Buckie Thistle striker Josh Peters looking for a miracle at Celtic Park as he hopes to face cousin Stephen Welsh
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Josh Peters would love nothing more than to be marked by his cousin in the biggest football match of his life.
Buckie Thistle centre forward Peters fired in the two stoppage time equalisers and a third goal in his team's penalty shoot-out win at Broxburn Athletic which earned the Highland League side a money-spinning fourth round tie at Celtic on Sunday.
The draw was celebrated right across his family, as Josh's cousin is none other than Stephen Welsh, who plays centre back for Celtic and is hoping to shake off a recent injury to gain selection for the cup clash.
And it's fair to say there's divided loyalties in the family. Josh's mum Jacqui is a huge Celtic fan who often goes to watch her nephew playing for the Scottish champions and cup holders.
Meanwhile, Josh followed his father Gordon in cheering on the team on the other side of Glasgow, both as staunch Rangers supporters.
"Mum is Celtic and dad is Rangers. They will both be at the game, and family from both sides will be there as well," Josh said.
"It will be interesting, watching my dad supporting the green and white or having the green and white on. I followed in his footsteps with the football and supporting Rangers.
"Both of them did a great deal for me when I was younger and helped me get to training and we did a lot of travel and made sacrifices so it is down to them as well. It will be a big day for both of them."
Despite being a 'Gers fan, Josh has attended Celtic Park on numerous occasions to watch his cousin play.
The Buckie striker's career has included spells with Hibs and Livingston, as well as several other SPFL sides including Elgin City.
But he has never had the opportunity to share a pitch with his cousin before.
"It was always something my mum thought would be brilliant if it could happen. We both would go along with that but always thought it would be very unlikely to happen, the way our careers have gone.
"For it to happen in these circumstances would be unbelievable. We are hoping he is fit enough and gets picked to play because we would be up against each other directly. It would make it special and an even bigger day."
Welsh injured his shoulder playing for Celtic against Rangers in the recent festive derby, but is on the road to recovery and could feature on Sunday.
Peters is certain to start and can't believe he will be stepping out on Celtic Park with his Highland League team-mates.
"I've never played there before so it will be special, not just for me but the whole family. Especially if Stephen is playing.
"I grew up with Stephen and we talk quite a lot. We always spend Christmas together and we have the same gran and grandad so there’s quite a lot of family time.
"They used to come up to Aviemore when we were younger and we have been pretty close since we were young. We got older and he has been based down there but we still speak now and then, and he's done brilliantly in his career to be fair."
The families got together on Christmas Day and while everyone else was speaking about the Scottish Cup match between their clubs, the two cousins were trying to keep things under the radar.
"We had Christmas dinner at Stephen’s family (in Coatbridge) and he was there a while before he had to go away to training and stay in a hotel before the Dundee game on Boxing Day.
"It was good to catch up, and my mum is just ecstatic about it so it was always going to be top of the conversation. But I think both of us wanted to play it down a bit.
"It’s all about on the day more for both of us, we can speak about it before and after but we will be both be totally focused during the game."
Josh scored 29 goals last season in his first term with Buckie, and is top scorer with 13 this year too.
It would be a dream for the Victoria Park club to score against Celtic, and their main marksman is the prime candidate to carry out the job.
"It would be a miracle to be fair but you never know. We just have to believe that we are a good team and although we are playing a team that's levels above us there's no point in going into the game not thinking we will get any chances.
"Of course if I did get a chance and managed to score it would be a great feeling no matter what the score was, just unbelievable. And something I could hold on forever.
"A few of the boys will be hoping for the same. We will just look to do the best that we can.
"It would definitely be the first time my mum had cheered a goal against Celtic!
"She’s not that bothered really. It will just be a huge day."
