Testimonial worth the wait for Wishy hero KB
Wishaw FC legend KevinBarry Grant admits his testimonial match was well worth the wait - after it was postponed twice.
The 30-year-old was due to earn his landmark match with the club when he hit a decade of service in 2019, only for the match to be held back until the following season, and then the pandemic put paid to those hopes again last year.
However, on Sunday the midfielder finally got the recognition his service deserved when a Wishaw Past and Present side took on a select from KB’s boyhood club Mill United.
There was goals galore as the match ended in a 7-7 draw at Beltane Park and it was a really family affair with Grant’s 12-year-old son Shay getting a run out and his dad Kevin involved with the Mill United side.
KB, who has scored over 100 goals for the club, told Press Sport: “This is my 12th season now so it’s been a wee wait.
“It was supposed to happen on the 10th year but we decided to do it at the start of my 11th season - then Covid postponed it again.
“But it was an excellent wee day. My dad was my manager and took my old Mill United team, so it was boys I used to play with there and a few of the guys I played with at Wishaw came back as well. I really enjoyed it.
“Once the kids came on it went from 3-3 to 7-7 because a few of the older generation couldn’t run anymore!
”I wanted my wee boy Sheá to come on for a wee run about in the last 10 minutes.
“My cousin John Paul had his wee boy Stefan up as well so we got the two of them to make it a bit more fun for the families.”
KevinBarry joined the club at the age of 18, but still played for both Wishaw and Mill United until the age of 21 when he had to make the call to go Junior or not.
It’s a move that paid off with some memorable moments over the last decade or so, including a promotion with the club and a fantastic Scottish Junior Cup run in 2018.
He added: “Getting to the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup and promotion in 2013-14 season were both really big things. There’s been a few big scalps along the way as well; Pollok, Auchinleck, Cumnock, Clydebank - some great memories.
“Fair play to all the committee and gaffers I’ve had down the years, they’ve always been brilliant with me.
“Wishaw isn’t the biggest, but they do a great job and hats off to them for that as well.”I love it and I hope I can play on for at least another three years, four years hopefully.
“I’m still quite fit and keep myself ticking over.”
Current Wishaw boss Mark Daly said: “It was nice to recognise his service to the club and it was a great wee day out for everyone.”