This article by Phil Tooley originally appeared in the Matchday Programme for the Stockport County game on 18th August 2007 and is reproduced from there.

One of five men making their debut in the goalless draw at Chester City last Saturday was 22 year old Dundee born midfielder Jamie Winter, the son of a former St Johnstone and Forfar player Gordon Winter, who played around 250 senior games plus numerous other matches in Scottish Junior football with the likes of Downfield and Dundee St Josephs.

Glasgow Rangers supporting Jamie joined the Club from Scottish Premier League side Aberdeen, he moved to Pittodrie after beginning his pro career with Leeds United.

It was as a youngster, playing for his National side, when he came to the attention of the Elland Road side, "I was playing for Scotland Schoolboys and Brian Kidd was at one of the games, he gave me a call and asked me if I wanted to go and have a look around the place, I enjoyed it and it just went on from there."

With the likes of Aaron Lennon, Scott Carson, James Milner and Andy Keogh as Jamie's contemporaries, the Leeds side was indeed a good one. Caleb Folan and Jamie McMaster were there too, but a little older than the Scot.

"We had a great Youth side," says Jamie, "We were a bit unfortunate in the FA Youth Cup, probably should have won it that year, we got beaten in the quarter finals by Charlton Athletic. It was good for myself to play with good players like that and we're all into great careers right now.".

The role models that he had to look up to at that time in the Leeds first team were good ones too, Mark Viduka, Lucas Radebe and Alan Smith aongst others, "Guys like that can only help you. Watching them day in, day out can only benefit you, learning from their good habits," concludes the midfielder.

Manager when he started as a pro at United was a certain Terry Venables, "He was good, I didn't see too much of him but he usually just sat at the side taking everything in. His training methods were good, he'd worked abroad a lot so much of the training was on technical aspects, which I enjoyed a lot, it was interesting to work with a few different managers at Leeds."

One of the other Managers was Peter Reid, "Peter's been around the British game for a while, knows his stuff, I wouldn't say he was the exact opposite of Terry but I saw a different method of coaching."

No first team games for United, though a phone call at Christmas 2004 initially made him think that the squad was beckoning, "We had a reserves game at Bolton and there was someone from Aberdeen that saw me in that game, I then went back home for a Christmas break and I got a phone call which I initially thought may be a call from Leeds to go back to be involved with the first team but they told me to go up to Aberdeen for some talks. I still had six months on my contract left at Leeds, so I decided to go up, see what it was like, and I ended up signing a two and a half year contract."

Jamie had an instant introduction to the hotseat when the Scottish game resumed after Christmas, he made his senior debut, as a sub at Pittodrie against Celtic, Balde, Lennon, Sutton, Hartson, Juninho and all. "My debut as a sub was hectic. Being a Rangers supporter, I was trying to get stuck in, but it was mixed emotions, making my debut but we lost 1-0."

It then took a turn for the better the following week, his first start against heroes Rangers, "It was even stranger the week after playing against some of my heroes, but it was enjoyable and probably the best thing for me to get straight into it. Playing at that standard, you can only get better and learn from the experience."

Jamie was a regular feature for the rest of that season and was thoroughly enjoyed by our new man, "I was involved from Christmas onwards, enjoying my football but in the summer it was unfortunate for me that the manager, Jimmy Calderwood, signed a couple of midfielders and he played them instead of me, so it was time to leave."

He didn't leave at that point, scoring his first senior goal in a League Cup tie with Berwick Rangers, "We were actually struggling a wee bit and it was just coming up to half time and I was on the edge of the box, caught it nicely and it went into the corner, that settled us down a bit and we went on to win 3-0. If we'd have gone into half time at 0-0, I think we'd have struggled in a cup game like that."

At Pittodrie, he enjoyed what's been the highlight of his career to date, scoring against Celtic to put Aberdeen in the lead, "That was special. I wasn't actually meant to be starting the game, I was on the bench and an hour before kick off, Russell Anderson, who's just moved to Sunderland, got a migraine, so I had to fill in at sweeper, and I'd never played at sweeper before. We managed to get to half-time at 0-0 despite having a young back three, we were doing reasonably well. Early in the second half we got a free kick, it was reasonably wet and I just took my chances with a strike for goal and fortunately for me, it went in. As a Rangers lad, I got a bit too excited, I escaped a booking but I think there was 10 minutes added on for my celebrations!" Celtic hit back to win the game 3-1.

A loan spell at St Johnstone brought some success, he was unbeaten in 8 games, but was disappointed nothing more permanent came, "My Dad Gordon played there, he's the opposite of me, a defender and left footed, so when St Johnstone came in to take me on loan, he had a few things to say about that, it was good advice. It was quite awkward, they were pushing for promotion and that was lost out with only a couple of games left, St Mirren made it, so after that they told me I'd be as well to go back to Aberdeen because the manager wasn't sure what budget he'd be working to the following year, so that was frustrating, especially as we didn't get beaten when I was there, a pretty good record."

Does his Dad still see any action? "He still plays for the local pub team. Him and about 12 of his pals are scheduled to come down for the Wycombe game to give me a bit of stick, so I'd best be on my game that day. But when I'm back home I always get a chance to go and see him and give him as much stick as he gives me. He's always on my back, not in a bad way, trying to improve me. He gives me good advice and keeps me on my toes."

In August last year, back at Aberdeen, he played a League Cup game against Queens Park at Hampden Park, just 1588 in the famous old stadium and the Dons had to rely on penalties to get through, "That was strange, very strange, but it was enjoyable to play in a Stadium like that. We won on penalties, but I didn't take one, didn't fancy it!"

Back South of the Border with The Spireites, "I'm not sure how Chesterfield got to hear of me. I was down in pre-season with Doncaster Rovers and was just working away, not knowing what was going to come of it. I just kept my head down and tried to get myself fit. I then went back home to see my family and got a phone call from Lee Richardson himself asking me to come down and take a look at the place, which I did and I ended up signing that day, quite surreal, just done and dusted like that. It was just what I wanted, to get up and going."

He's certainly up and going now and looks to have what it takes to make a name for himself in the Football League.

Phil Tooley