FA Cup run is "pinnacle" for Sheppey United Dan Bradshaw ahead of Walsall tie
Reaching the first round proper of the FA Cup is already the pinnacle of Dan Bradshaw's career, but Sheppey United's dream date with Walsall carries extra significance for him.
Bradshaw's younger brother, Tom, enjoyed two highly successful years with the Saddlers before earning a move to the Championship. And while the Wales international has since stepped up to plunder goals regularly in the second-tier for Millwall, Dan has become something of a cult hero on the Kent non-league scene.
Like Sheppey, the 32-year-old has never reached the first round proper of the FA Cup, so Friday night's showdown with Walsall at Holm Park will be an occasion to savour for everyone at the Isthmian League South East outfit.
And Bradshaw, the eight-tier outfit's record goalscorer with 133 goals, is grateful that he is that bit older so he can fully appreciate the achievement. Speaking to Mirror Football, he said: "From a footballing perspective, this is the pinnacle [for me]. I think now that I'm older and been at this sort of level, I can appreciate it a lot more.
"A lot of the young lads in our team might not appreciate this as much as I do because I know how hard it is to get here. I'm coming to the end of my career now and it's nice to have that to go out on as a sort of memory."
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Ironically, Walsall is the only club Bradshaw didn't get to see his brother play for. Having just returned home from the army, the striker had already moved down to Sheppey to be with his wife when Tom pitched up at the Saddlers.
The logistics of playing at the same time means the brothers rarely get the opportunity to see each other in action, but Bradshaw's sibling was in attendance at Billericay Town alongside Dan's wife and kids to see him make history. Bradshaw, as he so often does, plundered the Ites' goal on the night before they sealed their first round spot via a penalty shootout.
Bradshaw adds: "It was a surreal night. I've worked so hard to get here and Friday will be an emotional one. To do it with a club who have never done it before either is special. I started my career here really. When I was younger I was a good player. I was a winger before I moved to Sheppey and became a striker.
Sheppey United celebrate with their fans after making the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time (Marc Richards)"My brother was my inspiration, a little bit. I remember when we were younger, we used to share a room and Tom was going for a trial at Shrewsbury. I used to watch TV instead of weight training, but he was doing bench presses, squats...everything you can think of to get his body ready for that trial.
"I regret not doing that when I was younger, but I didn't have that dedication. You knew he would do it [play pro] even then. I'm so happy for him. A lot of people don't realise how much dedicated you actually have to be."
The Sheppey icon will walk out on Friday night with his young son, Harry, in front of the FA Cup trophy. The Ites' star man has a remarkable goalscoring record and is already a bonafide club legend.
His most prolific spell came at Chatham, where he had ex-pros "putting chances on a plate". He notched 94 goals in 103 games before moving on to pastures new. Unsurprisingly given his prowess in front of goal, Bradshaw's dream of a pro-contract have seen numerous clubs flirt with him down the years.
Bradshaw's brother, Tom, plays for Millwall but was a favourite at Walsall earlier in his career (Alex Davidson)"When I was younger a few teams had a sniff around. Maidstone United offered me a trial when I was 21, but the manager at the team I was playing for at the time got wind of it and chucked a few pound signs in my face. At that age, you're thinking, 'Yep, bang on, I'll have a bit of that'. Looking back now I should have taken the trial, but it is what it is.
"There was also a bit of talk about Bromley and massive contracts...I was told by an agent that he could sort me a contract out at Bromley but only a one-year deal. At this point, it was later in my career and I had kids and a mortgage to pay. Bromley were full-time and it was a pro-contract; it was my dream.
"It took me probably about three weeks, talking to my wife, weighing up pros and cons but in the end, it wasn't worth it for me. Life would have been cushty for a year, it would have been unreal. But I really had to rein myself in - if that contract ended after a year, I'd have been f***ed. At the end of the day, my kids are more important."
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Now in his twilight years, Bradshaw returned to Sheppey for a second spell in the summer to make more memories at a club where he is held in legendary status. While his football career hasn't quite followed the path he originally craved, he has no regrets.
Bradshaw concludes: "At the end of the day I love my life. If things had turned out differently, I might not have met my wife, had my kids or be doing what I am now. Playing the level I am, it's not like you've got to eat herbs and stuff, if you wanna go and get a McDonalds you go and get a McDonalds.
"My football career has been top, top-drawer in its own way and I've loved it. For our generation, the FA Cup is massive; other than the World Cup does it get any bigger? Friday night will be emotional but I've worked bloody hard to get here. I'll keep all the mementos and remember it forever."
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