GERS GONGS WILL MEAN NOTHING

STEVEN PRESSLEY keeps a Scottish Cup winner's medal in a cupboard at home that rarely attracts a glance.

But if the Hearts skipper holds aloft the famous old trophy at Hampden this afternoon he will never tire of looking at a badge that will symbolise the most remarkable season of his career.

Never mind a Scottish Cup winner's medal - they should strike a football VC for the Scotland defender who has led his team with valour on and off the field in the last 10 months.

It is all a far cry from his days as a teenage apprentice at Rangers, when he was a bit-part player in the success-crazed nine-in-a-row era.

Now, at the age of 32, Elvis is older and wiser and realised long ago that football seasons don't always end with players cavorting with silverware in the sun in front of their fans.

He believes a win over Gretna this afternoon will be just reward for the Hearts players for their efforts over the course of the campaign.

In addition, he freely admits his first medal since leaving Ibrox would mean so much more than those he picked up as part of Walter Smith's squad.

Pressley said: "I've got two league winner's medals and a Scottish Cup medal from my time at Rangers. I would have completed the set with the League Cup but Ally McCoist stole my place in the squad and scored an overhead kick in the Final against Hibs.

"The Scottish Cup medal was awarded after our 2-1 win over Aberdeen at Parkhead in 1993 but it's in the cupboard and I hardly look at it.

"I came on in the last two minutes of the match for Peter Huistra to add a wee bit of flair and I reckon my appearance changed the game.

"Seriously, at a club such as Rangers you were picking up silverware so regularly it was accepted as the norm.

"It's only when you leave you realise that's not the case and I've waited a long time to add another medal to my collection.

"I played only a small part in the period of success Rangers enjoyed back then and, it's true, I will take far more satisfaction if I win my first trophy with Hearts.

"I've spoken with Neil McCann about it and he agrees. He won several honours in his time at Ibrox, but probably still treasures the Scottish Cup medal he won with this club back in 1998 above them all."

Pressley has led with distinction as the players' spokesman this season and has stood up time and again to give measured verdicts to some of Vladimir Romanov's most unpredictable decisions.

He hasn't lose his sense of humour through it all and when asked if he could ever imagine being in the Cup Final when he was addressing the media after a crisis at Riccarton earlier in the season he said: "Which one?"

He admits he has learned more about himself in the last 12 months than at any other stage in his career.

His worth to the club will be reflected at the National Stadium, where the fans are planning Elvis tributes, while the SFA have bent the rules to allow his four-year-old son, Aaron, to act as club mascot when they prefer kids to be at least eight.

For all Romanov's eccentricities, Pressley also appreciates the owner has the best interests of the club at heart, even if he doesn't always take decisions that make life any easier for his squad.

Pressley added: "It's important to learn as a player and captain year on year and I've done that this season.

"It has been rather stressful, 24/7 at times, but this club means a lot to me and it's important we bring success to Hearts.

"I'm very fortunate to have a supportive family, especially my wife, June, and my mum, Norma, as well as some very close friends who are not involved in the game.

"But it's not about me, everyone has contributed greatly this season - on the field and off.

"The most important factor in it all has been the spirit created in the squad and even the guys who have not played regularly have never caused a problem.

"Hopefully we can help play a part in building a club that's a successful business on and off the park.

"Our semi-final game against Hibs was very significant in allowing Mr Romanov to see the true potential of this club.

"He cannot keep supplying endless amount of money from his other business interests because, in the long term, the objective must be to operate the club at a profit.

"That means attracting bigger crowds and I'm sure we can do it if the experience of the Final is anything to go on.

"I never thought there would be so much demand for tickets from fans, it has been phenomenal. I've had to work like a ticket tout to keep everyone happy."

Pressley expects to be forced to work as hard on the park as off it, despite Gretna's Second Division status.

He is a huge admirer of everything Brooks Mileson has achieved with the Raydale Park club, especially his focus on youth development. He added: "Gretna is a great story for Scottish football and Brooks clearly has a long-term goal for his club.

"He's an example to many top-flights clubs because he has invested so much in youth development at his club.

"Clubs who don't attract substantial numbers through their gates should rely more on their youth players coming through.

"Quite frankly, if you look at the lack of development in that area by some SPL clubs it's embarrassing.

"But Gretna also have great experience in their first team and I've pitted my wits against the likes of James Grady in the SPL.

"In terms of creating interest, they have been a breath of fresh air as it's usually Old Firm players under the microscope at this time of the season.

"The Scottish game has been crying out for years for a team like Gretna but a club of our standing must also be winning trophies on amore regular basis.

"We've got to show we're more than one-season wonders, as many have already suggested."

Taken from the Daily Record