Peterhead skipper Steven Noble could miss out against Livingston at the weekend in the Petrofac Training Cup quarter-final tie as he is due to become a dad just 24 hours before the game kicks off.
The 26 year old and his partner Julie are due to become parents for the first time and with the former Kilmarnock and Stranraer player being one of the Blue Toon’s west coast based players he could face a birthing dilemma if matters are delayed.
Noble said: “The players from the central belt normally travel up on a Friday night so we are totally refreshed for a home game. I have already been excused from that by the manager Jim McInally should the baby come on time.”
“If the baby is not here I am not sure what I am going to do as it is nearly a four hour drive to get home. Thankfully the boss is very family orientated and will support whatever decision I make.”
The way McInally treats his players is well respected by Noble who said: “The boss is one of the reasons a lot of the players and I are at Peterhead. He has built a great spirit at the club and the team is better as a result of that.”
“In my first season we were second to Rangers and in my second we won the Third Division so it has been a good period. During that time the team has hardly changed and that shows you the loyalty and belief working both ways.”
One of the other reasons Noble is still at Balmoor will be on the opposite side of the pitch this weekend in Livingston colours with Noble explaining: “Their centre half Declan Gallagher is another reason that I am at Peterhead now so it will be good to see him on Saturday.”
Noble explained Gallagher’s role saying: “He was at Stranraer on loan from Celtic when I was there and after he had gone back there he moved on to Clyde where he played with Craig Tully.”
“‘Big Tulls’ left for Peterhead to work as a coach and when the manager mentioned me as a signing target Craig got in touch via Declan. It was a roundabout route and I had all but committed to Stranraer again but I said I would speak to the boss and he sold the club to me.”
If Noble makes the game he will be looking for his first semi-final berth since he was a youth at Kilmarnock as he explained; “This has not been a great competition for me in the past.”
“I played in it for 4 years with Stranraer and 3 now with Peterhead and never got further than the second round before. It is good to be in at the quarter-finals and hopefully we can go further.”
“I was in quarter finals in youth competitions with Kilmarnock, and in fact we won the Scottish Youth Cup one season, but this is my best run as a senior and I am looking forward to it.”
Noble helped guide the Blue Toon to this stage with a fine goal to secure his side’s 2-0 passage at Brechin City in the last round and he was delighted with his collector’s item.
The left back said: “It was a rare goal as it was only my sixth goal in 250 games so I cannot be described as prolific. I always enjoy scoring but doing it once nearly every 50 games is not great.”
“Mind you I have never had a goal better set up than that one as it was a terrific back heel from Rory McAllister. Rory set up my last goal as well in a similar way as I played the ball out to him and he got it back into me although that time it was a cut back and not a back-heel.”
As well as reaching a semi-final for the first time Noble is also looking for a first win over Livingston as he explained: “I played against them in the Third Division with Stranraer and they beat us every time. The season before that we faced Livingston in the Ramsdens Cup and they beat us 4-0 so my record is not great. They had a really decent team at that time with the likes of Leigh Griffiths just coming through.”
“It would be good to change that and Balmoor will hopefully be a tough venue for Livingston as it would be great to get through to the next stage.”
“My first ever semi-final and a baby is a weekend never to be forgotten.”
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