Football romantics’ hearts always race at the third or fourth round, or whatever round it is, when the big guns are mixed in with the lesser lights.
This writer is among the many who consider the upcoming weekend to be the best in Scottish football history. Every year around this time, a group of friends who all support different clubs have carried on a practice of planning a journey to a chosen tie. They are spoiled for choice, as usual.
The match between Clyde and Aberdeen starts this evening. The Derby by Steve Archibald. Or the Craig Brown derby, which is far more poignant.
As long as he was not the victim of one, the former Scotland manager loved a giant-killing act just as much as the next person. He is actually staring out from the front cover of the match programme, so he will be looking down when current Clyde manager Ian McCall tries to unseat Barry Robson in the opposing dugout.
Naturally, Brown managed both Clyde and Aberdeen during quite distinct phases of his professional journey. In the meantime, Archibald made the transition from trainee motor mechanic to aspiring professional football player by scoring goals for both sides. At the beginning of the club’s most illustrious period, he won the league title at Pittodrie under Alex Ferguson.
In comparison, Aberdeen peaked over this same weekend the previous year. Aberdeen was wrapping off the Scottish Cup festivities, not starting them. And on Monday night in the deepest part of Ayrshire, boy, did they wrap it up in style.
As usual, hosts Darvel allowed access to all locations for BBC Scotland’s live coverage of the game. Manager Mick Kennedy said, “I promise you right now, we can win this,” and went on to become a brief social media phenomenon. Though he may be many things, the outgoing, charismatic Kennedy—who is currently manager at East Kilbride—is not a liar. In what is regarded as one of the biggest, if not the biggest, upsets in the competition’s illustrious history, Darvel prevailed 1-0.
The Scottish Cup this year is, in fact, rather special. The first time a captain “went up” to lift the Scottish Cup is commemorated in March for the 150th occasion; however, it is unknown if there were any steps or a plinth there. According to the Dundee Courier, Queen’s Park defeated Clydesdale and won “the first cup ever played for on this side of the Border” by scoring two goals in the second half “with the wind at their backs.” “We may add that in the short space of four years football has become a most popular sport in the land, with clubs rising up everywhere,” the report’s conclusion stated.
The first edition was contested by sixteen clubs. In August, three first-round preliminary round ties, including Luncarty against Loch Ness, saw as many as 131 teams travel to Hampden. Loch Ness on that first afternoon in late July, both now eliminated. The weather forecast is the only thing that could dampen the ardor this weekend.
The initial victors, Queen’s Park, were unfortunately eliminated by Partick Thistle in the previous round, meaning they will not be able to add to their 10 victories in such an important year. And after his valiant performance against Aberdeen the previous year, what became of Darvel? That’s what Falkirk did, defeating them 5-1 in the following round.
Regarding this season, Darvel lost badly to Bo’ness United and was eliminated in the first round. Maybe next week, reporters will be dispatched to another location to provide follow-up reports from the site of a major upset in the cup. A year ago, a few had to program the Sat Nav for Darvel in order to see what they could find. Where are you at this moment?
Rangers make their way to Dumbarton’s Rock. If Buckie Thistle were to deliver a seismic surprise at Celtic Park, there might be dancing in the streets of one town in the Banffshire area.
Edinburgh would make for a simpler travel destination. In a tantalizing local derby, Spartans takes on Hearts. Kudos to all those who chose to hold the match at the home stadium of the recently promoted League 2 team instead of moving it somewhere in an attempt to maximize profit. Once more, BBC Scotland is available for live coverage.
Although it may be difficult to witness in-form Hearts losing to a shocking outcome, one must wonder about Hibs. It might be considered dangerous to fly directly into a Scottish Cup fixture at Forfar after returning from a mid-winter training camp in Dubai. Undoubtedly, Ray McKinnon, the home manager, will give his players instructions to create as much discomfort as they can for a side that is still shaking sand off their boots.
The hosts, hoping for a second straight final, will welcome Lowland League team Broomhill to Inverness, along with McKinnon’s old Dundee United teammate Duncan Ferguson. Ferguson’s history with Hampden is primarily bad: as a player, he lost the Scottish Cup finals against Dundee United and Rangers against the Tannadice team thirty years ago. Even at the national stadium in December, when Inverness prevailed 4-1, he was escorted to the stand.
One could argue that Dundee, like Ferguson, has an issue with Hampden. It was not the Scottish Cup, but it was the first trophy they had won there in fifty years, this past month. The Dens Park club hasn’t hoisted that since 1910, and that was at Ibrox. As Hibs supporters are aware, it has been 114 years since that historic day, which seems like an ideal moment to break a drought. Tomorrow afternoon, Tony Docherty’s team is traveling to Kilmarnock.
Regarding my friends. One of them, stationed in Edinburgh, is the one I just texted. Where are you going on Saturday, “Dingwall.” A rematch of last season’s thrilling Premiership play-off final pits Ross County against Partick Thistle. “Maybe silly, considering the weather,” he continued.
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