Airdrie star Dylan Easton received PFA Scotland's League One Participant of the 12 months award after the most effective season of his profession - after being persuaded to offer senior soccer one other go.
Easton, 28, spent two seasons with Kelty Hearts, earlier than reuniting with Ian Murray at Airdrie final summer time - having had a mortgage spell below the ex-Hibs star at Dumbarton in 2015 - and easily hasn't appeared again.
The Diamonds completed second in League One to runaway champions Cove Rangers, regardless of recording a brand new membership file of 20 video games unbeaten, and Easton hopes to assist them earn promotion via the Championship play-offs, with the semi-final first leg at Montrose tonight.
However the former Elgin, Clyde and Forfar midfielder says it was a heart-to-heart together with his accomplice that led to him having the season of his life.
"If you happen to ask any footballer, accidents are a factor and I received quite a lot of set-backs," mentioned Easton. "On the time I had a younger household, so I believed part-time soccer, for me, was one of the simplest ways ahead. I could not actually see myself going again up.
"However after a superb couple of seasons at Kelty, I realised that I am not getting any youthful, and if I need to return on, kick on and play at a stage that I do know I can play at, then this was it.
"I sat down with my accomplice, who at all times provides me the most effective recommendation, and she or he mentioned 'go and provides it another shot'.
"Fortunately this season has panned out even higher than anticipated, to be trustworthy. It has been superb, and lengthy could it proceed.
"It has taken quite a lot of laborious work. Being part-time [at Kelty] it isn't as straightforward to maintain your self in good situation, you are solely coaching twice every week - .two hours every week, just about at occasions.
"You have to do all the appropriate issues, like consuming and coaching, and I did not really feel like I used to be correctly match.
"Now, I am on this full-time setting - and everyone at Airdrie, the backroom employees, the sports activities scientists, they put quite a lot of effort into it.
"We at all times go into coaching and if we all know we'll be doing quite a lot of working we spit the dummy out a bit bit, however in the long term it has been price it, and I've liked each minute of it at Airdrie."
With eight targets and 11 assists - probably the most in League One after the other over Cove's Mitch Megginson - Easton was Airdrie's participant of the yr and likewise picked up the PFA Scotland award on Sunday.
Easton was delighted, however says his team-mates performed an enormous position in that.
He mentioned: "It has been a bit loopy. To get voted participant of the yr on the membership was an excellent feeling, there was quite a lot of competitors, there are quite a lot of boys in our workforce who've had an unbelievable season.
"I believe there may have been no less than one other three or 4 of these boys up on the PFA Scotland awards on Sunday as nicely.
"To be recognised by your fellow professionals reveals that you simply have to be doing one thing proper, however my team-mates have made it quite a bit simpler for me.
"I really feel prefer it has been my most profitable season, when it comes to taking part in each week and protecting myself in the most effective situation that I have been in. I really feel the fittest I've ever been.
"I've added targets, and I believe I've had probably the most assists within the league as nicely, so it has been an incredible season for me, personally.
"I have been delighted with a mad 48 hours, however will probably be all price it come Tuesday if we will get the appropriate consequence up at Montrose."
The Hyperlinks Park membership have defeated Airdrie twice this season, however throughout that 20-game run the Diamonds thumped Montrose 4-1 at New Broomfield and drew 2-2 of their final conflict up there.
Easton mentioned: "We go into the play-offs with quite a lot of confidence. We now have nothing to concern.
"Our file has been unbelievable, and to go 20 video games unbeaten in some other season you are most likely successful the league title, so you have to give Cove Rangers full credit score for going 25 video games unbeaten.
"I want all of them the most effective, however hopefully we will end of what has been an unbelievable season, and take that momentum of successful video games and being undefeated, hopefully go as much as Montrose and get the appropriate consequence.
"It might imply quite a bit to win promotion. It is one thing that I do not assume has occurred shortly. The membership has been pushing to attempt to get in the appropriate course, and this yr our goal was to go and win the league. We felt we had a squad that was ok to go and problem.
"On a private time period, getting back-to-back promotions could be one thing particular as nicely.
"It is a laborious job. We have performed Montrose quite a few occasions this season and so they've been very laborious video games, particularly up there, which I believe is the toughest place I've performed in soccer.
"But when we will get a proper good consequence we'll extremely fancy ourselves again at house the place we have been excellent this season, so I am wanting ahead to it."
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