IT’S Scottish Cup weekend and the competition has managed to throw up some mindboggling results since Queen’s Park overcame Clydesdale 2-0 in the first Final back in 1873/74.
Here are 11 from heaven for the victors – or 11 from hell for the vanquished.
EAST FIFE 4 KILMARNOCK 2 (Cup Final 1938)
THE Bayview outfit became the first team outside the top division to win the trophy when they stunned Kilmarnock in extra-time of the replay at Hampden, watched by an amazing crowd of 92,716 after a 1-1 draw in the first game which attracted a ‘mere’ 80,091
Killie, managed by former Celtic great Jimmy McGrory, were 2-1 ahead at one stage with goals from Jim Thomson (pen) and Felix McGrogan with Danny McKerrell netting for the underdogs. An effort from Eddie McLeod took the tie to extra-time where counters from Larry Miller and another from McKerrell completed an astounding scoreline.
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FRASERBURGH 1 DUNDEE 0 (First Round 1959)
The Highland League part-timers created a sensation when they sent top-flight Dundee toppling to defeat at their Bellslea ground. Johnny Strachan was the man who mattered with the only goal just before the turnaround. Goalkeeper Danny Mowat then produced a string of remarkable saves as the Dens Parkers battled for an equaliser – all to no avail. The Broch players were on £3 per week, but were delighted to be told they would all receive a bonus of £10 a man after their historic triumph.
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CELTIC 0 DUNFERMLINE 2 (Cup Final 1961)
JOCK STEIN masterminded the Fifers’ unexpected success in the club’s first-ever Final. Celtic were odds-on favourites to lift the trophy for the 18th time, but were denied in the goalless first game due to the heroics of keeper Eddie Connachan.
The Hoops were again expected to complete the job in the replay, but once again the Pars shotstopper proved to be unbeatable. In a breakaway, David Thomson headed past Frank Haffey in the 67th minute and, with two minutes remaining, the accident-prone Celtic No.1 made a mess of a cross and Charlie Dickson bundled in the second.
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BERWICK RANGERS 1 RANGERS 0 (First Round 1967)
SCOT SYMON’S Rangers were the Scottish Cup holders after beating Celtic 1-0 in a replay the previous season.
Berwick, with future Ibrox boss Jock Wallace in goal, were a part-time Second Division outfit who were thought to just be making up the numbers. However, a 32nd-minute goal from Sammy Reid sent Rangers hurtling out of the trophy at Shielfield. Strikers Jim Forrest and George McLean never played for the Ibrox club again.
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RANGERS 0 HAMILTON 1 (Third Round 1987)
GRAEME SOUNESS and his band of big-name superstars couldn’t believe it when they flopped 1-0 at Ibrox against struggling Accies.
England international keeper Chris Woods had gone on a lengthy run without conceding a goal, but left-back Adrian Sprott left him helpless with a blistering left-foot drive that zipped into the net to send Rangers packing in front of a stunned full house. Souness’s men still won the league – and Accies were relegated.
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STENHOUSEMUIR 2 ABERDEEN 0 (Fourth Round 1995)
DONS boss Roy Aitken could hardly believe it as his Pittodrie side surrendered meakly to the Second Division part-timers at Ochilview.
An all-ticket crowd of 3,800 crammed into the ground to witness the sensational turn of events. Tommy Steele was the Larbert hero with both goals to send dismal Dons home in embarrassment. His efforts earned his side a quarter-final place against Hibs which they lost.
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CELTIC 0 FALKIRK 1 (Semi-Final replay 1997)
THIS shattering defeat against the Brockville side went a long way to seeing Tommy Burns lose the manager’s job at Celtic.
The Parkhead side were held to a 1-1 draw in the first game at Ibrox after leading through a Tommy Johnson goal until the fading moments when Kevin James levelled with a header. Celtic, with the likes of Paolo di Canio and Jorge Cadete in the team, nosedived 1-0 in the second match with Paul McGrillen getting the only goal early on.
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CELTIC 1 INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE 3 (Third Round 2000)
JOHN BARNES’S short stay as Celtic boss came to an abrupt end after one of the most sensational results in the tournament’s history.
It was a night to forget for the Hoops and even fans’ favourite Lubo Moravcik put through his own goal with a deflected effort to give the Highlanders a 2-1 half-time advantage.Thistle came back to haunt Celtic again three years later in the quarter-final when they beat them 1-0 with a Dennis Wyness goal.
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CLYDE 2 CELTIC 1 (Third Round 2006)
ROY KEANE made his Celtic debut in unforgettable circumstances as the holders crashed to the patched-up First Division side that had been assembled by Graham Roberts after summer trials at Broadwood.
Craig Bryson and Eddie Malone got the first-half goals for Clyde while Maciej Zurawski got a late consolation for Gordon Strachan’s shell-shocked outfit. Chinese centre-back Du Wei also made his first team bow for Celtic. He was hooked at half-time and was never seen again.
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ALBION ROVERS 1 MOTHERWELL 0 (Third Round 2013)
THE Fir Parkers were third top of the Premier League when they took on the Coatbridge side who were anchored third from the bottom of the fourth tier. Rovers, who hadn’t beaten their Lanarkshire rivals in the previous 34 meetings in major competitions, switched the game to Hamilton Accies’ New Douglas Park. It was a goalless stalemate with only seconds remaining when Gary Phillips slammed home a left-foot drive past Gunnar Nielson for an unlikely victory for the part-timers.
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CELTIC 2 INVERNESS CALEY THISTLE 3 (Semi-Final 2015)
RONNY DEILA was homing in on the domestic treble in his first season as Neil Lennon’s successor as Celtic boss. However, the bid was derailed in the most controversial of circumstances as John Hughes’ Highlanders won with a last-gasp goal in extra-time.
The favourites took the lead when Virgil van Dijk curled a free-kick in the 18th minute. The game exploded just before the interval when Josh Meekings handled a netbound header from Leigh Griffiths. Remarkably, referee Steven McLean refused to give a penalty-kick. It got worse for the Parkhead side when Craig Gordon was sent off in the 58th minute and Greg Tansey scored past sub keeper Lukasz Zaluska with the resultant penalty-kick. It was stalemate after 90 minutes, but Edward Ofere put Thistle ahead before John Guidetti levelled. Three minutes from the end of extra-time, David Raven netted the winner.
