Derek Soutar endured one of the most infamous days of his career in a semi-final against Queen of the South. But the Cove Rangers goalkeeping coach is confident his current club will not suffer the same fate.
Soutar was between the posts for Aberdeen when they lost a Scottish Cup semi-final 4-3 against Queens in 2008, which remains one of the great shocks in the competition’s recent history.
Cove face the Doonhamers in the last four of the SPFL Trust Trophy tomorrow night, with the chance to reach a first final since joining the senior leagues in 2019.
Soutar is able to smile about that torrid day at Hampden now but recalls the aftermath being no laughing matter.
“Any time that game comes up on the TV, I get texts about it,” said Soutar, who joined Cove at the start of this season.
“A team the size of Aberdeen shouldn’t have been getting beat at Hampden by the team the size of Queens. But that’s the beauty of the cup. Teams raise their game and throw everything at it. Queens did that day.
“For the period afterwards, it was hell and rightly so. It was a good chance to get into a cup final and it’s one of the most bizarre games I’ve been involved in. Every time the ball went up the park, there seemed to be a goal.
“It’s just unfortunate for me I happened to be in the sticks that day. But I can relay that experience to show ‘this is what can happen’.
“A lot of boys have come up from the Highland League and to go play for a place in the cup final, they might not get that chance again.”
Cove have already beaten Queens this season, triumphing 3-0 in a Scottish Cup replay at Palmerston in December.
They are also undefeated at home this season and are in pole position to secure promotion to the Championship at the top of League One.
Soutar feels getting through to a final – the winner would face either Kilmarnock or Raith – would be just reward for the club and its supporters.
He added: “It would be great for the players and their families but also for the club itself. To get into cup finals, from where it’s come from, would show the progress and stability of the last few seasons.
“The first game we played Queens up here, I felt we were robbed of two goals. But we went down there and were on top the whole game.
“We would fancy our chances against anybody at home and it would be great for the supporters to get to a final.”
Given his job is to help the goalkeepers keep the ball out of the net, Soutar takes obvious pride in Cove’s impressive defensive record.
The Aberdeen side have conceded the fewest goals in League One and have recorded shut-outs in 11 of their last 14 league games.
“It’s one thing that we pride ourselves on,” added Soutar. “First and foremost if you don’t lose goals, you don’t lose games.
“We’ve put runs of clean sheets together and have got the best defensive record in the league. We’re blessed with quality up the park that can go score two or three goals every game.
“I’ve been in here seven or eight months now and it’s opened my eyes. The way the gaffer and Gordon Young meticulously plan training around who we’re playing, then Tam Ritchie (fitness coach) has got the boys up to a level where they can compete with full-time teams.
“We’ve had a tough run of games in the last month, playing teams in the top half, but we’re not losing, which is a positive.
“Results breed confidence and we go into every game believing we can get a result.”