Growing
up as a kid, the Scottish Cup final was always the showpiece occasion
at the end of the season, Saturday at three o'clock was the kick -off
but not this year!
This
year's final has been moved to Sunday at three, to allow the Champions
League final between Bayern and Dortmund, pride of place.
I
don't have any problem with the Champions League final standing alone
on the Saturday but as with the FA Cup in England between Manchester
City and Wigan which was moved to a 5.15 kick-off.
Football,
along with everything else has changed over the years but I used to
love Cup Final day on both sides of the border, I still do.
I
could hardly sleep before Cup Final day, no doubt I will be the same on
Saturday night before Celtic and Hibernian grace the Hampden turf on
Sunday.
Cup
Final day was always made up of both BBC and STV showing the game at
the same time, the big build up, Cup Final SuperScot and various
programmes like that before the countdown to the big game it'self .
Now
it is BBC and Sky Sports who will cover the big game and the work that
goes into putting the show live on TV for millions of fans, takes a lot
of man and woman power and has to be seen to be believed and
appreciated.
I
have been lucky over the years, either as a fan or in my working
capacity to have seen or been at a few Cup Finals over the years.
This
Sunday will be my 10th Cup Final going as a fan not working but I
remember my first one as if it was yesterday and it was the game which
started the amazing journey for Aberdeen Football club, the 1981-82
Scottish Cup final v Rangers.
I remember when I found out that I was lucky enough to get my tickets for my first Cup Final, how delighted I was.
It
was the days when you used to be able to get your tickets in Lumley's
(Greaves now) and my Mum managed to get two tickets for me and my Uncle
Tommy, £6.50 for a Cup Final ticket !
The
day and the game could not come round quick enough for me, I just
wanted to be at Hampden and sample the stuff I dreamed of as a kid, now I
was going to be there to
see Aberdeen against Rangers.
In
the league match the week previously, Aberdeen had beaten Rangers 4-0
at Pittodrie with a hat-trick from John Hewitt and an og from Colin
Jackson, but this was a Cup Final and I knew that things would be
different.
As
I got my programme and we took our seats in
the old North Stand facing the Main Stand, our view was fantastic as we
looked down on the pitch, I actually had to draw my breath as it looked
fantastic seeing the Red and White of the Aberdeen fans and the Red,
White and Blue of the Rangers fans all around the ground.
I
didn't have long to wait for the first goal in the game as Rangers
young striker John MacDonald opened the scoring with a great diving
header, this was not the start I was expecting and I may have had a tear
in my eye.
But
this Cup Final had only started, the Dons would not let this set-back
spoil their Cup Final plans, it was just a set-back right?
Indeed
it was ! The Dons managed to win a corner which John Hewitt swung in, a
Neil Simpson shot was blocked but there was Alex McLeish at the edge of
the box to curl a superb goal to level the scores, surely one of the
best seen in a Scottish Cup final and I was there to see it...with
another
tear in my eye!
The
game was now anyone's and although both sides had chances, no one could
make themselves a hero in 90 minutes, so another 30 minutes was needed
and I wasn't going to complain !
Going into extra-time, Aberdeen did look the more hungrier and more fitter and boy did it
show.
Goals
from Mark McGhee, Gordon Strachan and Neale Cooper finished Rangers off
in extra-time and sent the Dons fans home happy but not before they
watched the
men in Red show off the Scottish Cup to the thousands of fans who had
come from the North and all over to see this fantastic occasion.
I just wanted to stand and take it all in as it was my first Cup Final, it was a day I will never forget .
The
following year I was not so lucky as the car broke down on the road to
another Aberdeen v Rangers Scottish Cup final, as the Dons again won the
Cup in extra-time, this time an Eric Black goal was enough to see off
Rangers.
I
have many memories of this fantastic competition and I will share them
on the Sporting Network Site, hope you enjoy them and for anyone going
to their first Cup Final on Sunday, enjoy it and take in every minute of
it as you never know when your next one will be.
Sean Graham Follow on Twitter @FeaturesSean"I
am just a guy who has over 40 years of memories of watching various
clubs and
matches since my Dad took me round the grounds in Glasgow each week
before we went to meet my Mum after work and we always went to the Berni
Inn where I had scampi and chips !
From
watching Aberdeen, Celtic, Rangers, Partick Thistle, Maryhill juniors
and Scotland as well as watching Everton and Manchester United, I have
plenty of memories to share for fans to hopefully enjoy
and remember."
Memory added on May 27, 2013
No comments have yet been added to this memory.
