Sport

Chance for the unlikely hero

UNFASHIONABLE Falkirk and Kilmarnock take centre stage at Ibrox today with the Scottish Cup final holding out for a hero.

Sat May 24 1997 - 01:00

UNFASHIONABLE Falkirk and Kilmarnock take centre stage at Ibrox today with the Scottish Cup final holding out for a hero.

It might be the showpiece to leave Old Firm fans cold, but in both communities every last man woman and child has been gripped by final fever.

The two towns will be deserted as 50,000 roll up to witness what should be pure theatre, but the lead role remains vacant as the scriptwriters await a legend.

Seldom before has a final offered its matchwinner, whoever that may be, the chance to cement his status in the hearts and minds of a nation, with both clubs believing this may be their only chance of glory for years.

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Premier division Kilmarnock are the bookies favourites, even though you have to be an octogenarian with an infallible memory to recall their last Scottish Cup success.

It came in 1929 and youthful manager Bobby Williamson, just 35, wasn't even bond when Kilmarnock last appeared in the showpiece in 1960.

Falkirk, of course, are back in the final for the first time in four decades since beating Kilmarnock 2-1 in a replay in 1957.

All the omens suggest Alex Totten who, as he has been telling everybody who will listen since January that he attended every round 40 years ago as a fan, can complete a lifetime ambition and lead Falkirk to glory.

They have beaten Berwick and Raith Rovers en route to another meeting with Kilmarnock - just as they did in 1957.

There was a comet in the sky that year as this, but Totten, ironically sacked by Kilmarnock barely six months ago, believes less in comets and more in cometh the hour, cometh the man.

"We've heard all the omens but at the end of the day I believe it will be down to which side produces their best in the final which will be decisive," said Totten.

"I said before our semifinals with Celtic that we were going there to win and it is the same for the final head for Ibrox in confident form after losing just once in their last 11 games, including a victory there over Rangers and a win and a draw against Celtic in their premier division survival battle.