Angus Grant will be crowned as north football’s top scorer at Friday’s Breedon Highland League awards ceremony.
However, the Huntly striker’s journey to this point is a story of perseverance which has seen him go from being on the brink of giving up the game to scoring 23 goals in the league this season and 31 in all competitions.
Along the way Grant has also overcome a serious injury and personal tragedy.
The 26-year-old revealed things could have been very different had it not been for a game-changing stint with Isle of Lewis outfit Carloway in the summer of 2016.
He said: “I was very close to giving football up when I was 17, I was signed to Cove Rangers under-20s and I was on loan to Newmachar United.
“I wasn’t enjoying it, I was missing training and I was prioritising other things. It was at that time when I started going out with my now-fiancée Ashleigh and I was going to see her rather than going to training.
“But nine years later we’ve got two kids together so that paid off! However, at that time I didn’t see football going anywhere for me.
“The love for the game wasn’t there, but that summer playing for Carloway and doing well for them changed my outlook.
“If I hadn’t done that and hadn’t played well for them then I would have given up football.
“My mum Marj is from the Isle of Lewis so we’ve gone there every summer since I was born. When we visit we stay in the village of Breasclete, Carloway is 10 minutes away and is the local team to us.
“We used to go up for six weeks in the summer and the year before I went along to a training session and ended up playing two or three games.
“That was 10 years ago and then the following summer I went back and really kicked on. I finished up with quite a lot of goals and assists and we won the league and a cup.
“That spell with Carloway gave me a new lease of life and I came back with different thoughts on football.”
Highland League breakthrough and Huntly move
Following that prolific summer scoring spell, Grant joined Turriff United and started to make his mark in the Highland League during the 2017-18 season.
However, he eventually ended up leaving the Haughs to sign for Huntly in May 2021 after a wrangle about his contract during the Covid-19 pandemic and following the death of his younger brother Rory, aged 18, in March 2020.
Grant added: “At Turriff during Covid they wanted us to come to training but they said they couldn’t afford to pay us.
“I know the club didn’t have money coming in and I understood that.
“But I’m from Aberdeen so I was going to be travelling to Turriff a couple of times a week and I had quite a good deal at the time, which I didn’t want to let go of.
“We did try to come to a compromise, but there wasn’t really any budging.
“At the time, for me, after my brother Rory had passed away everything was up in the air. Given what had happened it was hard finding motivation to get out of bed and to go to work, never mind play football.
“Then Allan Hale became Huntly manager and he came in for me. It wasn’t that long after my brother had died, it was during Covid and, with everything that had gone on, I wasn’t too fussed about football or going to Huntly.
“So initially I said no, but then Allan tried again a few months later and at that point I was in a better place mentally so I listened to what Allan had to say and ended up signing for Huntly.”
‘He’ll always be in my heart’
Grant also revealed that thoughts of Rory are never far away when he’s on the football pitch.
“It was a sad time in our lives and it will always be a sad thing for us as a family,” he said.
“But I want to do well for my brother, to make him proud and do well for all my family.
“Rory liked football, he enjoyed playing and he came to a lot of my games, he and Ashleigh always wanted to come and watch.
“When we were in Lewis and I was playing for Carloway, Rory would come to every single game along with a couple of my cousins and when Ashleigh used to come up for a week or two she’d be there as well.
“Those are memories I’ll always cherish.
“After every goal I’ve scored since Rory passed away the first thing I do is look up to the sky and dedicate the goal to him.
“He’ll always be in my heart, particularly when it comes to football because he was always an avid supporter. Whenever I do well Rory always comes to mind.”
Injury comeback
Grant has also overcome adversity during his time at Huntly.
In August 2021 he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and lateral collateral ligament, which led to a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
He said: “I’ve said to a lot of people that the injury was a good thing to happen. Not in the sense of being out for as long as I was, but in terms of how it opened my eyes to a lot of things in terms of looking after my body and preparing for games properly.
“The injury took a couple of years out of my career, but what I’ve learned since in terms of looking after myself has probably added a few years onto my career.
“My mindset following the injury was not to dwell on it too much and to try to find positives from that negative and I think I’ve done that.
“When you have difficult experiences it definitely makes you enjoy the good things more.
“I suppose my story has been one of perseverance and not giving up. I’ve overcome a lot of things in my life and I think you end up being stronger for that.”
Grant not resting on his laurels
Angus Grant believes his best is still to come – despite finishing as the Highland League’s top scorer for 2024-25.
The Huntly marksman’s 23 league goals will see him receive the top scorer award at the Highland League’s annual prize-giving dinner in Inverness on Friday.
In all competitions Grant netted on 31 occasions, but missed the closing weeks of the campaign due to injury.
The 26-year-old said: “On a personal level I’m proud of what I achieved, it was a very good season overall.
“It maybe sounds stupid to say after finishing as top scorer this season, but I feel I’ve got a lot more in me.
“My hope is that my best is still to come. It was great to finish as top scorer, but I missed something like 12 games.
“The injury I got was a freak foot injury and it’s something which hopefully won’t happen again.
“So if I’m able to get a full season then I’d hope to hit 40 goals plus potentially.”
Gratitude to key people
Grant was also quick to pay tribute to those who have helped him enjoy the best season of his career.
He added: “I need to thank my team-mates. It’s a team game and they’ve created the chances for me.
“A lot of it is down to them, if you’ve got players who can create chances, which we have, that’s a big help as a striker.
“I’m also very lucky to have a great support network around me with my fiancée Ashleigh and my kids Noah and Aria. They’ve really pushed me to do the best I can, as have my dad Dek and my mum Marj.
“I’m really grateful to Gordon Carter (Huntly chairman) and all the people at the club who helped me get back from my knee injury.
“I’m also grateful to Colin Charlesworth, who since he has been the manager, has shown a lot of faith in me to play me regularly which has allowed me score goals.”
Given Grant’s form over the last year, it’s no surprise there has been speculation about other clubs being interested in his services.
But he insists that’s not something he’s thinking about and said: “I’m still under contract at Huntly, I’ve really enjoyed my time at Huntly and I’m looking forward to the future with Huntly.
“I know there are rumours and whispers about things, but my only focus in terms of football is doing well with Huntly again in the new season.
“Football is a funny game and you never know what might happen, however, Huntly has been good for me and I’m happy here.”
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