| In the 20 years since Geoff took over the St Johnstone reins, Saints have reached the League Cup Final and Scottish Cup semis, but the fact the Perth men have beaten two SPL sides to get to this stage, Dundee United at McDiarmid Park and Rangers at Ibrox, makes tonight’s achievement all the greater.
Indeed, the win over Rangers, was the first by a club from a lower league in a cup match at Ibrox in over 100 years.
Geoff said, “I think I’m right in saying that, in the past when we’ve reached the latter stages of the national cup competitions, we haven’t beaten teams higher than us on the way there, with the exception of Hearts, who we defeated in the League Cup semis on our way to the final several seasons ago,” said Geoff.
“And with the days gone when players stay at clubs long term, our manager Owen Coyle has had to put a team together, so this probably makes this semi-final-reaching achievement better than the rest.
“Our run to this stage has been quite impressive and I don’t think it’s sunk in with a lot of people in the Perth area just what we’ve done.
“I thought we were excellent on Saturday in our win over Gretna and, hopefully, we can carry that type of form into tonight’s game.”
Saints are minus the cup-tied Willie McLaren and Derek Lilley, but, that apart, are likely to take the same squad to Tynecastle as was on duty against Gretna.
“We’ve earned our right to be in tonight’s semi by working hard. This is a terrific game for our club and it’s one we’re up for,” exclaimed Owen Coyle.
“The absence of McLaren and Lilley creates two extra spaces in our squad, so some of our good young prospects could come into the pool.
“What a week this is for St Johnstone.
“We beat Gretna in a top-of-the-table First Division game on Saturday, we have Hibs in this semi tonight and Falkirk away in the Scottish Cup on Saturday.
“But this is what we want.” |
