Daily Record

JONNY:UPSET CANBEOUr BigmiCDrOP

- BY ALAN ROBERTSON

JONNY STEWART will be primed to capitalise on any bum notes by Aberdeen – then stop Rose pal Lee Currie picking up a mic should a cup encore follow.

And he’ll savour every second of today because he knows his debut on Football Focus could well coincide with his swansong in the cup.

Skipper Stewart, 33, has been at the centre of all Bonnyrigg’s cup shocks, including sending then Championsh­ip side Dumbarton out in a 2016 replay to get a crack at Hibs at Tynecastle.

But today’s fifth-round clash with Aberdeen is the furthest the former junior side have been.

A scalp would be their Cup highlight on the pitch but as for one off it, he said: “It was after a game against Fraserburg­h, we had a few beers coming back and went to local boozer the Calderwood.

“There was karaoke on, boys had just sat down and got their pints. Somebody was up singing and Lee Currie brought the mic back – then for some reason dropped it in a full pint of Tennent’s.

“The pub was raging, I think it was a brand new microphone. Charlie Kirkwood, the chairman, had to fork out to buy the pub a new microphone for the karaoke!

“We’ve been on good runs in previous years but to get that step further and make history again for the club, the first time we’ve reached this round, it’s good.

“It is a proud moment for the club and the coaching staff. And I am sure the rest of the connection­s to the club will be proud of it as well.

“We did a feature on Tuesday night at our league game for Football Focus on Saturday ... I thought it was just all about English football! But maybe it is because Neil Warnock is in charge. There will be a lot more spotlight on the game.

“I think it went all right but we will see when it comes out on Saturday. It will need to be on record because we will be on our way to Aberdeen.”

Indeed, unlike their clash with Hibs – 10 miles away but before which they stayed in a hotel – Rose will bus it up today.

Stewart added: “We’ve had Scottish Cup games up in the Highlands and stayed up the Friday.

“A lot of the boys didn’t like it, they prefer just staying in their own bed.

“That’s what we do for Peterhead, Stranraer, Elgin... so we’ll try to keep it as normal as possible.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be playing for now, I don’t know when my next occasion like this might come, so I’m treating this as my last chance to play in the Scottish Cup.

“They’re always special moments, moments to be proud of. But this might be my last one. I’ll try to cherish it as much as I can.”

 ?? ?? FOOTBALL FOCUSED Stewart and Rose will be on TV today
FOOTBALL FOCUSED Stewart and Rose will be on TV today

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