Ex-Hearts stalwart Neil: Queens can be kings

COLLEEN PATERSON
NEIL MacFARLANE played in three cup semi-finals and the group stages of the UEFA Cup during his time at Hearts but, according to the Queen of the South midfielder, beating Aberdeen this weekend would top the lot.
MacFarlane is hoping his side can pull off a shock result against the Dons in the last four of the Scottish Cup at Hampden on Saturday.

And, if they manage to dump Jimmy Calderwood's side to set up a final with either St Johnstone, Rangers or Partick Thistle, it would, without doubt, be the highlight of MacFarlane's career.

The 30-year-old played for the Jambos between July 2002 and January 2006, making 73 appearances for the club and featuring in three losing semi-final ties for the club. Following the disappointment of missing out with Hearts – losing to Rangers and Motherwell in the last four of the League Cup in 2003 and 2005, and Celtic in the Scottish Cup, also in 2005 – MacFarlane is desperate to go one better this time round.

"If we can make it past Aberdeen then I think that it would be the highlight of my career," he admitted.

"I've played a lot of games for different teams and obviously there have been a few cup competitions with both Hearts and Aberdeen.

"I played in three semi-finals when I was with Hearts, the most recent being the 2-1 defeat to Celtic back in 2005 and they were all massive occasions for me.

"But I think that you always expect clubs of that stature to be in the latter stages of the cup competitions. Because of the size of the club and the fact that we are playing in the First Division, it would be a bigger achievement if we could take them past the semi stages.

"No-one would have believed you at the start of the season if you'd said that Queen of the South would be playing Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final, but it has happened and now we have got to try to take advantage of it."

Cup fever has gripped Dumfries over the past few weeks and MacFarlane would love the supporters to have something to celebrate on Saturday night.

It will be the first time that some of the players have stepped out onto the Hampden turf – or played in front of such a big crowd – but it is an occasion that MacFarlane insists he and his team-mates are looking forward to with no trepidation.

Insisting that there is no danger of the Queens stars getting a bad bout of stage fright, he added: "It's a massive weekend for us and hopefully it will be a great occasion because we have got between ten and 11,000 supporters going to Hampden.

"It's a long time since the club has been to that stage of the competition so we want to try to make the most of it.

"The boys are just looking forward to it, we know that it will be difficult for us but we will go into the game with a bit of confidence.

"Our form since mid-December has been pretty good so we've got a lot of self-belief. We'll go into the game as underdogs but that could help us.

"We've gone into a few games recently as underdogs, we played Morton in the Cup at Cappielow and beat them 2-0 and then beat Dundee, who are going for the title this season

"Obviously, Aberdeen are a completely different proposition for us this weekend because they are an SPL side and they're in the top six.

"But there's no point in going into a game like this unless you think that you could get the right result. They're expected to win the game, so we've got nothing to lose really and we'll go out there and give it everything that we've got."

Young Hearts goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald, pictured below, has been on loan at Queens this season and part of last and has made a real impression during his time at Palmerston.

MacDonald still trains with Hearts one day a week, working closely with coach and first-choice goalie Steve Banks.

However, MacFarlane is hoping that MacDonald will make the move to Queens permanent at the end of this season, stressing that the first-team experience he has gained from his time in Dumfries has helped his career come on in leaps and bounds.

He added: "Jamie MacDonald has been in outstanding form for us this season and he's been a key part of our run to the semi-finals. We've had a few draws lately when maybe we've been winning more in the past, but Jamie has done brilliantly.

"He's pulled off some really good saves for us and kept us in games that we would otherwise have lost. He's been a bit of a stalwart for us and he's played a big role this season.

"If he had stayed with Hearts then I don't know that he would have been at the same stage he is now. Playing in the first team has really given him a lot of confidence and it's all experience for him. He's a great keeper and a really good young guy as well and we would all love him to stay at the club longer than the end of the season."

MacFarlane spent four years at Tynecastle before moving to Pittodrie and admits that it has been difficult to comprehend a club of Hearts' stature failing to make it into the top half of the SPL table this season.

"It's been a really disappointing season for the club and for the supporters and quite sad to see a club of their stature struggling like that. Obviously not making it into the top six is a massive thing, particularly when you look back over the last few years at them lifting the Scottish Cup and then splitting the Old Firm in the SPL. But the most important thing now for them will be to go away, regroup and start focusing on next season.

"It's vital that they make a good start to the next campaign and show that they can turn things around.

"I've spoken to a few of the players and they all seem to like working with Stephen Frail and his t
raining methods.

"It would probably do the club good to have some kind of stability and I think it would be good for them to keep him on. He would obviously be a popular choice with the players."

MacFarlane has enjoyed a relatively unbroken run in the Queens side this season, having seen his career disrupted by injuries in years gone by, and he would love to extend it even further by helping steer them to victory on Saturday.

"I'm really enjoying my football right now," he continued. "We've got a good bunch of boys at Queens and obviously there is a bit of a buzz about the place with the Cup run. This is the first season here that I've really had a run at it because I've not had many problems with injury and I'm really feeling the benefit of it.

"Hopefully I've got a few more games to come before the end of the season and if we can make it past Aberdeen then even better."

Taken from the Scotsman