Elgin City manager Allan Hale says his players should only step on the pitch today if they believe they can beat Aberdeen and cause a major Scottish Cup shock at Borough Briggs
Elgin City can cause a Scottish Cup shock against Aberdeen today - but only if they have belief.
And even with faith that they can get a result, City boss Allan Hale believes a number of things will need to go his team’s way if they are to make history.
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Little over a year after going out of the cup with a humbling 6-0 defeat to sixth-tier Jeanfield Swifts, Elgin are sizing up their greatest-ever day against Premiership big guns Aberdeen.
What works in City’s favour is that they are on home soil, where their form is good, and the Dons are low in confidence in the midst of a 12-game winless streak.
Hale said every one of his players will need to be at their very best and a few of the Aberdeen side to underperform if a cup shock can happen - but Elgin must believe they can do it.
“In order to beat a team of that quality you're going to have a bit of luck,” Hale said. “But it can happen and it is possible.
“It does happens, every season or so there's always a shock in the cup. Why can it not be Elgin?
“Obviously our players need to all have a 10 out of 10 performance and you'll need Aberdeen to have a bit of an off-day in front of goal and things like that but it's definitely possible.
“The pitch will be difficult with the recent weather, the crowd will be behind us and all of these things can make an impact in the game.
“We're going to have to start the game well. You've got to be optimistic because if you don't approach these games with the belief that you can win the game, what's the point of even stepping onto the pitch in the first place?”
Hale can sense some optimism in the Elgin support ahead of one of the biggest matches they will ever see in Moray, and he believes the City fans have a part to play on the day.
“There's no delusion, there's very much a hint of realism in terms of the task that's ahead of us but it's one that we're relishing, it's one that we're looking forward to.
“For us it'll be making sure that we come out of it with as much credit as we possibly can.
“If the fans believe in us, I think that shows the trust that's been built up between the support and the team and the connection that's been built around the football club.
“People will be looking into form and believe that it's possible that we can won. Supporters have every right to dream, and why not. They should dream of a positive result and things like that.
“I guess it gives us confidence that the support feel that a big cup shock and a positive result is possible because it shows that they obviously have trust and belief in the group of players that we have.
“They're going to turn out in the numbers, it's a sell-out, there's going to be a good atmosphere.
“The fans will get behind the players and we're going to need them on our side from minute one to minute 90, and I'm sure they will be as they have done all season.
“It's just great for us as a squad that we can give everyone connected with the club the occasion that's ahead of us on Saturday and hopefully we can give a really good account of ourselves and have an experience that we can look back on with pride.”
