NOW I’VE BOT TO WIN MEDAL
MARK SHANKLAND was at Hampden last weekend to watch history being made – except the only clean sweep he’s interested in is of the sibling variety.
Celtic may have pulled off the double treble with a Scottish Cup win on Saturday but it was the amateur equivalent 24 hours later that drew the Auchinleck Talbot striker to the National Stadium.
Older brother Steven, 30, was part of the Shortlees Amateurs team that lifted the club’s first Scottish Cup with a 2-1 win over Goldenhill in front of 1404 supporters.
And it has made Mark even more desperate to have another winner’s medal on the family mantelpiece come Sunday night as Bot look to avenge last season’s Scottish Cup Final defeat to Glenafton when they face Hurlford.
Mark, 22, said: “The atmosphere was really good. Steven’s team did well because the players raised money to put on buses from the town so the supporters didn’t have to pay into the game or for their travel.
“So there were quite a lot of people from Kilmarnock there – it was good for them to win it in front of a lot of people.
“He was just so happy to get to the Final never mind win it. They were surprised even just getting there from a wee town like Shortlees. Seeing them win it gave me another wee taste for it.
“It’s going to be a long week waiting for Sunday to come – I wish it was now.
“My mum and the rest of BY ALAN ROBERTSON the family are ecstatic we both managed to do it, never mind in the same year.
“In the space of a week for the two of us to be in a final and hopefully both of us to win it must be a proud moment for the family.
“Steven will probably say he’s already won it so don’t let us down! But he’ll be excited. He’ll be there as I was there to watch him.
“We lost in the Final last year so losing this year isn’t an option. He’ll probably be telling me that as well.”
Silencing his sibling wouldn’t be the only sweetener to come from lifting silverware – sticking it to Ford frontman and his former boss at Ayr, Mark Roberts, is extra motivation.
Shankland was once United’s youngest scorer at 17 years, 17 days while he also held the record of their youngest-ever player at 15 years, 300 days.
But he fell out of favour under Roberts as relations soured and a stand-off with the club over his registration ended up with him rebuilding his career in the junior ranks.
Shankland says the duo are on better terms now but added: “That has been spoken about a wee bit in the family. Obviously it didn’t end too nicely but I speak to Mark when I’m playing against him.
“Everything is fine now, that’s in the past. But hopefully I’ll win it, get a wee bit of revenge and there will be two Scottish Cups in the family come Sunday night.”