EDINBURGH stalwart Chris Dean has revealed how North Berwick is never far away from his heart – or his feet – when he takes to the pitch.

The centre made his 144th appearance for the Capital club on Friday as they defeated Ospreys in the BKT URC Origin Round.

The annual round of fixtures sees players wearing the socks of the grassroots clubs where they started out – and when Edinburgh have done that, Dean has looked to give a dual tribute.

Dean said: “I like to pay homage to North Berwick.

“I usually wear one red and black sock and then an Edinburgh Academicals sock on my other foot as they gave me senior opportunity when I left school.

“I feel very fondly towards North Berwick, for sure.

“I know a lot of the people down there.

“Regardless of how many big games or professional games you might play, there are always those fond memories of playing down with your friends when you were young.

“You never forget those moments.”

Dean first took up the sport at his hometown team of North Berwick.

It is a club with an impressive CV when it comes to helping players take their first steps in the game.

Scotland co-captain Rory Darge started out at Recreation Park, while fellow internationals Lewis Carmichael and Tom Brown, plus Saracens lock Callum Hunter-Hill and other notable names, have also played their junior rugby for the club.

Dean said: “It has a fairly good alumni for producing some Scottish players over the last 15 to 20 years, which is great. It was the first place I ever picked up a rugby ball.

“I was taken along to mini rugby up at the Recreation Park when I was about five years old. It was the local club.

“On a Saturday morning, you would have rugby at 9.30am and then you would sprint over for football at 10.30am.

“It was just the thing to do, with tournaments then on a Sunday.

“North Berwick is a beautiful seaside town. I was absolutely blessed there.

“It’s a stunning place to grow up, with so many things on your doorstep for a kid.

“Sport is a massive part of the community.

“You’ve got the golf heritage, tennis, watersports, while the rugby club is quite a focal point at the weekends.

“It’s very well supported in the community.

“It sits at the top of the hill and then you roll down into the High Street afterwards for all the fun!

“The whole ethos of the club was to get the ball in your hands and run around and enjoy it.”

Dean started out in the backs at North Berwick but then ventured into the back row when he played schools rugby at Edinburgh Academy, who he captained to cup success.

He also skippered Scotland under-17s and such was his talent he went straight from school into the national Sevens set-up, earning an elite development contract at the age of 18.

After his globe-trotting on the Sevens circuit, Dean was handed a first-team contract at Edinburgh Rugby in 2014.

He established himself as a key figure in the centre for the club and was named in Scotland’s Six Nations squad in 2019.

A cap has eluded him to date, but he is a highly respected figure in the game, having given sterling service to Edinburgh for a decade now, making more than 140 appearances.

“This is my 10th season. Time flies for sure,” said the 29-year-old.

“I have been here a long time and seen it evolve. It’s been nothing but enjoyable.

“I am very fortunate in terms of the group of players I have come through with over the years.

“Some have retired and what not, but the friends who have come through have stayed close. It’s been really enjoyable.”