THE man who managed Largs Thistle to the club's only Scottish Junior Cup triumph in their 135-year history has led the recollections of the momentous day.

John Crawford was orchestrating things from the dugout at Ibrox Stadium as Pat McCurdy converted David Elliot's curling cross on May 15, 1994.

It would prove to be the only goal of the game as Crawford's Ayrshire Second Division shock troops upset their top flight opponents, holders Glenafton Athletic, and their manager, former Scotland keeper Alan Rough.

The victory was watched by a crowd of 8,668 at the ground, and thousands more on live TV at home.

The national headlines after the game centred on the fact that four players had been shown red cards in the course of the final - giving help, as if it were needed, to the lazy old cliche about the over-physical nature of junior football, and Ayrshire junior football in particular.

But in Largs it was all about the massive celebrations that graced the town in the hours after the final whistle, including an open top bus and pubs and hotels jam packed to the wee small hours of the next morning.

John said: "‘It was 30 years ago today that Sergeant Pepper taught the band to play!

"They said ‘they’ll never win the cup with a second division side’. They said 'they’ll not beat Pollok, Kilwinning Rangers or Glenafton’.

"They said 'they’ll not win every round away from home’. They said, ‘They’ll struggle for fitness on the senior pitches at Somerset Park and Ibrox'.

"Always believe dreams can come true. Every mountain can be climbed, no matter how hard the road may be.

"What a group of players we had. We had the late Ossie Findlay too as my assistant.

‘We were the Thistle who came from the coast and won!"

And star striker Stephen Quigg, who was later to replicate his cup success with Arthurlie, said: "Hard to believe it was 30 years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday and made pals for life.

"It was an incredible journey and experience. It was such a brilliant day for everyone involved."

And look out for Drew Cochrane's column later this week which recalls how the cup was won!