Gary Jardine inspired by Queens dug-out

Published on 03/11/2012 00:00

EDINBURGH City manager Gary Jardine admits he will draw inspiration from the Queen of the South dugout as his non-league minnows look to cause a major Scottish Cup upset against the 
high-flying Dumfries team, writes Darren Johnstone.

Hearts supporter Jardine insists the Doonhamers management team of Allan Johnston and Sandy Clark have been behind some of the biggest shocks he has witnessed following the Tynecastle club. The City manager was at Ibrox when a stunning Johnston hat-trick left Rangers’ famous nine-in-a-row side shell-shocked in 1996. And three years earlier, Jardine watched Clark mastermind a memorable European victory over Spanish giants Atletico Madrid.

As his East of Scotland League side prepared to lock horns with Second Division leaders Queens at Meadowbank this afternoon, Jardine said: “I’m a Jambo and two of the biggest upsets that I’ve seen have involved the Queen of the South dugout. I was at Ibrox when Allan Johnston scored that famous hat-trick against Rangers. And Sandy Clark was the manager when Hearts beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 at Tynecastle in the Uefa Cup. With this game, you can either go in with nerves or go and enjoy it and we intend to do the latter.”

Jardine admits a clash with Queens was one they wanted to avoid. He added: “The draw has not been that kind to us really. We beat Shotts, who are the junior holders of the competition, and then faced a professional club in Montrose. When the draw was being made you looked at the Rangers possibility and then, after that, Queen of the South was the next most difficult tie.”