Kenan Dunnwald-Turan has asked Arbroath for the No 62 shirt as a mark of gratitude to his dad Zeki.
The new Arbroath striker will wear the symbolic number on his back against Stirling on Saturday after penning a one-year deal on Friday.
And while his choice of number may seem bizarre to fans at first, it has special meaning to Turan.
Turan’s dad hails from the Kurdish-area Dersim in Turkey, a picturesque mountainous region that sits on the banks of the Munzur river.
And while, German-born Turan has yet to visit he is proud of his family’s roots.
“The number 62 means a lot to me,” Turan told Courier Sport.
— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) July 7, 2023
“Number 62 is the postcode for Dersim so I’ll wear it with pride on my back.
“It’s where my father is from and I love him to bits. I’m so grateful for what he and my mum Ariane have done for me in my life.
“I’ve never been to Dersim but it’s an ambition of mine to go one day and see where my father grew up.
“I know the area has developed a lot since he was there but his life was so different.
“He grew up on a farm as one of six siblings and for five or six days a week they were looking after sheep on the mountains.
“They moved to Germany where I was born and even though I’m a proud German, half of me is from Dersim.
“My parents raised me well. They are good people who have lived a simple life and are very level-headed.
“I hope that’s the type of person I am. Everything I do in football is for them. I want to make them proud.
“My mum is incredible. She didn’t like football before but because I was interested she loves it.
“She’s always sending me stories from social media and it will be great for her and my dad to see me playing in Scotland.”
Kenan Dunnwald-Turan hopes to entertain Arbroath fans
Turan has been on trial at Arbroath for the last two weeks.
He has played in English football with Bristol Rovers, Stockport County and Scunthorpe United alongside several German clubs.
But having moved to the Angus town, he already feels at home.
“I’m very excited about this move,” he added.
“You can see how much the club means to the people in the town. Everywhere I look I see people wearing the Arbroath colours.
“The game is for the supporters. Without them it means nothing.
“I’d be as well playing with a ball in my garden if there were no fans.
“With their support when we are doing well or when we need a lift, we can achieve things.
“I’m looking forward to playing for the club and can’t imagine what I’ll feel like when I score my first goal in Arbroath.
“Hopefully, I won’t have to wait too long to experience that feeling.”
