Jason Cummings plants kiss on partner in crowd and fights tears after ‘last dance’ Grand Final glory
JASON CUMMINGS was overcome with emotion after winning the A-League with Central Coast Mariners - because he knew just 18 months ago that his career was in danger of SPIRALLING out of control.
The former Dundee, Hibs and Rangers striker made the move to Australia after an incident where he missed training with Dundee after attending an Open Goal Live event the night before ended up with him being BANISHED from the first team squad.
He's since enjoyed a career resurrection in Australia, earning himself a call-up to Australia's World Cup squad (he qualifies through his mother) after a stellar first season, and he continued to impress this year.
Cummings, 27, looks set to move on from Oz however, with the forward having sealed a mega money move to India.
So after bagging a hat-trick for the Mariners as they clinched their first A-League Championship in a decade with a stunning 6-1 win over rivals Melbourne City, he was struggling to hold back the tears.
Before picking up his man of the match award, he found girlfriend Hannah Doig in the crowd and ran over to give her a kiss.
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He was then called over for a post-match interview, in which Cummings referred to the fixture as his "last dance", playing on the phrase coined by NBA legend Michael Jordan during his final season with the Chicago Bulls.
Speaking to Australian TV channel 10 Football, Cummings said: "The last dance man. I don't know what happened. We just beat the champions. They won the league, great team and we just beat them 6-1.
"But I'm not surprised. The team we've got, the hunger, the togetherness, the family, the gaffer, wow.
"What a journey, man.
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"I've been here a year-and-a-half and the gaffer changed my life. My career was spiralling out of control and I've come here and I've just fell in love with the Coast.
"This team, honestly wow. I'm lost for words."
Mariners finished fifth in the league last season but this season they were Melbourne's closest rivals.
Melbourne clinched the regular season Premiership title before the end of season Championship tournament began, which eventually ended with Mariners and Melbourne competing in the Grand Final.
Cummings thanked his teammates and his manager Nick Montgomery, the former Sheffield United star, for taking him Down Under.
He continued: "I can't think them enough.
"On the pitch and off the pitch, I've never experienced anything like it in my life.
"I've never had a manager believe in me like that and I'm just glad I repaid him today, a hat-trick in the Grand Final."
And in typical Cumdog fashion, he insisted: "And we're going to party tonight, I'll tell you that."
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