Colin Calderwood looks for cup launchpad

It's a sad fact not often repeated down Leith way that, in the 20th century, more men walked on the moon than won a Scottish Cup final with Hibernian FC.

The crew of the abandoned Apollo 13 moon mission surely shared the emotions endured by Hibs' loyal fans ever since they last won the cup in 1902. Astronauts Lovell, Swigert and Haise set out shooting for the moon with high hopes only for it all to go wrong before the glory could be acquired.

At least the Apollo 13 trio only had to do it once. On 96 occasions since 1902, Hibs fans have watched their heroes set out on the path to the Scottish Cup final, and eight times have seen them reach the ultimate stage, only to fall to teams as diverse as Airdrieonians, Aberdeen, Clyde, Rangers - that memorable triple final of 1979 - but mostly Celtic, winners in four 'green' finals including the last one in which Hibs played, back in 2001.

With a home tie tomorrow in the fourth round against Ayr United of the Second Division, it is current manager Colin Calderwood's turn to try to end Hibs' pain at the 97th time of asking, the Cup having been abandoned during the war years, 1915-19 and 1940-46. He is well aware of the history, even if he did not know it fully before arriving at Easter Road.

"It's probably something I had heard before but hadn't been mentioned too much," said Calderwood. "But I was at a supporters' meeting within a fortnight of coming here where it was one of the questions that was brought up.

"It does seem strange with some of the quality teams they have had here that they haven't won it. You would certainly have expected it, even through them luckily nicking a final. It has certainly become folklore already and it is on everybody's mind. It would be an opportunity for any Hibs side to obtain hero status but that's at the end, that's not what happens at the start.

"Hopefully we can get through and go further in the competition and then give ourselves something we could certainly build on. We could certainly build a rapport with the fans and develop a superb support because of the cup-ties. But we have got to get through this one and then we could give ourselves a foundation."

To try and build the support, in a clear bid to boost the attendance, the club have reduced the price of admission for tomorrow's match, with adult tickets at 15 and concessions 10.

The defeat in last weekend's Edinburgh derby is already confined to the memory banks and Calderwood is hoping a change of tournament will change Hibs' luck. "The Cup is always quite refreshing after the Christmas programme. There is an obvious excitement, certainly with the teams underneath the Premier League, they definitely add to that," he said.

"They are always good occasions, always with that element of danger we have got to be aware of. And I am very glad we are at home." Calderwood pronounced himself "impressed" by Ayr, having watched them beat Dumbarton 2-0 at the weekend.

"Seeing them in action just reaffirmed what I knew, that it would be a tricky tie," he said. "They have one or two players who I know will be very positive in our half, so we have to be very aware of that.

"And, against any team who has had a run of games like we have without a win, you know the longer you stay in the game the more uncomfortable it becomes for them. It gives an extra incentive to Ayr United this weekend."

Calderwood's personal cup nostalgia was not for his professional playing days at Mansfield, Swindon or Spurs, but for his time as a young teenager with the Boys Club of tomorrow's opponents, especially a trip to Sweden for the world's largest youth football tournament in terms of player numbers.

He said: "The abiding memory of being at Ayr was going to the Gothia Cup in Gothenburg with the under-16 team in 1980, and winning that.

"The Gothia Cup was and still is quite a prestigious youth tournament, so it was something to win the final in Gothenburg's old stadium (the under-16s beat Gothenburg 1-0).

"When we won it, there were African teams, which made it quite exotic. There were some famous Spanish teams, clubs from all over."

Ayr United made him an offer, but a full-time apprenticeship at Mansfield drew Calderwood south, although he has happy memories of his time at Somerset Park, to where he travelled several times a week from his home in Stranraer.

"The memories don't count for anything but I think everything is about the same," said Calderwood. "The moss on the roof of the stand is probably the same moss that was there back then. It was my mum or the manager from the local club in Stranraer, Tommy McBride, who would drive me up. Other family members would drive me as well. There is huge gratitude to my parents for putting themselves out, time and again."

Even with a bad run of form, Hibs will surely have too much firepower for their Second Divisions opponents but, should Hibs fall to Ayr tomorrow, the only lonelier place than Calderwood's office will be on the moon.