Hearts vs Auchinleck Talbot Scottish Cup

This Saturday my team, Auchinleck Talbot take on Hearts in the 4th round of the Scottish Cup. Undoubtedly the biggest ever game in our history and one that will see the village become a ghost town on the day. It's going to be a cracking day out. There's 4 or 5 specially commissioned flags for the game, and I've got one of them - a 10 foot by 5 foot gold and black affair with the EEKA PEEKA PUKKA PO legend on it. I asked if there was any interest ofr such a flag on the Talbot Forum and got pledges of the £180 needed in 24 hours.
Going up on Friday evening with the grandson to stay with my lad in Edinburgh, and then savour the whole day on Saturday from breakfast onwards. I don't think Edinburgh realises yet what's going to hit them....the pubs definitely will though!
Here's praying for another 1967 Berwick Rangers vs Rangers Scottish Cup result.

Article below is taken from today's Daily Record (Scottish Daily Mirror in effect)

Scottish Cup: Morton axe left me distraught but Hearts clash can make up for that, says Auchinleck skipper Bryan Slavin
Jan 5 2012

AUCHINLECK TALBOT skipper Bryan Slavin was booted out of senior football over a decade ago at Morton with tears streaming down his face.
The striker will run out on Saturday at Tynecastle with a spring in his step, all forgiven as he mixes it with the SPL big boys he was once denied the chance to emulate.
Slavin, 34, is an Auchinleck legend with three Scottish Cup triumphs to his credit in the last six seasons, two of them as captain.
He admits the Scottish Cup fourth-round tie against Hearts will be the biggest game the current squad have ever played.
And he agrees it is possibly even the most significant in the 105-year history of the famous Ayrshire outfit, who have won the Scottish Junior Cup a record nine times.
On a personal level, there is no denying its importance to the Glasgow policeman, whose career as a full-time pro was cut short after just two years when he was ditched by Morton in 2000 at the age of 22 after former Aston Villa and Scotland star Allan Evans was brought in as manager.
Slavin said: “I took it very hard at the time but Bosman had begun to squeeze and Morton had just changed owners.
“Hugh Scott sold the club to an Englishman, Mike Peden, who brought in Evans as boss to replace Ian McCall.
“He had identified a handful of non-league players from England and I was released after one pre-season training session.
“I walked out of the manager’s office after the news was broken with tears running down my face.
“I went to the kit room and cried for 10 minutes, absolutely gutted, then tried to regain my composure.
“I’ve only been back to Morton once since then, to play in a testimonial for Warren Hawke. It stuck in my throat that Evans left the club soon afterwards, followed by the non-league lads.
“I was hankering for a return to Morton in the cup but the prospect of Hearts is amazing. The game at Tynecastle will make up for all the disappointment of the past.”
As a result of the foul weather, The Bot had not played for a month before last weekend, when they lost 3-2 at home to Arthurlie to all but end their chances of winning the Super League Premier Division.
Slavin admits excitement at facing the Jambos is mixed with fear they could be on the end of a cuffing, but hopes their last defeat will jolt them into playing at their very best.
He said: “There’s a bit of trepidation at facing Hearts and that’s no bad thing as it keeps the mind sharp.
“Fear can be used as a liberator or a jailer and if we let it consume us we’ll only sit back on the edge of our own box and invite a demolition.
“However, we can use fear to show everyone what we’re worth. We’re a naturally aggressive side and as one of the biggest in the junior game it would be alien for us to sit back and defend.
“We were terrible against Arthurlie but losing might have been no bad thing as we’re under no illusions about the scale of the task at Tynecastle.
“The defeat ended our league chances, but we must learn lessons. We’re slow starters and were two goals down within 10 minutes at Beechwood Park.
“We cannot give Hearts a two-goal start on Saturday or we’ll be facing humiliation.”
The village of Auchinleck has a population of just 3500 and The Bot have already sold 2500 tickets for Saturday, which will hand Hearts a much-needed financial boost.
The irony isn’t lost on Slavin, who has had to listen to critics in the seniors bemoan the fact money is being taken out of their game and donated to the lower ranks, where allegations of an unaudited economy fuelled by social club fruit machines is still rife.
Slavin said: “The juniors have enriched the Scottish Cup and added to its romance. Sure, I hear people complain about money from the senior game being lost to the juniors, but it’s swings and roundabouts. Good young players are plundered from the juniors for a pittance.
“It’s astonishing that 2500 people will travel to Edinburgh to support us. I’m sure they’ll all have a fantastic time.
“But me and the players? We’re not going there just to have a good day out.”

Come on Auchinleck Talbot! Great time to play the Jambos too as they are in disarray off the field!

Beat them for the Hibees!

I've a mate who's a Policeman in Edinburgh, I hope he's on duty, he's a Morton fan!

Hearts are my Scottish team. I've been to see them a few times and after the way they played against Hibs at the weekend it should be a rout but i love giant killings so will not be too cheesed off if you get something. Black in centre mid for Hearts is way too good for them.

Quoted from lobsterpot

Hearts are my Scottish team. I've been to see them a few times and after the way they played against Hibs at the weekend it should be a rout but i love giant killings so will not be too cheesed off if you get something. Black in centre mid for Hearts is way too good for them.

He's crap at penalties though.

Shouldn't this be in the "Non Football" forum.  

Only kidding Jock. Best of luck to them.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/16427269.stm

Another nice write up.

Enjoy your day!