Win was a dream come true for pair

Watkins and Vincent shared hopes, friendship and even a hotel room in run up to the 2015 Scottish Cup final

They were the room-mates that dreamed a cup final win less than 24 hours before it happened. Marley Watkins readily acknowledges he owes James Vincent a debt of gratitude for the way he and his wife Nikki took the Welshman under their wing in Inverness.

When it came to the team trip to Edinburgh before the final, the two roomed together in the hotel. There was a light-hearted, relaxed mood between the two of them. Come 5pm the following day, both had scored in the Scottish Cup final and won the old trophy.

“He helped me out a lot while I was up there, him and his wife Nikki,” said Watkins, now at Bristol City. “I was lonely at times as I didn’t have any family up there. I was chasing a dream. I went round his for meals and they were always really supportive. I still speak to him now on the phone.

“We were rooming together the night before and we were trying to relax, dancing, singing and having a laugh. For us both to score was special. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.”

Vincent’s goal and subsequent return to the Highlands has already cemented his place in Caley Thistle folklore. But Watkins deserves his recognition too.

It was his run, sharp and welltimed, that ensured Aaron Doran’s through ball got its deserved outcome, sliding it round Jamie MacDonald for the opening goal. He took off running, with one painful ankle, for the bench, searching for the t-shirt he had made in tribute for Roy Lewis, the father of his long-time friend Sam who had recently passed away.

“I remember the celebration. I was playing with a bad ankle and didn’t train in the build-up to that game. I nearly rolled that same ankle in the celebration. I paid a tribute to my best friend, whose dad had died recently, as they’d done a lot for me.

“His brother got in touch with me when I was on the bus after the game. He direct messaged me on Twitter. I can’t remember exactly what was said but I shed a little tear, because it meant they had all seen it. I had a feeling I’d score before the game – why else would I make the shirt?”

Falkirk to their credit made the game a contest. For much of the second half they were superior, prodding and poking at Caley Thistle’s fragile lead. When Carl Tremarco was sent off and Peter Grant equalised – from a freekick Watkins conceded – worst fears were starting to come to fruition.

“I remember going down to 10 men and giving the free-kick away that led to their goal. There was a big storm in my head and I tried to block it out; ‘we ain’t losing, we ain’t losing’. I told Carl Tremarco when he got sent off that we’ll win it for him.

“The final was more about fear of living with regrets. We were favourites, so it was a bit different. You don’t get this opportunity too often, to win a major final. I remember having a bit of fear – a good fear – where it’s pushing you and I didn’t want to live through that summer having messed up the final.”

If anything, the winning goal could almost epitomise Watkins’ desire not to mess up. The collection of Ross Draper’s header, the leaving of David McCracken on the Hampden turf, the driving run towards a backtracking Grant; the persistence had to pay off.

He went for goal, with MacDonald’s cup-final moment slipping out of his grasp and into Vincent’s.

“We still could have played better on the day but winning was all that mattered. It was great for Vinny to get his goal – he’s such a nice lad.

“After the final the city was buzzing. We had this fans thing when we lost the (League Cup) final to Aberdeen the year before – it was a disaster because you’re in such a different headspace. But after that there were good vibes everywhere.

“Only the people that lived it can know what it’s like. It’s a beautiful place and it was special what we did.”

Marley Watkins with the trophy