First Team
All The Info | Rangers (A)
22nd November 2024
Today's match against Ayr United represents arguably one of United's most important fixtures of this season. With the defeat at Aberdeen last week, the prospects of the Tangerines claiming a top six position were dented and although still alive, many Arabs are now looking towards the Tennent's Scottish Cup as a means of taking something substantial from the campaign.
Although the team have had some disappointing results of late, there is little doubt that progress has been made over last season. Manager Alex Smith is well aware of the importance of the match with Ayr United and the impact that it may have on the remainder of this season. "Today's Cup Tie against Ayr offers up the opportunity to book a place in the semi-final at Hampden," commented United's experienced team boss who holds the rare distinction of managing two different clubs to Scottish Cup success. "It would be nice to achieve this particular goal as we enjoyed the experience and the occasion last year when we lost to Celtic in a keenly contested game."
"Our opponents today have already tasted that experience this season when they defeated Hibernian 1-0 in the semi-final of the CIS League Cup. This is indeed a great achievement for a club such as Ayr who have reached that stage for the first time in their history."
"The match this afternoon takes on great significance for both clubs but as usual, you can only look to your own team and hope that they will play well enough to achieve the necessary result. Cup ties offer a different excitement to both players and fans. They enjoy the cut and thrust of a knock-out tournament and I would love to take the United fans back to Hampden again for another crack at a place in the final.
United have reached the Quarter-Final stage of the Scottish Cup every season since they first won the tournament in 1994. Having been winners once and Runners-Up on six other occasions, the Tannadice Club have one of the best Scottish Cup records in the game. There is one other Quarter-Final today with Partick Thistle and Inverness Caledonian Thistle in opposition. Tomorrow Rangers travel to Station Park Forfar while on Monday Aberdeen play host to Celtic. After the match on Monday evening, the draw for the semi-final will take place.
Today's match kicks off at 3pm.
Although the team have had some disappointing results of late, there is little doubt that progress has been made over last season. Manager Alex Smith is well aware of the importance of the match with Ayr United and the impact that it may have on the remainder of this season. "Today's Cup Tie against Ayr offers up the opportunity to book a place in the semi-final at Hampden," commented United's experienced team boss who holds the rare distinction of managing two different clubs to Scottish Cup success. "It would be nice to achieve this particular goal as we enjoyed the experience and the occasion last year when we lost to Celtic in a keenly contested game."
"Our opponents today have already tasted that experience this season when they defeated Hibernian 1-0 in the semi-final of the CIS League Cup. This is indeed a great achievement for a club such as Ayr who have reached that stage for the first time in their history."
"The match this afternoon takes on great significance for both clubs but as usual, you can only look to your own team and hope that they will play well enough to achieve the necessary result. Cup ties offer a different excitement to both players and fans. They enjoy the cut and thrust of a knock-out tournament and I would love to take the United fans back to Hampden again for another crack at a place in the final.
United have reached the Quarter-Final stage of the Scottish Cup every season since they first won the tournament in 1994. Having been winners once and Runners-Up on six other occasions, the Tannadice Club have one of the best Scottish Cup records in the game. There is one other Quarter-Final today with Partick Thistle and Inverness Caledonian Thistle in opposition. Tomorrow Rangers travel to Station Park Forfar while on Monday Aberdeen play host to Celtic. After the match on Monday evening, the draw for the semi-final will take place.
Today's match kicks off at 3pm.
