NOCKOUT PLAN FOR PAYBACK
PAUL BURNS is desperate to exact revenge on Bathgate Thistle this afternoon almost a decade after they put the tin lid on his week of cup final agony.
The Cumnock ace was a key part of the Queen of the South side that pushed Rangers all the way in the 2008 Scottish Cup Final thriller, losing 3-2 to Walter Smith’s side.
It was one of the proudest yet most painful 90 minutes of the midfielder’s career.
But more final misery was just around the corner. A week later he was among the Cumnock crowd at Rugby Park for the junior showpiece as his hometown side threw away a lead to lose 2-1 to Bathgate.
Despite the second kick in the teeth Burns joined the Nock after-game party in Ayrshire – and almost missed his holiday flight the next morning.
Now, 10 seasons on, Cumnock and Bathgate are preparing to lock horns again in the third-round clash at Townhead Park.
Burns said: “That was quite an eventful week!
“The Final against Rangers at Hampden remains the biggest game of my life and we came so close to the most famous result in Queens’ history.
“It was something I had always dreamed about and we gave a right good account of ourselves coming back from 2-0 down to level only to see Kris Boyd win it for Rangers near the end.
“We had chances to win it and I still believe if we got the third goal we’d have won the Cup. But it wasn’t to be.
“I remember the reception we got in Dumfries after it. You’d have thought we had won it. It was amazing.
“A week later I was among the supporters for Cumnock’s final against Bathgate. I was hoping it could have eased some of the pain.
“Richie Barr put Cumnock ahead with an incredible, loopy volley from outside the box. But Bathgate – who had players such as Brian McColligan and Paul McGrillen – came back and won it.
“It was another sore one to take but there was a party back in Cumnock so we all went along. It got a bit messy and I almost missed my flight to Bulgaria!
“It was nice to see the town get so involved and I remember thinking then I’d love to be a part of a Cumnock side who went all the way in this competition.”
Burns and his Cumnock squad face a tough task as they look to take the next step on that journey this afternoon.
Visitors Bathgate may have had a fall from grace since their Rugby Park joy but they shocked Broughty in the last round and have enough in their arsenal to cause problems.
Cumnock are rock bottom of the west region Premier League and Burns knows they can take nobody lightly.
He added: “We’ve struggled to find form this season and were poor in our last match against Kilwinning.
“It’s a cup tie and anything can happen in a one-off match. I should know that better than anyone after the run to the Final with Queens 10 years ago.”