PATRICK Cregg and Steve Lovell have been involved in cup finals before. One was on the winning side, the other was the loser, but both found the experience unsatisfactory and are hoping for something far better today.
Cregg has not taken part in the Hampden showpiece occasion before, but he was on Arsenal's books when the London team beat Southampton 1-0 in the 2003 final. Later that same month Lovell was a member of the Dundee side which lost by the same score to
Rangers in the Scottish Cup final. Now together at Falkirk, the two know they could go down in club history if they help their team beat Rangers this afternoon.
"It is a huge game and we know how much it will mean," Lovell said. "We have done well to get to the final, but to win it would be something which would live with us forever and we would become Falkirk legends if we do it.
"I feel we have a chance on our day. We have had the upper hand in a lot of the games we have played against Rangers. We know we just have to bide our time and not concede anything, but we will go out there with a lot of confidence."
The final six years ago was not among the most memorable in the history of the competition, and Lovell can recall little of the day itself. "I don't really remember much about it," he continued. "I want to remember this one, remember the build-up and the looks on people's faces. I want to take it all in."
Neil McCann, now a Falkirk player, picked up a winner's medal with Rangers that day, while Nacho Novo, a Dundee substitute then, is now of course at Ibrox. A goal from Lorenzo Amoruso midway through the second half was all that separated the sides, and Lovell is determined not to end up on the losing side again.
"I do remember the disappointment at the final whistle. It was only a 1-0 defeat to Rangers, but it was heartbreaking at the time.
"It was my first season at Dundee so maybe I thought finals come around easier than they do, which is why I want to take this one in a lot more. We had a fairly good season that year and it was a learning curve for me in the first season.
"We don't want to see Rangers celebrating in front of us – we want to put in a good performance and come away with a victory. Falkirk reaching a final hasn't happened for a long time, so if we can win it, then we will always be remembered."
Cregg, now 23, was an Arsenal player until he joined Falkirk three years ago. Like Lovell, he can remember little of the cup final he went to.
"I travelled to an FA Cup final once, but never played at all," he said. "I just went to watch when they played Southampton. I can't remember much about it apart from the fact that Arsenal won and were the better team on the day. I was very privileged to be at Arsenal and train and play with some of the best players in the world. I've no regrets. Those three-and-a-half years were the best years of my life and helped pay the bills."
The wages may not be so great at Falkirk as they would have been had Cregg been kept on at Arsenal, but he is aware of how high the footballing rewards could be today.
"It's a chance of a lifetime as a player. You have to be very fortunate to play football for a living and if you get the opportunity to play in a cup final, and hopefully I do, you just have to take in the experience.
"You have to make the most of it as you could get hit by a bus tomorrow. You don't know what will happen in life so you have to be grateful for everything good that happens. I'm honoured and privileged to be a part of something like this.
"I thank God and I'm very grateful. We could become legends at the club if we win.
"To walk out at Hampden in front of 50,000 people and play for a piece of silverware – words can't explain it. We'll have great support and the fans will get behind us.
"We don't take into consideration that Rangers will have more (supporters] than us there. We're just focused on trying to win the cup and showing you're a good player on the day."
The full article contains 784 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
