The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
About Stenny cup loss’
Shock defeat was catalyst for Dons to stay up
fight against a team with nothing to lose.
“At the time I was new in the team and I was going through my own ups and downs, but it was nothing compared to what the club was going through. I often wonder if my opportunity came when it did because the team was struggling, but what I do know is that I was able to take my chance when it came.
“I’ll always be grateful to Willie Miller for putting me in initially and to Roy Aitken for sticking with me when he took over Willie left the club.
“As an individual it motivated me never to go through that again. I took the defeat on the chin and learned from it and I actually look at the moment as having stood after my career in good stead. It instilled more fight in me, that’s for sure.”
Glass did not know whether to laugh or cry when he realised the two clubs will meet again this weekend at Pittodrie.
He knows it is different Aberdeen’s role in one of Scottish football’s great cup shocks will forever be ingrained in Scottish Cup history but for Stephen Glass, the seismic moment galvanised the season.
The Dons were second-bottom of the Premier Division when they were knocked out of the Scottish Cup by Stenhousemuir and in relegation danger.
It took a monumental effort from the players to keep the club in the top flight as they won four of their last five games to secure a twolegged play-off against Dunfermline which Roy Aitken’s Dons won 6-2 on aggregate.
Glass was a key figure, scoring in the final three games for his side to help keep them up and he soon helped consign the players, different venue, very different circumstances but he is also aware the experience serves as a timely reminder.
He said: “I was back home in Scotland at Christmas and I didn’t even know the draw before horrible memory of Stenhousemuir to the history books nine months from the fateful exit by winning the man of the match award in the League Cup final win against Dundee at Hampden in November 1995.
As turnarounds go, Aberdeen’s was swift and successful.
Glass recalls: “We played in some huge games towards the end of the season.
“When we beat Dunfermline in the play-offs I remember the celebrations among the fans but Stewart McKimmie, the captain, wasn’t among them. He was disappointed we were celebrating staying up.
“He had been involved in some great moments at the club and he let me know that staying up was not a cause for celebration at Aberdeen.” I arrived. When I heard it was Stenhousemuir I thought ‘Oh no, why them?’ I don’t for a second believe Aberdeen will slip up this weekend but that game will always be there when the two clubs are mentioned in the same breath.”