East Fife chairman Sid Collumbine is worried that he may curse his club at Rugby Park tonight.
The Fifers travel to Kilmarnock for the biggest game in their recent history, with the prize of a Scottish Communities League Cup semi-final spot awaiting the winners.
John Robertson’s side have been the team of the tournament thus far, ousting SPL duo Dunfermline and Aberdeen in dramatic fashion in previous rounds.
The Methil men were particularly heroic at Pittodrie, recovering from losing a last-gasp equaliser and experiencing the torment of a penalty shoot-out to dump the Dons.
Collumbine famously missed that great night because he was still on holiday on the Canary Islands, with the switch of the fixture by a day ruining his hopes of being back in time.
Understandably, he wouldn’t miss this one for the world. However, there is a part of him wondering that because they did so brilliantly in his absence that he may prove to be a jinx this time around.
”I am frightened to go!” he joked. ”I am worried that I might bring the boys bad luck because they did so well without me at Aberdeen.
”Seriously, though, I will make sure I make it this time having had to go through the agony of missing the last game. It was torture even though we got such a memorable victory in the end.
”When a club like ours goes up to an SPL team and plays so well, survives the loss of an injury-time equaliser and then holds their nerve in a penalty shoot-out, then that’s a bit special.
”So everyone at East Fife is hyped up for the Kilmarnock match. Everything about the preparation has been as normal as possible.
”I just hope the players give a good account of themselves and I am sure they will do.”
Collumbine believes both the team they are facing and the surface they will be playing on will bring out the best in East Fife.
”John likes to play the passing game and when you come up against SPL teams they do allow you to do that,” he said.
”Kilmarnock have received a lot of praise for their style of play and, having watched them against Motherwell at the weekend there, I think they will give someone a hiding pretty soon. I just hope it is not us!
“So it should be an open, attractive match. All I can ask is for John and the players to do the club proud in what will be a hugely difficult game.”
The Fifers have revived a love affair with the League Cup that began nearly 70 years ago. They were the most successful side in the first decade of the competition, winning it three times during a great period in the club’s history.
However, New Bayview boss John Robertson is only interested in ensuring his men give Killie plenty to think about tonight.
”We may well have lost the element of surprise now after our wins over Dunfermline and Aberdeen,” he admitted. ”Hopefully, those successes as well as three league wins in a row will have given Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels plenty to think about.
”I have had them watched a couple of times and have plans in place to stop them hurting us, but we have to play at our very best to progress to the semi-finals. We will look to repeat what we have done earlier and you just never know.”
The Fifers look set to be without defensive midfielder David Muir because of a knock, while striker Scott Dalziel is definitely out with a pelvic injury.
Killie will still be without keeper Cammy Bell.
Photo George McLuskie.