The Journey to Parkhead

The Scottish Cup 2013/2014 began on the 14th September 2013, this was also around the time when the SFA began to decide where the Semi Final and Final would be played due to Hampden being unavailable as it is undergoing work for the Commonwealth games in 2014. It was decided that Ibrox would host the Semi Final and Parkhead would host the Final.

The First Round began with these results:

Bora Rangers 1-0 Vale of Leithen
Coldstream 0-6 Wick Academy
Deveronvale 5-0 Clachnacuddin
Edinburgh University 0-2 Spartans FC
Forres Mechanics 4-5 Keith
Fort William 0-0 Newton Stewart FC
Fraserburgh 4-0 Civil Service Strollers
Gala Fairydean 3-1 Glasgow University
Girvan 1-5 Auchinleck Talbot
Golspie Sutherland 0-4 Edinburgh City
Hawick Royal Albert 0-1 St Cuthbert Wanderers
Huntly 3-4 Preston Athletic
Inverurie Loco Works 3-0 Burntisland Shipyard
Linlithgow Rose 2-0 Nairn County
Lossiemouth 0-0 Culter
Selkirk 1-3 Turriff United
Threave Rovers 3-0 Rothes
Wigtown & Bladnoch 3-4 Buckie Thistle

With replays needing to be played between  Fort William and Newton Stewart FC, as well as Lossiemouth and Culter. The results of the replays which were played on the 21st September 2013 went as follows:

Culter 3-1 Lossiemouth
Newton Stewart FC 3-1 Fort William

The Second Round was played on the 5th/6th October 2013, the results are as follows:

Albion 1-0 Spartans FC
Auchinleck Talbot 4-0 St Cuthbert Wanderers
Berwick 2-1 Peterhead
Bora Rangers 1-1 Cove Rangers
Buckie Thistle 0-0 Annan Athletic
Dalbeattie Star 0-1 Montrose
Devenronvale 2-2 Linlithgow Rose
Edinburgh City 4-4 Fraserburgh
Formartine United 0-2 Inverurie Loco Works
Gala Fairydean 0-3 Clyde
Keith 0-4 Elgin
Newton Stewart FC 0-6 Culter
Queen's Park 2-2 Preston Athletic
Stirling 2-2 Whitehall Welfare
Turriff United 4-2 Wick Academy
East Stirling 6-0 Threave Rovers

With many replays needing to be played in this round between, Buckie Thistle and Annan Athletic, Devenronvale and Linlithgow Rose, Edinburgh City and Fraserburgh, Queen's Park and Preston Athletic as well as Stirling and Whitehall Welfare.These were played on the 12th/19th October 2013, the results as follows:

Cove Rangers 0-3 Bora Rangers
Fraserburgh 2-0 Edinburgh City
Linglithgow Rose 1-3 Devenronvale
Preston Athletic 1-2 Queen's Park
Whitehall 1-2 Stirling



The Third Round was played on the 1st/2nd and 3rd November 2013, the results as follows:

Rangers 3-0 Airdrieonians
Culter 1-1  Berwick
Albion Rovers 1-0 Deveronvale
Alloa 3-0 Inverurie Loco Works
Arbroath 0-2 Brechin
Ayr United 3-2 Queen's Park
Clyde 2-1 Bora Rangers
Dumbarton 2-1 Cowdenbeath
Elgin 3-5 Dunfermline
Forfar 2-1 East Fife
Fraserburgh 2-1 Montrose
Queen of the South 1-0 Hamilton
Stenhousemuir 2-2 Annan Athletic
Stranraer 2-2 Auchinleck Talbot
Turriff United 0-3 Stirling
East Stirling 0-2 Raith Rovers

With Replays needing to be played between Stranraer and Auchinleck Talbot, Stenhousemuir and Annan Athletic and Culter and Berwick. These would be played on the 9th and 12th November 2013, the results as follows:

Berwick 3-1 Culter
Auchinleck Talbot 2-3 Stranraer
Annan Athletic 2-4 Stenhousemuir



The Fourth Round began which is where all the dramatic action begins to happen with Premier League and Championship clubs entering the competition. This round would be played on the 29th/30th November and 1st December 2013. The results are as follows:

Dundee United 5-2 Kilmarnock
Falkirk 0-2 Rangers
Albion Rovers 1-0 Motherwell
Alloa 3-2 Stirling
Ayr United 1-1 Dunfermline
Berwick 1-3 Dumbarton
Brechin 1-1 Forfar
Clyde 1-1 Stranraer
Dundee 0-1 Raith Rovers
Inverness CT 4-0 Morton
Queen of the South 2-2 St Mirren
Ross County 0-1 Hibernian
St Johnstone 2-0 Livingston
Stenhousemuir 3-0 Fraserburgh
Partick Thistle 0-1 Aberdeen
Hearts 0-7 Celtic

The replays were played on the 4th and 10th December 2013, between Ayr United and Dunfermline, Brechin and Forfar, Clyde and Stranraer and Queen of the South and St Mirren, the results as follows:

Dunfermline 1-0 Ayr United
Stranraer 4-1 Clyde
St Mirren 3-0 Queen of the South
Forfar 3-3 Brechin  (Forfar won 4-3 on penalties)



The Fifth Round was played on the 7th/8th/9th February 2014, the results as follows:

Rangers 4-0 Dunfermline
Celtic 1-2 Aberdeen
Hibernian 2-3 Raith Rovers
Albion Rovers 2-0 Stenhousemuir
Alloa 0-1 Dumbarton
Forfar 0-4 St Johnstone
Stranraer 2-2 Inverness CT
Dundee United 2-1 St Mirren

The replay were played on the 18th February 2014 between Inverness CT and Stranarear, the result:

Inverness CT 2-0 Stranraer

A round up blog of the round -William Hill Scottish Cup Fifth Round - Round Up



The Quarter Finals were played on the 8th and 9th March 2014, the results as follows:

Raith Rovers 1-3 St Johnstone
Aberdeen 1-0 Dumbarton
Inverness CT 0-5 Dundee United
Rangers 1-1 Albion Rovers

The only replay of this round was between Rangers and Albion Rovers, which was played on the 17th March 2014, the result:

Albion Rovers 0-2 Rangers

A round up blog of the round - William Hill Scottish Cup Quarter Final - Round Up



The Semi Finals were played on the 12th and 13th April 2014, these games would be played at Ibrox. This caused upset for Dundee United as it was giving home advantage to Rangers. However, the results as follows:

Rangers 1-3 Dundee United
St Johnstone 2-1 Aberdeen

A round up blog of the round - William Hill Scottish Cup Semi Final - Round Up

The Final will be the first ever Tayside Derby as well as the first ever Scottish Cup Final for St Johnstone. Which will be played at Parkhead on the 17th May 2014.

A brief breakdown of both clubs cup runs:

Dundee United

Round 4 - 5-2 win over Kilmarnock, Friday, 29th November, Robertson (x2), Armstrong, Mackay-Steven and Graham scoring for United to help them progress into the next round.

Round 5 - 2-1 win over St Mirren, Sunday, 9th February, Gauld and Ciftci, gives United the lead allowing them to progress into the Quarter Finals.

Round 6 - Quarter Final - 5-0 win over Inverness CT, Sunday, 9th March, Ciftci (x2), Gunning, Mackay-Steven and Armstrong, were all on the score sheet allowing them to make the trip to Ibrox for the Semi Final.

Round 7 - Semi Final - 3-1 win over Rangers, Saturday, 12th April, Ciftci, Mackay-Steven and Armstrong, secure the round for United and allow them to progress to play at Parkhead to fight out for the Trophy.

Jackie McNamara's Dundee United are looking to keep up the hard work they have done throughout all of this season. With the long run of thrashing teams with 4 or 5 goals every week before the festive period, however the team fell a bit during the festive period. It has been a mixed season for the team and they hoped that they were back to winning ways after the fantastic 5-0 win over Inverness CT, then the fantastic performance and team effort in the Semi Finals. Are Dundee United able to go all the way and win the Scottish Cup for only the 3rd time in their 105 year history? Saturday, May 17th will decide that.

St Johnstone

Round 4 - 2-0 win over Livingston, Saturday, 30th Novermber, May and Jahic allowed St Johnstone to progress to the next round.

Round 5 - 4-0 win over Forfar, Saturday,  8th February, May, Wright, O'Halloran and Dunne made it an easy win for St Johnstone to progress to the Quarter Final.

Round 6 - Quarter Final - 3-1 win over Raith Rovers, Saturday, 8th March, McDonald, Hasselbank and Anderson make it confirmed that they will play at Ibrox in the Semi Final.

Round 7 - Semi Final - 2-1 win over Aberdeen, Sunday, 13th April, a May double allows St Johnstone to take the trip to Parkhead in the first EVER final for St Johnstone.

Tommy Wright's St Johnstone, have also had a mixed season. However, thanks to striker Stevie May they have been able to get great wins over many teams. This young talent will be a threat to Dundee United as he has been over the past few times that the sides have met in the Premiership. Through their cup run the team has had a mixture of wins, winning the Fifth Round and Quarter Final, however two tough games at the start and the Semi Final proves that they will be a massive threat to Dundee United. This is the first ever Scottish Cup Final for the club in the clubs 130 years. Are they going to have their first taste of silver ware on the 17th May?

The question now is who is going to lift this famous trophy in such a massive derby? Dundee United or St Johnstone

A Tribute to the Legend that is Frank Kopel

As many people know we received some sad news that on April 16th 2014 that the beloved Frank Kopel passed away after his long fight with Alzheimers. Frank was only 65 when he passed away. However, this blog was written to celebrate his life and the amazing achievements he had throughout his life.

Frank was born March 28th 1949, in Falkirk, Scotland. Frank became a very well known footballer during the middle 60s where he started off his professional career with Manchester United. Frank had a short three year spell at Manchester United before moving onto Blackburn Rovers until 1972. 

In 1972, Frank became Jim McLean's first signing at Dundee United and for almost a decade was a fixture in the side at left-back. In his ten years at Tannadice, his steady, reliable performances contributed to the success of Dundee United throughout the 1970s. His status as a legend was of course secured as part of the side which won the Club's first major trophy in 1979, but even before that he was an integral part of the side which continued to ensure United's place in the top flight of Scottish football. In particular he played an important part as United held on to Premier League status in the very difficult season 1975-76. In total, Frank made 407 appearances for Dundee United, which ranks eleventh in the Club's all time list of appearances. His outstanding contribution to Dundee United was rightly recognised by his induction into the Club's Hall of Fame in 2011.



Recommended to United by Ian Mitchell, who like Frank hailed from Falkirk, he was signed by Jim McLean on New Year's Day 1972. Although a defender, he made his debut in midfield against Morton in the league on 29th January 1972. And the highlight of a quiet start to his Tannadice career was netting five times in a couple of Forfarshire Cup ties, including a hat-trick against Arbroath.The following season he established himself as the regular left-back, a position that, other than through injury, he rarely relinquished over the next nine years.



A member of the United side that reached the Scottish Cup final for the first time in 1974, he was an ever present in the team but unfortunately had to settle for a runners-up medal, as again was the case in the 1981 final. Sandwiched between those disappointments, however, he collected two winners' medals in the Scottish League Cup after wins over Aberdeen in December 1979 and again twelve months later when retaining the trophy against Dundee.

In February 1982, he was released to be appointed player/coach at Arbroath, but returned to United for short spells on three subsequent occasions, to help out with the reserves. And indeed on occasions he turned out alongside his son Scott, who was also a United player at that time.




Understandably, as a defender, he was not renowned for his goal scoring, but undoubtedly his most important goal - and probably the best scored by a Dundee United player on foreign soil - came in October 1979 in Anderlecht. His stunning late strike in a UEFA Cup tie against the Belgian club - against whom he made his European debut in 1968 - took United into the next round on the away goals rule and is part of United's European folklore.

In 1991, he spend a short spell at Forfar Athletic being assistant manager. This would be the last involvement of football Frank would have.

In 2008, Frank was sadly diagnosed with vascular dementia. This would see his life completely change. His wife Amanda, done everything she could to try and make his life as easy as possible. In his name she set up a campaign to try and get someone in Parliament to realise how serious this illness was.



In 2014, Dundee United took it on themselves to raise money for Frank. They done a bucket collection, where United legends who had played alongside Frank, stand with buckets to collect money for the cause. They also organised a sponsored walk around Tannadice pitch. A golf day was also arranged which the money that is raised from that will go to the payment of the treatment and care Frank needed.

In my opinion, Frank is going to always be in the hearts of Dundee United fans as well as many other football fans. I was lucky enough to take part in the walk around Tannadice. It was so amazing to have managed to see how much this man meant and still does to so many football fans.



On April 17th, a banner was placed in the stands during the Tayside Derby in memory of Frank. Also at Station Park there was a minute silence held in memory of Frank between Forfar and Arbroath where Frank also had connections. Once the Terrors had returned to Tannadice, April 26th Dundee United held a minutes applauses for Frank. Both of these events were executed fantastically, I am very pleased that everyone who attend these games had the respect that Frank deserved.

RIP Frank Kopel. Gone but Never Forgotten.