Related Articles
A SADDLEWORTH-BASED postman made a really special delivery by scoring a hat-trick at Wembley.
By weekday, Aaron Brown lives in Springhead and works as a postman at the sorting office in Ashton.
By night and at weekend, he is a rugby league star for Sheffield Eagles and scored a hat-trick of tries at the national stadium in the 1895 Cup final on Saturday, August 24.
On Tuesday, August 26 it was back to work, delivering mail in Mossley close to the border with Greenfield.
Aaron, 27, actually performed his heroics against Widnes Vikings despite hardly training all week because of a knee injury.
And whoever he delivers letters to may notice an extra spring in their postman’s step.
Aaron, who has worked for Royal Mail for seven years, said: “Wembley is a breathtaking venue. Even just having a walk round the day before was unbelievable.
“But to then walk out and play in a final it was pretty surreal. Definitely the best place I have ever played.
“I’m very proud. To get to play at Wembley is a massive, massive achievement for me. And to get three tries at the place is just unbelievable.
“I never ever thought that would have happened.
“To get a hat-trick was absolutely mad and I am absolutely made up – on cloud nine.
“Not many people get a hat-trick at Wembley and I have managed to bag one.”
Aaron and the rest of the Eagles partied hard after their success, 21 years after the Sheffield club stunned Wigan in the Challenge Cup final, when coach Mark Aston was a player.
Then it was back to normality by turning up and heading out on his round, with one or two of his colleagues mentioning his achievement.
Aaron added: “Working and playing pretty much go hand in hand. I’m out delivering by about 9.30am and then normally finished about 2pm. Then it’s off to training at Sheffield in the evening.
“The times I do struggle to fit it in, the lads at work have always been able to cover me and help out which is great.
“I think a few of the lads knew I was playing so they would have been watching. I’ve had quite a few congratulations messages off them as well. It was interesting to see them all afterwards.
“And as for people knowing I’m not sure that many do, only the odd few maybe.”
Aaron described the 80 minutes’ action as “a bit of a blur” but reflected: “It was a tough game.Widnes have a lot of good players.
“They have just come down from Super League and they are still full-time.
“Our boys stuck in there, our forward pack laid the platform and we took it to them.”
