Red-hot Albion Rovers hitman Alan Trouten is as dumbfounded as anyone over his scintillating goalscoring form in the first half of the season, but he has put it down to his lucky charm – baby daughter Lucy.

The Rovers striker became a father in the summer, before signing on at Cliftonhill and setting about dismantling League One defences, hitting 24 goals and already surpassing his best ever tally for a season.

“I don’t know the secret behind it, but my daughter was born in the summer, so I’ll put it down to her being a good luck charm,” Trouten said.

“Maybe I should have become a dad 10 years earlier and I would have done much better in my career!

“Maybe it’s because I’m older and a father now I’m more relaxed. When I was younger I overthought things and I was pretty hard on myself.

“When you get to your 30s you have that experience, and you are much more relaxed. I still take it seriously, don’t get me wrong, but there are more important things in my life now being married and being a father.”

One of the other major contributory factors to Trouten’s prolific form has been having the belief that manager Brian Kerr has placed in him, allied to the attacking style of play adopted by the former Newcastle, Motherwell and Hibs midfielder.

“I’ve absolutely loved it under Brian,” he said. “The manager told me when I signed what his plans were and how he wanted me to play, and he’s been true to his word.

“I’ve signed for many a manager who tell you one thing when you go to meet them, then when you turn up, it’s totally different.

“I have to give the manager great credit, he’s let me play to my strengths and it’s working well for me, and hopefully I can keep that up for the season.

“It’s been goals galore in our games, and I think I saw something that said we were one of the most entertaining teams in Europe, and the goals haven’t died down.

“We’ve lost a few goals that we shouldn’t have, and we’ve lost a few games that we shouldn’t have, but I’m thoroughly enjoying playing there under the manager.

“Hopefully I’ve repaid the club’s faith that they’ve shown in me.

“In my first season at Brechin under Ray McKinnon I scored 20, and that was my best. To be on 24 already is crazy, and hopefully I can add a few more to beat it by a comfortable margin.

“Looking back on my career, I’ve done well under managers who have shown faith in me and let me play to my strengths. Billy Stark at Queens Park, Ray McKinnon at Brechin, and Brian now. If managers let me play the way I want to, I flourish.

“I don’t think anyone that knew me, let alone me, expected the goals to be going in the way they are. That many goals at any level is pretty good going.”

The focus for Trouten and his teammates from today is improving their position in the incredibly tight League One standings, with their sights set firmly on the promotion play-offs.

“If you look at the league we are sitting third bottom, but we’re only six points of the third-placed team, who are Alloa, and we play them on Saturday,” he said.

“It’s a massive game and we need to start turning some of these draws into wins, and hopefully that can start at Alloa.”