THEIR CHANCES Jamie values substance over style as he seeks to end club’s drought in League Cup

LINFIELD captain Jamie Mulgrew accepts he’s at the stage of his career where veteran status makes him the brunt of changing room banter. Asked to name the worst dressed player at Windsor Park in a playful Q&A session prior to today’s League Cup final, a grin lit up his face. “Because of my age, a lot of the boys would say me,” he chuckled. When you’re 32 years old and 539 games into a Blues career spanning 14 years, rolling with old school schtick from younger teammates comes with the territory. During his time at Linfield, Mulgrew has won the lot. You can count six doubles and numerous other medals on his CV.

Today’s trophy, however, has been the most elusive. When he last lifted it in 2008, who thought it would be more than a decade before Linfield set foot in another League Cup final?

“If someone had said to me in 2008 that it would be another 11 years before we were back in a League Cup final, I wouldn’t have believed them,” said Mulgrew.

“I would have thought they were mad. This club has won a lot of silverware over the past decade and at that time we were winning trophy after trophy.

“Once you won one, you moved onto the next. That was the expectation, so it’s remarkable that 2008 was the last time we won the League Cup.

“It’s been a very long time and we have to view this final as an opportunity to end that wait.”

Mulgrew knows the psychological value of lifting the first domestic trophy of the season against Linfield’s nearest rivals in the Premiership.

David Healy’s men lie six points clear of Ballymena in the title race – with one more game played – while a Shield final date with Crusaders lies in wait on March 12.

“This could be massive for our season,” said Mulgrew. “I remember winning the Shield a couple of seasons ago and we went on to win the league and Irish Cup that year.

“We know from experience winning finals like this can give you a lot of momentum and confidence heading into the latter stages of the campaign.”

While Linfield are oddson favourites, Mulgrew is bracing himself for a “massive test” against a Ballymena side who have won 22 of their last 27 games.

“You have the top two in the league, so from a neutral point of view it has all the ingredients to be a fantastic final,” he said.

“It’s live on Sky and it’s an opportunity for the local game to promote itself and for our players to impress on a big stage.”

AS a Linfield legend who went on to manage Ballymena United, Glenn Ferguson knows the expectations of both clubs as they head into today’s League Cup final. And the 49-year-old is predicting a “tight scrap” between his former clubs. “I think there will be goals in the game, but I think Linfield could win it,” said Ferguson (above). “They have more James Knowles & Jamie Mulgrew experience in situations like this, and looking at the two squads they have people with better mentality and more match winners.” Ferguson believes this final could be decided by one of his former team-mates. “If Jamie Mulgrew plays well, Linfield will win the Cup,” he said. “If he gets hold of the midfield and drives forward, he’s unplayable.”