Eadie aims for history-making Darvel to nail his old club

AFTER spending a decade growing up as a footballer with Falkirk, Darvel defender Cameron Eadie is relishing the chance to make history against his former club. The centre-back will be a key man for Mick Kennedy’s sixth-tier side on Monday night when they look to follow up their epic triumph over Aberdeen by reaching the Scottish Cup quarter-finals. Eadie came through the ranks at Falkirk but didn’t make a first-team appearance before moving on to Elgin, Peterhead and then Darvel. A joiner by trade, he now would love to build another level onto an already outstanding cup run by the Ayrshire part-timers. ‘The fact we’re playing Falkirk gives it that wee back story behind it for me,’ said Eadie. ‘It would be the same against any team, though, as it has the history-making thing of getting into the next round. ‘I was born in Falkirk and live in Bonnybridge. I signed for Falkirk at the age of nine and played from under-ten level. I then had three years full-time until I was 19, when I left. I was involved with the first team now and then but never played any games. ‘Peter Houston was manager but Gary Holt signed me, gave me the contract then left that summer to go to Norwich. ‘After the Aberdeen game, I got a lot of messages from people I had played alongside through the years. ‘A lot of my family are still from the Falkirk area and come in the pipeline when they want tickets. And there are a few coming from that direction on Monday night.’ Eadie still reflects fondly on what he learned from former Hearts, Hibs, Leeds United and Republic of Ireland defender Alan Maybury during his time with Falkirk. ‘Alan was a player and development coach at that level then,’ recalled Eadie. ‘For me, it was a great experience working with him. ‘He was playing centre-half alongside me at that time. He passed on everything from the level he’d been at and the experience he had.’

Kick-off: Monday, 7.45pm, Recreation Park. TV: LIVE on BBC Scotland. Referee: Willie Collum.