Dundee United had just seen a hugely respected manager who had become synonymous with the club leave the job. In had come a coach who had never been a full-time manager of a Scottish top-flight club to take on the task of leading the Tangerines on the road to Hampden. Does that sound familiar?
In season 1993-94, it was the legendary Jim McLean making way for the relatively unknown Ivan Golac.
Fast forward to 2009-10 and you have Peter Houston doing an excellent job of succeeding the now Scotland boss Craig Levein.
United fans will be hoping the similarities don’t end there, of course, for 16 years ago the club achieved its Holy Grail and lifted the Scottish Cup in Golac’s first season in charge.
The Tannadice team’s long march to glory started at Gayfield, where they took on Arbroath in the third round on January 29.
A wonder strike from Craig Brewster more of him later was the highlight of a tough game for United, who eventually ran out 3-2 winners before a crowd of 6000.
Golac wasn’t happy with the performance, saying, “We should have strolled through the game but lacked the ruthless streak I want to see in the players.”
Next up was a home meeting with a Motherwell side who had just ousted Celtic from the tournament. Once again Brewster was the one to watch, scoring two stunning goals and being named man of the match.
However, an injury-time equaliser from John Philliben secured a 2-2 draw for the Steelmen and they ended the day favourites to go through in the replay.
Golac didn’t mince his words.
“Give me your all or you will rot in the reserves,” he told his charges.
So it was on to Fir Park on the night of March 1, with over 13,000 in attendance.
A rare Brian Welsh goal with 67 minutes on the clock saw United secure a place in the last eight of the tournament for the first time since they made it to their heartbreaking final against Well in 1991.
By now belief was beginning to spread through the support, and an army of 5000 fans followed the club to the old Broomfield for their quarter-final clash with Airdrie. Sadly, they were short-changed by a dreadful game that was bereft of any goals.
The replay at Tannadice was a brighter affair, with United winning 2-0 thanks to strikes from Andy McLaren and Billy McKinlay to motor through to a semi-final date with Aberdeen at the national stadium.
It was at this point that the subject of the club’s “Hampden hoodoo” was raised.
The Tangerines had reached the Scottish Cup final six times before, losing each one against Celtic (1974), Rangers (81), Celtic (85), St Mirren (87), Celtic (88) and Motherwell (91).
Midfielder Dave Bowman dismissed it as a myth, saying, “I’m fed up hearing all the talk of a hoodoo and I think it is just a lot of rubbish.”
However, they looked like suffering more heartache when the Dons entered the 88th minute of the last-four encounter on April 9 still leading due to Duncan Shearer’s goal. But up popped Welsh to score another vital goal to earn another replay.
Ahead of the Tuesday re-run, Golac predicted, “Aberdeen have been so lucky against us so many times but they won’t be this time.”
He was spot-on with the prophesy, with Jim McInally’s first goal of the season securing a place in the showpiece on May 21.
They had to wait a day to find out their opponents, with Rangers overcoming Kilmarnock 2-1 in the other semi-final.
The Gers were chasing the treble and their striker Mark Hateley did his bit to inspire the United players with his prediction that they would have no say in the destination of the cup.
“It is up to us. If we apply ourselves there should not be a problem,” he said.
If Golac saw those words he didn’t let on, instead spending the build-up looking relaxed and telling his players the starting line-up in advance Guido van de Kamp, Alex Cleland, Maurice Malpas (capt), Jim McInally, Gordan Petric, Brian Welsh, Dave Bowman, David Hannah, Andy McLaren, Craig Brewster and Christian Dailly. Jerren Nixon was to come on as a sub for McLaren.
Contrary to Hateley’s prediction, this was a final won by United, not lost by Rangers, with a display full of character capped off by the winning goal two minutes into the second half.
Dailly pounced on a mistake by Rangers keeper Ally Maxwell and tried to score from a tight angle. The ball hit the far post, rebounded to Brewster, who knocked home from close range.
It was, indeed, seventh heaven for United as they finally won a Scottish Cup final.
Brewster, a self-confessed fan of the club, said, “After standing on the terracing here when we have lost previous finals it was so special to get the goal which saw us finally lift the trophy.”