The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Ferguson can look back on a campaign so romantic
Elgin: City striker hopes new cup push can live up to drama of last one
Calum Ferguson goes into this season’s Scottish Cup with keen memories of a campaign last year that could hardly have been more eventful.
Nearly 12 months ago, in a third-round replay at Cliftonhill, Ferguson struck the winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time to secure a 2-1 victory for 10-man League 1 outfit Albion Rovers against Championship side Queen of the South.
As if that was not enough, the goal set up a dream tie against Celtic – which meant Invernessborn Ferguson went headto-head with his flatmate Ryan Christie, the Hoops midfielder who is now on loan at Aberdeen.
Rovers put up a brave showing against Brendan Rodgers’ men, going down 3-0 in the tie which was played at Airdrie’s Excelsior Stadium.
This time around, Ferguson, now with League 2 Elgin City, is aiming to cause another upset when the Moray men travel to face Championship side Dumbarton today.
Ferguson said: “Last year was quite something. You couldn’t really write it and I don’t know if this year can quite live up to it.
“The replay against Queen of the South was supposed to have been played on the Saturday before it got postponed, so the draw had already been made. We knew we would play Celtic and I was staying in a flat with my friend Ryan.
“There was a lot of interest in the build up to the Doonhamers tie and we went into it thinking we had a chance. After going a goal ahead we got pegged back to 1-1 and then had a man sent off but as we were pushing towards the end, we felt we might have a chance.
“I just found myself in the right place at the right time to smash the ball into the net.
“I have never experienced anything like it. It meant so much to everyone as the Coatbridge club had been going through a hard time financially.
“The Scottish Cup gives clubs the chance to test themselves against the best. Elgin are going down to Dumbarton and there’s no reason why we can’t do something similar.
“The only slight difference is we don’t know who we are going to get in the next round. There is no money jackpot or glamour tie waiting. We are just playing to get into the next round where we could get anyone so we are just focusing solely on Dumbarton.”
Ferguson has found opportunities hard to come by since joining the Black and Whites in the summer, with all nine of his appearances coming from the bench.
But he is pushing hard for a first-team place. On Monday he netted six goals in a 7-3 win for the under20s against Clach.
He added: “I was played against Clach along with Ali Sutherland and Darryl McHardy. There’s nothing wrong with that at all and it gave me the chance to bang in a few goals.”
“I was staying in a flat with friend Ryan Christie. We drew Celtic”