Conference Striker of the Year. Keith opened his scoring with a hat trick versus Cornell. The game marked the opening of the new Bearcats Sports Complex. Keith was the first player to record a hat trick for the Bearcats while competing at the Division I level. He scored a second hat trick later in the season versus Maine. The feat was especially meaningful because his family made the journey from Scotland to attend the game.
At the end of the season, Keith was named to College Soccer News Playmakers List, the America East All-Conference First Team, and the NSCAA All-Northeast Region First Team.
Binghamton finished the season 14-6-0 and won their second consecutive America East regular-season title but lost at home in the America East Tournament Championship to the Vermont Catamounts. It was the first loss at the Bearcats Sports Complex and their first home loss in the last 21 after going 15-0-6 over that span.
Cameron Keith took some time with Soccer City FC to talk about the Bearcats season, his time with Keith FC, and his thoughts on the Scottish National Team’s historic away victory over France in Euro 2008 Qualifying.
- Prior to coming to Binghamton, you played in the Highland Football League. What do you miss most about the league?
A: I played for Keith so I obviously miss my teammate and the fans at Keith as I have a lot of good friends up there. What I miss most about the league is playing every Saturday from August until May. It has been hard having to accept that the season here only runs from about August till November/December. I find it difficult during the spring not playing every Saturday.
- How did the league ready you for playing collegiate soccer with the Bearcats?
A: I felt like I was able to adapt quite well and become a leader within the side straight away. This is because I was used to playing with grown men who show no mercy for two seasons. I felt like this really toughened me up for coming across here. However, I must say that the fitness demands are a lot higher here and the technical level of players is a lot better than I expected.
- Did you get an opportunity to play in a Scottish Cup match?
A: Luckily enough I did as I played in the first round last season. The format for the Scottish Cup has completely changed. This is because amateur teams now have the opportunity to compete in the early rounds of the Scottish Cup from the off. Whereas beforehand, amateur teams like ourselves had to qualify first in order to even reach the first round.
- You scored your first hat trick of the season against Cornell in the first game ever to be played at the Bearcats Sports Complex. What was your favorite goal of the three?
A: To be honest, my favorite was the first goal for a few reasons. Firstly, it was the first ever goal to be scored at the Bearcats Sports Complex so that was special. Also, I was not playing that well at the time and I knew that I was about to be taken off until I scored. Thirdly, it was actually a wonderful goal and one of the better ones I have scored in my time.
- Your second hat trick came against Maine when your family was in from Scotland. How important was it for you to have a good showing with your family in attendance?
A: That was great because obviously you cannot predict what will happen in a match. So to score 3 goals in front of them was nice considering they had traveled so far. It felt like a bit of weight off my shoulders as everyone had been saying to me that I’d better score in front of my parents.
- A successful season ended with a loss to Vermont in the America East Championship. It was also the first home loss of the season. What positive did you take from the experience?
A: It really was a horrible experience and a major letdown considering the amount of fans that turned out that evening. But I think it made us realize how every game we play next season will have to be treated like a cup final. It will be the last season for a lot of boys so I believe that there is now a greater determination to ensure we never go through that again.
- Will you be heading back to Scotland in the summer or remaining to train in Binghamton?
A: I will be going home to Scotland in the summer to train and to spend time with my family and friends.
- Did you and your teammates watch Scotland’s historic away victory over France during Euro 2008 qualifying?
A: Yes. All the Scottish guys in the team watched it and it was a truly marvelous performance. I wish I could have been in the streets of Paris that night to celebrate with the Tartan Army. It was just a great pity that we did not qualify as I felt we deserved it. However pride has most definitely been restored in our national game again.
The National Team did well as did club sides Celtic, Rangers, and Aberdeen (my team) in European competition. They were still in Europe past Christmas for the first time in 26 years. So there is a high optimism back home that Scotland will qualify for the next World Cup.
- What can we expect from the Bearcats in 2008?
A: We will definitely be at the national tournament this year as we are determined to put the ghost to rest from last year. Then, we hope to progress far in the national tournament and put Binghamton on the map. We were greatly encouraged by the performance of U-Mass and that is definitely the example we wish to follow.
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