History beckons for Peterhead in the Challenge Cup for the second time – and manager Jim McInally is determined to grab it.
The Blue Toon travel to Hampden tomorrow to face Queen’s Park for a place in their first senior final.
Peterhead supporters have endured the frustration of seeing their team narrowly miss out once before, losing 2-1 to Queen of the South in the semi-finals at Balmoor in October 2010.
So near yet so far and McInally knows these opportunities do not come around often, which is why he wants his club to make it second time lucky.
The manager said: “This is a great chance to make history and we are looking forward to it. The tournament has not been great for Peterhead in the past, with just one semi-finals appearance, but hopefully we can change that.
“It is a big game for both teams and it shows this is a good competition for clubs like us and Queen’s Park. To be in the semi-finals, one step away from the final, is great. Peterhead has had one semi-finals appearance before, against Queen of the South, and lost it.
“Queen’s Park have a history of winning things many years ago so it would be big for them to win as well.”
McInally knows earning the Blue Toon a big day out next spring against either Rangers or St Mirren in the final would be a fitting reward for the efforts of staff behind the scenes at Balmoor.
From chairman Rodger Morrison to the volunteers who give up their time for the club, the chance to cheer on their hometown team in a national final would make the hard work worthwhile.
McInally does not want to let them down and said: “Winning for the people at Peterhead means more to me than winning on a personal level.
“I have been lucky to have had a decent career in football but when working for smaller clubs you get to see what people do to bring money in.
“We have supporters who go around selling raffle tickets every second week and it would be great to win this game for them.
“Bigger clubs do not really need that support, but to give the people who support us a trip to a final would be terrific.
“Our chairman Rodger Morrison is a rich man in his own right but he is a workaholic for the club.
“He is always working to bring money into the club, especially as we need a bigger budget than most to entice players from far afield to travel.
“That money does not come in via the gates and Rodger is good at getting it. He’s been through the Highland League years so it would be great to give him and people like him a reward.
“But I’m sure Queen’s manager Gus MacPherson will be saying the same for the people at his club.”
Even away from Balmoor, McInally was reminded of what getting into a final would mean for his club.
He said: “We train at Forfar and I was speaking to one of their directors, David MacGregor, who does a great job keeping them going. He said before he died he wanted to see Forfar in a cup final. That says how much getting to a final means.”