TWELVE months ago, Keelan Adams was part of the Cumbernauld Colts team that lost to Hearts B in the Lowland League.
Fast forward to Saturday and Adams was playing a key role in the Falkirk performance that ended the Jambos’ first-team's hopes of lifting the League Cup for the first time since 1962.
It has been a whirlwind 12 months for the full-back, who signed for the Bairns in February before finishing the season with Cumbernauld Colts.
He said: “I was in the Hearts youth academy and it was a wee bit of revenge, I guess. It was nice.
"They were the third best team in Scotland last year. We saw it as a free hit but knew we could hurt them as well.
“We rode our luck and then hit them on the counter and managed to get a couple of goals.
“That is the biggest game I have played in in my career and, obviously, we have got Celtic in the next round – that might top it!
“That was the biggest game, one of the biggest crowds and biggest team I have played against.
“Obviously, you are on the pitch next to players like Lawrence Shankland and players like Craig Gordon in goals, who is a Scotland legend.
“It is four or five weeks until the Celtic game and it will be very surreal once you walk onto the pitch in one of the most iconic stadiums in football.”
The 22-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise to the second tier of Scottish football.
20 - Keelan Adams drives down the right before finding Ethan Ross with a low ball, who smashes it into the back of the net! 1-0. #COYB
— Falkirk FC (@FalkirkFC) August 17, 2024
At the beginning of last season, he made the step up from Glasgow University to Cumbernauld Colts.
And his performances in the Lowland League caught the eye of Falkirk's manager John McGlynn - who has also managed Musselburgh Athletic in the past.
Adams, who graduated from the university with a degree in history and politics last summer, combined training with Cumbernauld Colts and Falkirk, and has now hit the ground running with the Bairns.
The former North Berwick High School pupil said: “When I signed back in February, I was coming into training at least once a week.
“I knew I could get into the team and get good game time.
“I knew I had to come into pre-season flying, had to be fit and one of the best trainers.
“Once the pre-season games came, I had to show the gaffer what I was about and he has put quite a lot of trust in me.”
Adams was part of an all-East Lothian defensive line against the Tynecastle club on Saturday.
Sean Mackie, Liam Henderson and Coll Donaldson all have East Lothian connections, having grown up in the county.
However, it was at the other end of the pitch that Adams caused problems, crossing for Ethan Ross to break the deadlock on 53 minutes.
Adams, who now lives in Glasgow, said: “One of the big things is Falkirk kept basically the same squad with a few additions, myself included.
“You could see that they all know they are good enough for the Championship.
“I could tell they were too good for League One but that belief continued and, usually once a team goes up and they keep the same squad, you know they are going to do well.
“You could see that with Ipswich going into the Championship from League One and they got promoted again.”
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