HEARTS CRUNCH WON'T FAZE ME AFTER PLAYING DALBEATTIE STAR ONE WEEK AND BOCA THE NEXT SAYS GRETNA'S RYAN MCGUFFIE

GRETNA star Ryan McGuffie isn't fazed at the prospect of facing Hearts - he once turned out against Boca Juniors a week after facing Dalbeattie Star.

The midfielder believed he was on the brink of the big time when Sir Bobby Robson signed him for Newcastle seven years ago.

But two years at St James' Park left him so disillusioned he threatened to turn his back on the game for good.

McGuffie is in love with football again thanks to his role in the great Gretna fairytale which veers towards fantasy on Saturday when they take on the Jambos in the Scottish Cup Final.

The 25-year-old from Dumfries started his career with Annan Athletic and was on the verge of signing for St Mirren when Sir Bobby came calling.

He wasn't exactly offered a gentle introduction at United when he turned up for his first match at the club's Chester-le-Street training ground and found crack Argentines Boca waiting to play a friendly.

McGuffie said: "I was playing with Annan and during the summer of 1999 a couple of clubs were interested in taking me on trial while St Mirren and Carlisle had offered contracts.

"Suddenly Newcastle came in with an offer of a trial that led to a two-year deal and my first game was against Boca.

"It was amazing because a week or so earlier I'd been playing for Annan in a tournament, ironically at Raydale Park, against Gretna, Threave Rovers and Dalbeattie Star.

"Suddenly I was lining up against a mixture of Boca first-team and reserve players, who had been brought over to play in the hope of catching the attention of the people at United.

"These were players were worth £1million and I was so raw but Sir Bobby still offered me a two-year deal. He jokingly said they would offer whatever Annan were paying me, which was around £2.50 a week.

"I was at United for two years with boys such as Steven and Gary Caldwell, Brian Kerr and Colin McMenamin and although I played in the reserves, I was a million miles from the top team.

"I trained every day with players such as Alan Shearer and Nolberto Solano but United were a buying club then and if they needed a player they'd bring one in rather than promote from the reserves.

"I was still led to believe I would be offered a new contract but in the end I was released and I came home.

"I was offered contracts by clubs such as Macclesfield but I wanted to come back to Dumfries where I would be surrounded by family and friends.

"I was disillusioned with the game and it was no longer my main aim to make it in football. I had started a business management degree in Glasgow before joining United and I came back, enrolled at Edinburgh University and graduated in September.

"I hope to use my degree, hopefully to become a PE teacher and work in coaching with the SFA, but the focus is back on football as this club has taken off so much since Brooks Mileson arrived."

McGuffie, Gavin Skelton, David Mathieson and Derek Townsley are the only players at Raydale with experience of the club pre-Mileson.

He added: "The whole club is much more professional now. Pre-Brooks it was in much more turmoil and was kept afloat by the takings from the Sunday market in the car park.

"There is a higher standard of player at the club these days and I'm just glad to have kept my place in the team.

"It's great to be part of a club that's in the Cup Final and looking forward to Europe, whereas in the past they were happy to be mid-table in the Third Division, playing in front of a couple of hundred.

"As a Dumfries lad, I grew up supporting Queen of the South but there's even a sense of 'well done' towards Gretna from Queens fans for our achievements.

"The entire south west of Scotland has benefited from the attention our club has attracted in recent months."

Former Cowdenbeath striker Dene Shields, 23, also hopes to attract his share of the limelight after living in the shadows of two former team-mates.

Shields even has to fight for bragging rights in his own household after kid brother Jay broke into the first team at Hibs towards the end of the season.

The Gretna frontman played at youth level with Garry O'Connor and Derek Riordan and hopes to follow them into the big time.

He said: "We played together with Granton Sports in Edinburgh and while Derek and Garry opted for Hibs, I joined Sunderland.

"It was tough to hear they were playing first-team football when I was stuck in the reserves and under-19s but things have worked out well for me.

"I'm also pleased Jay has made an impact at Hibs this season because we've always supported each other. I've got two years on him but we've always shared good banter with each other through good times and bad and he'll be at Hampden with the rest of the family to cheer me on."

The Shields clan hail from The Inch district of the capital and green and white blood pumps through their veins.

He added: "My dad has taken me to watch Hibs since I was a kid and it's every Hibee's dream to put one over on Hearts in a final.

"There's no extra motivation needed for me this weekend and hopefully I can help play a part in a memorable day for Gretna."

Taken from the Daily Record