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Fri, Mar

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Jason Scotland will make the long journey from Dundee to Trinidad first thing on Sunday morning, just hours after appearing in the Tennent's Scottish Cup Final. Flying home for a training camp with new coach Leo Beenhakker, 'The Rocket' is intent on taking a Cup Winner's medal with him.


"I'd love to take a winner's medal back home," he admits, "supposing I could get it through customs! I fly back the day after the final, leaving at 6.50 in the morning from Edinburgh - so I'll be shattered!"

"The flight is from Edinburgh to London then to the Port of Spain airport in Trinidad, which takes 14 hours. It'll just be Collin Samuel and me."

"The journey is second nature now - I could tell you the terminals, the best places to eat in the airport and so on, but I'll be in a terrible mood all the way there if we lose this game."

The 26-year-old was the hero for United in their semi-final success over Hibs, coming from the bench to net the winner that sent them to the National Stadium for this weekend's showpiece event.

On a personal level it promises to be a career highlight on Saturday, but it also means so much to a club that has endured a difficult season.

The dread-locked former Army man and his team-mates approach the clash with the weight of the world removed from their shoulders, after they sealed top-flight survival last weekend with a win over Inverness Caley.

"To win the Scottish Cup would be the best moment in my life! We're not going there just to turn up - it's the last game of the season and we'll give it all we've got, he adds."

"We've been focusing so hard on staying in the Premierleague, so we've not had time to worry about the Cup.  "It's easily one of the biggest games in my career and I just want to enjoy the day, giving it my best shot."

"The goal against Hibs in the semi was one of the best goals of my career and made me so proud. It was an important one and everyone went crazy, hugging me and lifting me up!"

"As a player, I just looked at the stands and saw so many disappointed Hibs fans, but I just could not stop smiling for days!
They talk about my goals back home in the media. Me playing in the final means I'll be late for the training camp, but it'll be a big day for me at Hampden."

"Scoring in the semi was just a breathtaking experience, so I don't know what it will be like if I manage to get one against Celtic! If I did, I probably wouldn't need the aeroplane to get back home as I'd be fling on cloud nine!"