DEAN Ballantyne has revealed the chance to score goals for his hometown club was too much ignore after joining Musselburgh Athletic.

The striker became Kevin McDonald’s second close season signing after snapping up Brad Donaldson from Tranent Juniors.

Ballantyne admitted the lure of moving back to his hometown club was one that he could not turn down after regularly impressing for Dunbar United.

He said: “It is simple – I’m a Musselburgh boy.

“I have lived here my whole life and I used to go down to the matches for about four seasons and watch them when I was in my early teens.

“I have watched them play, I played for Musselburgh Windsor and playing for Musselburgh is something I have always wanted to do.

“When they asked, I could not say no.”

The 23-year-old’s move from New Countess Park is undoubtedly a big loss for Geoff Jones’ men.

Ballantyne has been a regular among the goals for his side and sits fifth in the club’s all time goalscoring list with 126 strikes.

The frontman told Courier Sport it was a wrench to leave the club and praised his now former manager.

He said: “It was probably one of the harder things to do.

“I have had a great relationship with Geoff over the past five years.

“He has always looked out for me and helped me develop as a player and develop as a person.

“He understood that as soon as Musselburgh came calling that I wanted to go.

“He was a Dunbar player for something like 13 years and is a Dunbar boy so completely understood and there are no hard feelings.

“I had turned down a couple of teams in the past.”

The striker signed off in impressive fashion though, scoring “with my last touch of the ball” in a 2-0 win away to Dundonald Bluebell.

However, Ballantyne is unlikely to be pulling on the blue and white shirt of Musselburgh any time soon.

Football ground to a halt following the Seasiders’ win in Fife, with no indication as to when games could kick off again.

Ballantyne, who works for Street League – a charity which uses sport as a route to provide young people with the skills to turn their lives around – said: “When I spoke to Kevin, I wanted to get into it, meet the boys and play football.

“I’m out doing runs and sprints trying to keep fit because when you sign you immediately want to get into it.”

Ballantyne, who helped Musselburgh Grammar School to the under-15 Scottish Schools’ Shield in 2011, will have no difficulty finding his new side’s home ground.

The former Campie Primary School pupil joked Olivebank was his playground when he was a youngster.

And he added the chance to be involved in a piece of history was another part of his reasoning in making the move home.

The Burgh will contest a Scottish Cup tie for the first time after thumping Mid Annandale 7-0 in January in the South and East Cup Winners Shield.

He said: “Even if I play just five minutes at the end or something, that will be with the town forever.”