McKim: Cup ban may be a blessing in disguise

Johnstone Burgh now have chance to concentrate on league

Johnstone Burgh boss Jamie McKim admits the club’s ban from the Scottish Cup could have a silver lining.

Burgh have been handed a oneyear exclusion from the competition having had no option but to concede their third- round tie with Lochee United on December 23 after failing to muster a squad.

Four postponements on the trot left a number of players unable to get time off just two days before Christmas, having swapped their shifts each of the previous weeks in a bid to be able to play in the fixture.

Junior beaks had also previously stated, before the season even started, that no games would be played on the weekend of the 23rd – allowing players to make plans.

This left Burgh with just seven players able to feature, forcing them to ask for the game to be postponed for another week. But the governing body rejected their request leaving the Keanie Park side with no option but to concede the clash.

The decision forced former bosses David Brolly and Colin Smith to consider their futures at the club, and it was ultimately a matter of time before the duo left and McKim came in.

McKim insists he would love a crack at the coveted competition but reckons his attentions are best fixed elsewhere.

He told Express Sport: “Of course I would love the opportunity to manage in the Scottish Cup, but if we are being honest we would face an uphill battle to win the tournament.

“Having that free week here and there, and also avoiding a potential fixture pile-up over Christmas time means that it may be a blessing in disguise.

“Our attentions are fixed on the league and being successful in that. If not having the cup as a distraction benefits us then I’ll take it all day long.

“We will be back in the cup next season, and when it comes around I’ll be excited to see who we get.”