DON'T CROSS THE LINE

EVERYBODY knows cup final day at Hampden is As Good As It Gets.

It certainly will be for big-match referee Dougie McDonald.

'There is, you see, a touch of the Jack

Nicholsons about McDonald every time the Edinburgh official gets ready for action.

In fact, Nicholson could well have based a little part of his Oscar-winning portayal of an obsessive compulsive recluse on the man in charge of tomorrow's end-of-season showpiece between Hearts and Gretna.

It was standing on the cracks of pavements that brought Melvin Udall to the edge of reason.

For McDonald it's the white lines that will mark Mount Florida's green carpet.

Before he blows his whistle for the first time tomorrow, McDonald will have tip-toed his way around almost every one of them, making sure not to bring his boot down in the wrong place at the wrong time.

McDonald, thedirectorofatransport planning consultancy, said: "I do have a couple of superstitions little rituals that I go through before every game. "First, when I come out of the tunnel for the field inspection I always go to the left. I don't know why but it's just something I always do for some reason.

"The other thing I do is make sure I never step on any of the white lines prior to the match, during the field inspection or my warm-up.

"I suppose it is a little bit like the Jack Nicholson character from the film As Good As It Gets. It may sound a bit daft but it's something I can't do anything about.

"I was actually doing it subconsciously for four or five years when I started as a referee. Then suddenly became aware that I was doing it and decided I'd better not change it so it's something I'm stuck with now."

McDonald's Cup Final day will start with a leisurely morning drive across the M8 0 Glasgowbefore he teams up with his assistants for a pre-match nosh-up in a city centre hotel.

Any time then he expects the pre-match jitters to follow him across the motorway.

He said: "We'll go for lunch at the SFA's expense and then we will be ferried over to Hampden to meet the observers, supervisors and staff of the SFA who are having their lunch at the stadium.

"From half past one onwards I'll just prepare for the match as normal but yes, I do expect the nerves to start biting.

"I get nervous before every game. At some point during my preparations I can feel the nerves kick in and I believe you need that little rush of adrenalin. It's hemomentyourealiseyou'reina game.

"The bigger the game the bigger that adrenalin rush is and I'm sure it's the same for the players. I honestly believe when that stops happening to me I'll have come to the end of my time as a referee.

"You want to make sure you call everything right. You don't want to be at the centre of adverse comment or controversy after the match. That carries quite a pressure, as does the media coverage.

"Most of all though I carry the pressure of doing well for myself and my family.

"I'm also only the second referee from the Edinburgh and District Referees' Association in 55 years to referee the Cup Final so that brings an added weight of expectation from my colleagues.

"They are all delighted that I got the appointment and I want to make sure I can look them in the eye when it's over."

This will be McDonald's first Scottish Cup Final as the man in the middle although he was fourth official at Hampden two years ago when Henrik Larsson gave Celtic the perfect going-away present, two goals in a 3-1 win over Dunfermline.

The Swede's script could have been penned in Hollywood as he took his final bow before leaving for Barcelona. Yet McDonald believes this year's final has even more of a blockbuster feel to it.

He said: "The Larsson final was a great day - but then there's always something a little bit special about the Cup Final.

"Having said that, this one has even more magic about it because the two clubs involved have both had real fairytale seasons.

"They've both had a lot of publicity throughout the season for one reason or another and they've both invested heavily in their teams.

"Because of all that many people would consider this to be a fitting way to bring the curtain down on the season and I'm just delighted that I'll be a small part of it.

"To be honest it's hard to give the job my full attention right now with the Cup Final looming. I've always found football agreat escape from the pressures of work but right now it's getting hard to think ab out much else but the Final.

"Everybody is talking about it, wishing me well and looking forward to the game themselves so you can really feel the interest and excitement building up."

McDonald will also come face to face with Valdas Ivanauskas for the first time since dismissing Hearts' Lithuanian head coach to the stand at Parkhead on the night Celtic wrapped up the SPL title.

Ivanauskas flew into a touchline rage after McDonald had failed to award his side a penalty, sparking new persecution complexes at a club that truly believes Scotland's officials are out to get them.

So angry was Ivanauskas that he refused to attend the after-match press conference and the SFA ban that followed will have done little to warm his seemingly permantly frosty mood.

But McDonald said: "What happened between us is in the past now and doesn't come into play at all. The game is about the 22 players on the pitch - it's not ab out managers or referees. So there's no problem between myself and anybody at Hearts, or Gretna for that matter.

"Yes, I had to sendValdas Ivanauskas to the stand on the advice of my fourth official but he's served his sentence and we move on. It's no problem to me."

Now McD onald is hoping for a problem-free finale. In fact, his big, end-of-season knees-up depends upon it.

He said: "I'm going out for a meal and a few drinks with a number of my friends from the Association in Edinburgh just to celebrate the end of the season and what will hopefully be a fantastic occasion.

"It's a bit of a risk going out in Edinburgh after refereeing Hearts in the Final but hopefully we'll chose a nice quiet place where nobody knows me."

It could be a perfect end to the perfect day for Dougie McDonald. Just so long as he stays off the white lines, ofcourse.

Taken from the Daily Record