KEVIN Harper allows himself a laugh when asked why it took so long for a club to take a chance on him.

I suppose if you don’t laugh then the bitterness wins and if this Glaswegian is anything he is a battler. Being a black kid from a council scheme who endured racism growing up, and many times as a professional with Hibernian, you learn to scrap.

At 42, Harper’s CV is no better nor worse than so many who have landed jobs in Scottish football. And yet Albion Rovers, bottom of League Two, ranked 42nd out of Scotland’s 42 senior clubs, weren’t just the first to offer him a job, they were the first to show any interest.

“I didn’t get a single interview and I applied for 40-odd jobs,” Harper says. “Only three clubs bothered to even reply. I went for manager positions, assistant roles, reserve team manager. Nothing.

“I have no idea why. It could be many things. I’m not saying I was the right person for all those jobs but I certainly don’t believe I was the wrong man for every single one of the 40 or so I went for. Ach, that’s history. I’ve got a job and it’s up to me to prove those other clubs were wrong not to take notice of me.

“It was hard going at times. I can’t lie. I am a determined person, always have been. If you give up, you lose. That’s the way I see life. If you fight you’ll get the rewards. It’s what I’ve done my career.

“I got three replies to tell me I wasn’t being considered even for an informal chat. That was it. What that rejection did do was make me appreciate all the more this opportunity given to me by Albion Rovers. The club looked at my CV and those of other candidates, and they will be good people, and thought that I could fit the role.

“The board interviewed me and believed I was the best person for the job. I believe I’m the best person for the job. Time will tell. It will be about results.”

The last manager of colour wasn’t here long. Brazilian Marcio Maximo came to Livingston in 2003 but was a disaster and was soon on his way. John Barnes at Celtic and Dave Smith at Montrose are the only other black managers in the senior game.

There was also Claude Anelka at Raith Rovers but as he appointed himself, we can say Harper is only the fourth black manager in Scottish football history.

“I’ll be the first black manager in Scotland for 15 years," Harper says. "Would that happen in any other walk of life? That says it all. There is a hell of a lot more black and ethnic people about, certainly since I grew up, and I do wonder how many people from a black or ethnic background actually go in for jobs.

“I can imagine that many would think to themselves ‘what is the point’ after 10 rejections. Hey, I went through that as well. You get to say 10 jobs, no interview, no call, and it’s easy for the negative thoughts to go through your head. But I was never going to give up.

“I played at the top level in England. I won championships, played under some of the top managers who were going about at that time. I played with international players. That experience counts for something, I would suggest.

“But that didn’t count for anything – until I spoke to the board at Albion Rovers.”

Harper evidently does interview well. After all, he got the job after the first one he ever had!

Harper said: “I think a lot of people in Scotland have a soft spot for Albion Rovers. We have been around a long time, 100 years in the same ground. I want to be professional, make the players more professional, I’ll use what I learned under some of my old managers and I played under some great ones such as Harry Redknapp, Tony Pulis and Nigel Worthington. I will borrow from Alex Miller as well. He was brilliant for me at Hibs.

“Then it’s up to me to get that across to the players, to make them better. That’s the key for me, making the players better. People might say that I don’t have experience but I believe in my own coaching abilities and I can improve this team. And, anyway, everyone has to start somewhere."

Harper was the next big thing when he broke through at Hibs. It didn’t quite work out that way, which isn’t to say a career that saw him play for Portsmouth in the English Premier League was a failure. Far from it.

But he admitted: “I could have done better. That’s for sure. I’m honest enough to admit that given the talent I had, I should have got more out of myself. I’ve got three league winners' medals. I played with some serious footballers, I mean top class, such as Teddy Sheringham, Paul Merson and Robert Prosinecki.

“I did OK. I enjoyed my career. I could have done better.

“I loved Hibs. That was probably the happiest time of my career. The fans were great with me. They were great days.

“Portsmouth was terrific for me as well. I was part of saving them from relegation from what was then Division One and then we got promoted as champions on the last day of the season two seasons later.

“Harry Redknapp would make anyone believe they were the best player in the world. And I was lucky to play beside a genius. Prosinecki was on another level. What a footballer. He was 32 when I played with him and was well past his best. However, the guy was on a different planet.

“So, I’m running down the wing one week and shouting ‘Robbie, Robbie’ because he had the ball and I was free. We got in at half time and he says ‘Kevin, don’t shout, I see you.’ He saw everything on the pitch. Just incredible. He was still on 20 fags a day then.”

Harper has always had to work. He became a hero at Portsmouth even if it took a while for the Fratton Park faithful to take to him.

“They booed my name when it was read out. At least at the start, so I had to get back into their good books somehow," Harper said. "Anyway, I did that, I played most of the games and had a good season when we won the league. They sang my name for the entire second half of that season.

“Alan Knight, the goalkeeper coach who is a legend down there, said that was the first time any player had won them over.”

Albion Rovers always seem to be one week away from disaster on and off the pitch. Coatbridge’s finest are never going to be anything other than hard work for whoever sits in the manager’s office.

Harper said: “It is the deep end. It will be a big learning curve but I wouldn’t have it any other way. This is the best way, at least for me, because I was 17 when Alex Miller gave my debut. He wasn’t worried that I didn’t have experience. He knew I could do the job.

“I am confident that I can pass on my experience to these players and help them. Look, the club are where we are right now. It’s my aim, my remit, to get them out of it.

“I want to be judged as a manager, not as a black manager. But there is extra pressure. It would be silly to say there wasn’t. There is a feeling when you are from an ethnic minority that you’ve got to be better than anyone else – just to be at their level.

“There hasn’t been enough black managers and coaches in Scotland but this is my chance to show what I can do. If I can lead the way for a few others then that’s a bonus. It’s a nice idea to think that me getting a job will make a few others think that Scotland is welcoming to black managers and coaches.”