Motherwell ace hoping to banish painful Hampden memories with Rangers and Hearts as teammate deemed top talent
Motherwell’s Andy Halliday hopes to get another crack at glory on Hampden soil after tough memories with Rangers and Hearts.
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Hide AdThe midfielder has been a regular for Stuart Kettlewell’s side this season after signing a permanent deal, following a loan spell from Tynecastle last term. He is now looking forward to a key Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Fir Park against Dundee United, as Motherwell look to return to Hampden on cup duty for the first time since the 2017/18 season.
Most recently, Halliday has lost two Scottish Cup finals with Hearts at the national stadium, but did enjoy a memorable semi-final wins against Hibs in the competition. With Rangers, he’s won the Petrofac Cup and defeated Celtic on Scottish Cup last four business, but also lost a derby to the Hoops in Mount Florida while he was also part of Rangers team that lost the 2016 final vs Hibs.
The bad sometimes overshadows the good but Halliday wants new memories in claret and amber. He said: “I try to forget about a lot of my Hampden memories, to be honest with you! I’ll have a wee joke about it, but I certainly have some fond memories there as well.
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Hide Ad“The unfortunate thing about football is that you remember the bad ones more than the good ones, so you want to put them right any time you get another opportunity. We’re under no illusions that it’s not easy to win these cups. It’s difficult, especially for a club like Motherwell, 1991 was the last time they won the Scottish Cup.
“They got themselves to a couple of cup finals over the last decade or so, so I think we have a massive opportunity ahead of us, and the most important thing for us as players is preparing properly. It’s an old football cliché, but the fact of the matter is you need to give your best. I feel that if we give our best and we get what the fans have given us over the last few weeks, then I’m confident.”
Members of the club’s majority shareholder, the Well Society, and volunteers have been delivering leaflets in the local community encouraging fans new and old to come to the game on Friday. It’s something that has been picked up on in the dressing room.
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Hide AdHalliday explained: “It’s a massive occasion for us, it’s a massive occasion for the club. It’s been six years since the last time they’ve been to Hampden for a cup visit, so we obviously know what’s at stake.
“I think you see in the last few weeks, especially at home, we’ve built on a decent bit of form to start the season. I don’t want to rally people to come to the ground, I think the fans are doing that themselves anyway. But I heard the story on Tuesday that there are people chapping round doors with QR codes, getting fans to scan tickets to have the place full and bouncing, but that’s music the boys’ ears.
“We were already speaking about that in the changing room, because the more bodies that can turn up for us the better. I felt as if we really fed off them in the last two home games. They were that 12th man for us, and if we want to get back to Hampden for the first time in six or seven years, we’re going to need them.
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Hide Ad“We know we need to start well, which I think we have done in the last two home games, but Dundee United were on their own high as well, before the weekend they were seven or eight games unbeaten. We’re under no illusions that it’s going to be a difficult game, but it’s certainly one we’re looking forward to.”
One star who has shone in midfield alongside Halliday is Lennon Miller. The teenager has been a shining light for the club in the last 12 months, and his experienced teammate sees only big things ahead for his talented peer. Halliday added: “I always try to refrain at times from talking about it, because you don’t want younger players to get too carried away, but that’s not something I even worry about with Lennon.
“He’s so humble, grounded and down to earth no matter the headlines or praise that he gets. He went and scored his first goal for Scotland under-21s last week, comes in and he’s still the same boy, trains the exact same – but he is certainly right up there.
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Hide Ad“I’ve been lucky to play with a few talented youngsters, but I look at Lennon and he’s got everything. It’s not even being a young player, I think he’s one of our best players and has been for a couple of seasons, now. I think we’ve very lucky to have him, but I’ve said this many times as well, and I think Lennon knows it, that’s he’s also very lucky to have Motherwell.
“Motherwell gave him the opportunity he’s had at 16 years old, he’s lucky to have a manager in Stuart Kettlewell that will just keep him in the team, give him that run of games, let him make mistakes, let him grow and get better. I think it works both ways, it’s a relationship that has been good for everyone involved. But there is no doubt that if Lennon continues on the trajectory that he is on, that he is certainly going to go places.”
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