The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Hunter: Chance to make history beckons
Firhill: Fortune can favour bold Formartine
Have no regrets. The wait is at an end for Formartine United as the Pitmedden club faces the biggest game in its history with a fourth round Scottish Cup tie at Scottish Premiership side Partick Thistle.
Seven years on from playing football in the juniors, United’s supporters will enjoy their day at Firhill, but manager Kris Hunter wants his players to ensure they leave the pitch with heads held high.
He said: “It is a day the whole club is looking forward to – especially the players, management team and backroom staff.
“The players need to enjoy this as they have put in a huge amount of work to reach the fourth round of the competition.
“We have players who have experience of full-time football and others who have played in the Scottish League. They will all be very keen to get any sort of result and we need these experienced players to stand up and be counted by helping the younger ones along.
“Those younger players also need to relish the challenge and the occasion. We have the opportunity to create history. Not many Highland League players get the opportunity to play at a Premiership ground in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup and they need to savour the moment.
“We’ve had a busy week but now all the hype is over and we have a game we must concentrate on.
“We can’t let our families, friends and all those who come along to support us down with a poor performance. We need to put on a show that everyone can be proud of and see where that takes us.”
Hunter hopes fortune can favour his side if they are bold at Firhill.
He said: “We have had a couple of good Scottish Cup results already this season, so we need to keep to those high standards.
“It is a big challenge for us and an uphill task, but we will be well prepared.
“At this stage of the competition we knew we were going to be up against a bigger team.
“Of course Partick are hot favourites, but all the pressure is on them. They are a full-time team and should be beating us nine times out of 10.
“But there is always that one game where teams enjoy a huge slice of luck and nothing falls for the opposing side. Hopefully this can be that game.”
“Put on a show that everyone can be proud of and see where that takes us”