Dick Campbell, the Forfar Athletic manager, last night took the unusual step of naming his team 72 hours in advance of their Scottish Cup meeting with Rangers in an attempt to ensure his players are properly mentally attuned on Sunday.

Dick Campbell, the Forfar Athletic manager, last night took the unusual step of naming his team 72 hours in advance of their Scottish Cup meeting with Rangers in an attempt to ensure his players are properly mentally attuned on Sunday.

The veteran coach gathered his team at St Johnstone's McDiarmid Park for a final full training session before they entertain the cup holders and told them who will start the tie, which is live on television.

Campbell said: "This lets the players know what the craic is. It's been a difficult decision to make because I've signed five players recently, but those are the decisions a manager has to make. But, in all honesty, I've known my team for a while. By telling them now, it lets the ones who are not playing get their huff out of the way and the other ones can get their focus right on the game."

However, while some of his players at least are now looking forward to playing in front of a national TV audience, Campbell admits his thoughts are already drifting towards forthcoming third division fixtures.

"We've got the Rangers game and then more important league games coming up," he said. "As a manager it will come and go for me - we've got three big games in the following week.

"We've got Dumbarton then Cowdenbeath and Montrose after that. So there's an awful lot of water to go under the bridge in the league as far as I'm concerned, so we've got to look to them as well."

Campbell and Walter Smith, the Rangers manager, have been close friends since they were young players with Dundee United nearly 40 years ago.

The Forfar manager said: "I've had a bit of stick from Walter already. Everyone knows you have to go out, try to be a reasonable side against a team who can give you a doing.

"Every manager worth their salt will try to organise their players the best they can and that's what I'll do. But we'll have a go at them, there's no doubt about it.

"Walter has been giving me abuse for saying that I'm going to attack them. But no matter what happens on Sunday, we'll have a good craic, we'll have a drink afterwards and a wee cuddle."