Capital final not on Campbell's agenda

PARTICK Thistle manager Dick Campbell has urged his players to wreck hopes of an all-Edinburgh Scottish Cup final.

The Bell's Second Division side face a daunting trip to Tynecastle this lunchtime hoping to thwart Hearts' bid to lift their first silverware since 1998. Campbell believes many neutral supporters are hoping for an Edinburgh derby at Hampden Park in May but, after knocking Inverness Caledonian Thistle out in the previous round, the Firhill manager is confident Partick can claim another SPL scalp today.

"There is something happening this year in the cup - it's not just as straightforward as it being a Hearts-Hibs final," said Campbell. "We've earned the right to be there. One hundred and twenty clubs started in the competition and we're in the last eight. We'll be very well prepared and hope Lady Luck is with us on the day.

"I think people want a Hearts and Hibs final and I'm sure the sponsors would want that. But you can't go down the road of thinking about just giving your best. This is reality and we're just two games away from a national final."

Celtic and Rangers were out the competition before the quarter-final stage, leaving Hearts as favourites to lift the cup. But Campbell wonders how the Gorgie side will cope with that extra pressure.

He added: "The psychology side of the game is interesting. They are not only favourites to win the game but they are strong favourites to win the cup. They'll have to deal with that. From our point of view, when you get to the last eight, you're going to pick up hard games.

"Their fans are not only expecting to beat us but they are expecting to lift the cup. It's a psychological thing and Rangers and Celtic have had to deal with it for years. It would be folly of anyone at Hearts to think we'll just make up the numbers, especially after what we did to Inverness."

Taken from the Scotsman