EAST KILBRIDE FC take on Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale in the Scottish Cup Fourth Round tonight to determine who plays Celtic in the last 16.
The original tie between the two non-league outfits was due earlier this month, but was postponed due to snow.
Gardner Speirs, the South Lanarkshire club’s assistant manager, has told his players to concentrate on this evening’s home game and said: “It’s quite simple – if we lose we don’t play Celtic and all of that is gone.
“It’s vital to stay in the present. You have to have an edge and a sense of anticipation, but it’s our job to temper that and make sure the players are not too hyped up to the point where they don’t perform.
“This game has captured everybody’s imagination and I think the boys have enjoyed the limelight.
“Let’s face it, the possibility of either Lothian Thistle or ourselves playing Celtic in the last 16 of the Scottish Cup is just fantastic. It’s a great story.
“When I watched the draw and our name came out first I thought to myself: ‘Well, at least, it’s a home tie’. And then Celtic came out.
“The reward for winning this game is huge, but we are just putting it all to the back of our minds.
“The boys are just desperate to get playing as the build up has being going on for a long time and we’ve had a bit of time to dwell on all of it.”Former St Mirren forward Speirs, who quit as Queen’s Park manager just over two years ago, added: “We’ve had smashing coverage and that just adds to the importance of the occasion.
“Now we have to get the job done. We have to fight hard, but we have to play well and that’s the balance we need to find if we are to succeed.”
CQN has a strong interest in this tie as the East Kilbride goalkeeper’s dad is a prominent member of the Celtic Quick News community. We wish young McGinley all the best for tonight and look forward to seeing him play against Celtic in the next round.
