Davidson seeks new highs at Hampden

CAllUM DAVIDSoN felt the full force of the hampden roar as two leigh Griffiths free-kicks found the england net and left the old ground shaking.

Part of Gordon Strachan’s backroom staff, the former Scotland defender endured those thrilling highs and a late crushing low as harry Kane’s goal salvaged a 2-2 draw for the Auld enemy in a world Cup qualifier in June 2017.

on Saturday evening, Davidson will be back in Mount Florida when he leads out his St Johnstone side for a Betfred Cup semi-final with hibernian.

that affair will naturally lack the atmosphere of the aforementioned Scotland-england match, with fans remaining locked out during the global pandemic.

But it will be no less a special occasion for Davidson if he can follow in the footsteps of Sandy Clark and tommy wright by leading the Perth side to a major final in his first season in charge.

‘I enjoyed playing at hampden for Scotland in front of full houses during my playing career but that england game was probably the best atmosphere I’ve ever experienced,’ he said.

‘Fans make an occasion, especially in one-off cup games, and it’s a pity they won’t be there this weekend. But the players won’t be in any doubt about the importance of the game.

‘when they look back on their careers, they will be proud of themselves if they have played well in such a big game.

‘It will be a big moment to lead your team out at hampden — but I want to do it in the final. that would be an even bigger occasion.’

Asked about emulating Clark and wright, Davidson said: ‘It would be great. we can’t win the league, so the cups are important at this club. we’ve given ourselves a great chance.’

Davidson (below) was part of wright’s backroom staff when Saints claimed the only major piece of silverware in the club’s history, the 2014 Scottish Cup.

Survivors of that success like David wotherspoon, Stevie May and Michael o’halloran will use this week to urge their team-mates to seize the day. especially when the tournament is so open without the old Firm, with livingston and St Mirren contesting the other semi.

‘they will be telling the other players how good it was in 2014,’ said Davidson, who has no injury worries ahead of the last-four clash. ‘But semi-finals are tough occasions. the final is much bigger and that’s the game you really want to be part of.

‘the boys are ready to go and they are all desperate to play.’

Davidson declined to be drawn on the fact that hibs said they had been offered a postponement of the semi if any of their players tested positive after facing a Covidaffected Celtic team last week.

But his club were furious at Neil lennon’s allegations of Covid-protocol failures in the ‘cramped’ dressing room at McDiarmid Park, and hit back in a statement accusing the Celtic manager of making ‘completely inaccurate and unfounded’ claims.

‘we dealt with it in a statement to clarify everything,’ said Davidson. ‘we made sure to shut the door on anything that was maybe said that wasn’t true.’