Nicky Clark is desperate to get back to Hampden to wipe out the memory and pain from the Scottish Cup Final of shame.
Rangers lost the 2016 showpiece to Hibs as the game not only ended in disappointment but total disarray and embarrassment for football in this country.
So-called ‘fans’ from both sides had running battles on the National Stadium’s pitch and it was so bad that Clark and his defeated teammates weren’t able to go up and collect their medals.
They ended up picking up their medal from a box that was thrown into their dejected Rangers dressing room.
The day and the medal bring back unwanted memories and Clark uses them to motivate himself to try and get back to Hampden and be a winner with Dundee United.
United are in quarter-final action on Monday night at home against Celtic at Tannadice, with Clark itching to make amends.
He said: “I played in the final for Rangers in 2016 but that’s not a day to look back fondly on.
“The way it finished was mental with the late goal and then the fans coming onto the pitch.
“I was at the far side of the tunnel, when the whistle goes you’re obviously devastated.
“First it was one or two fans running past and you just think ‘idiots’ then after that it was thousands and you think ‘uh-oh, trouble’ and get off the pitch as fast as you can.
“I just made a beeline right for the tunnel.
“The only good thing is it saved us that walk up the steps to pick up the losers’ medals - so that was something at least.
“With what happened at the end, we were off the pitch really quickly and then someone came into the dressing-room to hand out the medals.
“I can’t even remember who did that now, someone came in with a pile of them and gave them out before we left.
“It’s pretty much the only game in my career I haven’t watched back, I’ve had no interest in seeing it again.”
Clark hasn’t even taken the medal from his parents’ house. It is a case of out of sight out of mind when it comes to that memento.
He added: “When you lose a final it’s horrible and I’ve not even looked at the medal, it’s at my mums and dad’s house.
“She likes having them there, it’s sitting there with my dad’s medals.
“Playing in a final at Hampden is obviously a fantastic occasion but you have to win it to look back and have good memories.
“It was a bad day, a crazy day to be honest.”
United got to the Scottish Cup semi-final last season but fell short against Hibs in front of a covid-empty national stadium. Clark knows a win over Celtic and a return trip would be massive for the United support - who will have three quarters of Tannadice this evening.
He said: “We got to the semis last season and that was another weird one, playing at Hampden with no fans there.
“It didn’t feel right and that was another frustrating day for us.
“It will be different on Monday when we have a big support behind us at Tannadice, especially because we will have fans behind both goals. Usually when we have Celtic and Rangers at our place they get the Shed but this time the club has kept it.”
United have already toppled Rangers at home and would love to add Celtic to that scalp.
They ran Celtic close and got a draw in the first game at Parkhead before they lost the second
one narrowly. The one game at Tannadice was a one-sided affair and it is one United are keen to avoid a repeat of.
Clark acknowledged: “Celtic have improved massively this season as it’s gone on.
“When we played them at Parkhead we did well and got a point, but they blew us away when they came to Tannadice.
“We were a bit off it and couldn’t get near them. Credit to them, they were brilliant that day.”
“They come out and try to swamp you. We need to be at it right from the start. That was the biggest problem with the Tannadice game because we never started well enough.
“We tried to get back into it but we left ourselves with too much to do. ‘We need to be at it, stay in the game and then take our chances when we get them.
“If we stick to the game plan we know our fitness levels are very good and if we are bang at it then we will give ourselves a good chance. “We know it’ll be difficult but we’ve done well against them and we know we can do it again.”
Captain Ryan Edwards is fit. Charlie Mulgrew and Dylan Levitt are back available, while Tony Watt will be given until the last possible minute.
