Cove Rangers midfielder Robbie Leitch was just eight years old when he saw his dad Scott lift the Challenge Cup with Ross County.
Now Leitch junior wants to follow in his old man’s footsteps and help Cove reach their first final since becoming an SPFL club.
County saw off Clyde on penalties 5-4 at McDiarmid Park in 2006, with Leitch on the Staggies’ team bus amid the celebrations.
Now with Cove one step away from a final when they face Queen of the South tonight in the SPFL Trust Trophy, he hopes he can make some more memories of his own.
“I was at the final (in 2006),” said Leitch. “I was quite young – I can remember running on the park after the game. That was my first major final and it was a great day, because it was my dad’s Ross County team.
“I was on the bus after the game. They were all buzzing. I can remember Craig Samson on the bus – he’s a great guy and I’ve known him for a number of years.
“It’s a competition that means a lot and hopefully we can get into the final and win it. We’re not here to do anything else. We believe we can beat anybody and have a good chance of winning it.
“This is the first I’ve been in this competition. Hopefully we can go one step further into the final.
“I would say the pressure is off but we put pressure on ourselves. We want to be better, get to these finals and beat these Championship teams, as that’s where we want to be.”
Leitch joined Cove last summer after leaving Falkirk, marking his first steps into part-time football.
He admits he has found it tough going at times, particularly when travelling up from Motherwell is factored in.
He said: “It’s been difficult, trying to get a job. The first part of the season was difficult, only training twice a week and trying to figure out what I wanted to do the rest of the time.
“But now I’ve got that sorted. I’m coaching with North Lanarkshire Council and I do a wee bit with my brother. That stuff is really good.
“Through the winter was really tough. The start of the season it was fine, when it was new and exciting. As soon as the dark nights come, it was really hard.
“We’re getting to that point where it’s lighter on a night so it’s still light when we get home on a Tuesday and Thursday. Me, Morgyn (Neill) and Gordon Young travel through from Motherwell and pick up a few of the boys in Dundee.
“It’s long but the way we’re going just now, it makes a lot easier. All the boys are great so when we get up there it’s great to be around them all.”
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