Irwin Wallace would have been prouder than most last Saturday as two of his former players faced each other at Brunton Park.

Notts County goalkeeper Adam Collin, from Great Salkeld near Penrith, and Carlisle United captain Danny Grainger were both once coached by Wallace.

The pair have gone onto enjoy successful playing careers, with Grainger spending time north of the border at Hearts and Gretna, before his move to Brunton Park in 2014.

While keeper Collin’s first break in senior football came at Workington Reds, before he moved to the Brunton Park outfit, making 159 appearances from 2009-13.

But, no matter where the pairs career’s have taken them since they were members of Castletown Junior Football Club’s “nappy squad”, they have never forgotten their roots.

“I stay with the nappy squads. I stay with the Under-8s and the Under-9s,” Wallace explains.

“I said, when you get your first professional contract, I want a packet of biscuits to them both. I don’t want a Ferrari or £10,000.

“After Danny joined Gretna, I was at training and there was a tap on the shoulder - and a packet of biscuits.

“It was the same with Adam when he got his first professional contract.”

While playing in Scotland, Grainger was given the chance to play European football.

Wallace adds: “In Danny’s first European game when he was at Gretna, he got man-of-the-match, so I had a card ready to send to him to say well done.

“I had a knock on the door and there was Danny with his shirt, so I have that in my collection.

“They also won the Scottish Cup semi-final [in the 2005/06 season] and I thought ‘I won’t ring him because he’ll just think I want a ticket’.

“The following morning, and Danny rang and said ‘is that my favourite coach’. I said ‘is that Danny?’ and he asked if I would like to come up to the final, as well.”

Wallace has similarly fond memories with goalkeeper Collin.

He says: “Adam is the same sort of lad. After Carlisle won the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, he came up to the nappy squad with his cup winners’ medal.

“And he took penalties with all the other lads and the dads.”

Wallace’s ideal result last Saturday would have been a 1-0 Carlisle win with Grainger scoring a penalty in the last minute. But it was Notts County who came out on top in a 2-1 win.