Knockout thrills in FFA Cup for McKay
GOLD Coast City captain Justyn McKay revels in the atmosphere that knockout cup football is all about.
He has sampled it in his days playing in the English FA Cup and continues to lap it all up with City, starting with the club’s run in the inaugural Westfield FFA Cup in 2014.
The 30-year-old midfielder lines up for his 14th Cup appearance when City take on Perth club Western Knights at Duncan McKenna Field in Palm Beach in a Round of 32 tie tonight.
And the enthusiasm is just as strong as it was when he lined up for a few English FA Cup matches with Basingstoke Town, a non-league club in those days.
McKay linked with the then-Palm Beach Sharks for the inaugural NPL Queensland season, then was there the next year when the Sharks made it to the FFA Cup quarter-finals where they lost to ALeague side Central Coast.
“It’s just the buzz it creates, the anticipation leading up to the draws wondering if you’re going to get an A-League club,” McKay said.
McKay missed a regional Cup qualifier in 2014 against Caloundra, then a round of 32 win against South Melbourne at Cbus Super Stadium in 2015.
There would be nothing better than to repeat the run of 2014 according to McKay.
That was the FFA Cup
quarter-final march plus the NPLQ championship and grand final double when City were called Palm Beach.
“We’re the only Queensland club to have made it to the Cup quarter-finals so it’d be nice for us to equal or break that record,” McKay said.
“That’s an amazing record to have and we’re looking to at least emulate it this time.”
City welcome back McKay and fellow midfielder Nik Mirkovic to the side to tackle the Knights, a relatively unknown commodity from the other side of Australia.
McKay said players and coaching staff had seen video footage of the Knights in action and know the visitors boast good experience.
“The Knights have hardly lost a game this year,” coach Grae Piddick said.