Lifting Cup would beat Anfield win for Osman

IN A career with one clear highlight, one outstanding moment of nationwide glory, the search for something better can take a man to great lengths.

However, Partick Thistle midfielder Abdul Osman may not have to travel any further than just over the wall from the Jags’ training venue of Lesser Hampden as he seeks a thrill to top what he still calls ‘ the greatest night of my life’.

Forever to be known as the guy whose decisive penalty helped tiny Northampton Town knock Liverpool out of the League Cup at Anfield, the Ghanaian-born Englishman aims to achieve similar fame with Alan Archibald’s side. A glorious triumph at one of the most famous venues in world football? He has come to the right place.

Having only visited Hampden for a couple of media interviews — his taste of Scotland’s national stadium extending to a brief stroll on the pitch — Osman beli eves t hat winning t he Scottish Cup would be one of the few experiences to match his moment of Merseyside magic.

‘It would be amazing to go to Hampden with this team and to have a similar outcome in the Final,’ said the 28-year-old.

‘It’s the national stadium and a big arena, so if we could win the Scottish Cup there it would probably trump Anfield.

‘I’ve been in there to do a few interviews but I’ve not played or watched a game there. It’s really nice, though. I’ve been down on the pitch and I’d love to play there one day.

‘I’ve not got a great FA Cup record from my time in England. I was always out quite early. There was no giant-killing — that was only the League Cup!

‘ It was the greatest night of my life to score the winner at Anfield, it was a special night. They had (Ryan) Babel, Lucas, (Sotirios) Kyrgiakos, (Brad) Jones in goal, (Jay) Spearing — it wasn’t a full- strength side, but to go to Anfield and win any game is tough.

‘ When I was hitting the penalty, I just thought to myself: “Put it in the back of the net.” I was very nervous but I kept my cool and put it away.

‘I don’t think the game was televised but, the next morning, it might as well have been — because my face was all over the back pages of the papers. It was just amazing, all my friends and family were at the game.

‘ The Liverpool players were distraught and just walked off the pitch, which was understandable.

‘It just shows what can be done if you play your best football and get a bit of luck, which you always need in football, regardless of who you are playing against.

‘I don’t really talk about it too much. But sometimes I post it up on Instagram and some of my ex-teammates will say: “It’s gone now, leave it out!” But it will always live with me.’

Partick travel to Paisley to take on Championship strugglers St Mirren tonight, the Jags only mildly chastened by the end of their recent six-game unbeaten run — courtesy of an unlucky late loss to the reigning Premiership champions at Celtic Park.

‘The unbeaten run is over but we just need to keep doing what we’re doing and see how far we can go in the cup,’ said Osman (below). ‘It’s a one-off game and we can’t take anybody lightly. I don’t think too much about being favourites, we could easily go there and get beaten.

‘ They’re playing against a Premiership side and they might lift their game, so we’ve got to go there and make sure that we concentrate on the job at hand.

‘When you’re doing well, everyone is on your side, but when you have a bad run like we did at the start of the season, you’re going into every game with everyone thinking you’re going to lose.

‘I think we’re due a cup run. It’s very important for a club like us to go as far as we can. I’ve always said that when we’re at our best we can beat any team in this league. ‘ Obviously, when you’re playing a top side you need a bit of luck as well.

‘The fans love cup games, so we want to go as f ar as we possibly can a nd, hope - f ully, bring some joy to our fans.’