Ross County defender Andrew Davies says the competitive instincts that were drilled into him at a young age left him with a tough decision over whether to pursue a career as a footballer or a cricketer.
Davies, who was born in Stockton-on-Tees, grew up playing both sports before deciding to commit to football at the age of 16 with Middlesbrough.
Although he has gone on to enjoy a successful career, it could all have been so different had Davies followed his older brother Mark’s lead by moving into professional cricket, where he spent the majority of his career with Durham, winning a call-up to the England squad in 2009, before retiring with Kent five years later due to a persistent shoulder injury.
Staggies defender Davies says the sporting success within his family came as no coincidence.
He said: “Growing up, I was always taught that effort comes first before anything. If you give 100% you have half a chance of getting somewhere.
“I was taught that by my grandad and it has stuck with me all the way through my career.
“He wasn’t a player but he was a very big follower of me and my brother, who is a professional cricketer.
“Grandad used to follow us both all over the place and his words of wisdom helped me a lot.
“My brother Mark played first-class cricket for 14 years for Durham and Kent. He played for England as well, so we come from a sporting family.
“Cricket was big in my family. Mark and I grew up playing cricket together and then when I got to 16 I had a choice to make whether to go and sign for Middlesbrough on pro-terms or go to Durham and play cricket.
“With me, it was always more football and Mark cricket but I loved my cricket and still do.”
County make the trip to Dundee today and Davies has urged his side to maintain the recent improvement in performance they have shown in going four matches unbeaten.
The 31-year-old added: “What the manager is doing is bringing out the best in people. Before this run, a few players probably weren’t performing to what they thought was their best standard.
“When our best players aren’t performing, results suffer. Over the last four or five games that’s changed and people are performing the way they can.”