Airdrie hero Dylan Easton is glad he gave senior football 'another go' after fine season

Airdrie star Dylan Easton won PFA Scotland's League One Player of the Year award after the best season of his career - after being persuaded to give senior football another go.

Easton, 28, spent two seasons with Kelty Hearts, before reuniting with Ian Murray at Airdrie last summer - having had a loan spell under the ex-Hibs star at Dumbarton in 2015 - and simply hasn't looked back.

The Diamonds finished second in League One to runaway champions Cove Rangers, despite recording a new club record of 20 games unbeaten, and Easton hopes to help them earn promotion through the Championship play-offs, with the semi-final first leg at Montrose tonight.

But the former Elgin, Clyde and Forfar midfielder says it was a heart-to-heart with his partner that led to him having the season of his life.

"If you ask any footballer, injuries are a thing and I got a lot of set-backs," said Easton. "At the time I had a young family, so I thought part-time football, for me, was the best way forward. I couldn't really see myself going back up.

"But after a good couple of seasons at Kelty, I realised that I'm not getting any younger, and if I want to go back on, kick on and play at a level that I know I can play at, then this was it.

"I sat down with my partner, who always gives me the best advice, and she said 'go and give it one more shot'.

"Thankfully this season has panned out even better than expected, to be honest. It has been amazing, and long may it continue.

"It has taken a lot of hard work. Being part-time [at Kelty] it's not as easy to keep yourself in good condition, you're only training twice a week - .two hours a week, pretty much at times.

"You've got to do all the right things, like eating and training, and I didn't feel like I