I played over 200 games for Aberdeen but now I’m making a big career change and running my own company

PETER PAWLETT is the Peterhead player who gets his house in order by training to be a mortgage advisor.

Here, the fishing fan reveals the only meal he has cooked in his life.

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The former Aberdeen and Dundee United star also tells us why he was mentioned on Radio 1, why he has hit panic buttons in the past and the day his piano playing wasn’t hitting the right notes.

This is Pawlett’s SunSport A to Z.

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ABERDEEN. What was it like getting through there? It was incredible. I moved to Aberdeen when I was five and supported the team there. Signing for them at seven or eight years old and breaking into the first team was a proud moment. I really enjoyed playing over 200 games and achieving some success. It was difficult for me to say goodbye, but I was ready for new adventures.

BORN AND RAISED. You were born in Hull. What memories do you have of the place? I have beautiful memories. I was very young, but I remember the street where I lived and the back garden where I used to play with my friends. My whole family is there, so I go back when I can. My accent changes from day to day. Sometimes I come from Yorkshire, sometimes from Aberdonia.

CRACKER. What’s the best prank you’ve ever played? A boy in our team was given a box of chocolates by his agent and said he would give it to his neighbor. He went to practice and left the box next to his seat. Another injured man opened the box, took out the chocolates and replaced them with, let’s say, something else the color of chocolate. Then the boy took the box and gave it to his neighbor. The injured boy eventually recovered and had to go to his neighbor to reclaim the box. Luckily they hadn’t opened it!

DUNDEE UNITED. How do you remember your time at Tannadice? It was a really enjoyable time as we won the league and qualified for Europe. The disadvantages were my injuries and missing all of last season.

Peeling. Who takes the longest in the mirror? There was a boy called Davide Grassi who had long hair and played for Aberdeen. He obviously had to take care of it and was constantly combing it.

FIREFIGHTER. What would you have done if you hadn’t made it in football? My brothers Ben and Chris are craftsmen. They have plumbing and carpentry businesses, so I probably would have tagged along somehow. I would always help my father with home improvement.

GEORGE FOREMAN. How are you in the kitchen? Absolutely terrible. I’m not doing anything. My wife Nicky does everything for me and I should take on more responsibility. Actually, I’ve only cooked one meal in my life. It was Valentine’s Day and things weren’t going too badly. Nicky is a vegetarian. It was just a roast with no meat, so it was just vegetables!

HUMAN LEAGUE. How did it feel when Aberdeen fans tried to get their Peter Pawlett Baby version of “Don’t You Want Me Baby” to No. 1 in 2014? This season was special. Around New Year I scored a last minute winner at Tannadice and picked up some momentum. It went viral until the cup final. It’s always nice to hear fans singing your name, but when you’re outside and someone starts singing your name to you, it can be a little embarrassing. I remember driving to training and Chris Moyles was talking about it on Radio 1.

INJURIES. How frustrating were they? I suffered a lot, some bad things too. It’s hard to deal with it, but you learn to deal with it over the years. The worst part was my Achilles tendon injury. It wasn’t a bad injury in one game, it was something you had to deal with for six or seven years. I eventually had surgery, but that time was tough.

JAPAN. What is your favorite vacation destination? Greece. I’ve been there about three times. I really like the setting.

KARAOKE. Can you sing? I can’t. I hate the initiation songs. They’re hard to do and just as hard to look at. “Build Me Up Buttercup” was my favorite song. James Maddison was good when he moved to Aberdeen but Ilmari Niskanen was really bad at Dundee United.

Loan at value. How does training to become a mortgage advisor work? Good. The plan would be to do it myself once I qualify and can offer this service. I also started a company called Pitch2Property with Cammy Smith (a teammate at Aberdeen, Dundee United and Peterhead). We work behind the scenes to help footballers invest in property and guide them through the process.
MK. How did you like playing for the other Dons? It was good and a different experience. I traveled to different areas for different reasons. The stadium was beautiful. It held 30,000, but they got about 10,000.

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NEW LOOK. Who has the worst dressing sense you know in football? Dean Lewington, who I played with in MK. He was a nice kid and a good player, but he looked like he came in every day in his pajama top.

OH MY GOD. Tell us something we don’t know about you. I enjoy fishing. In the summer I try to get away and take a few days away. It’s carp fishing. There’s only one carp spot in Scotland, in Perth, so I go south and do it with my cousins.

PART-TIME. How did you experience the transition from full-time work? Lots of family time, you can spend Christmas at home and enjoy your children’s birthdays. I really like it. There is still the possibility of playing on a Saturday.

Trembling wreck. What was your most nerve-wracking experience? I hate MRI scanners. They’re so claustrophobic. Because of my injuries I was there often. When it comes to knee and ankle pain it’s not so bad, but when it comes to my lower back I’m a total mess. I hate being strapped in and not being able to move. I had to hit the panic button a few times. If I face one, I won’t sleep for a week.

ROMEO. Are you a romantic? When I talk to my wife, I’m not romantic enough. I think that’s how it works!

SCOTLAND. Were you always interested in playing for the country after the rule change that qualified you through your training here? Yes definitely. We beat Holland with 21s and had a decent team. I thought Billy Stark was great. I was once called up to the senior team for a game against Nigeria at Craven Cottage. I remember during the warm-up I was hoping I would get through so I could say I was an international. It was still a great experience.

TIGER. Do you still support Hull? I always pay attention to their results. My dad Ian is a real Hull fan and met my mum Janet on the terraces of the old Boothferry Park.

UNDERWEAR ON THE FLOOR. Who has the worst habits in football? My pet hate is loud eaters. No one stands out, but when someone starts eating with their mouth open, I hate it.

VESUVIUS. What’s the biggest locker room explosion you’ve ever seen? Willo Flood and Ryan Jack fight on the field. Willo wanted the ball and they joined forces, then things continued in the locker room. Ten minutes later they were best friends.

CRY. When was the last time you cried? When my son Albie was born three years ago. They were tears of happiness.

XYLOPHONE. Are you musical? When I was young I had piano lessons, but it wasn’t that great. My brother and I played a duet at a school concert, but I was so nervous that I forgot what key I was supposed to play in. It sounded terrible! I remember looking at my piano teacher and she just shook her head.

You laugh. Who is the funniest person you know? Charlie Mulgrew. I sat next to him at United. He had these one-liners and anything that came out of his mouth would make us laugh.

ZICO. Who did you play best with and against? James Maddison was incredible at Aberdeen. When we played against Real Sociedad in the Europa League they had Inigo Martinez, who is now at Barcelona. I remember thinking he was so complete in everything he did.

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