Saints bid to make history

Apr 15 2011 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

DEREK McInnes has endured cup semi-final disappointment as a player and manager with St Johnstone.

So he’d love nothing better than to seek out chairman Geoff Brown at the final whistle in tomorrow’s clash with Motherwell, knowing St Johnstone were heading back to Hampden Park on May 21 for the club’s first ever Scottish Cup final.

Two League Cup finals since a group of cricketers got together in 1884 with the idea of forming a football team is scant reward and long-serving Brown has been at the helm for all bar two of the club’s previous seven semi-finals in the world’s oldest cup competition.

McInnes, holed-up yesterday at Largs with the squad preparing for the biggest game of the season, said: “We have flirted with reaching finals in my time here and I would love the opportunity to seek out the chairman after the game and shake his hand, knowing we were a step closer to the Scottish Cup success he craves for the football club.

“In football, I believe opportunities present themselves along the way. Some you miss and some you take. It would be fantastic for everyone connected with St Johnstone if we can make history.

“No St Johnstone team has done it before. That is an added incentive rather than extra pressure.

“This team, these players, have an opportunity to be remembered. Hopefully we can grasp it.”

McInnes called for Perth fans heading for a Hampden to get behind the team and make up for a lack of numbers in the stadium by raising the decibel level.

He stressed: “We all have to pull together and the fans have been brilliant. We know we will have to play to our full potential to beat Motherwell. No one will hand it to us on a plate. But we are more than ready for it.”

Finnish keeper Peter Enckelman (knee), a veteran of a Wembley final, and striker Collin Samuel (hip), who has figured on the World Cup stage, have returned to training and will start at the National Stadium.

McInnes admits he harbours concerns over defender Steven Anderson, who is receiving treatment to a knee injury which kept him out of two games before last week’s red card at Tannadice, and midfield trio Chris Millar, Kevin Moon and Jody Morris.

Skipper Morris, whose big game experience could be invaluable, has been guarding a stress fracture of the lower back while Millar exited the Celtic game early to protect a groin. Moon missed out rather than risk a calf injury. Peter MacDonald is suspended.

McInnes said: “I would love to see all four making it. But they are causing a bit of concern. I’d probably settle for three out of four. We will wait and see how we are fixed after training.”

He added: “Semi-finals can be nervy occasions with players scared to make mistakes, so we have to get the balance right and make sure anxiety and expectations don’t get the better of them. The players have to use any nerves to spur them on.

“In my book you only enjoy games once they are over and you have won, or have a four goal lead with time running out. But I want my players to relax enough to produce what I know they are capable of. When there isn’t much between two teams it can come down to who handles the occasion better.

“I am more than confident I have a team here which is capable of doing it.

“This is probably the best opportunity we have had in my time here to reach a final but we know it won’t be easy against a good Motherwell side who may be slight favourites. But in our last four games we have played quality opposition and I have taken positives from all of them.”

With his McDiarmid predecessor and close pal Owen Coyle leading Bolton into an FA Cup semi-final with Stoke City this weekend, McInnes admitted: “It would be special if we both took our teams to the cup final this season.”