The Scottish Football League has produced a bumper 68 page A4 size Matchday Programme for Sunday’s Co-operative Insurance Cup Final between St. Mirren and Rangers.
The Matchday Programme has extensive coverage of both finalists including interviews with the St. Mirren management team of Gus MacPherson, Andy Millen and Stuart Balmer while there is also an extensive interview with Rangers’ boss, Walter Smith, who will be involved in his 15th League Cup Final during the past 30 years. In addition, there are a number of interviews with some of the players who will feature at Hampden on Sunday including features with the respective club captains, St. Mirren’s John Potter and Rangers David Weir, interviews with St. Mirren’s goalkeepers, Paul Gallacher, Mark Howard and Chris Smith, defenders Chris Innes and Lee Mair, midfielders Steven Thomson and Andy Dorman and St. Mirren’s strike force of Billy Mehmet, who is the competition’s leading goalscorer with seven goals, Michael Higdon and Craig Dargo. In the Rangers camp, there are interviews with the Ibrox club’s goalkeepers, Allan McGregor and Neil Alexander, defender Steven Whittaker, who will be playing in his fourth consecutive League Cup Final, midfielders Kevin Thomson and Lee McCulloch, who scored for the Ibrox club in their Semi-Final victory against St. Johnstone, and the Ibrox strike partnership of Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd.
There is also an article on the two captains, John Potter of St. Mirren, and Rangers David Weir. Both players look back on their careers including their first cup winners' medals in the Challenge Cup competition, Weir playing in the Falkirk team that won in 1993 and Potter with St. Mirren 12 years later. There is an article on former team-mates, Hugh Murray and Kirk Broadfoot, who played for Saints when they won the First Division Championship and Challenge Cup in season 2005/06. Murray is hoping for a triple celebration having recently become the father to twin girls whilst Broadfoot also recalls the last two League Cup Finals in which he enjoyed mixed success.
There are also a number of fascinating articles taking a trip down memory lane with former St. Mirren and Rangers players recalling their own favourite memories from bygone years. There is an interview with Bobby Holmes and Jim Rodger, who both played in the Paisley club’s only previous League Cup Final appearance back in season 1955/56 when they lost 2-1 to Aberdeen with Holmes recalling the goal that he scored that day whilst Rodger also recalls the 1959 Scottish Cup Final in which he also played when the Buddies gained their revenge on Aberdeen when they won 3-1. The last time that St. Mirren and Rangers met in a national Cup Final was back in season 1961/62 when Rangers won 2-0 and there are interviews with Ralph Brand and Davie Wilson who scored the Light Blues goals that particular day. There is also an exclusive interview with Ian Ferguson, who was a fans favourite when he played at both St. Mirren and Rangers, and who of course, scored the goal that gave St. Mirren their last major Cup Final success back in 1987 when Saints defeated Dundee United 1-0 in the Scottish Cup Final. Two players who are currently on the Rangers coaching staff and who were also team-mates of Ferguson at St. Mirren, namely Kenny McDowall and Tommy Wilson, also recall that 1987 Scottish Cup Final whilst McDowall also looks back on the recent cup experiences that he has enjoyed whilst First Team Coach at Rangers.
Other feature articles include interviews with Alex Smith, who was Manager of St. Mirren when they won the Scottish Cup back in 1987 and also experienced League Cup success whilst in charge at Aberdeen, and Craig Paterson who played in three League Cup Finals in successive seasons and captained the Light Blues to League Cup victory in season 1984/85.
There are also extensive player profiles on the respective squads of both Finalists and in addition, other features include articles on the match officials, a detailed report on the round by round Road to Hampden, detailed statistical information as well as a number of action packed photographs.
Sunday’s Official Matchday Programme is available BOTH OUTSIDE AND INSIDE the stadium from Kiosks and Programme Sellers priced £5.00 and is an excellent read. For all Buddies and Gers fans, it is a souvenir worth treasuring.
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