He has left Hampden as a winner on four successive visits.
But St Johnstone skipper Liam Gordon admits it will be extra special if he can LEAD his hometown team to victory over Celtic in this evening’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final.
Perth manager Callum Davidson is seeking to extend a remarkable 15-game unbeaten cup record as Saints bid to retain their grip on the first of the two trophies brought to McDiarmid Park last term.
“It will be different in the sense that I’ll be leading the boys out and I didn’t do that last year,” said Gordon, who took over the captaincy when Jason Kerr left for Wigan in a £600,000 deal on transfer deadline day.
Dream becomes reality
“It’s something you can only ever dream of as a kid.
“You’ve got your dreams and ambitions but for it to actually become reality was amazing for me personally.
“It’s a nice personal touch but I’m fully focused on getting the right result. That’s the main motivation for me.
Prince to Kingđź‘‘
We are delighted to announce that double winner @_LiamGordon is the new Captain of St Johnstoneđź’™
A Perth boy through and through, Liam has proven himself to be a leader on and off the pitchđź’Ş#SJFC
Click the link to hear more👉 https://t.co/30C7Zt0PEg pic.twitter.com/dApSBI3lmB
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) October 28, 2021
“Hampden was a happy hunting ground last year for us.
“We’ve got fond memories of the good experiences we had there.
“That’s big going into this weekend.
“We’re obviously up against a club that’s been there many, many times and players throughout that team have been there as well.
“They are serial winners and it’s going to be a tough game for us – but it’s one that we’re well up for and are looking forward to.”
Boyhood fan Gordon is well aware Saints re-wrote the record books by capturing both the League Cup and the Scottish Cup last term.
Taste for more silverware
The 25-year-old admits that unparalleled success has fuelled a desire to get their hands on more silverware.
“We have a team of winners, guys who just want to win football games and win trophies, who will run through a brick wall for each other,” said Gordon.
“When you have them on the pitch with an opportunity to win silverware in a knock-out competition that makes us quite a hard team to beat.
“The buzz we had last year is something I will never forget.
“You get the taste for it and you want more and more.
“That is a huge motivation for us going into this game.
“It has been a crazy whirlwind but hopefully we can keep it going.
“Three trophies in 10 months has never been done before but hopefully we can build on it and make it even more remarkable.
“In terms of how we’ve prepared, it doesn’t feel like it’s changed from last season.
“We are going there with the same motivation and mindset and looking at the same picture that we’ll all want.”
Playing to strengths
Gordon revealed that manager Davidson, not surprisingly, has stuck to the blueprint which brought rewards last term.
“We have looked at how we can effect this game, rather than looking at any weaknesses of theirs,” he said.
“Our preparations have been about St Johnstone and what we do.
“That’s what we did last year. We really homed in on that.
“It obviously paid off for us so we are going with the same plan and structure this year.
“We are underdogs but it doesn’t bother us. It was the same last season. It is something we thrive on, we enjoy proving the doubters wrong.
“Of course we will be underdogs. Celtic and Rangers are still in it and they are the most successful clubs in the country.
“But that gives us great motivation.”
