Billy Mckay missed Caley Thistle’s 2015 Scottish Cup triumph by a matter of months – but insists he roared his pals on to Hampden glory without an ounce of envy eight years ago.
Currently in his third Inverness spell, the striker – who was this week named the Championship’s player of the month for January – sealed a move away from the Highlands in January 2015 to sign from English Championship club Wigan Athletic.
Before he joined the Latics, he played in Scottish Cup fourth-round clashes against St Mirren – with Caley Thistle progressing via a 4-0 replay win.
In May 2015, ICT lifted the Scottish Cup as John Hughes’ team became heroes, seeing off Falkirk in the final to follow up their stunning semi-final win against Celtic.
Looking back at his move from Caley Thistle to Wigan just months before their most famous victory, 34-year-old Mckay has no regrets – stressing, had he remained, the cup run might never have played out the way it did.
He said: “I managed to play a couple of the games in the earlier rounds against St Mirren, which went to a replay.
“I played a little part in it, but obviously left in the middle of that season.
“You can’t look back, because you look at the players who obviously scored goals in the semi-finals and things like that. Obviously the team would have been different if I was still there.
“I probably would have been playing, and it is not a given it would have gone the way in those games.
“I was just delighted for the lads at the time, and I watched the semi and the final.
“I didn’t get a medal. I don’t think they had enough – I’m not sure even the whole squad got one.”
Mckay a big fan of cup football
On Saturday, Inverness head to Livingston in round five of this season’s national trophy, having been given a reprieve after Queen’s Park fielded an ineligible player en route to a 2-0 fourth round victory over the Highlanders.
Mckay has bagged 12 goals in all competitions this season, including six in his last six games.
The striker, who also scored in a League Cup penalty shoot-out win for Northampton against Premier League giants Liverpool at Anfield in 2010, admits cup-ties hold extra significance for players. saying: “The cups are brilliant. I’ve had some great times in the cup with the club in the past.
“I’ve had some great times in England in the cups as well. I think they are special.
“When you go on a run, it can really help the mood of the place and help create a feelgood factor.
“Obviously, the Scottish Cup has a massive history at this club as well, winning it not too long ago.
“We’re delighted we are still in the competition and now we’ve got to make the most of the chance.”
Striker sets sights on cup upset
Caley Thistle beat Livingston 2-1 in West Lothian last July in the group stages of the League Cup.
This weekend, they face a rampant Lions side now fourth in the Premiership.
However, having been a whisker away from promotion via the play-off final last season, Mckay insists Inverness should be confident they can cause an upset against Livi.
He added: “Whenever we’ve played Premiership teams, it has given us a good guide as to where we are.
“We played them in the League Cup at the start of the season and managed to beat them.
“It is hard to judge as, in the (League Cup) group games, teams play different players and it is early in the season.
“Livingston are going great now, so it will be a good test as to where we are.
“We obviously came close last year in the promotion play-offs against St Johnstone and were level for a game-and-a-half until the last 45 minutes (when they conceded four goals in a 6-3 aggregate loss).
“We’ve got to make sure we’re at it, because I believe when we’re at our best we can trouble anyone.”
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