Just over 3,000 people packed themselves into Auchinleck Talbot's creeky, old Beechwood Park on Saturday lunchtime and thousands more tuned in on TV as Ladbrokes Championship Ayr United made the short journey to the Junior giants hoping to avoid a major upset in the William Hill Scottish Cup. The BBC cameras were in town in what was undoubtedly the biggest game in their illustrious trophy-laden history. A new chapter was written in that history as a late winner sent the Talbot fans and doubtless many a neutral into raptures. The scenes in the stands and in the dressing room really hit home what the Scottish Cup still means to many fans here. It’s still the ultimate prize.
It was certainly a day of upsets in the Scottish Cup. Motherwell,Morton and Dunfermline joined the Honest Men in exiting the competition to sides from a lower division. Stenhousemuir travelled to Aberdeen and earned a replay at Ochilview after a magnificent draw. Queen of the South will fancy turning over Dundee at home while St Mirren only scraped past part-time Alloa late on in a thrilling 3-2 victory. It’s great for the game here to see upsets and the smaller teams having their day in the sun - or the freezing cold as it was on Saturday. Most teams went with full-strength sides and the competition was treated with the respect it deserves.
Contrast that with the English equivalent down the road and the contrast couldn’t be more apparent. The Premier League and the riches that come with it dictate that most clubs in the top two leagues have only getting into the top four, staying in the Premier League or getting promotion into it on their mind. The FA Cup has taken a back seat with teams fielding weakened sides and not taking it seriously. This has led to apathy among the fans and has diluted what is a fantastic tournament. I sincerely hope that will never happen to our great competition here.
The Scottish Cup is a tournament I loved as a player but I certainly had my share of ups and downs. Mostly downs I must say. Probably one of the worst feelings I had was back in 2001 when after scoring winning goals in previous rounds for Hibernian against Stirling Albion and Kilmarnock, I was the dreaded 17th man in the final against Celtic. Not that it mattered as we lost 3-0 to a fantastic Celtic side, but when Alex McLeish broke the news to me that morning in our base at Cameron House I felt like my world had ended. I also missed out on another final against Celtic when I was at Dunfermline in truly bizarre circumstances. I had spent the earlier part of the 2006/07 season at Falkirk before joining up with the Pars. In that early part of the cup campaign, Falkirk got drawn to play Berwick Rangers away in the Scottish Cup and I was in the squad to play. As it turned out I wasn’t in the 16 selected by John Hughes and made my way into the stand. Unfortunately, Liam Craig, now of St Johnstone, got injured in the warm up and I was summoned from the stand to take my place on the bench. I remained on the bench for the full 90 minutes which wasn’t an irregular occurrence at that time at Falkirk. I then left the club a few months later and joined Dunfermline. The Pars went on a fabulous Scottish Cup run that season dumping out Rangers, Hearts and Hibs. Celtic were waiting in the final and I was in the form of my life at Dunfermline at that time under Stephen Kenny. I thought I could have played in the final versus Celtic but because I sat on the bench for Falkirk that season, even though I didn’t play a single minute, I was ineligible. How’s your luck?! It was a dreadful rule which thankfully got changed the following season. That was no good to me though as it cost myself and potentially Dunfermline a real shot at winning the Scottish Cup. It’s something that still irritates me now as Celtic were dreadful on the day and very much for the taking. Jean-Joel Perrier-Doumbe scored a scrappy late goal to win the cup for Celtic.
The Scottish Cup still matters in Scotland. We can never let it get to the point that it has in England where money has rendered the FA Cup irrelevant to many of the big clubs and their fans. The passion and romance is still very much alive here. Not only from the weekend - where the fantastic scenes at Auchinleck would have warmed even the coldest of hearts. Ask the thousands of jubilant Hibs fans who poured onto the Hampden turf in sheer exuberance with tears of joy in their eyes after David Gray ended 114 years of pain just what the Scottish Cup means. Or the Stenhousemuir fans travelling back down from Pittodrie ecstatic after watching their part-time players give their heart and soul to earn a replay. It still matters. I would have given anything to lift that magnificent trophy, as would every single player who participates in the Scottish Cup. It’s magical. That magic must never be allowed to fade.
And another thing
The jury remains out for me on new Celtic signing Oliver Burke. I have yet to be convinced by him. There’s no doubt he has the pace and power to be a dangerous player but has he got the mentality to put it all together. Brendan Rodgers has worked his magic with so many players at Celtic since arriving. Burke will be undoubtedly his greatest challenge yet.
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