Shaun Rooney's Celtic connection as St Johnstone hero 'wishes he has a quid on it'

In netting both winners in the 1-0 final victories that snared each of the cups this season, Shaun Rooney has written himself into Scottish Cup lore in unimaginable fashion.
Shaun Rooney holds the Scottish Cup final aloft.Shaun Rooney holds the Scottish Cup final aloft.
Shaun Rooney holds the Scottish Cup final aloft.

No player before him had scored every one of the goals in both showpieces during the same campaign. Yet, the wing-back savoured his team simply defying all odds.

‘I saw on Twitter the other day that it was 10,000/1 for us to win both cups,” said the double matchwinner. “That’s impossible really isn’t it? I wish I’d had a quid on it! It was a great ball from David [Wotherspoon for the goal], he just hung it up to the back post and that’s where I want it. I just had to go and stick my head on it and I’ll do that no bother.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rooney has become the fifth player this century to score in both cup finals and joins Henrik Larsson, Barry Ferguson, Tom Rogic and Kris Boyd in that feat.

That’s not bad company, especially the one name – Larsson,” said the known Celtic-supporting 24-year-old. “I’ve never been compared to Larsson and I never will be… I remember his final game [for Celtic in 2004] and Seville too [when he scored twice in the 2003 UEFA Cup final defeat]. Then obviously when he’s come back to Celtic Park for testimonials. I have probably seen a good three years of him and then he went to Barca and Man Utd. ll take big Tom Rogic too. He is more recent, amazing. It’s a great stat to have.”

Rooney admitted that being forced to play both finals in an empty Hampden as the consequence of Covid-19 restrictions was a blow, but that the expected return of fans next season would be a motivating factor in the bid to defend the trophies.

You want to celebrate, you get the first couple of people lifting the cup but then the celebrations sort of die. If the fans were here they would all be buzzing while we were lifting the cup,” he said. “It would have been a different situation we were in. It would have been good to have your family and fans here but it is what it is.”