The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)

Great to be back for showpiece, now let’s win it

- BY STEWART MILNE

When we reached the League Cup final last November, everybody had real optimism ahead of the game at Hampden.

Sadly the result we were hoping for didn’t materialis­e, and I have to say the day itself was a real anti-climax.

We simply did not do ourselves justice and that was something readily acknowledg­ed by the manager, his staff and the players.

I do think that, in a strange way, our performanc­e that day will have a positive impact on what happens this time, as nobody involved with the club will ever want a repeat of how they felt after that match and what might have been.

After the first 10 minutes of the game against at Pittodrie recently, we looked the better team and we showed we can go head-to-head with Celtic.

This time we need to play like that from the first whistle. The build up to the final is always special and the All For Aberdeen Week is now in full swing, culminatin­g in Red and White Day on Friday.

Club and AFC Commuroom nity Trust staff have been working extremely closely with Aberdeen Inspired, Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, Aberdeen City Council and others to ensure maximum effect as we head towards Saturday.

The good thing about the lead up to a cup final is that, for Aberdeen, it means everyone – football supporters and non-football supporters alike – come together to transform the city into a sea of red and white.

This time it might be even a bit more special with Thursday evening’s cycle race being shown on national television.

It would mean so much to everyone if we lift that trophy for the first time in 27 years and would top off what has been a fantastic season, even before Saturday’s game.

What Derek, Tony, the players and all the backCeltic staff have achieved and continue to achieve has been fantastic – a Scottish Cup win would be the icing on the cake.

All we would need then is for a positive outcome for our training and community facilities and stadium proposals to ensure 2017 is forever etched in the history of our great club.

“Together to transform the city into a sea of red and white”

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