Taxi driver Billy Ogilvie picked up the hire of his life last night- a one way ticket to New Douglas Park to face Celtic in the Scottish Cup.
Ten days ago the Scottish Cup draw paired Celtic with East Kilbride or Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale with the glamour of a £100,000 pay day hanging over both clubs.
Ogilvie took charge of East Kilbride 18 months ago following the controversial departure of Iain King which at one stage saw the local newspaper banned from their K Park stadium in the town’s Calderglen Country Park.
The circus came to town last night as 600 fans, including John Kennedy, Leigh Griffiths and Gordon Strachan, watched the home side hit the jackpot thanks to goals from Jack Smith and Sean Winter.
Over the next fortnight the Scottish Cup tie will dominate the thoughts of everyone involved with East Kilbride while last night’s losers are left to concentrate on the Lowland League.
“We got a magnificent first goal from Jack Smith,” Ogilvie said. “That’s what he’s capable of. No goalkeeper would have saved that.
“It’s not quite sunk in at the minute. The last nine days for Raymond Carr, their manager, and I, it’s been difficult.
“We had a quick chat before the game and we were just dying to get it over with and for one of us to get through and play Celtic.
“The reward was so great. I had to laugh when he said ‘we’re not thinking about Celtic’. It’s wonderful the strides we’re making for a club with such a short history.
“Off the park, I’ve such a magnificent team and we’re trying to emulate it on the park. Drawing Celtic inspired the players. The team talk had been building for the last nine days.
“You could feel the energy in training. You could feel the anxiety. They just wanted to get Lothian out of the way to go and play Celtic.
“I told them not to leave it in the dressing room. It would have been a massive blow to be on the losing side.
“I’m going to have a day off from driving the taxi now!”
The 6,018 tickets for New Douglas Park will be quickly snapped up.
WELL DONE EAST KILBRIDE will be a Massive Day for the Club and Their Fans.
They should play it at Celtic Park.
Much bigger occasion for EK & a much bigger payday.
Shouild be 30,000 there.