It is with deep, deep sadness alongside his wife Helen and daughters Leanne & Amy we share the sad news of the passing of ex-player Russell Brebner (Brebs) on Sunday 14th February 2021.

Russell joined The Haws in 1984, at the age of 24. This is Russell’s story with the Haws……

Russell signed for the Haws at the start of the 1984-85 season due mainly to the efforts of the then assistant manager Davie Hodge. He made his debut on the 18th of August against Dundonald Bluebell. For the record, the team that day was Davie Westwood, Russell, Alan Adam, Graeme Brown, Eric Archibald, Tom Hamill, Jim Smith, Bobby Wilson, John McDonald, Mike McIntosh, and Ian Paton. Even during the early days we knew we had signed a special player. He quickly made the right-back berth his own and played with great consistency which was to become his hallmark in the years ahead. He never missed a game during his first season, playing a total of 46 games.

Russell was made club captain at the start of the 1985-86 season. We felt he was the right type, and he would lead by example. He also had an ingredient common to all the Haws greats, the will to win.

Next season the Haws won their first trophies in Junior football The Dryburgh Cup beating Halbeath 4-1 at Humbug Park and the Laidlaw Shield defeating Dundonald Bluebell 2-0. Many will still have the vivid memory of Russell being hoisted up onto the shoulders of big Eric Archibald. After winning the Dryburgh Cup who would have guessed how many times these scenes would be repeated during the next eleven seasons. The 1985-86 squad which established a place in the history books were as follows: Davie Westwood, Russell, Tom Hamill, Dick Campbell, Gordon Penman, lan Dair, Eric Archibald, Keith Ferguson, Jim Smith, Jimmy Gray, Brian Breen, George Ritchie, Brian Brown, and Stevie O’Donnell. At the club’s annual dance Russell had the honour of being voted Player of the Year. He played a total of 52 games that season.

Ambition dictated that Haws priority In season 86-87 was to win the league championship. After winning the West Division we met East Division victors Glenrothes in a playoff at Crosshill's Central Park. Goals by Jimmy Gray 2 and Jimmy Wright secured a 3-1 win and the first championship. A proud captain held the trophy aloft on, you’ve guessed it, big Eric's shoulders. Playing one of his first games for the Haws was a certain Brian Kenny.

The next two seasons produced more silverware. A Brian Breen goal was enough to see off Kelty Hearts in the 87-88 Laidlaw Shield final.

In spite of having his 88-89 appearances restricted by work commitments, Russell still lifted the league championship for a second time before going on to complete the double by adding the Cowdenbeath Cup to his growing list of honours.

The most significant happening in Russell’s career came before the start of season 89-90. Manager Jock Finlayson decided it was time to build a new team which was later to become known as “the new flame”. No one could have predicted then what was to unfold nine months later at Kilmarnock. As the season progressed the Haws, as a team, improved greatly with Russell featuring in every game. During the famous Scottish Cup run he produced outstanding performances against Auchinleck Talbot and Arthurlie and, in many people’s opinion, he was the best man on the park against Linlithgow Rose in the Brockville semi-final. Then the big one, Lesmahagow in the final at Rugby Park. After a team performance of the highest quality and amid fantastic scenes on the terracing, Russell lifted the "Holy Grail”, the Scottish Junior Cup, a moment which will live with him forever. When asked by Scottish Television’s Jim Delahunt at the post-match interview, "How does it feel to hold the Scottish Junior Cup ?” Russell replied, “ Absolutely marvellous, marvellous. This is what we’ve played for all season. This is what we have won. This is it.” Life after Killie would never be the same for Russell and the rest of his Haws teammates.

After a disappointing start the following year, the team rallied to capture the only domestic trophy which had eluded the club, the Fife Cup. A 2-0 victory over Halbeath, gave Russell the distinction, as captain, of lifting all honours in Fife. For the second time he was voted Player of the Year.

Yielding only one trophy in the next two seasons, many people in Fife suggested that the Haws were over the hill, finished as a major force. A notion which did not prevail at Keir’s Park. Russell and the rest of the club had other ideas.

It is worth noting that, during the period which included the four seasons 89-93, Russell played a total of 188 games missing only 18 matches and played some of the most consistent and best football of his career.

At the beginning of the 93-94 season Russell would lead out the next great Haws side. The challenge was met. During the next three seasons the Haws took Fife and the Lothians- by storm collecting no fewer than eleven trophies. Russell earned the distinction of being the first captain in Fife Junior football to win successive trebles, season's 93-94 and 94-95 bringing the Fife Championship, Fife Cup and Cowdenbeath Cup. During this period Russell was seen at his most inspirational on the field of play.

At the end of the 95-96 season, within a matter of days, he lifted both Inter Regional trophies, the Whyte and Mackay Fife and Lothians Cup beating Whitburn by a single Billy Spence goal and the Taycars Fife and Tayside Trophy defeating Dundonald Bluebell 2-0 through Brian Ritchie and John Wright to achieve a unique double. One wonders how long it will be before another Fife captain repeats this feat.

After these triumph's Russell intimated to the management that it would probably be the right time to finish playing. Within a few weeks, however, he was coaxed back for the 96-97 season. Although this was a mediocre season by Haws standards, they did win the Cowdenbeath Cup by thrashing Thornton Hibs 6-0. Russell for the last time, amid great scenes was hoisted shoulder-high by his teammates. The delighted skipper never looked happier.

Russell had many happy memories of his years at Hill Of Beath. A glittering 13-year career 12 of those years as Captain and playing 549 games. A player who rewrote the record books in Fife Junior football by lifting 26 Trophies. Probably the most respected player ever to play in the ”red” jersey. As a man, he never boasted about his achievements, always dignified and very modest.

Our condolences and sympathies are with Helen, Leanne and Amy and the wider family.
RIP Brebs from everyone past and present who knew you at The Haws.