The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Durrant butterflies as Sons get ready to Rock
Dumbarton manager Stephen Aitken reckons that facing Inverness in today’s IRN-BRU Cup final at St Johnstone’s McDiarmid Park is so big that even his assistant Ian Durrant is getting butterflies.
Aitken, who had a modest playing career at Morton, Stranraer and Stenhousemuir compared to Durrant’s Rangers and Scotland exploits, said: “This is a huge game in Dumbarton’s history. The club have gone over 120 years since a Scottish Cup Final appearance, never been in a League Cup final and this is our first one in this competition. Keeping the club in the Championship has been terrific but this is something that has got the team and the town united with more than 2,000 tickets sold by Friday morning.”
“It is huge for me. I might not get to another cup final”
“As a manager it is a huge game for me as I could be a manager for another 20 years and not get to another final. Ian is excited as well and telling me he has butterflies. When you consider the games he has been involved in over the years then it shows you how big it is.
“He played in Europe and won nine titles in a row with Rangers. It is good to have his experience around to help our players.”
Inverness sit directly above Dumbarton in the table and Aitken was not interested in talk of trading a cup win for league survival.
He said: “The league is always your priority however we are going to Perth looking to win and we can win.
“Inverness are the favourites and they have some of the best players in our league with Iain Vigurs, Liam Polworth, Carl Tremarco and also Gary Warren.
“However we are not just there to make up the numbers.”
“We will look to go out at McDiarmid Park and give ourselves the chance of winning the game by attacking them.”