The Scottish Football League has produced a bumper 68 page A4 size Matchday Programme for Sunday’s Co-operative Insurance Cup Final between Celtic and Rangers.
The Matchday Programme has extensive coverage of both finalists including an interview with the Celtic management team of Neil Lennon and Johan Mjallby as well as an interview with Rangers’ boss Walter Smith and his assistant, Ally McCoist. In addition, there are various interviews with a number of the players who will feature at Hampden on Sunday including a feature with the respective club captains, Celtic’s Scott Brown and Rangers David Weir. There are also articles on Celtic defenders Charlie Mulgrew and Thomas Rogne, midfielder Kris Commons, who scored on his debut in the Semi-Final victory against Aberdeen, and striker Gary Hooper and in the Rangers camp, there are interviews with defenders Madjid Bougherra and Kyle Bartley, midfielders Maurice Edu and Steven Naismith, who both scored in the Light Blues’ Semi-Final victory against Motherwell, and the Ibrox strike partnership of Nikica Jelavic and El Hadji Diouf. We also speak to the respective Goalkeeping Coaches of both clubs, Stevie Woods at Celtic talking about Fraser Forster and Lukasz Zaluska whilst Rangers Jim Stewart speaks about Allan McGregor and Neil Alexander.
There are also a number of fascinating articles taking a trip down memory lane with former Celtic and Rangers players recalling their own favourite memories from bygone years. There is an interview with Lisbon Lion, Bertie Auld, who scored the only goal of the 1969/70 League Cup Final as Celtic defeated St. Johnstone 1-0 whilst former Rangers and Scotland centre-half, Ronnie McKinnon, recalls captaining Rangers to League Cup success in season 1970/71 when the Ibrox club beat Celtic 1-0. Former Celtic favourites, John Hughes and Joe McBride, look back at their various successes in this competition for the Parkhead club during the 1960s whilst former Rangers defenders, Colin Jackson and Tom Forsyth, look back fondly at their various League Cup successes for the Ibrox club.
There is also an interview with the former Old Firm duo, Murdo MacLeod and Jimmy Nicholl, who recall their various League Cup triumphs, and we also speak to the current Falkirk Manager, Steven Pressley, who has the distinction of having gained Scottish Cup winners’ medals with both Old Firm clubs and also played in a League Cup Final for Dundee United, looking back fondly at his time with both finalists.
There is also a feature looking back through the twelve years of sponsorship by The Co-operative Insurance of the League Cup competition and there are also highly entertaining profiles by Joe Ledley and Lee McCulloch on their respective team-mates. 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 Celtic and Rangers fans, it is a souvenir worth treasuring.
