Lenny Wilson dreaming of Alistair Johnston reunion as Brechin stopper eyes up mammoth Scottish Cup upset

Brechin’s bound for the Big Apple as Lenny Wilson admits plenty of US pals will be praying this cup adventure throws up a dream reunion with Alistair Johston.

But the keeper knows he and his City team-mates are going to have to “suffer” against fellow Premiership opposition Hearts in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup if their wish is to stand a chance. Having spent four-and-a-half years Stateside after getting a football scholarship, the paths of Wilson and Celtic stalwart Johnston crossed as alumni of St John’s University in New York.

While AJ is now a regular on TV, Wilson and Co are relishing tonight’s chance to remind viewers of Brechin’s talented lot in what is their fourth season vying to return to the SPFL. He said: “I’ll have American friends keeping up with what’s going on because a lot of them who I still speak to now are good friends of Alistair’s as well.

“It would be incredible for them if we were to somehow get through and play Celtic, they would be conflicted on who they support – Celtic or the ‘minnows’. We briefly crossed paths. Alistair was packing his stuff up ready to move university while I was moving mine in so we trained a couple of times together and had a couple of nights out together.

“I’m sure our friends would be getting FaceTime on and getting us both in on it, it would be an incredible moment for the university as well to have two of their students playing against each other in such a prestigious tournament.

“We can wish. Right now it is only a dream but there’s no reason why it can’t happen. We just need to take care of our job, then see what happens. If you look at the top end of the Lowland and Highland Leagues, ourselves included, there are top, top players.

“It’s a team littered with