Reaching a Scottish Cup semi-final as a player was one thing, but making the last four as a manager would be “massive”, according to Raith boss Grant Murray.
Rovers got to the semi-final stage back in 2010, when Murray took his usual slot in the Raith defence as they lost out to eventual cup winners Dundee United 2-0 at Hampden.
Four years on, though, Murray, now player/manager at Stark’s Park, is on the verge of steering his team to another semi-final if they can see off St Johnstone on Saturday.
The Rovers boss is very much a realist and knows the weekend’s visitors will be firm favourites to progress, but Murray maintains his team is in with a real shout of causing an upset.
“Probably two rounds ago people had us out of the cup going up to Dundee, but it’s just having that wee bit belief that you can go and win a cup tie,” he said.
“I’m not going to sit here and say we’re a better team than St Johnstone or this or that, because we know we have to be at our best on Saturday.
“You also hope to get a bit of luck, which we got (against Hibs) at Easter Road, and you want the team you are playing against to have an off day, I’m not going to lie, for us to have any chance whatsoever.
“But it’s cup football and it’s got that bit about it that the underdogs can go through on the day. It would be massive if we could get to the semis.
“We’ve got a chance but we’ve got to perform to our capabilities. We can’t just turn up on the day and think because it’s a Scottish Cup tie the underdogs will have a chance.
“St Johnstone will wipe the floor with us if we don’t approach the game properly.
“We know they are a very good side, we’ve obviously had them watched and obviously we’ve got a lot of stuff on them but it’s a chance for them to get to a national semi-final as well.
“So the stakes are high and we’ve got to be at our best to have any chance whatsoever. We could be at our best and it might not be good enough.”
Raith’s league form has been disappointing in recent months and the Kirkcaldy club are without a league win in 10 games.
However, the slump did not affect them in the previous Scottish Cup round against Hibs, and Murray is convinced his players can turn things around.
He added: “To sit here and say things couldn’t turn wouldn’t be great. But I think we can take a lot out of games just now.
“I think on Saturday (against Falkirk), in the first half, we realised the players were well on top in a game where we deservedly came in 2-1 up at half-time but we switched off a wee bit in the second half and allowed them to get back in the game so early.
“Falkirk are a good side and they’ll punish you that’s why they are sitting in the top three in the league just now. It’s having that wee bit extra to get well on top in games and being able to see a game out.
“So we’re looking for a good performance this weekend because we do want to take a good performance into the league form. We want to kick on in the league.
“Saturday is different because it’s a cup tie and cup ties are about being in the next round. First and foremost we want to play well, which gives you a chance, but at the end of the day cup football is cup football and it will never change.”
Rovers will have former St Johnstone midfielder Kevin Moon back and defender Paul Watson will be available, although striker Calum Elliot looks set to miss out through injury.