Glencairn are calling on the people of Rutherglen to come out and support the team in their quest to reach the last four of the Emirates Junior Cup.
The Glens face East of Scotland side Camelon Juniors in the quarter-final of Scotland’s biggest junior football competition a week on Saturday (March 16).
Glens have already overachieved in reaching the last eight, and now the club are hoping that a bumper crowd can help propel them even further.
The club are aiming to turn the game into a gala occasion in an attempt to entice fans off the street and into the Clyde Gateway Stadium.
Glens haven’t reached the last four of the Scottish Cup since 1975 when they went on to reach the final. That day 35,000 fans watched the Glens lose out to Glenrothes.
And while junior teams can only dream of attendances like that now, the club committee are hopeful of encouraging more fans to come through the turnstiles.
Committee member and Reformer Glencairn correspondent, Peter Ferguson, said: “We’re wanting the whole of Rutherglen to get behind the Glens for this game.
“The last time we reached the final in 1975, there was a crowd of 35,000 there.
“We can only dream of crowds like that in the juniors nowadays, as there are so many other attractions and transport is so much better.
“But Glencairn deserve a bigger support from the Rutherglen people.
“We have been playing in the town for 117 years, and we are effectively the main local football team.
“This is arguably our biggest match for a generation, as it has been 21 years since we last got to the quarter finals of the ‘Scottish’, and 38 years since we went further than that.
“We’re grateful to local business for their sponsorship, particularly Network Scotland who sponsor our strips and Clyde Gateway who have put their name to our excellent stadium for the last three years.
“But every penny is a prisoner in the junior game, and every person through the gates is a bonus for us.
“We’ll be promoting this game in the pubs, in the schools and in the Main Street in the build up to the match, and we’re grateful to the Reformer for helping us in that regard.”
Glens started their cup campaign with a fine 3-1 win over league rivals Hurlford United.
They have since beaten Deveronside, Blackburn United and Pumpherston to reach this stage of the competition.
Manager Willie Harvey says a big crowd could be a real boost to the players.
He said: “We’re hoping the people from Rutherglen as well as the surrounding areas like the Gorbals and Castlemilk to come along.
“We want them all to come out and give us a good crowd and a good bit of support. Camelon will bring a good crowd and we want to make it a real occasion.
“It’s been a long time since this club has had a game as high profile as this and with a bit of luck we could take it a wee bit further.”
Glencairn have won the Scottish Cup four times, but not since 1939.
The game kicks off at 2.30pm at the Clyde Gateway Stadium on Saturday, March 16.
