Kenny Miller: Rangers aren't scared of Hibernian ending their Hampden hoodoo

via Evening Times |

Evening Times10 years ago

KENNY MILLER insists Rangers won’t be spooked by Hibernian’s bid to end their Scottish Cup hoodoo at Hampden next week.

The Easter Road outfit have not lifted the silverware since 1902 and will return to the National Stadium for another crack as they look to see off Mark Warburton’s side and finally lift the silverware.

Hibs lost back-to-back finals against Hearts and Celtic in their two most recent final outings and were beaten by Ross County in the League Cup showpiece earlier this season.

Having already seen off Alan Stubbs’ side over the course of the Championship campaign and clinched the second tier title, the Light Blues will head into the final in high spirits as they target a third medal this term.

And, when asked how conscious Rangers were to not be the team that lost to Hibs in a final, former Leith forward Miller said: “Very. That is something that will continue for years to come if they don’t win it.

“This is their third final in five or six years so they have had opportunities and been unlucky, unfortunate, haven’t performed, whatever it is and still haven’t managed to put it to bed.

“We don’t want to be the team that goes down in history as the one they have won it against. It is a minor issue going into it.

“We will be prepared and focus on what we need to do and if we do what we do we will have enough to win the cup.

“It is always mentioned [when I was at Hibs]. We got to the semi-final and got beat by Aberdeen in my last year at Hibs.

“It was definitely something that, I wouldn’t say bothered you, but it was always in your head when Scottish Cup games came about, especially the latter stages.

“For us, it is something I don’t need to worry about. We can just focus on what we are trying to do and making sure we go about our business in the right way.

“It is a cup final and when you are at Rangers and in a cup final, you need to win. It is as simple as that, as it is with any other game.

“There is an element of that for them as well but it is a cup final and there are huge implications in winning this with European football.

“It would be a massive achievement. Everything I am saying, they will be saying next week. There is pressure on both sides.”