Michael McKenna has revealed his late gran would have been bursting with pride to see him with his first-ever SPFL Player of the Month award.
McKenna was named the cinch Scottish Championship Player of the Month for August after netting six goals in his last four league starts.
That scoring spree has helped the Angus side into third place as the Gayfield golden era continues to reach new heights.
And as McKenna collected his award, he paid tribute to his gran.
“My gran would have loved this,” said McKenna. “She used to keep every single thing about my football career in her house.
“Every article, every photograph – she had them all. She even cut out teamlines if they had my name in them.
“She was up in Brechin for the game we won the League One title in and we got some lovely pictures with her.
“My gran has passed away but I have really fond memories of her. I know she’d be proud.
Congratulations to @Mikey_211991 who has been named the @spfl @cinchuk Scottish Championship Player of the Month for August.
5 goals in 5 games and it has been a dream start for Mikey and his team mates.
Congratulations Mikey!
➡️https://t.co/wazH8lVtZs pic.twitter.com/5v61JKjZPE
— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) September 13, 2021
“I’ll ask my mum to find a place for this trophy. I get incredible support from my family.
“My dad comes to every game. He played for Meadowbank Thistle and in the Juniors and my brother-in-law brings my nephew up.
“My whole family love Arbroath now so this award means so much to me.
“You have to beat around 200 players to get it but it says as much about my team-mates as it does me. We’ve had a fantastic start to the season.”
Michael McKenna gave up football for four years
Arbroath have netted 12 goals in their last four league games and swept Dunfermline, Partick Thistle and Hamilton aside with 3-0, 3-1 and 4-0 wins.
McKenna is in the form of his life to inspire Dick Campbell’s side’s success.
4-0 win at Gayfield ✅
3rd in the table ✅@Nicky_low18 scoring belters ✅What a time to be a Lichtie! 😍#cinchChamp | @ArbroathFC pic.twitter.com/74CD93byzw
— SPFL (@spfl) September 13, 2021
He is on course to beat his best ever season tally of eleven goals.
That feat is all the more remarkable when you consider he gave up football for FOUR YEARS as a teenager.
“I didn’t play football at all from the age of 16 to 20,” said McKenna. “At 15 I had knee problems caused by my bones growing too quickly for my muscles.
“That hampered my chances of winning a contract at Dunfermline. I then moved to Aberdeen to start as an apprentice electrician.
“For four years up there I was so busy with work that I gave up the game.
“But I always kept myself fit by going to the gym and when I came back down the road I asked Musselburgh Athletic if they’d let me train with them.
“They gave me a deal and my career started to take off.
“I got a move to go full-time at Livingston but it was too soon for me. I wasn’t ready for Championship football back than.
“But Arbroath have changed that. I absolutely feel like a Championship player now.”
