Joe wants to join the club legends pictured on wall
Joe Chalmers wasn’t on the pitch when his favourite Hampden moment arrived. He was in the stands – part of the heaving, greenand-white mass of bodies celebrating Celtic’s Scottish Cup Final winner in 2017.
It was a strike that sealed the Hoops’ first Treble under Brendan Rodgers.
It will never be forgotten by fans.
But Inverness Caley Thistle midfielder Chalmers isn’t content merely to reminisce.
Instead, the 25-year-old is determined to help the Caley Jags – winners in 2015 – dump Highland rivals Ross County tomorrow. Then the former Celtic kid wants to help make history of the kind he sees every day on the walls of Caledonian Stadium. “When you see all the pictures of the Cup win four years ago, that makes it feel achievable,” said Chalmers.
“There are loads of reminders about what a special day it must have been for the club. “You only have to ask Carl Tremarco, who was involved in that team, what kind of day it was.
“The club was in a better place in the top league then, but at the same time, it shows you anything can happen in the Cup.
“You see the pictures all the time – there’s a massive picture of the boys with the Cup outside the changing room – so you always think, ‘Hopefully that can be me one day.’”
As a kid coming through at Celtic, Chalmers won the Scottish Youth Cup in 2012.
He also travelled with his youth team colleagues to watch the first team in Hampden action on numerous occasions. Then there was the time he was told by Neil Lennon he’d be making his full Hoops debut in the Scottish Cup away to Arbroath, with his proud family watching on. One memory still trumps them all – even though he was only there to see it as a fan. “Tom Rogic’s lastminute goal against Aberdeen in 2017 to win the Treble,” he said.
“I was delighted to get a ticket. I was at Motherwell by then. Just to be there was special and it’s my favourite game.
“It was the drama of going behind early doors and then coming back.
“There were guys in tears around me, it meant so much to them. The sense of relief was incredible. “It was a warm day and I was only in a T-shirt but then it rained and I was soaked to the skin at the end.”
Monday night is never going to be as warm as that day at Hampden, but with the TV cameras in attendance, it will be every bit as hard fought.
The Caley Jags have drawn two and lost one to County so far this season.
For Chalmers, the clash is a chance for revenge.
“It’s annoying we have to wait until Monday but it’s always good to be playing on the telly,” said Chalmers. “We don’t get so many chances and you never know who is looking in. “I remember watching cup-ties between the teams over the years and they have always been exciting. “The ones I’ve been involved in this season have been end-to-end, with chances and red cards.
“They’ve had everything. Hopefully it will be our turn to finally get a win in one of them.”