Back our Boys at Broadwood

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RANGERS' stars of the future will be looking to enjoy Old Firm success when they take on rivals Celtic in the Glasgow Cup final at Broadwood Stadium on May 11.

 

The Light Blues beat Queens Park 5-0 to reach this year's final and will be hoping to get their name back on the famous trophy after losing out to the young Celts in 2008.

 

Glasgow CupJim Sinclair will be in charge of the under-17 side on the night along with coach Alan Kernaghan and the club's youth supremo is looking for his teenage stars to put on a good show.

 

Sinclair said: "The final will give our fans a chance to come along and see our talented young players in action.

 

"Old Firm fixtures at any level always create a bit of excitement and our boys will be desperate to get their hands on the trophy after losing to Celtic last year.

 

"It should be a terrific game and hopefully supporters will come along to Broadwood to support the team as they don't always get the opportunity to play in front of reasonable crowds.

 

"It's a big occasion not only because it is game between Rangers and Celtic but because it's the final of a competition that has been in Scottish football for a long time.

 

"Like Celtic we will be looking to get our hands on the trophy and I am sure our players will be up for the challenge."

 

Glasgow's senior clubs Clyde, Partick Thistle, Queens Park, Rangers and Celtic have competed for the Cup on an annual basis since 1887 although there have been periods in history when the competition was put on hold.

 

Up until 1986 it was effectively deemed a first-team tournament with clubs putting out full strength starting elevens and massive crowds attending the games.

 

In the 20s and 30s it was not unusual for 90,000 fans to turn out for Old Firm clashes. broadwood stadium home of clyde

 

And as recently as 1986 a crowd of 40,000 saw Rangers take the trophy with a 3-2 final win over Celtic courtesy of an Ally McCoist hat-trick.

 

This gave Graeme Souness his first trophy only days after he was announced as the new Rangers manager.

 

glasgow cup 2_160The Ibrox club retained the trophy the following season but the Cup was abandoned in 1988 and relaunched as a youth competition in 2008.

 

Rangers have lifted the tournament on 44 occasions, more than any other Scottish club, but Sinclair hopes his young under-17 team can once again bring the trophy back to Ibrox.

 

He added: "At this moment we have young boys at under-17 level who play in games that are titled non-competitive so the Glasgow Cup is a great vehicle for their education.

 

"A few of our under-17 players including Darren Cole, Kal Naismith and Gordon Dick, to name just a few, have pushed up in to our under-19 team regularly this season and they will have benefited from that.

 

"In last year's final we also saw boys such as Danny Wilson and Jamie Ness involved and this they have now been on the bench for the first-team.

 

"So the Glasgow Cup is a good chance for fans to see the players coming through the ranks in action and the final against Celtic is one we are all looking forward to."

 

The final will kick-off at 7.30pm at Broadwood on May 11. Tickets are priced at �£5 for adults, children under 16/OAPs admitted free of charge.