Hearts and Hampden can wait as St Mirren's veterans plan to put Buddies kids in their place first

CRAIG SAMSON'S League Cup Final diary reveals how dressing-room banter is boosting the Buddies ahead of their showdown with Hearts.
Craig Samson celebrates the semi-final win over Celtic Craig Samson celebrates the semi-final win over Celtic
Reuters

RELIEF was the feeling in our dressing-room on Saturday because League Cup Final week is finally here.

After weeks of talking about it and being at the back of our minds, we can now focus on winning that trophy.

And, like most days at St Mirren, the banter has already started.

Now, I hear David Van Zanten is trying to rival my Record Sport diary in another paper and I have a bit of competition.

But I can assure you I plan to blow him out of the water. In fact, he’s already been on the phone asking what I’m going to write – just so he can copy it.

What I would say – at this early stage in the week – is that no-one deserves a cup winner’s medal more than Vanzy because of what he’s done for the club.

He’s played more than 300 games for St Mirren so I’ll start off by giving him a bit of praise. Don’t get me wrong, he’s only played five good games in 300.

We’re up in St Andrews for a few days of relaxation. It’s great because it means the boys can indulge in a few wind-ups.

The gaffer loves to throw a pop quiz in, the players v the coaches. He boasts about how the coaching staff always win it but I’d suggest it’s easier when you already know the answers. He
basically forces us all to put a fiver in the pot, then rigs it so his team wins.

We’ll train today before hitting the golf course. Dougie Imrie claims he’s going to come out on top but Dougie thinks he’s brilliant at everything.

The last time he played golf, his first shot landed about three feet off the tee. So we’ll see if he’s not all mouth and can win the tournament. I doubt it.

At St Mirren we’ve got the older, more senior players who stick together and wind-up the younger lads. We call them “Team Ned” – Paul McGowan, Kenny McLean, Marc McAusland, Graham Carey and Dougie. They get pelters.

I’m in the older camp with Lee Mair, Vanzy, Jim Goodwin, Stevie Thompson and Sam Parkin.

Then there’s Lewis Guy. He’s not in either group as he’s a loner. Lewis has a dry sense of humour but whenever he’s asked on a team night out, he says “nah mate, I’m here to work not socialise”.

Wee Dougie’s one of the Twitterati at the club but Vanzy and Mair are worse. Twitter is all you hear off them. I don’t know how they’re wives put up with it – they must sit at home all night on it.

I’m working with the keepers today and you’ll find at every club the goalies are tight-knit. Here, we’ve got myself, Grant Adam, Chris Smith and Paul Mathers, the coach.

Big Grant gets called Buzz, you know the guy from Home Alone? He’s a dead ringer. Charlie Adam’s his brother, by the way as if we didn’t hear that enough.

Chris is different. He’s training to join the police. He’s on his last interview and trying his hardest to become a cop.

We hope he gets in... but I wouldn’t mind running away from big Wally – there’s no chance of him catching you!

The gaffer, Danny Lennon, likes to be part of the banter. He loves to crack a few jokes but they’re horrendous – he makes them up himself.

He also has a serious side and you know when he’s got his game-face on. I’m sure we’ll see more of that.

Taken from the Daily Record