Terry has been in our thoughts as we prepare to face Rangers

SAYS STEPHEN ROBINSON

FOR Motherwell, the excitement at a potential first League Cup Final since 2005 has been tempered by the tragedy that has befallen the man who masterminded that trip to Hampden 12 years ago. Fir Park favourite Terry Butcher and his family were left devastated this week after the tragic death of his son Christopher. The passing of the 35-year-old former British Army captain, who served in Afghanistan with the Royal Artillery, has been keenly felt at the Lanarkshire club his famous father managed with distinction between 2002-2006. Motherwell’s trip to Hampden tomorrow sees them face a Betfred Cup semi-final against Rangers, where Butcher, in his playing days, won three Scottish league titles and two League Cups. As fate would have it, those same two teams were the opponents in that 2005 final, when Alex McLeish’s Rangers ran out 5-1 winners over Butcher’s boys at the national stadium. Current Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson (below) is a football man who dearly covets steering the Steelmen to their first League Cup success since 1950. However, as father to Harry and Charlie, Robinson is also a devoted family man. And ahead of tomorrow’s meeting between two teams close to Butcher’s heart, the Motherwell boss sent a heartfelt message to the former England international in his time of great personal grief. ‘Terry Butcher has been in our thoughts this week,’ said Robinson. ‘He is a big personality and he did a terrific job here at Motherwell. He left a lot of good memories at this football club. ‘It is a really sad time for Terry and his family, and our thoughts as a football club are very much with him. ‘Nobody knows what the Butcher family is going through right now. I can’t even pretend to imagine how it feels.’ If Motherwell are to reach next month’s final against Celtic or Hibernian, they are going to have to beat Rangers in a semi-final for the first time in their history. The respective resources of the two clubs is vast. Rangers spent around £8million on a summer rebuild under Pedro Caixinha while Robinson spent buttons to lure players from England’s third and fourth tiers to Fir Park. But the 42-year-old has vowed there will be absolutely no inferiority complex when the teams face off in Mount Florida. ‘There’s no danger of that — at all,’ he countered. ‘How can I make my players believe in themselves? Simple. Tell them to keep doing what they have been doing this season. We are a well organised team and we know what Rangers’ strengths are. We will not underestimate the task facing us. But we are not frightened or daunted by it. We intend to match Rangers.’ A major summer reboot saw 16 new faces arrive in Lanarkshire and 17 depart. The gelling process for the new recruits has been incredibly smooth. But the team’s biggest star remains Louis Moult, the bargain-buy striker who attracted interest from Rangers and Aberdeen in the summer. ‘I didn’t sign Louis Moult, so I can’t take the credit for that but he’s been a fantastic signing for this football club,’ smiled Robinson. ‘I believe the club bought him for £50,000 — which wasn’t paid up front I would imagine. It was probably paid up in 25 instalments of £2,000. But Louis has been brilliant for us. He is a matchwinner and I’m sure people will be fearful of him.’ A former Northern Ireland international midfielder, Robinson’s last semi-final as a player was with Bournemouth, when they beat Walsall to reach the final of the Auto Windscreens Shield Final in 1998. At Wembley, in front of 62,000 fans, his side were leading Grimsby 1-0 until a late own goal from goalkeeper Jimmy Glass. Grimsby won 2-1 in extra time. A year later Glass became famous for scoring the last-minute goal that kept Carlisle United in the Football League. Now, nine years on, Robinson is unfazed by the prospect of a packed-out Hampden as he hopes to make his own history with Motherwell. ‘Our boys won’t get carried away by the occasion. If they turn up on the day it will be an interesting game. It will be a terrific experience and we are going to enjoy it. ‘If you can’t enjoy taking your club to a cup semi-final at Hampden you shouldn’t be in football. It’s a big stadium, a big crowd, a big atmosphere. But it’s not about the razzmatazz — it’s about 11 v 11.’ Rangers will have 38,000 supporters in the 52,000capacity ground but Robinson will look to the Motherwell end to see his wife, children and sister. But his parents won’t be coming to Hampden because they view a caravan holiday in their native Northern Ireland as more important than a semi-final. A cup final, though, may prove a different prospect. ‘I’ve got family coming over, everyone but my mum and dad,’ smiled Robinson. ‘My dad is going up to the caravan in Portrush with my mum but he will be tuning into the game on his wireless. He is not superstitious. He just prefers his caravan! ‘And he doesn’t think the semi-final is a big enough occasion to fly over from Northern Ireland. ‘He will spend his weekend listening to the game and playing on the slot machines. ‘He says he is going to wait for the final.’