Gary Bollan has fond memories of playing for Rangers even though he didn’t achieve what he wanted

Bollan has enjoyed working with Cowdenbeath chairman Donald Findlay QC, the former Rangers vice-chairman who he knew from his spell at Ibrox, and is optimistic better times lie ahead.

“All he wants is for his club to win football matches,” he said. “It is great to see him with a smile on his face and enjoying his glass of red wine on a Saturday night.”

The Scottish Cup gave Bollan one of the best days of his life, never mind football career, in 1994. He was an unused substitute on the day Dundee United defeated Rangers, who were bidding to become the first club to win a double treble, 1-0 in the final. But just to be involved in the historic occasion was sweet for the boyhood supporter of the Tannadice club.

“I didn’t get on the pitch,” he said. “There were only 13 stripped players. But I had been a Dundee United supporter as a child. I was forever going home f rom Hampden with tears running down my cheeks because they had lost cup finals. So to be part of the squad when the club won the cup for the first time was incredible.”

There is little prospect of Cowdenbeath producing a shock result against Rangers in t he s ame competition this week, but Bollan will savour trying to get one over on his former club all the same.