MIKE MULRANEY, the Alloa Athletic chairman, reckons the team??s stunning Petrofac Training Cup win over Rangers was the biggest in the club's 136-year history, but not the most important.
MIKE MULRANEY, the Alloa Athletic chairman, reckons the team??s stunning Petrofac Training Cup win over Rangers was the biggest in the club's 136-year history, but not the most important.
Barry Smith's outfit defied the odds and a crippling injury list to produce a stunning comeback from two goals down and record their first victory over a Rangers team on Wednesday.
A Greig Spence double either side of Ryan McCord??s equaliser earned Alloa??s place in the final against Livingston in April.
Mulraney cites his team's play-off win over Dunfermline Athletic to reach the Championship in 2013 as more significant, although when it comes to the sheer enjoyment of witnessing the club deservedly create a shock to reach a cup final, he insists that having humbled Rangers upstages anything else.
Mulraney said: "I believe it's the biggest win of our history. It's not the most important one: winning on Saturday against Dumbarton is potentially more important because staying in this league is important.
"Beating Dunfermline to be promoted to the Championship was probably more important but this was, without any doubt, the biggest single victory in our history. It's fantastic for us; this result eclipses them all.
"Beating Rangers for the first time [as a club] makes it more special. We've broken a lot of ducks against Rangers this season; we hadn't taken a point off them before [the sides have twice drawn 1-1 in the Championship].
"I thought it was fantastic; I thought we were worth our win and that's fantastic to say. It showed you the strength right through the squad because we were right down to the bare bones.
"Everyone that came in did a fantastic job. It shows you we have a good team and we have a good squad and I think it's a great reflection on everybody, Barry [Smith, the manager] in-particular because he was able to put a team out that was able to achieve that."
Incredibly, the part-time outfit, who won the competition in 1999, remain unbeaten against Championship counterparts Rangers after three games this season following successive 1-1 draws in the league.
Mulraney reckons their ability to bridge the huge financial gulf is down to manager Smith.
He added: "Barry has proven himself before at Dundee, he did a fantastic job there and he's doing it here. I don't know what his magic touch is but as long as it continues and as long as he sprinkles it on Alloa; I'm a happy man."
Alloa, who are only one point above the relegation play-off place, hope to be in a comfortable league position come April's final and Mulraney admits tomorrow's visit of Dumbarton is huge.
He added: "Everything that comes with being in the final is fantastic. I know it's a cliché in football but genuinely all we can think about is that we've got a really hard game against Dumbarton on Saturday; that's the absolute focus.
"Yeah, it's fantastic to still be involved in a cup competition after the Christmas break and to be in a final again ?? that will look after itself ?? but what's bigger is this game on Saturday."
CAPITAL CITY PRESS DARREN JOHNSTONE TEL: 0131 661 3077 MOB: 07876 561 862
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