Cup final matchday programme

The Scottish Football League has produced a bumper 68-page A4 size Matchday Programme for Sunday's Scottish Communities League Cup Final between St. Mirren and Heart of Midlothian.

The Matchday Programme has extensive coverage of both finalists including exclusive interviews with the St. Mirren management team of Danny Lennon and Tommy Craig and the Hearts First Team Coach, Gary Locke.

In addition, there are various interviews with a number of the players who will feature at Hampden on Sunday including two of the players who have come through the Paisley club's youth system, Marc McAusland and John McGinn, the two on loan youngsters from Newcastle United, Paul Dummett and Conor Newton, and strikers Steven Thompson and Esmael Goncalves, who both scored in the Semi-Final victory over Celtic. In the Hearts camp, there are interviews with the on loan defender Danny Wilson and the player that scored the opening goal in last season's Scottish Cup Final, Darren Barr, youngster Jamie Walker and midfielder Ryan Stevenson, as well as the Hearts strikeforce of John Sutton and Michael Ngoo, the latter who scored in the Semi-Final victory against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

There are exclusive interviews with the respective club captains, Jim Goodwin and Andy Webster, and a piece on the respective finalists' Goalkeeping Coaches, Paul Mathers and Alan Combe, as well as the two men who will be the last line of defence on Sunday, Saints 'keeper Craig Samson and the Hearts number one Jamie Macdonald.

There are also a number of fascinating articles taking a trip down memory lane with former stars of both finalists. Older St. Mirren supporters will be interested to hear the views of Jim Rodger, Gerry Baker and Alistair Miller, who all played in the 1959 Scottish Cup Final victory over Aberdeen with Rodger also recalling the 1955 League Cup Final. We also speak to more recent Saints legends, Tony Fitzpatrick and Billy Abercomby, who played in the1987 Scottish Cup Final success against Dundee United. Older Hearts fans will similarly be interested to hear the stories of three of the Tynecastle favourites from the club's golden period during the 1950s and early 1960s, Freddie Glidden, Jimmy Murray and Gordon Marshall, and we also hear the views of Neil McCann, Stevie Fulton and Colin Cameron, who all starred for Hearts in the 1998 Scottish Cup victory against Rangers.

There are also highly entertaining profiles by David van Zanten and Jamie Hamill on their respective team-mates and in addition, other features include articles on the match officials, a detailed report on the round-by-round Road to Hampden, detailed statistical information as well as a number of action packed photographs. And to cap it all off, there are several historical features on both clubs as well as a look back at all of the League Cup Finals contested by Saints and Hearts.

Priced at just £5.00, Sunday's official Matchday Programme is available both outside and inside the stadium from kiosks and programme sellers.

It is an excellent read for all Saints and Hearts' fans, and is a souvenir worth treasuring!

Hearts World