Rab Douglas in Buckie: Celtic tie is "shining spotlight on Highland League football"
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FORMER Celtic star Rab Douglas has said it's great to see Buckie Thistle's Scottish Cup clash at Parkhead shining a spotlight on Highland League football.
Douglas (51), who made more than 100 appearances in goals for Celtic between 2000 and 2005, said it was great to "feel the buzz" about Buckie during a visit to the town on Tuesday.
"It's bringing a lot of media spotlight on Highland League football, which is a great thing," he said on Buckie's clash with the Scottish champions.
"It's a good standard and you want to see Buckie progressing as a club, and this will probably set them up for the next couple of years.
"For the Buckie players, their families and everybody connected with the club it's great. It's their day out and they will want to do themselves justice.
"I have loved coming up here. It's the beauty of the Scottish Cup. You can feel the vibe and the buzz around the place – it's great."
Douglas knows a thing or two about cups shocks – he was on the bench for one of the most memorable cup upsets in the history of Scottish football when Inverness Caledonian Thistle beat Celtic in 2000.
"You can't win if you are a Celtic player," he said. "You are on a hiding to nothing.
"I was on the bench when we got beat at Inverness in the Scottish Cup. We had a few fringe players that were given their chance and they didn't take it. That's what you have got to be wary of. That's the biggest thing.
"Will Celtic make a lot of changes? I think they will make a few. You have got to come in as a player and perform.
"There will be fringe players that will want to be in Brendan Rodgers' plans so it's a big one for them too."
Rab Douglas was speaking at a Scottish Gas media event. Scottish Gas is the proud partner of the Scottish Cup.
