Billy would not miss final for the world

It's where he was introduced to football by his grandfather, a season-ticket holder in the days when big crowds watched the 'Burgh.

It's where he cut his management teeth before going on to become Jim Jefferies' trusty No.?2 at Berwick, Falkirk, Hearts, Bradford and Kilmarnock before arriving back at Tynecastle.

Heck, he was so committed to the club that he used to spend summer holidays weeding the terracing at Olivebank with his wife and children.

Musselburgh born and bred, Brown still lives close to the ground and he'll be there at Rugby Park on Sunday along with wife Anne, son Stuart, a former Musselburgh player, and daughter Linsey cheering on David McGlynn's men.

"I used to come here as wee laddie with my grandfather, who was a season-ticket holder," said Brown back at Olivebank. "I came along to games here for a long number of years.

"They had big crowds in those days. Indeed, I remember them selling the Evening Dispatch at half-time here at games due to so many people being at the games.

"Believe it or not, I used to pick the team when I was about six years old and it ended up that I did pick the team when I became the manager, having also played for the club for a wee while.

"Apart from being down in Hull as a laddie and then a spell in Leeds when we were at Bradford, I've lived in Musselburgh all my life.

"I live just at the back of Olivebank at Stoneyhill. I was here for a long number of years and learned more here than all the years I played football.

"It was great. I remember one night arriving here for a game against Ormiston. I put up the goals, laid out the strips, picked the team and also played that night.

"We used to do everything. In fact, my wife Ann and I used to come along here with the bairns during the summer holidays to weed the terracing!"

The Brown family will be out in force at Rugby Park hoping Musselburgh can give their fans a day to remember.

"There was no Super League when I was manager," added Brown. "There were only two leagues and they flirted between the two of them.

"Obviously the crowds dwindled away and I think what happened in Junior football was that Musselburgh didn't have a Social Club like the likes of Linlithgow Rose. But it seems to have evened out again and all credit to Musselburgh for doing so well in recent seasons and, in particular, for getting to the final of the Junior Cup.

"I am really chuffed for them and, though I have to admit I've not seen a lot of them, I certainly realise this is the best team Musselburgh have had since I was a wee laddie.

"They've got some very good players and, from what I have heard, they certainly like to play the game how it should be played."

Both Brown and Jefferies not only know manager McGlynn well but also his mother and father, May and Charlie, the club chairman.

"Jim and I signed David for Falkirk and I used to take him through in my car every day to Falkirk," recalled Brown.

"I've also known his family for a long number of years, including his uncle John, who I had here when I was the manager.

"We also took John to Hearts and I've known Charlie and May for a long time, as has Jim due to the fact they are all originally from Wallyford.

"It is a great achievement by David to get the club to the Junior Cup Final. There is a great buzz about the place and it looks as though they are going to be taking at least 3000 fans to the game, which is fantastic.

"It would be some achievement if Musselburgh could lift the cup, especially when there are still some powerful and wealthy teams in the Junior game.

"Getting to the final is an unbelievable achievement in itself. I don't think anyone believed they could do it, to be honest, but they've got a team that has earned this great day out for the club.

"I'll definitely be there – I wouldn't miss it for the world, to be honest.

"What I've got now I've certainly had to work hard for, starting with my days at Musselburgh Athletic.

"I went from here to join Jim at Berwick in 1988 and the rest, as they say, is history."