Tranent hero Dean Brett swaps Benidorm for Broadwood as he chases Junior Cup glory
It's sod's law, but the 32-year-old former Cowdenbeath and Bonnyrigg Rose full back admits he wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world.
Dean Brett should be on the final leg of a stag bender in Benidorm today. Instead the Tranent hero is hoping to kick off the mother of all booze-ups at Broadwood.
Brett has had to pull out of his best mate's pre-wedding bash in Spain after his two goals in a 3-2 semi final win over Drumchapel helped his hometown club into the Junior Cup Final against Johnstone Burgh.
It's sod's law. But the 32-year-old former Cowdenbeath and Bonnyrigg Rose full back admits he wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world.
Not only is it the 90th anniversary of Tranent's only previous triumph in the competition, it also happens to be the East Lothian town's gala day.
And it's all gearing up to be the most memorable occasion of Brett's career.
He said: 'I was meant to be in Benidorm this weekend on a stag do. I just had to cancel that last week.
'My mate Mikey's getting married in September - I miss the wedding as well because I'm just flying home from my holiday that day. Maybe it's a sign.
'You can't really just say, it's only a game of football I'm not playing.
'I thought about going for the first two days then coming back for the final.
'I even scored two goals in the semi and we were out in the pub and I said to the committee: 'I've just scored two goals, surely that deserves a flight home on the Saturday?'
'But they just said, 'Dean you're on a stag do, it's not really good preparation!'
'It's hard to argue with that. They've been brilliant. The club paid for my cancellation.
'To be fair Mikey understands. His uncle has called off from Benidorm too because he's running buses through to the game.
'It's a massive day for the town.
'I'm from Tranent and everybody you pass, all the kids at the school when I'm on the school run, they're like, 'oh, we're going to watch you on Sunday'
'I do coaching as well so the kids have all asked for tickets. There's a real buzz about it now. It's a massive game.
'It's 90 years exactly since Tranent won the Junior Cup - 1935.
'Not just that but it's Tranent Gala Day too, I think all the local pubs are showing it live on telly.
'It maybe puts a dampener on the ticket's sold, but honestly it's a massive.
'If Tranent win the Junior Cup on the town's gala day then it'll be remembered for a long, long time so, aye, it is massive this week.'
Brett has two league winners' medals with Cowdenbeath and was a play-off champion with Bonnyrigg three years ago.
But he reckons a Junior Cup triumph with his hometown club would top the lot.
He'll have a full row of Broadwood cheering him on with mum and dad Karen and Neil, partner Leanne and kids Arlo and Mia all heading to Cumbernauld.
And he said: 'My mum's a nervous wreck. She's Tranent through and through.
'Dad's followed my career right from the start. Cowdenbeath games away to Peterhead and everything and every Bonnyrigg game.
'He's kind of stopped because he's getting older and loves spending time with my kids. But he'll be at Broadwood desperate for us to win.
'When I first broke through at Cowdenbeath we won League One under Colin Cameron.
'I always say that when you feel high, you feel high and it doesn't matter the occasion, you're going to feel high anyway.
'So if we win on Sunday - it's a big 'if' because Johnstone Burgh are a good team - but if there was success I think that would be my best moment. Just for coming to the end of the career, it's a massive cup, it's the 90 year anniversary of Tranent's only success in it and doing it for the town, for your mates, for your friends.
'It'd probably top it all off, to be honest with you.'
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