Supporters of small teams have a different scale of success to those who follow bigger clubs. Celtic will want to win the cup today of course but should they succeed they will have forgotten the details by the time their hangover clears on Sunday. Should they fail, chances are another opportunity will come along next season.
But for us, we have the chance to achieve something special. Today we do not have to take consolation from our sense of community or delight in last minute equalisers which ultimately bring us nothing. We are not battling for fifth place in the SPL and a backdoor into Europe; we stand on the brink of glory.
Only four Motherwell teams have picked up one of the biggest trophies in Scottish football and in this 125th year of the club, making that number five would be particularly apt. It will not come freely and the players will have to have the game of their lives if they are to come out on top. The fans too, arriving in Lanarkshire from all over the world, and setting off for Hampden in fleets of claret and amber clad buses and cars, must back the team vocally and remain positive regardless of the situation. Everyone must believe this can be our day.
Motherwell fans have suffered many lows in the last 20 years and we know the next 20 years will contain just as many struggles. These are what make our success all the sweeter and at 4.50pm this afternoon, we may experience the high which validates all of our previous and future suffering.
Come on the ‘Well!