The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
McGowan: Dundee in it to win it
Midfielder tries to invoke the spirit of 2013 when old club St Mirren defied the odds to win the League Cup
Paul McGowan has won the League Cup once before against the odds for St Mirren – now, he is determined to achieve the same feat with Dundee.
The midfielder was part of the Buddies team that won 3-2 in the 2013 final against Hearts at Hampden after beating both Aberdeen and Celtic in previous rounds.
The celebrations that followed and what it meant to the people of Paisley will stay with McGowan forever.
Now, though, he is looking to forge new memories in the dark blue of Dundee and while he is enough of a realist to know that winning the cup is a huge ask, like his manager Neil McCann he is “in it to win it”.
The player, who will be in the squad for today’s tie against Highland League side Buckie Thistle at Dens, said: “We want to get through this league and we want to win the cup, ultimately.
“The chance is there, I’ve won it with St Mirren, and it’s a great day.
“It’s maybe not as prestigious as the Scottish Cup but a cup’s a cup. Some players go through a full career and don’t win anything.
“It’s that cup final day. It’s special, no matter what cup competition it’s in. We would love to get there and the manager has said that – we’re in it to win it.
“That day with St Mirren was great and even the build-up to the game was fantastic. We were going round schools promoting it and the buzz about the whole place was incredible. “And then it was more of a relief after it. “We did it the hard way. We beat Celtic, we beat Aberdeen and it was a great day.
“The Monday after it was brilliant, I’ve never seen a Monday quite like it.
“I think everyone in Paisley had taken the day off and we had big Steven Thompson playing guitar in a bar and one of the boys serving behind the bar. It was incredible and something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life, just to be a part of it.
“And I got man of the match so it was a great day for myself. “It just shows you what can be done. “Nobody gave us a hope against Celtic and we beat them. “It can be done. It’s there.” He added: “Even Inverness winning the Scottish Cup, nobody would ever have dreamed of that happening. So, it’s there for us. “We know how tough it’s going to be. “There are good sides and with the way Celtic have been playing over the last year, and Aberdeen as well.
“It’s going to be tough but anything can happen in cup games.
“I know that personally and a few of the boys in the squad who were at Inverness know that as well.
“So, if we all play together and we’re all at it, I’m sure with the team we’ve got, with competition for places, it can be done. “I just hope the boys realise that.” McGowan also hopes all the new additions to the Dundee squad realise there are no easy games in Scottish football.
McCann has added eight new faces to his roster with McGowan admitting it will be a culture shock to some and points to
the example of a certain Joey Barton to show how difficult it can be to adapt.
He added: “The new signings might take a wee bit to bed in. They’re coming here to a new country and a new league, and it’s difficult.
“It’s maybe not got a reputation but big players have struggled in the league.
“Just look at someone like Joey Barton, for instance.
“And not just him – other great players have come up, and it’s a hard league to go and play in and to express yourself in.
“These games will stand them in good stead. I don’t know much about Buckie but I’m sure they’ll come and want to impress against a Premiership team and make it hard for us.
“We need to give them the utmost respect, as we would against Raith, Dundee United and any team in the league. “The manager’s drilled that into us. “We’re not daft, anything can happen in football and we’ll go out there giving them the utmost respect.
“Buckie will be coming to upset us and we just need to carry on, because we have been playing well in pre-season.”