Stewart Maxwell’s addiction for playing competitive football has found a new and unbelievably surreal hit.

Close friends thought the Rob Roy gaffer’s love for pulling back on the boots had been adequately satisfied for the foreseeable when he memorably turned out for Scotland in the Over 38’s Seniors World Cup played in Thailand back in early June.

But tomorrow afternoon Maxi will arguably top that exotic experience for a tale to proudly tell his grandchildren when he makes his debut in the William Hill Scottish Cup proper - at 39 years of age.

Who could ever have imagined that a playing career spanning East Stirling, Cambuslang Rangers, Linlithgow Rose, Bathgate Thistle, Rob Roy, Kilwinning Rangers and Petershill would have yet another chapter to unfold at Harestanes Amateurs - about to make history as the first ever Scottish Amateur Cup winners to participate in the big Scottish ?

The Kirkintilloch-based outfit take on Girvan at Duncansfield - home of Kilsyth Rangers - and they certainly won’t lack for knowledge of their Junior opponents or venue with seasoned defensive ace Maxi in their ranks.

Ahead of taking charge of Rob Roy in tonight’s Euroscot Eng Sectional League Cup tie with Dunipace, he said: "This opportunity would never have come about but for our game being switched to Friday night because Cumbernauld United have first call on Guy’s Meadow for their meeting with Kilsyth tomorrow.

“It all came about when Harestanes chairman Ian Colston telephoned out of the blue last week to say they were struggling for numbers and could we loan out a few fringe players, preferably a left back or left side midfielder.

“But the snag he had overlooked was that only signed players can take part in Cup games so none of our guys were eligible barring young Kieron Blackwood and I jokingly said he could only have Paul Ronald and myself.

“You could have knocked me down with a feather when he then came straight out and asked if I would help out by playing in the cup game?”

Maxi asked for time to think things over, however the unequivocal approval of his close No.2 Ronald added to the prospect of Rob Roy possibly building bridges with the local amateur cracks convinced him it was the right thing to do.

His one and only nagging doubt is whether he can give a decent account of himself given his last outing was for Scotland Seniors in Patong when sealing a 2-1 victory over Taiwan in a fourth-place play-off match.

He added: “It’s almost two months since that game so I’ve tried to work on building up my fitness levels to do myself justice.

“And I’ll be doing my best to mix with my Harestanes team-mates who are relative strangers to me whereas a lot of the Girvan players are known to me as well as their manager Peter Leonard whom I recall from his days in charge of Maybole.

“He’s brought in a number of his former players like David and Danny Cunningham as well as the dangerous front man Scott Dunwoodie and they also have Paul Cameron who skipperd Hurlford United to their Scottish Junior Cup success just two years ago so this is shaping up as a tough 90 minutes .

“It’s a one-off game occasion sure to be played in a terrific atmosphere with all my Rabs players promising to come along and lend their support and I’m pretty sure many of our club followers will want to back another Kirkintilloch side.

“More than a few Junior managers have been calling up to wish me good luck and I feel somewhat privileged to get this chance to play in the Scottish Cup so late in my career however if Ian manages to fix up some younger lads then I would have no qualms about stepping aside to let them take part in my stead.

“And another consideration I have to take into account is how Rob Roy officials and supporters regard my participation because there might be one or two people thinking I am taking my eye of their particular ball even though I regard myself as first and foremost the manager of their football club and will not let anything interfere with the carrying out of my duties to them and my players.

Turning to Rob Roy’s own Euroscot Eng Cup tester against Dunipace tonight, he said: “Hand on heart, I would say the guys have comfortably won their opening two games but without really firing on all cylinders.

“Outstanding individual performances from Kevin Watt, Gavin Mackie, Danny McKenzie, Danny Boyle and Luke Whelan have caught the eye up to now.

"But Paul and I are looking forward to the day when eight or nine players hit form at the same time.

“Maybe that level of performance will be achieved tonight but regardless, we will continue to chop and change our line-up in order to give game time to as many players as possible during these Section ties.

“Obviousl , a trophy is at stake but most Junior sides never treat this competition seriously until the quarter-final knockout stage.”

Elsewhere comes word of a change of venue for supporters of Bellshill Athletic, whose game against Shettleston tomorrow will now go ahead at Greenfield Park.