JORDON BROWN has revealed that Andrew Considine delivered a pre-match message of support as Cove Rangers sought to make history - less than a year after a sickening collision with the Aberdeen stalwart left him in a hospital bed.
Brown, 26, suffered a serious head knock in a friendly against the Dons last July to mark the opening of Cove's new Balmoral Stadium, forcing the fixture to be abandoned.
The former Peterhead attacker was taken to the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for tests and missed two weeks of his day-job as he embarked on the road to recovery.
However, Brown completed his remarkable journey from agony to ecstasy on Saturday, finding the net as Cove became the first Highland League team to win promotion to the SPFL via the playoffs with a 3-0 victory over Berwick Rangers.
"Andy actually messaged me on Saturday morning on social media wishing me all the best," smiled Brown. "That was a nice touch and I’m delighted that we could go on and get the job done.
“I know Andy from when I was at Aberdeen and he’s a great lad. I heard from him after the accident and he was really good with me.
“I got out of hospital that night but I was off work for two weeks. It was a big scare at the time with the game being abandoned.
"That was a nightmare start to my time at Cove. So to finish off like this is everything I could have dreamed of.”
Cove were simply in Northumberland for a coronation, such was their handsome 4-0 advantage from the first leg. Having lost their previous eight matches with an aggregate scoreline of 26-0, there would be no dramatic comeback at Shielfield.
Nevertheless, Cove produced a performance of professionalism and panache, with goals from Jamie Masson, Brown and Paul McManus condemning Berwick - who saw skipper Ross Brown dismissed - to the Lowland League.
"I’ve no doubt the foundations are there for the club to go on. There are no limits really," added Brown.
Cove co-manager John Sheran was in the dugout to watch his charges rewrite the record books for the first time since suffering a heart attack on April 22, lapping up every moment of the champagne-soaked celebrations and mobbed by a good-natured pitch invasion from the travelling fans.
However, it remains to be seen whether he will be the man to take them into the SPFL. Sheran, 58, will consider his health and hold talks with chairman Keith Moorhouse in the coming days.
"We've had informal chats about that but we'll sit down properly after the dust settles and everybody sobers up," said an elated Moorhouse. "Whatever way we go forward, there's a place for John at Cove. He is a big character, has a huge influence at this club and that's not going to change."
Meanwhile, there will be no English representation in Scottish league football for the first time in 68 years next season following Berwick Rangers' miserable decline.
Amid understandable trepidation regarding what the future holds, John Brownlie, parachuted in prior to the playoffs to become their third manager of the season, is keen to remain in the role.
"Myself and (assistant) Ian Little are going to speak to the board at the start of the week and there will be a sensible decision made after that," said Brownlie. “I’d certainly like to help them in some way but it all depends what they want to do.”
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