RAB DOUGLAS: Being on the bench when Celtic lost in Inverness was one thing – but Darvel beating Aberdeen is the biggest Scottish Cup shock ever

I’m not going to claim that I thought Darvel would knock Aberdeen out of the Scottish Cup.

But I did know that they would give the Dons a good game.

Arbroath beat them 3-0 at our place last season and the football they played that day was impressive.

It certainly wasn’t route one.

It’s one thing beating the third or fourth biggest club in the country, it’s quite another to do it playing the way Darvel did.

Nights like that make you think back to your own playing career.

There isn’t a cup shock that sticks out in my mind – either being part of a giant-killing or on the wrong end.

The biggest upset when I was at Celtic was in Inverness in 2003.

It was the season we got to the Uefa Cup final and I was on the bench for a Scottish Cup tie up there when Martin O’Neill made a few changes.

We lost 1-0.

The manager was going crazy in the dressing room afterwards as you would imagine and it was absolute silence amongst the boys.

Obviously, the ‘super Caley go ballistic’ match of a couple of years before that was a far bigger story.

That night will live with every Celtic player who was part of it, as well as John Barnes, of course.

And it will be the same for Jim Goodwin and the Aberdeen boys who played at Darvel.

If you were a local lad it would be horrendous but even for players who are only passing through, this will be something they’ll forever be remember for.

Certainly among the Aberdeen fan base.

Given the number of leagues between the two sides, this has to go down as the biggest Scottish Cup shock ever.

And it shines a light on the quality of players and teams there are beneath the SPFL.

Scottish football used to be a closed shop at professional level.

Not anymore.

And this result – and the fact that Darvel aren’t even as high as the Lowland League – should boost the argument to increase promotion and relegation at the bottom end of the pyramid.

I think we can safely say Craig Gordon will be making a comeback.

It was incredible to see the video of him doing exercises in the gym just a month after breaking his leg.

One month after a double leg break:

Craig Gordon 👏💪 pic.twitter.com/mdXjEmldUt

— Heart of Midlothian FC (@JamTarts) January 24, 2023

You can’t manufacture that sort of determination.

Whatever date for playing again we thought he’d have in his mind, you can shave quite a few weeks off it!

It was interesting to see that St Johnstone have recalled Ross Sinclair from his loan at Montrose.

I’ve not seen Ross play yet but I know how highly thought of he was at Links Park.

You just need to look at the number of clean sheets he’s got.

I met Ross at a coaching session and he’s certainly got the stature needed to be a top goalkeeper.

The fact that he’s played for Scotland under-21s and is now being recalled by Callum Davidson to compete for a start at McDiarmid Park tells you about his potential.

On the face of it, I’d normally say playing regularly is the best thing for a young goalie.

But Callum may have plans to give him game-time with Saints.

Ross has certainly put down solid foundations.