The names Yule and Megginson are ingrained in Cove Rangers’ history and this weekend, Blair and Mitch will seek to follow the paths their fathers Raymond and Mike tread.
Nearly 30 years ago, Raymond Yule and Mike Megginson were on the scoresheet for Cove as they beat their more illustrious Glasgow namesakes 3-1 in a pre-season friendly at Allan Park.
Time may have passed substantially since then but the names Yule and Megginson will again don Cove colours this weekend against the Gers, in a Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox.
Victory over Alloa Athletic, in their final game before football shut down in January, earned Cove the dream third-round tie against the new Scottish Premiership champions.
Paul Hartley’s side will head to Ibrox at the weekend in a bid to cause a huge upset and, albeit in a friendly, Cove have some memorable history to draw upon.
The game
Rangers sent an XI up to Aberdeen on August 3 1991, featuring England international goalkeeper Chris Woods, 12 days before he was sold to Sheffield Wednesday. Future Scottish top-flight regulars Steven Pressley and Gary McSwegan were included in a youthful Rangers side, who were led by reserve coach John McGregor, for the game.
It took little time for Cove to get off the mark, with Yule scoring the first of his brace after just two minutes when Woods failed to keep out his header.
Less than two minutes later Yule was at it again in front of a capacity 2,000 crowd, volleying in from close range past a shell-shocked Woods.
Yule was denied a first-half hat-trick by a last-ditch tackle from Chris Vinnicombe before Megginson padded the scoreline further in Cove’s further.
The forward collected a long clearance by goalkeeper Stephen Beckett to nip and roll the ball past Woods for number three.
McSwegan spurned a pair of chances to get Rangers back into the game and Lee Robertson shaved the outside of the post with a free-kick in the first period.
Future Hearts, Dundee United and Kilmarnock man McSwegan pulled a goal back on 34 minutes with a low strike from 16 yards and Beckett had to deny Robertson with a sharp save at the start of the second half.
John Morrow sent a shot over the top before looping a header beyond the crossbar, as Cove held on for a memorable victory.
What they said
Cove manager Dave Watson lauded the talents of Yule and Megginson and the fact they could call on such quality.
“We are fortunate that work commitments prevent Yule and Megginson playing anywhere else,” he said. “For there is no doubt both should be playing as full-time professionals at the highest grade.
“They are a treat to work with and would make any manager’s life easy.
“The Rangers side was full of young players hoping to break into the Premier League in the future – but it was Yule and Megginson who stole the show on this occasion.”
McGregor was fulsome in his praise of their Highland League opponents, having already taken his side to Keith and Deveronvale in pre-season.
“The way Cove played we could have been six down in the first 20 minutes,” he said. “They have some very good players and are proof that Highland football is in a healthy state.”
The modern day
Blair Yule and Mitch Megginson have been integral figures in Cove’s rise from the Highland League to the top end of League One.
Yule returned to the club in 2018 after a two-year stay with Arbroath, to help lead the club into the SPFL for the first time.
Megginson has been a talismanic figure up front, firstly for John Sheran and then his successor Paul Hartley.
He has plundered more than 160 goals for the club since joining in 2016, having started his career at Aberdeen and played for lower-league clubs such as Arbroath, Brechin City, Raith Rovers, Dumbarton and Alloa Athletic.
Both are sure to be involved at Ibrox at the weekend, as Cove take their place in the national spotlight against Steven Gerrard’s undefeated side.
Should the Aberdeen outfit take the scalp of the leading side in Scotland, the current crop might just have a tale to top that of their fathers.