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St Johnstone face Rangers in League Cup as echoes of the past tease a repeat of 2006 Ibrox heroics

Owen Coyle was the manager when second tier Saints shocked Paul Le Guen's team.

Andre Raymond (right) is following on from Jason Scotland as a St Johnstone fans' favourite.
Andre Raymond (left) is following on from Jason Scotland as a St Johnstone fans' favourite. Images: SNS.

A Scottish Cup quarter-final triumph, featuring Zander Clark’s dramatic extra-time assist, en route to the 2021 double is the St Johnstone cup victory against Rangers that dwarfs all the rest.

But there are other memorable one-off results against the Glasgow giants that are part of Perth folklore.

Alex Totten’s lower league part-timers holding Graeme Souness’ star-studded team to a 1989 Scottish Cup semi-final draw at Celtic Park was one.

Tommy Wright’s 2015 side out-playing and beating Mark Warburton’s undefeated outfit in the League Cup was another.

The biggest shock, though, was when Owen Coyle masterminded a 2-0 victory for First Division Saints at Ibrox in November 2006.

St Johnstone fans celebrate their win.
St Johnstone fans celebrate their win. Image: SNS.

Courier Sport looks back at that match to find a few echoes from the past ahead of Saturday evening’s Premier Sports Cup last-16 clash between the two clubs at Hampden Park.


East Fife

There were no group games for Saints to negotiate 18 years ago but then, as with this season, East Fife were an early opponent in the competition.

Last month, the Methil club were beaten 5-1 to secure top spot in group F for Craig Levein’s team.

In 2006, the McDiarmid Park scoreline was 3-1 in Saints’ favour.

Martin Hardie celebrates with Jason Scotland after scoring St Johnstone's second goal against East Fife.
Martin Hardie celebrates with Jason Scotland after scoring St Johnstone’s second goal against East Fife. Image: SNS.

Jason Scotland scored twice and Martin Hardie once.


Rangers in crisis

By the time Saints travelled to Ibrox in early November, Rangers were trailing Celtic by 15 points in the title race, having lost four league matches and drawn the same amount of fixtures.

In the game that preceded the CIS Cup quarter-final, Paul Le Guen’s team had lost 2-1 to Dundee United at Tannadice.

The United manager (his first in charge of the Tangerines) was none other than Craig Levein.

There were protests outside Ibrox in the wake of Saints’ shock victory.

Le Guen, though, didn’t fall victim to the St Johnstone sacking curse, but his departure felt inevitable by that stage, and was confirmed less than two months later.

A lot of Rangers fans had left Ibrox before the full-time whistle - some to protest outside the front door.
A lot of Rangers fans had left Ibrox before the full-time whistle – some to protest outside the front door. Image: SNS.

There’s a Belgian with an excellent pre-Rangers pedigree, rather than a Frenchman, in the dugout this time.

Philippe Clement isn’t the biggest problem Rangers have just now but there’s no escaping the fact that Saints are, once again, facing a team and club flirting with ‘crisis’ talk as supporter apathy/anger bubbles under the surface.


The Trinidad and Tobago connection

One of the stars of the show in 2006 was Jason Scotland, who was called up for the Trinidad and Tobago World Cup squad that year.

Scotland scored in the 3-0 defeat of United in the previous round and would go on to find the net in the semi-final defeat to Hibs at Tynecastle a couple of months later.

Jason Scotland in action against Rangers.
Jason Scotland in action against Rangers. Image: SNS.

There’s a new Trinidad and Tobago fans’ favourite at McDiarmid these days – Andre Raymond.

He celebrated his sixth birthday the day after Saints beat Rangers and, if fit, Raymond will be a key attacking weapon at left wing-back this weekend.


Attacking options

Saints were a second tier side back then.

But Coyle had options at centre-forward that would have been the envy of several top-flight managers.

That evening the strike partnership was Milne and Scotland, with Peter MacDonald and Andy Jackson on the bench.

Steven Milne scored both goals in St Johnstone's 2-0 win.
Steven Milne scored both goals in St Johnstone’s 2-0 win. Image: SNS.

This season, Levein is similarly blessed with plenty of number nine options.

Benji Kimpioka and Adama Sidibeh already have 10 goals between them, while Makenzie Kirk and Nicky Clark are providing game-changing second half options.

Sidibeh, sure to have scouts from south of the border paying close attention to the game, showed against Dundee last season that he’s got an overhead goal in his locker.

Steven Milne's spectacular opening goal.
Steven Milne’s spectacular opening goal. Image: SNS.

Could the Gambia international do a ‘Savo’ Milne at Hampden to make history repeat itself for Saints against Rangers?

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