WHEN I FIRST MET BROOKS I THOUGHT HE WAS PART OF KITCHEN STAFF...

ROBERTO BAGGIO he most certainly ain't, but in owner Brooks Mileson Gretna skipper Chris Innes reckons the club have their very own Divine Ponytail.

Under Eddie Thompson at Dundee United and Bill Costley at Kilmarnock, Innes worked at close quarters with highly successful and multi-millionaire chairmen.

But the big defender admits he's never come across anyone quite like the long-haired, chain-smoking, eccentric Mileson.

Innes believes Mileson's incredible aura overshadows every aspect of the Raydale Park outfit and insists Gretna's wealthy benefactor, who suffers from the debilitating virus ME, is the perfect example to us all in how to lead life to the maximum.

Innes said:"Previous chairmen like Eddie Thompson kept themselves away from the players, which has obviously worked for them and Eddie is obviously a shrewd businessman, as is Bill Costley.

"You don't have the sort of connection with your chairman that we have here. Brooks comes in and sits and has a beer with you, sits and blows Marlboro smoke in your face and drives you up the wall.

"And then he'll just tell you what the bonus will be.

"He's very spontaneous. It's good to have him about the place. It's hard to put your finger on it but there's an aura around him and the club. You look at that guy. He's obviously got his illness and he's still buzzing about the place. He's an example of how we should all be in life.

"Obviously the gaffer takes the training, but as regards everything else Brooks is very hands on.

"He was at the club selling tickets for the Cup Final until about 10 o'clock one night last week. He certainly wants to be involved.

"His son Craig was telling me after the semi-final he was ill for a week. He couldn't seem to get out his bed.

"I don't think we'll see him for a month if we win!

"Maybe we'll get an open top bus to the end of the street if we win but I don't know what we'd do.

Innes has played an integral part in Gretna's promotion to the First Division and their glory run to the Scottish Cup Final this season.

But one of his most cherished memories at the club following his move from Dundee United 18 months ago remains his first encounter with Mileson.

He said: "When I first met the owner he passed me collecting a tray of eggs. I'd never met him and I thought he was part of the catering staff.

"It was pre-match and we were sitting over in the board room. I said, 'Any chance of getting another egg?' and he said, 'Help yourself'.

"The boys began to laugh and said, 'That's Brooks Mileson' and there he was in his jeans with his hair tied back.

"That sums the guy up. He's so down to earth. I got the egg - it was fresh straight from the farm. Brooks is very close to all the players and it's great to have a relationship like that with the club owner.

"There's always a buzz about the place with him around and it's a very positive place to be."

Innes was always confident he would find himself back in the top flight with Gretna when he swapped the SPL for the Third Division.

But not for one second did the 25-year-old defender anticipate leading out the team in a Scottish Cup Final and in the UEFA Cup next season.

He said: "The achievement for us is getting to the Final and we'll really give it a go because it would be foolish not to.

"I played in the Premier League before and I had no doubt I would get back there with this club by progressing through the divisions. "I can certainly see that happening within the next two years.

"But cup finals and Europe are what dreams are made of.

"You look how much the Old Firm dominate the cups, along with Hearts and Hibs to an extent, and for us to get this far is phenomenal.

"Leading the team out is going to be the proudest moment of my career and a great occasion for the club. Having the captain's armband is going to make it that bit more special.

"When I came here I thought league championships were more than obtainable but getting to a Scottish Cup Final and getting into Europe is phenomenal. A Second Division team, albeit one which will be a First Division team next season, are going to be in Europe and that achievement is second to none.

"It's unbelievable but we've got where we are on merit.

"Coming from Killie and Dundee United to here was a big step down from the SPL and we'll see that on Saturday, but I'm sure the boys will do themselves proud and I think we've got a good chance.

"We've watched Hearts a few times. We've had the DVDs out and the gaffer has made them freely available to all the boys, so we've done the homework on them.

"We'll go in there fully prepared - it would be foolish not to - and you never know."

Taken from the Daily Record